The ultimate online shopping hacks for Dubai
It’s no secret that even high street shopping can run a little on the spenny side here in Dubai. Wherever you are from, we can likely guarantee that the “insert name of popular high street store” is more than a few quid cheaper there. So, whether it’s your favourite beauty essentials, soft furnishings for your home or high street basics you refuse to break the bank with, we’re giving you the lowdown or where and how you can save!
- Next.ae
Tax-free? Check. Fast reliable delivery? Check. Yes that’s right, though we have Next here, you could be saving yourself a few pennies by shopping from the online site which delivers right to your door via Aramex. From clothing to duvet covers, Next.ae has it all. We’re a particular fan of their chic homeware pieces and though large furniture pieces aren’t included, it’s ideal for soft furnishings, kitchenware and home accents.
- Cult Beauty
Another site which provides tax-free shopping on some of your favourite brands, from Olaplex to The Ordinary, Cult Beauty features them all. It’s worth spending over 50 GBP to qualify for free shipping which is delivered within days via DHL.
- Shop and Ship
The ultimate hack of hacks – shop and ship is operated by Aramex and is essentially a “forward shipper”. With shipping locations dotted around the globe in most countries, the process makes shopping from foreign locations much easier (and the success rate of your package actually arriving increase markedly). If you are shipping from the UK, for example, your unique membership number is included in the shipping address which is then received by the Aramex location in the UK and forwarded to Dubai and delivered to you within a few days. Shipping charges are based on weight and import duty (therefore it’s probably not worth getting a sofa delivered via there!) so it’s ideal for smaller, lighter packages such as clothes and cosmetics. For companies that tend to use Royal Mail or USPS as their preferred method of shipping, this is a far safer way to ensure a seamless journey from our international friends.
- Try the international site
When you type in your favourite brand to shop from, you are often given the international site to shop from. What’s the issue with that, you might ask. Well, mostly the fact that the price can be double than other regional sites such as UK and Spain. It might not always work out much of a difference, but it is worth doing a price comparison of the exact items you like to see just how much you can save from shopping on the international site. This is proven with Zara Spain vs Zara UAE and PLT UK vs PLT UAE.