As retailers across the Middle East region prepare for 2025’s high-impact White Friday and Cyber Monday shopping season, consumers are demanding real-time, personalised, and interactive engagement with brands – amid significant growth in conversational messaging channels – according to findings from a new report released by global cloud communications platform Infobip.

The platform has revealed how consumers on the Middle East prefer personalised interactions across multiple channels supported by AI-powered platforms.

WhatsApp remains a key conversational channel, with messages expected to rise 35 per cent compared to the previous year on White Friday, and Cyber Monday volumes growing 39 per cent.

Email marketing experiences explosive growth on White Friday, with sends jumping 7 per cent year-over-year – surpassing average daily November activity by over 107 per cent.

SMS volumes for White Friday are projected to increase 31 per cent year-over-year, while Cyber Monday sends will surge 6 percent. White Friday SMS traffic is expected to be 180 per cent above average November daily levels, and Cyber Monday 80 per cent above.

The biggest challenge for brands during the peak shopping season

Customer engagement remains retailers’ biggest digital challenge. Up to 58 per cent of brands across the region struggle to connect meaningfully with customers despite strong adoption of channels such as email (90 per cent), social media (65 per cent), live chat (58 per cent), SMS (56 percent), and WhatsApp (50 per cent).

Fragmented tech stacks deepen complexity – only 27 per cent of retailers have fully synchronised and connected communication channels – and data being kept in separate places makes personalising customer interactions harder.

Moreover, while 77 per cent automate communications and 56 per cent use AI or machine learning tools, full AI-powered support remains rare due to privacy concerns and trust issues.

Only 17 per cent use chatbots for most customer support inquiries, and a mere 8 per cent use generative AI chatbots handing the majority of requests.

Nearly three-quarters of retailers report technical constraints slow down marketing execution, revealing significant gaps in infrastructure and skills.

As messaging volumes soar during seasonal events, the risks of poor coordination and system overload grow.

Summing up the key takeaways, Darijan Bošković, VP of Revenue at Infobip EMEA, concluded, “We understand that preparing for peak season means more than managing high message volumes – it’s about delivering seamless, personalized experiences that meet customers exactly where they are.”

Bošković added, “By activating conversational commerce across WhatsApp, SMS, email, and live chat with AI-driven orchestration, retailers in the Middle East can reduce friction, enhance satisfaction, and convert seasonal demand into lasting loyalty and growth.”