Table of Contents
How to Start a TV Shopping Business with Meydan Free Zone
Introduction
TV shopping, also known as direct response television retail, is the original distance-selling format and remains a globally significant retail channel, now converging with live-streamed video commerce, social media shopping, and online direct retail to create one of the most dynamic segments in modern retail. Under ISIC class 4791, this activity encompasses retail sale via television, radio, telephone, mail order, catalogues, and internet, covering every format in which a consumer makes a purchasing decision based on a demonstration, advertisement, or description rather than visiting a physical shop.
The global TV shopping market was valued at USD 262.02 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 442.68 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 6%, according to Business Research Insights¹.
The most significant evolution in this category over the past decade is the emergence of live commerce, the digital successor to broadcast shopping that combines the real-time demonstration power of television with the reach and interactivity of social media. The UAE live commerce market generated USD 194.1 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 1.05 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 33.3%, according to Grand View Research².
Fashion and apparel leads the UAE live commerce segment, while health and wellness is the fastest-growing category. Over 51% of TV shopping buyers globally cite live product demonstrations as their preferred purchasing trigger, reinforcing the enduring advantage of demonstrated selling over static e-commerce listings.
The UAE’s structural suitability for direct-response retail is exceptional. With 98% smartphone penetration and 90% internet penetration across Dubai’s 3.6 million residents, the consumer base has near-universal capacity to respond to broadcast and online direct-sales content.
The UAE e-commerce market was valued at USD 9 billion in 2024 with a penetration rate of 66.1%, according to Statista and Equalocean³. Dubai claims approximately 60% of UAE e-commerce activity, according to Mordor Intelligence⁴, supported by over 100 fulfillment centres and a digital wallet usage rate of 53% among UAE consumers in 2024.
The TV Shopping activity code under Meydan Free Zone covers the full range of direct retail formats defined by ISIC class 4791: retail via television, radio, telephone, mail order, and the internet, including live commerce, social shopping, online direct retail, and internet auctions. This is the broadest-scope retail license in the stalls and distance-selling category, and its relevance extends across every segment of the UAE’s fast-growing distance retail economy.
Market at a glance
4791 Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet
Activity code 4791.98 falls within ISIC class 4791, which covers retail sale activities conducted via mail order, telephone, television, radio, or internet, where the buyer makes a purchase decision based on product presentation rather than visiting a physical shop. Under the Meydan Free Zone classification, this sub-code is designated as TV Shopping, covering the full range of direct-to-consumer retail sale formats defined by the class, including retail via television, direct-response television, live commerce streaming, radio, mail order, catalogue, telephone, and internet.
The code also explicitly covers internet retail auctions and any retail format where the product can be either physically delivered or digitally downloaded to the customer.
What this activity does not cover
Licensing and compliance
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Global TV shopping market (2024) | $262.02B CAGR 6% to 2033 |
| UAE live commerce market (2024) | $194.1M CAGR 33.3% to 2030 (Grand View Research) |
| UAE e-commerce market (2024) | $9B 66.1% penetration rate (Equalocean) |
Activity Details
TV and broadcast direct-sales operators Businesses selling products directly to consumers via live television broadcast, infomercials, and direct-response television, using the trust-building power of live demonstration to convert viewers into buyers across product categories including home goods, beauty, electronics, and health products.
Live commerce and social commerce sellersBrands and entrepreneurs selling products via live-streamed video commerce on Instagram Live, TikTok Live, YouTube, and dedicated live commerce platforms, tapping into the UAE live commerce market growing at a CAGR of 33.3% and projected to reach USD 1.05 billion by 2030.
Telephone and online direct-response retailersBusinesses operating direct-response retail models where consumers place orders by telephone, mail, or internet after seeing advertisements, catalogues, or online product content, serving the UAE’s 98%-smartphone-penetration consumer base and 66.1% e-commerce penetration rate.
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| UAE live commerce projection (2030) | $1.05B projected UAE live commerce market by 2030 UAE internet penetration 90%+ (Dubai 90%) UAE smartphone penetration 98%+ Buyers preferring live demo 51% |
| Key TV shopping product categories | Home goods and furnishings — 33% of TV shopping sales Beauty and personal care — 28% of TV shopping sales Electronics and gadgets — 24% of TV shopping sales Fashion and apparel — Largest UAE live commerce Health and wellness — Fastest growing UAE segment |
