Guide · updated 14 October 2026

# Gulf Sales Guide: White Friday, Yellow Friday, 11.11 & More

Reviewed by [Ayham Al Otaibi](https://akhsam.com/team/#ayham), Luxury, travel and sale calendar editor

- The biggest Gulf sales cluster in November (11.11, then White Friday on Amazon and Yellow Friday on noon), with Ramadan, national days and the Dubai Shopping Festival spread across the rest of the year. Start watching prices a few weeks before each event so you know the real normal price, and check whether a bank-card offer or a promo code saves more, because on noon you usually cannot use both. In Saudi Arabia a store must hold a Ministry of Commerce discount licence, and you can scan its barcode to check the approved discount. ## When the big Gulf sales usually run Most dates are announced only weeks ahead. Our 2026 dates are expected, based on fixed days or last year's pattern. | Sale | Typical timing | 2026-27 (expected unless noted) | | --- | --- | --- | | 11.11 (Singles Day) | noon and Amazon.ae ran 7-12 Nov in 2025 | Around 7-12 Nov | | White Friday (Amazon) | Amazon.ae 20-30 Nov in 2024 and 2025; Amazon.sa opened to Prime members on 20 Nov, then everyone 21-30 Nov | Late November | | Yellow Friday (noon) | 20-30 Nov in 2025 (UAE) | Late November | | Black Friday / Cyber Monday | Friday after US Thanksgiving, then the Monday | 27 Nov / 30 Nov | | UAE National Day | Dubai 3 Day Super Sale ran 28 Nov-2 Dec 2025, mostly in malls | Around 28 Nov-3 Dec | | Dubai Shopping Festival | December to January, mostly malls | 4 Dec 2026-17 Jan 2027 (announced) | | 12.12 | Smaller, mainly Asian marketplaces | 12 Dec | | Ramadan | The deepest deals come in the weeks before Ramadan; Amazon.ae ran 27 Jan-14 Feb 2026 | Ramadan expected to start around 8 Feb 2027 (moon sighting decides) | | Saudi Founding Day / National Day | 22 Feb and 23 Sep; in 2025 the Ministry of Commerce set 16-30 Sep as the National Day discount period | Founding Day 2027 falls inside Ramadan | White Friday and Yellow Friday overlap, so compare the same product on both stores during the same week. ## How to spot an inflated "was" price A big percentage means nothing if the "was" price was never charged. The fix is to know the normal price yourself before the sale starts. **Watch items 3-4 weeks ahead.** Add what you plan to buy to your wishlist or cart and check the price a few times a week.

- **Take dated screenshots.** A screenshot of the product page with the price and date is your record. If the "sale" price matches what you saw in October, it is not a discount.

- **Compare sellers.** On marketplaces the same product can have several sellers at different prices. Check the other offers on the page, and the same model on a second store.

- **Check the exact model.** Sale listings sometimes use an older model, a smaller storage size or a regional version. Match the model number, not the photo.

## Saudi Arabia: the discount licence and its barcode

In Saudi Arabia, shops and online stores need a [discount licence from the Ministry of Commerce](https://mc.gov.sa/ar/eservices/Pages/ServiceDetails.aspx?sID=46). To apply, the store must upload its list of discounted products and their prices before and after the discount. The ministry has published [nine rules for discounts](https://mc.gov.sa/ar/mediacenter/News/Pages/14-09-23-01.aspx) in shops and online stores, including:

- The licence must be obtained before the sale is advertised.

- The licence must be displayed so you can scan its barcode with your phone camera and see the store's details and the type, percentage and dates of the discount.

- Discounts must be real and match the licence, with no misleading or manipulated prices; breaches fall under the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law.

- The "from-to" discount range must be clearly stated, and discounted items must show the price before and after the discount.

- The exchange and return policy during the offer must be clearly disclosed, and manufacturer warranties still apply.

The ministry also opens seasonal licence windows, for example [16-30 September 2025 for National Day](https://mc.gov.sa/en/mediacenter/News/Pages/02-09-25-02.aspx). If the barcode shows a lower percentage or different dates than the advert, or there is no licence, you can report it to the ministry on 1900 or through its Balagh Tijari app.

## UAE: what the consumer protection law says

The UAE has no barcode check like Saudi Arabia's, but the federal rules are clear. Under [Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection](https://www.moet.gov.ae/documents/20121/0/Law_15_2020_pdf.pdf/b676fd26-275c-3652-e949-8b3663e7bd79?t=1715057123879):

- Article 18 bars a supplier from running promotions or general price discounts, or advertising them, without a prior licence from the competent authority.

- Announcing fake or unreal discounts counts as misleading advertising under the law's definitions.

- The law covers e-commerce by suppliers registered in the UAE, and requires consumer data, adverts and contracts in Arabic (other languages may be added).

To complain, the [Ministry of Economy and Tourism](https://www.moet.gov.ae/en/consumer-protection1) lists its consumer protection call centre on 800 1222. Keep your invoice and screenshots: they are your evidence.

## Stacking: sale price, promo code and bank offer

There are three layers of saving, and they do not always combine.

- **Sale price.** Already applied on the product page. Promo codes may exclude some sale items; the checkout tells you when a code does not apply.

- **Promo code.** On noon, codes pay cashback into noon Credits after delivery rather than cutting the price, and the credits cannot be withdrawn to a bank. On Namshi, codes take money off at checkout.

- **Bank-card offer.** On noon, bank offers are usually codes themselves. For example, [Al Rajhi's 2024 Yellow Friday offer on noon](https://www.alrajhibank.com.sa/en/Personal/Offers/CardsOffers/Others/noon) gave 20% off with credit cards, capped at SAR 100, on orders from SAR 100, and could not be combined with any other promotion code; Apple Pay and noon Credit were excluded.

So on noon you usually choose: a promo code (which still works with a 0% bank instalment plan) or a bank-card discount, not both. Work out each saving with its cap. On a large basket the bank offer often wins; on a small one the code may. On Amazon, bank discounts are shown on the checkout page and were reported at up to 15% during White Friday 2025. Read each offer's terms: many exclude Apple Pay and gift cards.

## Prepare your cart before the sale starts

Popular deals sell out in minutes. Do the slow steps the week before:

- Build a wishlist with your target price for each item.

- Save your delivery address and phone number, and confirm the address pin is correct.

- Save the card you will use for the bank offer, and check whether the offer excludes Apple Pay.

- Know the free-delivery threshold and the cash-on-delivery fee, which can wipe out a small saving.

| Store | Free delivery | Cash on delivery | Returns |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| noon UAE | Free next-day for noon One members | AED 12 | 15 days |
| noon KSA | noon One: noon Express orders over SAR 50 | SAR 18 | 15 days; electronics must be sealed |
| Amazon.ae | AED 100+ of eligible items fulfilled by Amazon | AED 10, non-refundable | Most items 15 days |
| Amazon.sa | SAR 100+ of eligible items fulfilled by Amazon | Temporarily unavailable at the time of writing | Most items 15 days |
| Namshi UAE | From AED 150 | AED 15 | Free within 14 days |
| Namshi KSA | From SAR 200 | SAR 34 | Free within 14 days |

Figures are from the stores' help pages in October 2026; check the current page before you order.

## Returns during sales

A sale does not cancel your return rights, but the details matter:

- **The clock starts at delivery.** noon and Namshi count from delivery and Amazon from receipt, so a slow sale delivery does not eat into your window.

- **Check "non-returnable" labels.** Amazon excludes items marked non-returnable; noon KSA requires electronics to be sealed and gives 7 days for refurbished items.

- **Fees are not always refunded.** Amazon.ae's cash-on-delivery fee is non-refundable.

- **Saudi stores must disclose their policy.** The Ministry of Commerce requires exchange and return terms during offers to be stated clearly. Screenshot them when you buy.

## Questions shoppers ask

**When is White Friday 2026?**

Amazon has not announced it yet. In 2024 and 2025 it ran 20-30 November on Amazon.ae, and on Amazon.sa Prime members got access on 20 November before everyone else from the 21st, so late November is expected again.

**Can I use a noon promo code and a bank offer together?**

Usually not. noon bank offers are typically codes that cannot be combined with any other promotion code. A noon promo code can be used with a 0% bank instalment plan.

**How do I check that a Saudi sale is licensed?**

Scan the barcode on the store's Ministry of Commerce discount licence with your phone camera. It shows the store details and the approved discount type, percentage and dates.

**Are fake discounts illegal in the UAE?**

Yes. Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 treats announcing fake or unreal discounts as misleading advertising and requires a prior licence for general price discounts. You can complain to the Ministry of Economy and Tourism on 800 1222.

## Sources

- [mc.gov.sa](https://mc.gov.sa/ar/eservices/Pages/ServiceDetails.aspx?sID=46)
- [mc.gov.sa](https://mc.gov.sa/ar/mediacenter/News/Pages/14-09-23-01.aspx)
- [mc.gov.sa](https://mc.gov.sa/ar/mediacenter/News/Pages/28-02-24-01.aspx)
- [mc.gov.sa](https://mc.gov.sa/en/mediacenter/News/Pages/02-09-25-02.aspx)
- [moet.gov.ae](https://www.moet.gov.ae/en/consumer-protection-legislations)
- [moet.gov.ae](https://www.moet.gov.ae/documents/20121/0/Law_15_2020_pdf.pdf/b676fd26-275c-3652-e949-8b3663e7bd79?t=1715057123879)
- [moet.gov.ae](https://www.moet.gov.ae/en/consumer-protection1)
- [alrajhibank.com.sa](https://www.alrajhibank.com.sa/en/Personal/Offers/CardsOffers/Others/noon)
- [help.noon.com](https://help.noon.com/portal/en/kb/articles/noon-one-shipping-fees)
- [help.noon.com](https://help.noon.com/portal/en/kb/articles/shippin)
- [amazon.ae](https://www.amazon.ae/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GZXW7X6AKTHNUP6H)
- [amazon.sa](https://www.amazon.sa/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GZXW7X6AKTHNUP6H)
- [namshi.com](https://www.namshi.com/uae-en/)
- [namshi.com](https://www.namshi.com/saudi-en/)
- [dubaidet.gov.ae](https://www.dubaidet.gov.ae/en/newsroom/press-releases/31st-edition-of-dubai-shopping-festival)

**[Ayham Al Otaibi](https://akhsam.com/team/#ayham)** Luxury, travel and sale calendar editor

Ayham covers luxury and travel stores and runs the sale calendar. He changes a sale from "expected" to "confirmed" only once the store or organiser announces its dates.

## More guides

- [How Promo Codes Work in the UAE & Saudi Arabia](https://akhsam.com/guides/how-promo-codes-work/)
- [Promo Code Not Working? Why It Fails in the UAE & Saudi](https://akhsam.com/guides/promo-code-not-working/)
- [Tabby vs Tamara: Fees, Late Charges & Rules in UAE and KSA](https://akhsam.com/guides/tabby-vs-tamara/)
- [noon One vs Amazon Prime: Price & Perks in UAE and Saudi](https://akhsam.com/guides/noon-one-vs-amazon-prime/)
- [Online Return & Refund Rights in the UAE and Saudi Arabia](https://akhsam.com/guides/returns-refunds-rights-uae-saudi/)
- [Cash on Delivery Fees in the UAE & Saudi: Store by Store](https://akhsam.com/guides/cash-on-delivery-fees/)

Ready to save? Try the [promo code finder](https://akhsam.com/finder/) or [check a code](https://akhsam.com/check/).

Source: https://akhsam.com/guides/gulf-sale-shopping-guide/