Amazon.sa has been launched in Saudi Arabia as of today, replacing Souq.com.
The move comes almost three years after the e-commerce platform was bought by Amazon in a deal worth $580 million, and just a year after it rebranded Souq.com in the UAE.
Speaking at the time, Ronaldo Mouchawar, the founder of the regional platform and vice president of Amazon MENA, said the company would take a cautious approach to launching Amazon in Saudi Arabia, referring to the work required to Arabise the site.
A statement on Amazon’s Saudi website today said: “As we take our first steps with Amazon.sa, we want you to know that we will continue to innovate on your behalf, providing new services and products in the future, making it easier and faster for you to receive your orders.”
The team in the kingdom has “grown significantly” to a workforce of more than 1,400 over the last few years, while the company boasts 11 delivery stations across the country.
The company revealed that women will make up around 40 percent of the workforce at its newest 226,000 square-foot Jeddah facility.
All customer details from Souq.com have been converted to Amazon.sa accounts.
Mouchawar added: “Partnering closely with our local and global sellers, we will continue to delight customers in Saudi Arabia by growing our product range while ensuring great prices, fast delivery and a convenient and trusted shopping experience.”
Shoppers in Saudi, who can take advantage of free next day delivery on orders above Saudi riyals 200 (Dh196), will be able to shop in Arabic or English on both the Amazon Shopping app and the website.
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