E-commerce platforms in the United Arab Emirates yesterday launched extensive offers for «Black Friday» with discounts ranging from 25% to 75%. Most of these offers have been extended until the end of November. Meanwhile, traditional retail markets have launched parallel discount campaigns. The promotional campaigns on online platforms varied in name, including «Black Friday», «Yellow Friday», «Amazing Friday», «Super November», and «Flash November». Consumers reported that this year's discounts brought new initiatives, most notably the early launch of offers, which usually started on November 27th, along with their extension until the end of the month or even the first week of the following month. There was also an increase in the number of participating entities and an expansion of the range of discounted goods to include personal care products, perfumes, clothing, shoes, and dietary supplements, rather than the traditional focus on electronics only. Retail sector specialists stated that this diversity is due to the heightened competition in the market, as well as the desire of platforms and stores to target consumers who are planning to travel during the unified winter school holidays in December, which last for four weeks. In detail, consumer Sharif Abdelaziz said that many e-commerce platforms launched «Black Friday» offers early this year, extending them for longer periods compared to previous years. Consumer Adel Munir confirmed that this year's offers were more comprehensive, not limited to electronic devices but also including a variety of products such as personal care, perfumes, clothing, shoes, and dietary supplements. Consumer Mahmoud Hamid noted that the variety of offer names, whether under the banner of «Black Friday» on some platforms or under different campaigns, combined with the availability of offers in traditional stores, gave families more options for shopping at staggered times. Consumer Yasser Omar agreed that «Black Friday» offers were more diverse and extensive this year, both online and in physical stores. On his part, the Business Development Manager of an e-commerce platform, Nilesh Raju, said that the early launch and extension of «Black Friday» offers under different names are the result of the strong competition in the country's retail markets, pushing platforms to launch more innovative initiatives to attract consumers. Similarly, the Sales Head of a retail chain, Dilip Vishal, stated that traditional stores also launched their own «Black Friday» discounts under different names in an attempt to offer varied campaigns, focusing on a wider range of products to attract a larger segment of consumers, especially with the upcoming holiday and travel season. Vikas Chada, CEO of «Jumbo Electronics», said that the offers include a variety of products such as mobile phones, computers, televisions, home appliances, as well as smart wearables and accessories, with varying discount rates. Retail expert Ibrahim Al-Bahr confirmed that the timing of the offers this year was a key factor in increasing discounts and extending their period, as many offers continue until the beginning of the Union Day holiday, which is followed immediately by the unified winter school holidays, prompting platforms and stores to enhance their competitiveness and attract consumers to buy holiday supplies and gifts early.
