The festive holiday shopping season is already in full swing and FedEx Express (FedEx), a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and the world’s largest transportation company, is going all-in to help shoppers and shippers spread some seasonal joy at this special time of the year.
With seasonal shopping increasing, the share of e-commerce’s retail spending is also increasing during this period. According to recent EZDubai research, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) e-commerce sector shows great potential: the overall regional e-commerce market rose to US$31.7 billion in 2021, a 15% increase over 2020.[1]
The UAE’s e-commerce sector alone is estimated to be worth US$9.2 billion by 2026.[2] In addition, a new Checkout.com survey reveals that 88% of the respondents across MENA plan to increase their online purchases during the coming year.[3] Meanwhile, local festivities such as the UAE National Day, which mark the final countdown to the holiday season, provide the consumers with great deals and offers. In fact, according to Google’s own data, consumers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt are among the most thrilled to search for Black Friday compared to consumers in Brazil, the UK, and the US.[4]
To make the most of the season, e-tailers are looking to boost their effectiveness and are innovating their services through personalized customer offers, online shoppertainment, and new payment options to attract visitors and clicks. To deliver superior customer experience during periods of high demand, they also need the support of a reliable logistics provider.
“During the holiday season, customers in the UAE and the rest of the GCC place big importance on making the most out of the shopping discounts,” said Taarek Hinedi, vice president of Middle East and Africa operations at FedEx Express. “With our strong network and comprehensive portfolio of services including digital solutions, we aim to help drive the UAE’s e-commerce value chain during the holiday season.”
FedEx has flexible delivery options to give both businesses and consumers confidence through this busy season. These include:
- Competitive delivery speed and great value: FedEx International Priority® Express offers businesses across the Middle East region the flexibility of selecting the right delivery option that suits their needs with choices. For those urgent last-minute shipments, the service provides delivery by 10.30am or noon for select markets* in Asia, United States, Canada, and Europe.
- Convenience and control: FedEx® Delivery Manager International gives consumers options on where and when their residential shipments are delivered. The service has recently been enhanced to include delivery notifications and personalized options. The date and location of delivery can even be changed once the shipment is in progress so you can manage your deliveries when you are on the go.
- Seamless integration: FedEx is integrating its services with e-commerce marketplaces to generate FedEx shipping labels and access features like Express Shipping Services and International Shipping Documentation Service, without leaving the platforms. Easy-to-use, friction-free services like these are important timesavers for e-commerce merchants during the holidays when order books are filling up. They also make a difference to end consumers in helping to ensure their expectations are met.
- Becoming more sustainable: FedEx is following a multi-track path to reduce carbon emissions in the delivery cycle with a goal of achieving carbon neutral global operations by 2040. This includes investing in electric vehicles for last mile deliveries and enhancing digital solutions. Additionally, FedEx is implementing solutions like reusable packaging to help reduce waste in the shipping process.
Whether you are managing a business or managing your kids‘ wish list, FedEx is standing by to help everyone shop and ship with convenience this holiday season and spend more time with the people that matter.
[1] EZDubai Report. E-Commerce Sector in the UAE and MENA Region Second Edition
[2] Dubai Chamber of Commerce analysis based on data from Euromonitor, October 2022
[3] Chekout.com Report. Digital transformation in MENA 2022
[4] Google Trends, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Search interest for seasonal moments, 2021
