95% of Saudi Arabia Customers Are Digital Converts to E-Commerce

90% of Saudi Arabia Customers Will Choose an Alternative Site Due to Poor Online Experiences
89% of Saudi Arabia Customers Have Less Patience with Slow or Poorly Functioning Websites
55% of Saudi Brands Rank Mobile Apps or Websites as Priorities for Improving Experiences

RIYADH, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 23 August 2021 – Sitecore® the global leader in digital experience management software, announced today that 95% of customers in Saudi Arabia have become digital converts since the pandemic and want to keep buying everything online.

The research, conducted by YouGov MENA, surveyed more than 650 IT decision-makers across 12 countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Levant, and Egypt.

Boosted by the stay-at-home economy of COVID-19, the Middle East’s e-commerce market reached USD 12.1 billion in 2020, representing 53.8% year-over-year growth, according to a recent report by MarketLine. Electronics and retail accounted for USD 5.2 billion or 42.5% of the total market. ^[1]

As e-commerce continues to grow, customers are placing greater emphasis on the customer experience. Since the pandemic, 90% of Saudi Arabia’s IT decision-makers said their customers will navigate away from a site and choose an alternative if they can’t find what they need in just a few clicks. Furthermore, 89% of Saudi Arabia respondents agreed that their customers have less patience with slow or poorly functioning websites.

“With 95 percent of Saudi Arabia customers being digital converts to e-commerce, the country is seeing a rapid transition from bricks and mortar stores to hybrid and e-commerce models,” said Mohammed Alkhotani, Area Vice President – Middle East and Africa, Sitecore. “Millennials and Generation Z customers have quickly shifted their significant spending power online. Pressure will continue to mount on retailers until they can deliver an experience that delights.”

Brands in Saudi Arabia are taking a variety of actions to improve the shopping experience. The majority, 55%, ranked an online app or website that works well on mobile devices as among their top three choices.

Also scoring highly in the top three choices were brands remembering customers’ shopping history and preferences (37%), the ability to order by voice command, smartwatch, or smart speaker (37%), giving preferential treatment in the form of exclusive offers and invitations (32%), and knowing the name during login or customer service (37%).

“Brand loyalty has evaporated and there is no margin for error from browsing through to delivery,” added Mohammed Alkhotani. “Brands in Saudi Arabia are already ahead of the curve in prioritizing mobile apps and websites to personalize online experiences.”

^[1] “Online Retail in Middle East – Market Summary, Competitive Analysis and Forecast to 2025.” MarketLine. February 2021.