UAE, Saudi shoppers are no big fans of loyalty programs: Tabby survey

Dubai: These days, shoppers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia do not seem to be paying too much attention to loyalty schemes from brands and retailers.

That seems to be the case after a new survey of shopper habits found only a woeful 7.7 per cent of them confirming that being members of loyalty programs was a strong reason to return and shop with the same brand.

What matters more to Gulf shoppers can be summed up in three words – ‘good shopping experience'. A fairly high percentage of those polled, 30 per cent, agreed with that, according to Tabby, the BNPL (buy now pay later) platform that surveyed more than 7,500 shoppers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Because 82 per cent of shoppers found ‘at least one frustration’ in the online shopping process – these could take the form of website navigation, auto-payment options, and long checkout processes.

Of course, young shoppers (18-29 years) are twice as likely to get frustrated over slow ecommerce websites. “For those hoping to attract Gen-Z shoppers, a good shopping experience is non-negotiable,” the report states.

And 60 per cent of potential buyers have abandoned the purchase due to payment issues, with 'young shoppers more cautious about sharing their payment details'.

"Thus, retailers are responsible for showing potential customers that their website is safe," the report adds.

More to follow…