According to GfKRT the IT peripheral market remain positive in the Arabian Gulf (UAE and Saudi Arabia), with Q1 2012 sales growing by $1.03m over Q1 2011.
Saudi Arabia is the "main driver" behind such growth, thanks to an increase in volume sales for 3 segments-- webcams, keyboards and mice.
Webcams are the slowest growing segment within the Gulf, with average customer spend remaining flat ($21, the same as in 2009) while volume sales drop.
The average customer spend per sale on mice is also dropping, mainly due to mice being included in bundle offers together with notebooks and netbooks. However mouse sales grow during promotional periods, such as GITEX and the Dubai Shopping Festival, GfKRT says.
Meanwhile the keyboard market also finds "relative volume sales success" during promotional periods, with the Dubai Shopping Festival 2012 showing the strongest keyboard monthly volume sales for the last 3 years.
The majority of keyboard market volume (90%) goes for keyboards, but a growing tablet market represents "strong potential" for peripheral sales later this year.