Dubai / Emirates Business
Facebook in the Middle East and North Africa announced on Tuesday key insights from a research that shows how consumers in MENA are making decisions during the Ramadan period, with mobile technology playing a key role.
Like many things in our lives, Ramadan has been hugely influenced by the rise of new technology – especially mobile technology. Smartphones especially are transforming all areas of consumers’ lives and creating new ‘mobile moments’ that are extending the Ramadan experience to 7 weeks beyond the traditional time frame of 4-5 weeks.
Facebook MENA research shows the emergence of three phases which consumers go through when planning for Ramadan.
Phase 1 – Discovery
(2 weeks pre-Ramadan)
The pre-Ramadan phase is all about discovery, which is hugely important in a world where people are spending more time in mobile apps than browsers. 47% of people surveyed from the UAE begin planning their cooking options in the month before Ramadan. This is also extended to fashion planning which also matters to people in the MENA region and starts well before the holiday. 65% in UAE also agree families compete to show off their style during Ramadan.
Phase 2 – Mobile and Visual (4 weeks of Ramadan)
The second phase is about connecting via mobile and visual. During Ramadan, people are most often to be found on their smartphone, posting and sharing images and videos Ramadan is a mobile-first month in the UAE, especially for young people, with people sharing Ramadan experiences via mobile, images and video. This trend reveals that 83% of people surveyed in the UAE say they access the internet via a smartphone during Ramadan and there are 7.83x mobile vs desktop uploads for 18-34 year-olds.
Phase 3 – Shopping decisions for Eid (1 week)
The final phase is all about last minute opportunities at Eid. People are looking for last-minute travel and technology deals. 53% of people surveyed in the UAE arrange Eid hotel stays on or after the first day of Eid and 43% of tech purchasers surveyed do not plan their purchases in advance.
When it comes to gifts, both Facebook and Instagram can influence this spending – and gifting more broadly. As musch as 60% of the people surveryed in UAE say they rely on Facebook for gift ideas.