The UAE sales calendar for online stores: every big season, month by month

From late November to mid-January, UAE shoppers see one sale after another. White Friday and Black Friday come first, then Eid Al Etihad (National Day), the Dubai Shopping Festival and New Year. Ramadan is expected to begin around 8 February 2027, with Eid al-Fitr around 10 March.

This UAE sales calendar covers November 2026 to October 2027, month by month, with dates and when to start preparing. The rule for every season is the same: start six to eight weeks before. That gives you time to order stock, prepare offers in Arabic and English, and agree delivery dates with your courier.

How to use this UAE sales calendar

Work backwards from each date. For each season, plan like this:

1. Eight weeks before: choose your offer and order stock. Overseas suppliers may need longer.
2. Six weeks before: plan photos, videos and product pages in Arabic and English.
3. Four weeks before: set up discount codes, bundles and gift options, and test them.
4. Two weeks before: tell your customers what is coming, by email, WhatsApp and Instagram.
5. One week before: confirm courier cut-off times and show "order by" dates on your store.
6. On the day: go live, watch orders and reply to messages fast.
7. Afterwards: write down what sold, what ran out and what to change next year.

Fixed dates, such as Valentine's Day on 14 February, repeat every year. Islamic dates move, so use this e-commerce calendar for the UAE as a guide and check them each year.

The UAE sales calendar at a glance

Here is the year from November 2026 to October 2027. "Start preparing" is about eight weeks before each date.

Month by month: November 2026 to October 2027

November 2026: Diwali, 11.11 and White Friday

November starts the run of winter sales. If you are reading this in October, start preparing now.

Diwali falls around 8 November 2026. It matters to many Indian residents, so gifts, sweets, clothes and home decorations can do well if they fit your range.

Singles' Day falls on Wednesday 11 November 2026. It began in China and now appears on many global shopping calendars. A short one-day offer can work as a warm-up for White Friday.

Amazon.ae's White Friday and Noon's Yellow Friday usually run over the last ten days or so of November. In 2025, both ran from about 20 to 30 November. Black Friday is on Friday 27 November 2026, and Cyber Monday on Monday 30 November.

December 2026: Eid Al Etihad and the Dubai Shopping Festival

Eid Al Etihad, the UAE's National Day, is on 2 December. The 2026 public holiday is expected on 2 and 3 December. One idea: build an offer around the number 55, as 2026 marks 55 years since the union in 1971.

The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) usually runs from early December to mid-January. The 31st edition ran from 5 December 2025 to 11 January 2026. The 2026–27 dates were not announced at the time of writing. For an online store, DSF is a good moment for a longer campaign, such as a new deal each week.

Late December brings Christmas and New Year gifting for many expat customers. Keep Ramadan in mind too. With Ramadan expected around 8 February 2027, your planning should start in mid-December, in the middle of the winter rush.

January 2027: Ramadan and Eid preparation

DSF usually ends in mid-January. Ramadan is now weeks away, so finish your preparation. Use this month to:

• Order Ramadan and Eid stock.
• Photograph gift boxes and Eid outfits.
• Write Ramadan pages, emails and messages in Arabic and English.
• Agree Ramadan and Eid delivery schedules with your courier.

If you sell abayas or other Eid outfits, take orders for tailored pieces early. Tailoring takes time, and workshops can get busy before Eid. Our guide to starting an abaya business online has more on production and sizes.

February 2027: Ramadan begins

Ramadan is expected to begin around 8 February 2027. If it does, two other dates fall inside it. Valentine's Day (14 February) comes about six days in, and Saudi Founding Day (22 February) two weeks in.

Decide early whether a Valentine's campaign suits your customers during the holy month. If you run one, keep the tone gentle and respectful.

Saudi Founding Day matters if you sell to Saudi customers. Our guide to selling to Saudi Arabia from the UAE covers prices, payments and shipping.

March 2027: Eid al-Fitr and Mother's Day

Eid al-Fitr is expected around 10 March 2027. Eid shopping happens before Eid. So your key dates are the last ten days of Ramadan and your courier's last delivery day before the holiday.

Mother's Day in the Arab world is on 21 March, about 11 days after Eid al-Fitr in 2027. Plan both together: gift stock, wrapping and delivery dates.

April and May 2027: Eid al-Adha

April has no major dates, so use it to review your Ramadan results and refresh product photos. It is also a good time to grow your customer list, with the ideas in our guide to getting your first 100 customers.

Eid al-Adha is expected around 16–17 May 2027. Plan it like Eid al-Fitr, with outfits, gifts and home items. Start in late March, and confirm stock and delivery dates early.

June to August 2027: summer, Dubai Summer Surprises and back to school

Many families travel in July and August, so some stores see quieter weeks. Others run summer sales to clear stock before the new season.

Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) is Dubai's summer shopping festival. In 2026 it ran from 2 July to 30 August. The 2027 dates were not announced at the time of writing.

Back to school usually falls in the last week of August. Bags, shoes, stationery and lunch boxes fit this season, and so do products for organising the home.

September and October 2027: Saudi National Day and the run-up to November

Saudi National Day is on 23 September. If you sell to Saudi Arabia, it is a good date for a themed offer.

Then get ready for White Friday and the winter season. Order stock, book extra help and agree delivery capacity with your courier before November.

Ramadan and Eid sale ideas for online stores

Ramadan is a month of fasting, prayer, family and giving. Many stores see it as one of their most important seasons, and shopping habits change. Many see more orders in the evening, after iftar (the meal that breaks the fast), and late at night.

Ideas that suit the month:

• Gift boxes: put your products into ready-made gift sets with a card and wrapping. People send gifts to family and friends during Ramadan and for Eid.
• Iftar and suhoor: if you sell food, tableware or home items, show them on a set table. Suhoor is the meal before dawn.
• Fragrance: perfume, oud and bakhoor are part of Ramadan and Eid gifting. See how to start a perfume business online.
• Eid outfits: abayas, kanduras, jalabiyas and children's clothes. Set clear deadlines for tailored or altered pieces.
• Evening timing: schedule posts, emails and messages for the evening, and keep customer service open later.
• Giving back: if you want to support a cause, donate through a licensed UAE charity. Check the rules before you mention it in your marketing.
• A respectful tone: focus on family, generosity and togetherness, not loud, pushy sales. Use Ramadan greetings in Arabic and English.

Your most important date is the last order day for delivery before Eid. Ask your courier for its Ramadan and Eid schedule, then show that date clearly on your store. Many stores see a rush in the last ten days of Ramadan, so plan stock and packing for it.

White Friday in the UAE: how a small store can compete

White Friday is Amazon.ae's name for its late-November sale, and Noon calls its version Yellow Friday. Both usually run over the last ten days or so of November, around Black Friday.

You are unlikely to win a price war with a marketplace. Compete on what they cannot copy:

• Bundles: combine products into a set at a better price. It raises the order value without cutting the price of your best-seller.
• A gift with purchase: add a free sample or small item above a set order value.
• Early access for your list: open the sale a day early for email subscribers, WhatsApp contacts who opted in and app users. Early access also gives people a reason to download your app (see whether your store needs a shopping app).
• Fast local delivery: same-day or next-day delivery helps when shoppers want their order quickly. Plan it early with your courier, using our guide to delivery for UAE online stores.
• Products only you sell: limited editions, exclusive colours or gift sets.
• An honest end date: real deadlines work, and fake countdown timers damage trust.

If you also sell on Amazon.ae or Noon, you can join their events and run your own at the same time. Our guide to Amazon, Noon or your own online store compares the fees.

Plan for what comes next, too. Eid Al Etihad and DSF follow within days, so keep stock and energy for December.

Your preparation checklist for every sale season

Use this list before each season:

• Stock: order early, with extra time for overseas suppliers. Our guide to dropshipping in the UAE explains why overseas delivery takes longer.
• Courier cut-offs: ask your courier for its holiday schedule and last pick-up dates. Show "order by" dates on your store.
• Extra help: decide who packs orders and who answers WhatsApp and Instagram messages at peak times.
• Site speed: check your store on a phone. Slow pages lose buyers when traffic peaks.
• Offers set up early: create discount codes, automatic discounts and bundles a week ahead, and test each one.
• Arabic and English copy: banners, product pages, emails and messages in both languages.
• Payments: test every payment option you offer, from cards and Apple Pay to Tabby, Tamara and cash on delivery.
• Reminder emails: turn on emails for unfinished orders, so shoppers who leave at checkout get a nudge.
• Returns and exchanges: set your rules for gifts and sale items, and show them clearly.
• Content plan: schedule posts and stories in advance. Our guide to selling on Instagram in the UAE has content ideas.

Discount codes, gift cards and reminder emails for unfinished orders come built into every store we build (see what every store includes).

Frequently asked questions

When is White Friday in the UAE?

Amazon.ae's White Friday and Noon's Yellow Friday usually run over the last ten days or so of November. In 2025, both ran from about 20 to 30 November. The 2026 dates were not announced at the time of writing, but Black Friday falls on 27 November 2026.

When does Ramadan start in 2027?

Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February 2027, with Eid al-Fitr around 10 March 2027. The exact dates depend on the moon sighting and are confirmed only shortly before. Plan your stock and offers for a few days either way.

When is the Dubai Shopping Festival?

The Dubai Shopping Festival usually runs from early December to mid-January. The 31st edition ran from 5 December 2025 to 11 January 2026. The 2026–27 dates were not announced at the time of writing, so check the official announcements.

What sells well online during Ramadan?

It depends on your store, but many stores see strong demand for gift boxes, perfume and bakhoor, tableware and home items for iftar, and new outfits for Eid. Order enough stock so your best-sellers last into the final ten days, when many stores see a rush before Eid.

How early should I prepare for Eid sales?

Start six to eight weeks before Eid. For Eid al-Fitr 2027, expected around 10 March, that means mid to late January. Confirm your courier's last delivery date before the Eid holiday, because most Eid orders need to arrive before Eid starts.