Winning Customers During Ramadan: What Works and What Doesn't Ramadan may bring a surge in demand, but the real challenge is keeping customers engaged beyond the season.

Retail in the Gulf is fast-paced and highly competitive, with consumer behavior shifting dramatically during key moments like Ramadan. For brands, it's not just about boosting sales, it's about creating real connections that turn first-time buyers into long-term customers.

At Trendyol, we've seen first-hand what works and what doesn't. Here's what we've learned about winning customer attention in one of the most significant shopping seasons of the year.

1. Make your offers culturally relevant Ramadan reshapes shopping habits. Demand surges across categories, from modest fashion to home essentials and gifting. But simply having products available isn't enough: it's about having the right offering that truly resonates.

Last year, we introduced Trendyol's first own-brand Ramadan Collection designed specifically for the Gulf, focusing on affordable, high-quality and thoughtful modest-wear. The response was incredible—4x more units of Trendyol Collection modest-wear outfits sold in March-April compared to an average month. The takeaway? When brands listen to their audience and provide what they're looking for, it drives both acquisition and engagement.

Seasonal collections should go beyond just selling products—they should tell a story. Aligning designs with cultural elements builds deeper emotional connections, making brands stand out in a crowded marketplace.

2. Build momentum with strategic marketing Peak seasons aren't just about demand spikes, they're an opportunity to cut through the noise and create lasting brand moments. To do that, marketing must be authentic, relevant, and bold. We invest in performance marketing year-round, but during Ramadan, we scale up significantly. Last year, being relatively new in the Gulf, we went big, covering outdoor, digital, CRM, and experiential activations.

Our Al Nakheel Mall pop-up in Riyadh, featuring Turkish celebrities Halit Özgür Sarı and Simay Barlas, was one of our most successful campaigns, helping make the Gulf Trendyol's fastest-growing market outside Türkiye.

This year, we're taking it further with Meryem Uzerli, a beloved star in the Gulf, leveraging a mix of content, media collaborations, and Suhoor events in Riyadh and Dubai. But it's not just about visibility: it's about creating an experience that resonates. This year's Cappadocia-themed Ramadan Collection was designed specifically for the Gulf market, inspired by heritage. To bring it to life, we engaged key media and influencers, taking them on an immersive journey to Cappadocia that gave them a first-hand look at the inspiration behind the collection. This wasn't just about a launch, it was about educating, storytelling, and showcasing our expertise in fashion that connects with the region. Backed by a high-impact marketing campaign, we combined significant media investment, influencer collaborations, and a strategic mix of digital, offline, and experiential activations to maximize reach and engagement.

The key lesson? A well-planned, multi-channel approach doesn't just drive visibility, it builds real connections, turning seasonal shoppers into long-term customers.

3. Enhancing the shopping experience through technology Customers today expect seamless, personalized, and fast shopping experiences, especially during high demand periods. AI-driven recommendations, intuitive interfaces, and efficient search make all the difference.

For example, using AI tools to personalize the shopping journey for customers, catering to individual preferences – from outfit recommendations to a table centerpiece suggestion – can significantly enhance the customer experience. For SMEs, investing in tech is not always feasible. That's where we come in, providing access to millions of customers while offering built-in personalization tools, payment solutions, and logistics infrastructure that businesses can leverage without heavy upfront costs.

4. Get logistics right Fast, reliable delivery isn't a luxury, it's an expectation. Delayed orders, especially during peak seasons, hurt trust and impact long-term loyalty. Retailers need to plan ahead, optimizing supply chains, securing delivery partnerships, and ensuring inventory is ready before the rush hits. At Trendyol, we've built a logistics network that prioritizes efficiency at scale, allowing our sellers to meet heightened demand without disruption.

For SMEs, the platform offers a scalable e-commerce solution equipped with AI-powered insights and advanced logistics, to help them connect with a wider audience. On Trendyol, we have over 40 million global customers, which presents local businesses with greater visibility and growth opportunities – not just regionally, but internationally, boosting businesses and enabling commerce.

Why stopping after Ramadan isn't an option

Ramadan may bring a surge in demand, but the real challenge is keeping customers engaged beyond the season. The brands that succeed are those that turn seasonal shoppers into long-term loyalists.

This means consistently delivering value through relevant product offerings, impactful marketing, seamless shopping experiences, and reliable logistics. At Trendyol, we've seen first-hand that staying agile and customer-focused is what drives sustained growth.

Retail doesn't slow down after Ramadan, and neither should retailers. The key is to keep evolving, keep engaging, and keep delivering…because momentum is everything and stopping isn't an option.

Related: Decoding Consumer Behavior: Understanding What Makes Your Customers Tick