Criteo has found that the mobile share of all digital sales in the Middle East is 38.8%, which is higher than the world-wide average of 35%, according to Criteo's Q3 State of Mobile Commerce Report. The study, which analyzed industry wide trends, provides marketers with fundamental mobile commerce intelligence for engaging consumers and increasing sales.
Criteo's research highlights that the share of smartphones of mobile sales in KSA and the UAE is at a substantial 79 percent, outshining their tablet counterparts, which hold a current share of 21 per cent. This trend has been observed globally, but is significantly higher in the Middle East. Additionally, Criteo found that mobile order values compared to those of desktop are at a ratio of 82 to 100.
"Mobile must be given increasing importance by ad strategies in order to effectively engage with tech savvy consumers in this day and age, and marketers must closely monitor the consumer's purchase journey if they want to entice buyers and capitalize on sales," said Dirk Henke, Managing Director Emerging Markets, Criteo.
Criteo's findings are in line with the region's current ecommerce and technology trends, especially with operators in the UAE implementing high-speed mobile internet upgrades to cater to growing consumer demand. According to Ericsson's mobility report for the MENA region, mobile data traffic is expected to grow 16 times greater than the current 2015 rate, validating the potential mobile has in terms of purchasing power. 2015 has already witnessed a growth of 80 per cent in mobile traffic from the previous year, with the share of mobile digital sales in KSA and UAE markets rising up to 38.8 percent.