- The calendar covers 19 retail moments in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, from November 2026 to December 2027.
- Ramadan 2027 is expected to start around 8 February, so Ramadan stock should be ordered by mid-November 2026.
- Amazon's 2026 deal deadlines are 6 November for 11.11 and 19 November for White Friday.
- Islamic dates follow the moon and can shift by a day, so the calendar marks them clearly.
When are the big sales in Saudi Arabia and the UAE? This calendar puts every peak from November 2026 to December 2027 on one timeline.
Tap an event to see its dates, what shoppers buy, how early to prepare and any marketplace deadline. A countdown at the top shows the next big event.
GCC ecommerce calendar 2026–2027
Every retail peak from Nov 2026 to Dec 2027 — tap an event for dates, demand and deadlines
Calculating…
± 1 day, moon-sighting
Tap any event on the timeline to see the details.
Dates as of October 2026. Islamic dates are Umm al-Qura estimates and follow official moon sighting; sale windows marked as estimates are not yet announced. Confirm with each marketplace and re-check about 2 weeks before.
How to use the calendar
It works on your phone and needs no sign-up. Most sellers start with the market filter, then open the next two or three events.
- 1
Pick your market
Choose Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or both. Saudi-only events like Founding Day and UAE-only ones like the Dubai Shopping Festival drop out when you filter.
- 2
Filter by event type
Show or hide religious dates, national days, mega-sales and festivals.
- 3
Tap an event
See the dates, what shoppers buy, your prep lead time and the marketplace deadline.
- 4
Work backwards
Put the stock date and the deal deadline in your own calendar, then plan your ads and email around them.
What's in the calendar
There are 19 events in all. Here's how they group:
| Type | Events | Markets |
|---|---|---|
| Religious | Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Day of Arafah and Eid al-Adha, Islamic New Year | Saudi Arabia and UAE |
| Mega-sales | 11.11, White Friday (Amazon), Yellow Friday (noon), 12.12, Prime Day, back to school | Saudi Arabia and UAE |
| National days | Saudi Founding Day, Saudi National Day | Saudi Arabia |
| National days | UAE National Day | UAE |
| Festival | Dubai Shopping Festival | UAE |
A few rules sit behind the dates:
- Islamic dates follow the moon. They use the Umm al-Qura calendar and carry a dashed outline, because the official date can move by a day after moon sighting.
- Unannounced sales are marked ≈. White Friday, Yellow Friday, Prime Day and back to school follow last year's pattern until the marketplaces confirm.
- Stock lead time is 10–12 weeks from factory order to event day. That covers production plus about five to seven weeks of sea freight from booking to warehouse check-in. Amazon FBA and Fulfilled by noon (FBN) check-in usually closes 3–6 weeks before an event.
- Demand notes come from real data. For example, the Ramadan card uses a 2025 Toluna survey of Saudi shoppers.
Re-check each date about two weeks before the event.
Which events matter most?
Not every date deserves a big push. Here's where most sellers put their budget:
- Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. The heaviest stretch of the year for fashion, fragrance, sweets and gifts.
- White Friday and Yellow Friday. The biggest Q4 event, with electronics, home and beauty leading.
- Saudi National Day. The second-biggest Saudi-only promo after White Friday, built around green creative.
- Dubai Shopping Festival. A mall-led event that online stores join with their own DSF deals.
11.11 and 12.12 are mostly marketplace events, and Islamic New Year works better as a content hook than a sale.
Worked example: planning Ramadan 2027
Ramadan is the biggest season of the year. In a 2025 survey, 76% of Saudi shoppers said they hold back purchases to catch Ramadan deals.
This year it's expected to start around Monday 8 February. Here's the back-plan the calendar gives you:
- Mid-Nov 2026Order your stock
Ten to twelve weeks before day one, counting from factory order, so production and sea freight finish in time.
- Late Dec – mid-JanSend stock to FBA or FBN
Check-in usually closes 3–6 weeks before the event. Confirm the exact cut-off in Seller Central and Seller Lab.
- Late Jan 2027Launch your campaigns
Two to three weeks before Ramadan. Shoppers pick their Iftar and Suhur outfits early.
- ~8 Feb 2027Ramadan starts
Traffic peaks late at night, after taraweeh prayers.
- 22 Feb 2027Saudi Founding Day
Falls inside Ramadan, so keep heritage creative modest.
- ~26 Feb – 8 MarLast 10 nights and Eid gifting
Fragrance, sweets, dates and toys lead. Publish an order-by date for delivery before Eid.
- ~9 Mar 2027Eid al-Fitr
Couriers slow down or pause for 2–4 days. Post-Eid sales follow.
Notice the first step is only a few weeks away. If Ramadan is your big season, your stock order is the most urgent job on your list right now.
Related guides
Planning a specific season? These go deeper:
- Ramadan ecommerce guide covers offers, creative and ad timing.
- White Friday guide explains Amazon and noon deal submissions.
- Running an online store during Ramadan covers shorter work hours, support and delivery.
Browse every season in the seasonal marketing hub, or find more planners on the free tools page.
Frequently asked questions
The dates and deadlines are built for Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Ramadan, both Eids, 11.11 and White Friday run across the whole Gulf, so most of the calendar still applies. National days and local festivals in the other four states aren't included yet.
Sources & further reading
- Ramadan (Umm al-Qura dates) — Wikipedia
- Dubai Shopping Festival — Visit Dubai
- White Friday on Amazon — Amazon Ads
- Toluna and MatrixLab survey on Saudi Ramadan and Eid trends — Arabad Digital
- Saudi Arabia public holidays 2027 — Office Holidays
This guide is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change — always confirm with the official source or a licensed advisor.
Maya is MiddleEastEcom's lead guide and editor. She researches GCC marketplaces, payments and regulations and turns them into practical playbooks for sellers.
Meet Maya
