Dubai: Zoho Corp., a leading global technology company, today revealed that, as per its latest survey titled The UAE Retailer Survey, conducted by Zoho Commerce, 70% of UAE retailers are now integrating digital tools into their physical stores, signalling a major shift toward omnichannel retail. The survey, which gathered insights from over 300 businesses, highlights the key trends, opportunities, and challenges in the UAE's retail segment.
"The retail sector in the UAE is taking a more holistic and intelligent approach to commerce," says Prashant Ganti, Vice President, Global Product Strategy, Finance & Operations, Zoho. "Our study shows retailers are building unified experiences by combining other online and offline channels, reflecting a trend in how a modern consumer purchases. As the country’s retail sector continues its digital evolution, businesses that invest in the right tools, including AI to enhance buyer experience will lead the next wave of growth. Zoho is committed to supporting this evolution with our solutions like Zoho Commerce that help businesses build, market, and manage their online stores with ease, provide personalised customer experiences, and sell globally across multiple channels."

According to the report, 57% of UAE retailers operate both physical and digital storefronts, with nearly 7 in 10 of them generating equal revenue from both channels. This reflects a growing maturity in omnichannel commerce, as businesses adopt unified strategies that enhance convenience, reach, and personalisation. Retailers cited expanded market access, changing consumer behaviour, and the need for more tailored experiences as key drivers of this transformation.

Despite the growth of e-commerce, 50% of the retailers plan to expand their physical footprint, with pop-up stores and in-store partnerships emerging as popular strategies to provide experiential value and instant gratification.

Social media has become the leading discovery channel, with 69% of respondents saying it's where their customers first find their products —surpassing search engines and marketplaces. Interestingly, one in three businesses that are operating completely offline gather feedback from online channels, a sign of how digital and physical engagement channels continue to become increasingly intertwined.

Speed and convenience also emerged as top consumer priorities. 54% of the retailers report growing demand for faster delivery, and 49% note rising expectations for same-day service. Retail businesses cite that the top reasons that their customers shop online are  convenience and savings, while for in-store customers the key motivators are the ability to touch, try, and the satisfaction of taking the products home immediately.

In response, retailers are investing in in-store technology: 64% now offer mobile payments, and over 60% have implemented digital screens or tablets to aid product discovery. Nearly 70% say in-store tech enhances speed and customer convenience.

However, omnichannel execution is not without challenges. 51% of retailers struggle to balance online and offline operations, while others face logistics issues and rising operational costs. Common friction points for customers include high shipping fees for online retailers, while limited staff availability, and long checkout lines contribute to customer drop-offs for retailers with physical stores.

Looking ahead, nearly 60% of retailers are investing in AI and machine learning to improve competitiveness, with key focus areas including seamless integration across channels, expanded payment options, and hyper-personalised experiences. Nearly half believe AI will fundamentally reshape the future of online retail.

Zoho Commerce, a complete e-commerce platform has launched a new version with a redesigned interface and enhanced features to support evolving retail needs. The solution now provides 15+ modern store templates, Android and iOS mobile apps for store management. Businesses can sell digital downloads, leverage social selling through channels like WhatsApp, offering a smooth checkout experience. The platform now offers capabilities to manage loyalty programs, multi-currency checkout, and abandoned cart recovery. Features like quote requests, price negotiations, and credit limits make it suitable for B2B businesses as well. Zoho Commerce also seamlessly integrates with Zoho Books (FTA-accredited, VAT-compliant accounting solution) and Zoho Inventory (comprehensive inventory and order management solution). This seamless connectivity helps businesses run their operations smoothly by bringing together 20 different subsystems to complete an order, from capturing the order to processing payments to managing fulfilment.