Delivery for online stores in the UAE: couriers, costs and setup
How to deliver orders from your UAE online store: choosing a courier, same-day delivery, cash collection, delivery prices, packaging and returns.
By the Samay.ae teamUpdated 12 min read
You do not need your own van to deliver across the UAE. Courier companies will pick up parcels from you, deliver them across the emirates and, if you offer it, collect cash at the door.
Four things decide the right delivery company for your online store in the UAE. They are coverage, speed, cash handling and how well it connects to your store. At the time of writing (October 2026), UAE options include Quiqup, Jeebly, Aramex, Emirates Post (EMX), iMile and Shipa Delivery. DHL Express mainly handles orders going abroad.
Our advice: ask three couriers for a quote, send a few real test parcels with each, then decide.
Four ways to deliver orders from your online store
You can handle e-commerce delivery in one of four ways, or combine two as you grow.
| Option | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Deliver it yourself | You, or a driver you pay, take each order | A few local orders a day |
| A courier company | The courier collects, delivers and tracks each parcel | Most new and growing stores |
| A multi-courier app | One dashboard to book several couriers | Comparing rates and having a backup |
| A fulfilment company | It stores your stock, packs each order and ships it | Steady orders, little time or space |
For most small businesses, a courier is the right place to start. A fulfilment company (a business that stores, packs and ships your stock for you) makes sense when packing takes hours every day. Ask for its full price list, because fees usually cover storage plus a charge per order.
If you plan to sell products you never hold yourself, read our guide to dropshipping in the UAE first. Delivery from overseas suppliers usually takes much longer.
What UAE shoppers expect from delivery
Delivery is part of the product. A late or confusing delivery can lose you a repeat customer.
- Speed. Next-day delivery is widely offered across the UAE, and same-day in the big cities.
- Tracking. A tracking link by SMS, email or WhatsApp.
- A call before arrival. Few UAE addresses use postcodes, so drivers often call or ask for a location pin.
- Choice at the door. Some shoppers still prefer cash on delivery (paying the driver on arrival), and some couriers take cards at the door.
- Easy exchanges. This matters most for clothes and shoes.
Cash on delivery has fallen sharply but is still widely offered. A 2024 Checkout.com report looked at shoppers in the Middle East and North Africa. The share who prefer cash on delivery halved in four years, from 41% to 20%. If you offer it, learn how to run cash on delivery without losing money.
UAE delivery companies for online stores compared
This is what each courier says it offers, at the time of writing. Services and terms change, so confirm the details when you ask for a quote.
| Courier | What it offers online stores |
|---|---|
| Quiqup | 4-hour, same-day and next-day delivery; fulfilment; cash or card on delivery |
| Jeebly | Same-day and next-day delivery; cash on delivery |
| Aramex | Domestic express, including same-day; cash on delivery |
| Emirates Post (EMX) | Next-day to all emirates; same-day in major cities; cash or card on delivery |
| iMile | Delivery company founded in Dubai in 2017; ask about services |
| Shipa Delivery | Same-day within Dubai and to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman; next-day elsewhere; cash or card on delivery |
| DHL Express | Mainly international shipping |
How each one connects to your store depends on how your store is built. The options are explained after the courier list.
Quiqup
Quiqup offers 4-hour, same-day and next-day delivery in the UAE, plus fulfilment. Customers can pay cash or card on delivery for orders inside the UAE. At the time of writing, same-day delivery covers Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi for orders placed before 1pm.
Jeebly
Jeebly offers same-day and next-day delivery for UAE merchants. At the time of writing, it collects cash on delivery and pays it out weekly. Confirm this in your contract.
Aramex
Aramex advertises domestic express delivery, including same-day, with cash on delivery. It is also a common courier into Saudi Arabia, and it lists e-commerce integrations, so ask whether one fits your store.
Emirates Post (EMX)
EMX advertises next-day delivery to all emirates, same-day delivery in major cities, and optional cash or card on delivery. It lists integrations for Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento.
iMile
iMile says it was founded in Dubai in 2017. Ask about coverage and cash on delivery terms for your areas.
Shipa Delivery
Shipa Delivery, part of Agility, advertises same-day delivery from Dubai to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman, and next-day elsewhere. It also advertises cash or card on delivery.
DHL Express
DHL Express is mainly for international shipping. It suits orders leaving the UAE.
Multi-courier apps
These let you book several couriers from one dashboard, and usually compare rates and switch couriers easily. At the time of writing, OTO, Waslio, Shipforless and swftbox offer this. Check which UAE couriers each one connects to, and whether its fees cancel out the savings.
How a courier connects to your store
A courier linked to your store can create shipments, print labels and send tracking without anyone retyping orders. Ask each courier which of these it offers:
- A ready-made plugin for your platform. If your store runs on a ready-made platform, a plugin (an add-on built for that platform) can link the two.
- An API. This is a link that lets your store and the courier's system pass orders and tracking details to each other. Your developer uses it to connect them.
- An upload. You export your orders as a file and upload it to the courier's system, or book each parcel by hand. It works for a few orders a day, but it takes time.
On a custom store, your developer connects the courier for you, usually through its API.
How to choose a delivery company for your online store in the UAE
Get quotes from at least three couriers. Compare more than the price.
- Coverage. Which areas do they reach, and which take longer or cost more?
- Cut-off times. The cut-off is the latest time an order can come in and still go out that day.
- Cash on delivery terms. What do they charge to collect cash, and how often do they pay you?
- Card on delivery. Card payments at the door mean less cash to wait for.
- Failed deliveries and returns. How many attempts do they make, and what does a returned parcel cost?
- Store connection. Can they connect to your store through a plugin or an API, or only through uploads?
- Support. Who do you contact when a parcel goes missing?
Then match couriers to your needs. Quiqup, for example, offers 4-hour delivery and fulfilment, while Aramex also delivers to Saudi Arabia.
Tip: Before you commit, send five to ten real orders with each of your top two couriers. Check delivery times, how drivers treat your customers and how fast your cash arrives. Real results tell you more than any sales pitch.
How much does delivery cost for an online store in the UAE?
Courier prices are not fixed, and they change. The only reliable number is a quote for your business, and these things move it:
- Weight and size. For big, light boxes, couriers often charge by volumetric weight (a weight worked out from the box size).
- Speed. Same-day and 4-hour delivery usually cost more than next-day.
- Area. Some areas can cost more or take longer.
- Volume. More parcels a month usually means a better rate.
- Extras. Cash collection, failed attempts, returns, storage and packing can each add a fee.
To find your real cost per order, add up everything it takes to get one order to one customer.
| Cost | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|
| Delivery fee | Your courier's quote for your usual parcel and area |
| Cash on delivery fee | Your courier's quote, on cash orders only |
| Packaging | Boxes, mailer bags, tape and inserts |
| Failed deliveries and returns | Return trips, spread across all your orders |
| Fulfilment | Storage and packing fees, if a company packs for you |
Use this total, not the courier's base rate, to decide what to charge customers.
Setting delivery prices in your store
Your store should let you set delivery prices per area, and offer store pickup and local delivery. On a custom store, your developer sets these up around your courier's prices and the areas you serve. If you are still choosing how to build your store, see how ready-made platforms compare with a custom store.
Your main pricing options:
- A flat price for the whole UAE. Simple, if your courier charges about the same everywhere.
- Prices by emirate or zone. Useful when some areas cost you more.
- Free delivery above a minimum order. Set it a little above your typical order.
- Free delivery on prepaid orders. A reason to pay online instead of in cash.
- A cash on delivery fee. It can cover the courier's collection charge.
- Paid express delivery. Same-day or 4-hour delivery as an extra.
- Store pickup. No courier fee at all. If you have a shop, our guide to taking your shop online explains click and collect.
For example, say most orders are about AED 180. Free delivery on every order takes the full delivery cost out of each sale. Free delivery from AED 250 means smaller orders pay towards delivery, and some shoppers add a second item to qualify.
How to offer same-day delivery in Dubai
Only offer it if you can keep the promise.
- Get your courier's same-day cut-off time in writing.
- Set your own cut-off earlier, so you have time to pack. If the courier collects at 2pm, you might stop same-day orders at 12pm.
- Add same-day as a separate, paid option, only for the areas the courier covers.
- Show the cut-off clearly, for example "Order before 12pm for delivery today in Dubai".
- Offer it only for items in stock.
What to show shoppers before checkout
Show delivery times, cut-offs and prices early, so checkout holds no surprises. Say whether cash or card on delivery is available.
If we build your store, setting up payments and delivery is part of our Website package, at 7,870 AED a year. See what each package includes.
Packaging, labels and failed deliveries
Good packaging protects the product and your margin.
Packaging
- Use the smallest safe box. Big, light boxes can cost more because of volumetric weight.
- Plan for the heat. UAE summers are very hot, so ask your courier how it handles items such as candles, chocolate and cosmetics.
- Check the rules for perfume. Alcohol-based perfume is flammable, and couriers often have special rules for it, especially by air and abroad. Our guide to selling perfume online in the UAE lists the questions to ask your courier.
Labels and addresses
Few UAE addresses use postcodes. So ask at checkout for the area, the building or villa number and a landmark. Make the phone number a required field, because drivers rely on it.
Fewer failed deliveries
Every parcel that comes back unsold costs you a trip, your time and possibly a return fee. These habits help:
- Confirm before you ship. Confirm the order, address and day by WhatsApp, especially for cash orders. Here is how to take and confirm orders on WhatsApp.
- Ask for a location pin to help the driver find the building.
- Send a reminder on the delivery day.
- Offer card on delivery for customers without cash at home.
- Stop cash on delivery for repeat refusers. Ask them to pay online next time.
- Agree re-delivery rules. Ask how many attempts your courier makes before a parcel comes back.
Returns
Decide who pays for return delivery, and whether you offer exchanges, refunds or store credit. Ask whether your courier collects returns from customers, and check each item before you refund. Then put it all in a clear return and refund policy for your UAE store.
Shipping to Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries
Delivering abroad takes longer, parcels go through customs, and your customer may pay duty or VAT on arrival. Common couriers into Saudi Arabia include Aramex, SMSA, Naqel, SPL (Saudi Post) and DHL.
If you are VAT-registered, exports are zero-rated (0% VAT) when the goods leave the UAE within 90 days and you keep proof. Our guide to VAT for online stores in the UAE explains this. For prices, payments and duties, read how to sell to Saudi Arabia and the GCC from the UAE.
This section is general information, not tax advice. Rules change, so check with the Federal Tax Authority or an adviser before you act.
Your delivery setup checklist
Go through this list before you go live.
- Quotes from three couriers, for your real parcels and areas.
- Test parcels sent with your top two.
- Courier connected to your store, or an upload routine agreed.
- Delivery prices set by area, with a free-delivery minimum if you want one.
- Same-day cut-off set, if you offer it.
- Cash on delivery fees and payout schedule agreed in writing.
- Checkout asks for area, building, landmark and phone number.
- Returns process agreed and written into your policy.
Delivery is one step in our guide to starting an online store in the UAE. Then work through the full online store launch checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Which delivery company is best for a small online business in the UAE?
No single courier suits every store. Compare at least three on coverage, speed, cash on delivery payouts, returns and how they connect to your store. Then test your top two with real parcels before you sign.
How much does delivery cost for an online store in Dubai?
It depends on parcel weight and size, delivery speed, area and monthly volume, plus extras such as cash collection and returns. Ask several couriers to quote on your real orders, and compare the total cost per order.
Can couriers collect cash on delivery for me?
Yes. At the time of writing, Quiqup, Jeebly, Aramex, EMX and Shipa all offer cash on delivery, and Quiqup, EMX and Shipa also take cards at the door. The courier pays you later, so check the payout schedule and any collection fee.
Do I need a warehouse to run an online store?
No. You can keep stock at home or in a small storage space and pack orders yourself. Later, a fulfilment company such as Quiqup can store your stock, pack each order and ship it for a fee.
Can I connect a UAE courier to my online store?
Usually, yes. Ask each courier whether it has a ready-made plugin for your platform, or an API (a link that lets two systems pass orders and tracking to each other) that your developer can connect. If it has neither, ask whether you can upload your orders instead. On a custom store, your developer connects the courier for you. A connected courier can usually create shipments and share tracking without retyping orders.