Why Dubai’s instant delivery services are a model for the region

If New York is the city that never sleeps, then Dubai is the city that doesn't wait.  

In recent years, the metropolis best known for its skyscrapers and seven-star hotels has emerged as the unlikely global capital of instant eCommerce. Dubai's residents can order anything from groceries to high-end clothing, with items delivered in as little as two hours. 

Like most cities, Dubai has had food delivery apps for a long time.  Whether through third-party apps or directly from restaurants, meals can arrive at your door in as little as 20 minutes. 

But what sets Dubai apart is the variety of instant eCommerce retailers. Take fashion, for example, Ounass is one of the biggest luxury fashion e-commerce platform in the region, broadly equivalent to Harvey Nichols or Bloomingdale's. Here they can deliver orders in less than two hours within Dubai. Sometimes faster. 

Case in point, earlier this month I ordered a new pair of trousers. They arrived in less than 90 minutes.  

Ounass isn't alone in providing instant delivery. The local branch of French supermarket giant Carrefour also provides 60-minute delivery times to customers in certain parts of Dubai, who can order from a selection that includes household staples, small appliances, and even printer cartridges and electronics. 

The success of these companies speaks to the need of people for convenience, and for instant gratification. It's therefore no surprise that the same model is being implemented in other countries within the region.  

In Saudi Arabia, Nahdi — a pharmacy chain with over 1,200 branches, already offers a two-hour delivery service for a wide range of products, including baby essentials, health and wellness items, beauty products, and everyday necessities. Recognising the growing demand for faster fulfilment, the company continues to invest in its logistics network to improve efficiency and customer convenience.  

eCommerce retailers that offer instant delivery tend to operate under two models. Either they'll have their own delivery infrastructure, or they'll subcontract to a third-party partner. Both models have their own inherent advantages and disadvantages.  

Whereas operating your own infrastructure affords you a high level of control, it also demands significant upfront investment in warehousing, technology, and courier recruitment. To achieve thirty-minute delivery times, the retailer needs to operate a vast network of fully-stocked warehouses, all positioned strategically throughout the city.  

Subcontracting that reduces those upfront costs, but it also reduces your control and potentially eats into your margins — which, in retail, are often razor-thin. It also prevents you from making the improvements that provide a competitive advantage, such as reducing fulfilment times or extending your area of coverage.  

For eCommerce brands offering instant delivery, the right technology infrastructure is critical. Speed isn’t just about getting orders out quickly—it’s about having systems that ensure accurate inventory, seamless fulfilment, and real-time updates. 

Yet many retailers still rely on outdated, siloed systems, making it difficult to track stock levels across multiple channels. This leads to delays, missed orders, and operational inefficiencies that slow everything down. 

To match Dubai’s fast-paced delivery model, businesses need more than quick logistics—they need a smarter, more connected approach to eCommerce. Modernising technology streamlines operations, ensuring stock is always where it needs to be and reducing fulfilment bottlenecks. It also unlocks richer data insights, allowing businesses to fine-tune demand forecasting and optimise the entire supply chain. 

Instant delivery isn’t just about speed—it’s about getting the whole experience right, from the moment a customer lands on your store and clicks ‘buy’ to when their order arrives and beyond. The companies that get this right will set the standard for the region’s next wave of eCommerce growth.