Abdo Chalala, General Manager at Amazon Saudi Arabia: The growing shift toward digital shopping highlights the strong momentum driving the Kingdom’s e-commerce landscape.
Abdo Chalala, General Manager of Amazon Saudi Arabia, stated that the rise in online shopping reflects a strong indicator of the unprecedented momentum driving the Kingdom’s e-commerce sector. He emphasized that this growth aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, particularly in advancing digital transformation and diversifying the economy.
Chalala noted that Amazon places customer satisfaction at the heart of its operations. The company has built a scalable logistics network capable of efficiently meeting seasonal demand, enabling customers across the Kingdom to order eligible products and receive them the same day or the next day.
He also highlighted Amazon’s excellence in offering thousands of deals across one of the most diverse product selections in the e-commerce sector, including exclusive discounts during the White Friday sales season.
In this exclusive interview, Chalala responded to several questions related to customer trends in Saudi Arabia and the company’s key initiatives, with White Friday promotions at the forefront.
Q1) White Friday has become one of the biggest retail moments of the year in the Kingdom and wider region. What kind of deals and offers can shoppers expect from Amazon this season?
White Friday is one of the most anticipated shopping events on Amazon.sa, and this year customers in Saudi Arabia will find thousands of deals running from November 20 to 30. Shoppers can expect discounts of up to 70% across all categories including electronics, fashion, beauty, home, kitchen, grocery, games and Amazon Devices.
They can also explore an extended selection of deals on international products from Amazon US, UK and Germany through the Amazon.sa/Global-Store.
We are also bringing back daily flash deals, live from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM (KSA time), giving customers limited-time savings on popular items from local and international brands.
Many of these products will be eligible for Same-Day and One-Day Delivery. Shoppers can also explore Amazon.sa/bazaar, Amazon’s dedicated value destination, designed as the go-to place for affordable fashion, home and lifestyle essentials. Customers can access an extra 50% off during the sale by using the code BWF50.
In addition to these offers, Prime members can make the most of White Friday by unlocking special offers, instant bank discounts, and fast, reliable, or even free delivery on eligible items. In Saudi Arabia, Prime membership is available at Amazon.sa/prime for SAR 16 per month or SAR 140 per year and provides customers with year-round shopping and entertainment benefits.
Q2) What are some of the customer trends you see in Saudi Arabia when it comes to shopping online?
Our latest research highlights two clear behaviours among customers in Saudi Arabia. First, more shoppers are choosing Amazon for their everyday essentials. Second, we see that customers treat White Friday as a key moment to plan ahead and organize their purchases.
More than 56% of customers say they are buying pantry staples and long-life groceries during the sale. Almost half at 47% are picking up cleaning and household supplies, while 29% are opting for health-related items such as vitamins and over-the-counter medicines.
Customers are also adding fresh and refrigerated foods at 27%, along with snacks and drinks at 19%. These choices demonstrate how customers depend on Amazon for convenience, selection and reliable delivery for their daily needs.
Shoppers are also looking for great deals on categories beyond essentials. Sixty-nine percent plan to buy clothing, shoes or accessories, 52% are considering personal electronics and 50% expect to purchase beauty or personal care products. These categories continue to perform strongly as customers balance practicality with moments of treating themselves or gifting others.
Taken together, these trends point to thoughtful and intentional shopping. Customers in the Kingdom are planning ahead, making informed choices and prioritizing products that matter most to their households. Our role is to support that behaviour through our wide selection of products, meaningful savings and fast, dependable delivery that helps customers get everything they need in one place.
This shift in how people shop is also shaping the expansion of Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce sector and aligns with the country’s Vision 2030 to build a digitally enabled economy powered by innovation.
Q3) How does Amazon ensure the timely delivery of products during busy sale events like White Friday?
Customer obsession sits at the heart everything we do and it guides every decision we make.
Our focus is always on delivering a fast, reliable and seamless experience for customers, no matter how high demand becomes. In 2024, we were able to deliver to our Prime members at the fastest speeds ever globally, with more than 9 billion items arriving the same or next day .
To support customers during peak periods, we have spent more than twenty years building a fulfillment and transportation network that can scale efficiently when demand surges.
Our latest research shows that delivery speed is a top priority for shoppers in Saudi Arabia, with 85% saying fast and dependable delivery helps them feel more at ease and 78% valuing clear visibility on when their order will arrive. These insights directly shape how we prepare for White Friday.
Ahead of the event, we position high-demand products closer to customers inside our fulfillment centers, improve inventory flow and enhance pick and pack efficiency. We also use advanced technologies and AI-driven tools to forecast demand and optimize our delivery routes to reduce delivery times.
Today, Prime members in the Kingdom can place eligible orders as late as 12:00 PM and receive them the same day. Through our partnership with Al-Othaim, customers can also receive thousands of grocery and household items within two hours.
This White Friday, we are ready to reach more customers with faster delivery and a wider selection. Our operations network in Saudi Arabia now includes two fulfillment centers, three sort centers and more than 25 owned and third-party delivery stations, enabling us to deliver with the speed and reliability customers expect from Amazon.
Q4) How do you see consumer behavior in Saudi Arabia evolving AI powered shopping experiences?
Shoppers in the Kingdom are increasingly turning to AI to guide their decisions when purchasing products. In fact, 87% of respondents in our HarrisX research said they would likely use AI features during White Friday, and 67% felt that tools like AI and wishlists make their overall experience more convenient.
What we’re seeing is a shift from browsing to precision shopping. Consumers are using AI to cut through the noise and find exactly what they need faster – whether it’s using visual search to find a specific style they’ve seen, getting personalized recommendations based on their preferences or using AI agents to compare products. The time-saving aspect also resonates strongly among consumers in the Kingdom.
When asked about their ultimate shopping superpower, 12% said it would be instantly finding the perfect item every time
We’re also observing how AI builds consumer confidence. Shoppers value authenticity and quality, and AI-powered features that verify products and offer genuine customer insights are helping them make more informed decisions. This is specifically important for premium purchases where shoppers want absolute certainty before committing.
Looking ahead, consumers in Saudi Arabia will want AI tool that feel more in tune with their daily habits in the sense that they can pick up on their routines and anticipate what they might need instead of waiting for them to search. This is where agentic commerce comes in – a new wave of AI that can take on more of the work for shoppers and guide them in a more effortless way.
