Back To School In UAE: Demand For Gadgets Rises Retailers Offer Up To 30% Discount

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) With over a million students set to return to classrooms across the UAE on Monday, parents are flocking to electronics stores to buy laptops, tablets and accessories for the new academic year.

Retailers are reporting strong demand, with many rolling out discounts, exchange offers, and instalment plans to help families manage the cost. Pradeep Meena, head of Retail for Emax, said laptops remain the most sought-after device among students, though the right choice depends on the age group.

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"The hot seller or the number one product that students come and ask for is a laptop," he said. For university students, he said the top demands are either a MacBook Pro or a gaming device that can handle high computing loads for subjects such as architecture and engineering.

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"For a student who is in Grade 8 or 9, iPads and tablets are always high in demand," he said. He also noted a growing demand for noise-cancelling headphones, which help students focus on studies even in busy homes.

Ashish Panjabi, COO of Jacky's Retail, reported a similar trend across his stores. "For younger school students, parents tend to prefer tablets because they are portable, easy to use and work well for learning platforms," he said. "For university students, laptops remain the stronger category."

Advice for parents

Pradeep said parents should decide how long they expect the device to last before making a purchase. "Parents should first ask, are they going to invest in this product for one year? Or are they going to invest in this product for the next two to three years?" he said.

For university students, he said it is important not to buy an underpowered laptop. "We would not recommend you a laptop which is underpowered, which is slightly outdated in terms of either NPUs, GPUs and CPUs," he said. "We'll recommend you something that can last you at least your four years of curriculum."

Ashish said that the right device should“reflect the student's age, course requirements and how it will be used every day." He added that more than 70 per cent of families purchasing from Jacky's consider extended warranties and accidental damage coverage, which protect against cracked screens or liquid damage.

He also noted that customers are no longer looking at a single device in isolation. "They are thinking more about the wider ecosystem and how a laptop or tablet will connect with their smartphone, earbuds and other devices," he said.

Deals and discounts across the UAE

Several retailers have launched promotions to ease the financial burden on families. Emax is offering 24-month zero per cent instalment plans and payment options such as Tabby and Tamara. Customers using certain bank cards can also get additional benefits.

Sharaf DG has rolled out exchange offers and free gifts worth up to Dh500 when shopping for laptops and tablets. Students and teachers get an extra five per cent discount.

Jumbo Electronics is running back-to-school offers until September 14, with a 10 per cent discount for students and teachers, up to Dh300, and assured gifts worth Dh600 on minimum purchases.

Meanwhile, Jacky's is offering up to 30 per cent off on tech products, including student laptops, monitors, accessories and MacBooks.

Ashish said trade-in programmes are growing in popularity. "Trading in an older device can reduce the upfront cost of a new one, which is useful for families buying several products at the same time," he said.

Pradeep added that customers can exchange old devices for discounts. "In the past three years, there has definitely been a seismic shift when it comes to mobile phones," he said, noting that 15 to 20 per cent of customers now want to exchange old devices when buying new ones.

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