UAE bookworms are exploring literature outside of print in the digital age. While Arabic e-books lag behind their English counterparts, efforts are being made to close the difference. The addition of Arabic support for the Kindle in 2018 by Amazon expanded readers' options and therefore, UAE residents are getting into e-books and audiobooks, from novels to self-help manuals.

This report explores the dynamic e-commerce book market in the United Arab Emirates, highlighting important data and trends.

Market Size and Growth

  1. By 2024, the UAE Books eCommerce market is expected to have grown to US$111.4 million, making up 85.0% of the country's Books, eBooks, and Audiobooks e-commerce market. ecommercedb
  2. By 2024, the eBook market in the United Arab Emirates is expected to generate US$4.66 million in revenue. Statista
  3. The books market in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is now experiencing an HHI of 820 in 2023, a slight increase from the HHI of 0 in 2017. 6Wresearch
  4. This is anticipated to grow at a 0.57% annual rate (CAGR 2024–2027), with a projected market volume of US$4.74 million by 2027. Statista                        
  5. With an anticipated annual growth rate (CAGR) of -3.5% for the following four years (2024–2028), it is anticipated to decline over the coming years, with a projected market volume of US$96.8 million by 2028. ecommercedb
  6. It is expected that the average revenue per user (ARPU) will be $4.08 in UAE considering the books' ecommerce market. Statista

Key Players of Ebooks

  1. Books Tokyo, Japan-based Kinokuniya UAE has large stores in Dubai Mall (39,000 sq. ft.) and The Galleria Al Maryah Island (27,000 sq. ft.); however, to enhance the customer experience, its online platform offers home delivery, a 10% discount membership, and WhatsApp updates regarding book availability. Yallasave
  2. In addition to selling books, the popular ebook site in UAE, Kinokuniya's website features customer reviews with a 1-5 star rating system. ivypanda
  3. Amazon UAE, with 20k sellers in a brand-new market and no language barriers (only in English), provides a wide range of books, including audiobooks and e-books through the Kindle store.  marginbusiness
  4. Leading UAE e-commerce site Noon provides quick delivery, a large assortment of books, and regular discounts ranging from 30 to 75%. A special Book Fair section is also available that provides a cost-effective choice to readers. Yallasave
  5. Another common ebook site of UAE is Bookends where customers can order used books online and pay with cash when they receive them. Sellers can negotiate resale prices with founders via WhatsApp, Instagram, or the website; usually, there is a minimum 50% markdown. A Dh5 service charge is added by Bookends to each book. Nationalnews
  6. A mainstay in Dubai since 1975, Magrudy's has expanded from educational toys to books. Its estimated yearly revenue is $57.2 million, and last year saw a 5% increase in the number of employees. They promote reading by providing a user-friendly website along with a smooth online ordering system.  growjo
  7. Al Manhal has opened the Al Manhal Store, the largest Arabic online bookstore in the world, in the United Arab Emirates. It has more than 90,000 titles from renowned Arab and Islamic publishers. Thenewspublishings
  8. UAE bookshop Kinokuniya makes advertisements that translate scroll time into books read, resulting in a 28% increase in sales. Contagious

Consumer Demographics

  1. The market for eBooks is predicted to have 1.2 million users by 2027. Statista
  2. It is projected that by 2027, the user penetration rate—which is projected to be 11.2% in 2024—will increase to 11.5%.  Statista
  3. The UAE saw a 7% increase in literary-related social conversations in 2020, outpacing the global average of 3%. Over 73 million mentions of English and Arabic on the internet worldwide. elfdubai
  4. The UAE saw a 27% increase in social and online mentions of independent publishing between 2020 and 2021, which exceeded the global average increase of 18% and demonstrated the growing interest in independent bookstores and non-traditional publishing. elfdubai
  5. As per the findings of a survey, writers in the United Arab Emirates read an average of ten books annually per capita, whereas other adults read roughly six books annually. Thenationalnews
  6. Of the participants, forty-four percent read printed materials and more than half read digital materials. Thenationalnews
  7. With 88.1% of Emiratis and locals reading on social media platforms every day, 84.5% of them attribute their motivation to read more to social networking sites and modern technology. Thenationalnews

Popular Book Categories

  1. According to the results of the UAE National Reading Index 2021, readers who favor electronic devices, Ras Al Khaimah residents did the best.  Thenationalnews
  2. In the United Arab Emirates, novels came in second place with 33%, followed by books about politics and history at 31.8 percent, and religious texts at 37%.  Thenationalnews
  3. Sports Books are read by 28.7% population, followed by books on self-improvement at 28.2%. Gulf News
  4. The average yearly reading count for students and the early childhood category was twelve. This is also more than the ten books that authors read annually on average. Gulf News
  5. Surprisingly, 84.5 percent of respondents said social networking sites and modern technology have inspired them to read more, and 88.1 percent of people in the population regularly read content from social media platforms. Gulf News
  6. The least popular books among readers were science books, with only 26.1% selecting to read them. Thenationalnews

Insights Into UAE Ebook Trends

  1. Online publications increased by 50% last year, while sales of traditional e-books increased by 14% in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Zawya
  2. UAE publishes less than a million book titles annually for a population of 450 million. We produced 8,000 audiobooks last year versus 75,000 for the US market. Zawya
  3. Only 10% of Arabic books are currently available in digital format, despite readers' strong interest. Zawya
  4. The demand for e-books tripled in Arab markets despite worries about piracy. Zawya
  5. One hundred classic e-books are preloaded onto the 0.18 kg, 0.4 inch thick Merlin e-book reader. It supports the most common e-book formats and has a viewing capacity of up to 7,000 pages before needing to be recharged. Gulfnews

UAE Reading Figures

  1. Compared to the average of 35 hours for the rest of the Arab world, people in the UAE read for about 51 hours annually. thenationalnews
  2. In contrast to the regional average of 16, individuals in the emirates read 24 books annually, per an Arab Reading Index survey. thenationalnews
  3. With 29 books read over 59 hours a year, Lebanon topped the index overall. The United Arab Emirates ranked fourth. thenationalnews
  4. According to statistics, it takes 80 Arabs a year to read one book, and Arabs only read for six minutes on average each year. thenationalnews

UAE-based Top Book Blogs

  1. The Austin Macauley Publishers blog, which has 3.1K Instagram and 4.3K Twitter followers, offers book recommendations in a variety of genres. They guarantee regular interaction by publishing three times a month. Feed Spot
  2. In addition to providing information on new book releases and author news, the Emirates Literature Foundation Blog strives to promote a love of literature in the UAE and abroad. It publishes seven times a year, with sporadic but incisive content. Feed Spot
  3. GN Media, the premier English news platform in the region, supports the Gulf News Books section, which provides updates on books and authors in the UAE. With 3 posts a quarter and 3.4 million Facebook, 1.5 million Twitter, and 686.2 thousand Instagram followers, they guarantee consistent and reliable book news. Feed Spot
  4. From Dubai, SAMAMA Reads—run by Samama Reza—provides frank book reviews. They have 2.6K Instagram and 644 Facebook followers, and they publish 11 times a year with sporadic yet thought-provoking content. Feed Spot

Future Goals

  1. Projections for market growth and emerging trends over the next five to ten years, based on current statistical data and market analysis.
  2. The goal of the UAE Reading Month, which began in 2017, is for 50% of Emiratis—including 80% of students—to read regularly by the year 2026. Gulfnews
  3. In the UAE, virtual discussions about books and reading have increased by 7%, which is a positive trend. Booksellers are tailoring their selections to suit the tastes of their customers, and #BookTok has become a prominent TikTok trend. Gulfnews
  4. As part of the UAE Reading Month celebrations, anyone who signs up for the three-month-long 50,000 reader Bookcase initiative will receive a free Arabic e-book or audiobook. Gulfnews
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