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RIYADH: Amazon has launched in the Kingdom as more Saudi shoppers turn to the web for purchases in the wake of the coronavirus.
It comes as online shopping worldwide gets a boost from pandemic-related lockdowns and more shoppers are forced to turn to the web for their purchases.
“The new store brings together the best of Souq’s local know-how and Amazon’s global retailing experience. The store’s selection ranges from local products to those from all over the world, including Amazon US,” said a statement on the homepage of Amazon.sa on Wednesday.
Customers can now shop on Amazon in ��������Ƶ using their Souq credentials and free next day delivery will be available for orders above SR200 ($53).
Abdullah Alghamdi, a 31-year old government employee in Riyadh, said the arrival of Amazon was a major boost for consumer choice in the Kingdom.
“I think this step will not only positively impact the service quality level of Souq, but the whole of online commerce in the Kingdom. The direct existence of a giant online e-commerce platform will definitely encourage more people to buy online and will ignite more competition” he said.
The coronavirus has triggered a surge in online shopping in ��������Ƶ that had benefited local retailers even before the arrival of Amazon.
In late March local online retailer BinDawood Holding reported that its average sales on a 10-day basis had increased by 200 percent, while its average order value rose by 50 percent and app installations by 400 percent, according to a report from Oxford Business Group.
Saudi grocery delivery app Nana has also received a business boost from the fast-changing retail landscape in the country when it raised $18 million in funding in March to expand its operations across the Middle East.
“As part of the Financial Sector Development Programme – itself part of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s long- term development plan – the government hopes to increase the proportion of online payments to 70 percent by 2030, up from the 2020 target of 28 percent,” Oxford Business Group said.
Such policy support bodes well for the growth of the e-commerce sector in the Kingdom.
The Souq Saudi workforce has already grown to more than 1,400 in the last few years, according to its website.
The newly branded website is available in Arabic on both the desktop and app platforms.
To use amazon.sa on shoppers should download the Amazon shopping app and select “��������Ƶ” from the settings.
Souq.com was founded in 2005 by Syrian entrepreneur Ronaldo Mouchawar.