News
MENA Online Electronics Sales Grew By 7% In 2023
Despite inflation and rising prices, the Admitad affiliate network says growth aligns perfectly with the global rate.
According to newly released data from the Admitad affiliate network, MENA shoppers made 7% more orders in 2023 and spent 5% more while doing so. The reported rates perfectly align with the pace of global growth, according to Admitad’s analytics.
As part of the study, the company examined over 9 million online orders across 360+ brands. 600,000 MENA online orders were included in those figures, along with 144 local brands and local branches of global companies such as Canon, Dyson, Huawei, Alibaba, and more.
When it comes to online electronic purchases, the MENA cities with the highest share of orders in 2023 were Dubai, Tel Aviv, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Ramat Gan, Petaẖ Tiqwa, Istanbul, Sharjah and Kuwait City.
According to Admitad’s data, the main channels through which MENA brands and marketplaces attracted sales were: (by their share in the total number of sales)
- Affiliate Stores: 23%
- Content Platforms & Online Media: 21%
- Groups & Blogs In Social Media: 4%
- Contextual & Targeted Ads: 5%
- Cashback Services: 2%
- Coupon Sites: 4%
- External Mobile Apps: 2%
- Other: 3%
Sales through third-party mobile apps grew significantly in 2023, with purchases of electronics through those mediums doubling. Sales through affiliate stores jumped 62%, while MENA buyers also paid more attention to recommendations from content platforms and media this year, with sales through those channels rising by 12%.
Also Read: Tribit FlyBuds C1 Earbuds Review: The Ultimate Bang For Your Buck
Admitad experts remain optimistic about their forecast for the growth of online sales of electronics in 2023 and believe that the MENA market will continue to expand. Of key importance for the industry is the upcoming holiday sale season, with brands hoping to maximize profits during White Friday and Cyber Monday.
News
Paymob Extends Series B Funding To $72M Amid Continued Growth
The financial services provider has secured an extra $22 million after strong performance in its core market of Egypt.
Leading financial services provider Paymob has secured an additional $22 million in a funding extension, bringing its Series B total to $72 million.
The funding was spearheaded by EBRD Venture Capital, with support from Endeavor Catalyst. Existing backers such as PayPal Ventures, BII, FMO, A15, Nclude, and Helios Digital Ventures also participated, reaffirming their confidence in Paymob’s business model and potential in the regional fintech industry.
This extension comes on the back of Paymob’s strong performance in its core market of Egypt, where it has experienced 6x revenue growth since the initial Series B in Q2 2022. With the Series B extension and continued profitability in Egypt, Paymob is well-positioned to further its expansion strategy across the MENA region.
Islam Shawky, Co-founder and CEO of Paymob, commented: “We are very excited by our strong prospects in Egypt – where we hold a market-leading position – and the significant traction experienced in the UAE since launching operations there. This funding will help Paymob fully capitalize on the momentum in our established markets, as we accelerate our GCC roll-out. We remain committed to creating cutting-edge infrastructure enabling SMEs across the region to thrive in the digital economy and are proud of our continued impact”.
Also Read: Zoho Expands Qatar Operations & Releases New Survey Data
The expansion into GCC markets has been driven by Paymob’s initial Series B funding of $50 million, raised in 2022 and led by Kora Capital, PayPal Ventures, and Clay Point. The investment fueled Paymob’s growth, allowing it to launch its mobile app in 2023 and grow its merchant base by 3.5 times, now serving nearly 350,000 merchants across MENA.
Paymob has also expanded its payment acceptance suite to offer 50 payment methods through its gateway, POS terminals, and the Paymob app, providing the region’s most comprehensive fintech solution. The company recently introduced embedded checkout services for Shopify and WooCommerce, further demonstrating its commitment to empowering small and medium businesses across the region.