Digital Payments Revolution Boosts E-Commerce Opportunities in Saudi Arabia

For an extended period, the Saudi Arabian economy predominantly relied on cash, stemming from a culture rich in traditional local markets and negotiations.
This preference, once reinforced by a lack of trust in banking systems and the absence of regulatory frameworks for online transactions, is rapidly evolving.
With two-thirds of the kingdom’s population being under the age of 35, and the country ranking third globally in smartphone usage, Saudi Arabia is undergoing a swift transformation in payment preferences.
This shift not only reshapes consumer behavior but also serves as a pivotal element in the broader narrative of digital transformation, paving the way for a more efficient system for e-commerce and logistical services.
In a society where cultural traditions once dictated a preference for cash transactions, the Kingdom now embraces the digital revolution.
This transformation is evident in how both consumers and merchants swiftly adapt to online financial activities.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, cash-on-delivery was the preferred method for e-commerce transactions. However, today, digital payments have seen a significant surge in adoption, propelled by a large number of tech-savvy youth and the impact of the pandemic.
Digital Payments
In 2020, digital payment transactions in the Kingdom surged by 75%, while cash withdrawals from ATMs experienced a significant decline.
The reality is that this shift towards digital payments is not merely a matter of convenience or a response to global trends. It is a strategic move aligned with the Kingdom’s national transformation plan, “Vision 2030,” aiming to accelerate the digital economy and increase cashless transactions.
Government initiatives, such as the introduction of the SADAD system, and the efforts of the Saudi Central Bank to regulate and unify the digital payment sector, have streamlined electronic payments and enhanced trust among users.
This regulatory framework has played a crucial role in encouraging the adoption of online payment services, making digital transactions more secure and reliable.
Payment Applications
The e-commerce sector in Saudi Arabia, expected to surpass $13.2 billion by 2025, directly benefits from the growing trend towards digital payments.
With consumers becoming more comfortable with online payments, there has been a surge in demand for e-commerce, exemplified by a 60% increase in online shopping from 2019 to 2020.
The emergence of mobile payment applications such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and various local apps has facilitated this shift, making smartphone payments more convenient than ever.
This increasing convenience in digital transactions not only enhances consumer comfort but also drives the expansion of the e-commerce sector. It also brings about an innovative approach in the logistics services domain to keep pace with this growth.
The rapid evolution of payment methods within the Kingdom represents a transformation reshaping the landscape of e-commerce and the logistics sector, particularly in the realm of order delivery.
Reducing cash transactions simplifies the delivery process, minimizes errors, enhances efficiency, and simultaneously supports environmental sustainability goals by reducing paper usage and improving delivery routes, resulting in decreased fuel consumption and carbon footprint.
One of the prominent challenges traditionally faced by Saudi Arabia in delivery services has been the absence of a clear and unified system for delivery addresses.
The lack of postal codes and precise addresses often leads to reliance on phone calls and detailed descriptions from customers, adding complexity and potentially causing delays in delivery operations.

To overcome these challenges in order delivery, leading logistics companies in Saudi Arabia are increasingly turning to the adoption of innovative technologies.
The Internet of Things
Nowadays, global positioning systems and Internet of Things (IoT) systems, along with advanced transportation management systems, are being utilized to achieve an immediate and smarter vision in order delivery.
These technologies not only enhance route planning and delivery efficiency but also ensure the fulfillment of the increasing demand for e-commerce through equally sophisticated logistical solutions.
The integration of these technologies serves as a testament to the industry’s commitment to overcoming fundamental challenges in delivery, especially within the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Looking to the future, the potential use of drones and self-driving vehicles is also a fantastic means to enhance delivery services.
These advanced solutions could revolutionize the efficiency and speed of delivery operations, especially in hard-to-reach areas or during peak hours.
Meanwhile, Saudi Post has embarked on an ambitious initiative to provide an address for every workplace or residence.
Individuals or companies registering their addresses receive a short code consisting of 8 characters (4 letters and 4 numbers), creating a unified and comprehensive address system for all regions, cities, and villages in Saudi Arabia.
The current challenge lies in encouraging e-commerce retailers to include the new addresses in their customers’ orders for faster and more standardized adoption.
Despite the challenges, companies in the Kingdom are expanding their local networks and exploring on-demand delivery tools, allowing customers to specify delivery times and locations.
However, maintaining a balance between service quality and cost management remains a continuous and fundamental challenge in this sector.
Innovative Solutions
Saudis are anticipating a future where synergy between online payment methods, e-commerce, and logistics services in the Kingdom becomes more integrated and advanced.
The widespread adoption of digital payment methods is expected to drive an increase in e-commerce activities.
This evolution extends beyond enhancing current systems; it creates both opportunities and new challenges in the logistics landscape.
In conclusion, the shift towards digital payment methods serves as a catalyst for a broader transformation in the sectors of e-commerce and logistics in Saudi Arabia.
The future will witness a rise in seamless digital transactions and efficient logistical solutions, fostering the growth of the e-commerce sector and contributing to the broader economic objectives of the kingdom.
As Saudi Arabia continues to embrace digital transformation, the future of e-commerce and logistics appears not only promising but also integral to economic growth and diversification in the country.

Itamar Ben-Gvir's planned return to Israel's government brings back a West Bank settler who has pressed for an intensification of the war in the Gaza Strip, even as the Palestinian death toll has exceeded 48,000.

The announcement by Ben-Gvir, once a lynchpin of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rightist-religious cabinet, followed airstrikes on Gaza that shattered weeks of relative calm after talks with the Palestinians stalled over a permanent ceasefire.

In January, when he was national security minister, Ben-Gvir resigned from the government over disagreements about the ceasefire. His return strengthens a coalition that had been left with a thin parliamentary majority when he departed.

Ben-Gvir, 48, was known as a hardline extremist even before he helped Netanyahu form the most right-wing coalition in Israel's history. Burly, bespectacled and outspoken, Ben-Gvir heads the pro-settler, nationalist-religious Jewish Power party.

While in the cabinet, he repeatedly attacked the army and Netanyahu over the conduct of the war in Gaza, opposing any deal with Hamas and threatening at times to bring down the government if it did a deal to end the war without destroying Hamas.

Together with a fellow hardliner, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, he has clashed repeatedly with Netanyahu. Both have called for the permanent conquest of Gaza and re-establishment of the Jewish settlements there which Israel abandoned in 2005, notions that Netanyahu has rejected.

INTERNATIONAL OUTRAGE

Ben-Gvir's visit in August to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, just as ceasefire negotiators were preparing another bid to end the fighting in Gaza and halt a spiral into regional war, was one of a series of actions to inflame global outrage.

The visit, and his declaration that Jews should be allowed to pray there in defiance of decades-old status quo arrangements covering a site holy to both Muslims and Jews, drew condemnation, including in Israel.

Netanyahu quickly disavowed and rebuked Ben-Gvir, whose visit also outraged Orthodox Jews who consider the Temple Mount, revered as the site of Judaism's two ancient temples, too sacred a place for Jews to enter.

For Ben-Gvir, who was photographed brandishing a pistol at Palestinian demonstrators in East Jerusalem during the 2022 Israeli election campaign, the controversy reinforced his status as a firebrand.

A disciple of Meir Kahane, a rabbi who wanted to strip Arab Israelis of citizenship and whose party was ultimately banned from parliament and designated a terrorist organization by the United States, Ben-Gvir was convicted in Israel in 2007 of racist incitement and support for a group on both the Israeli and US terrorism blacklists.

While Ben-Gvir rejects any talk of an independent Palestinian state, he has toned down his rhetoric over the years, saying he no longer advocates expulsion of all Palestinians, just those he deems traitors or terrorists.

But his appointment in 2022 by Netanyahu as national security minister, with responsibility for the police, was one of the clearest signs the new government would pay little heed to world opinion.

His resignation two months ago weakened the government without toppling it.

During the Biden presidency, he repeatedly drew the ire of the United States, Israel's most important ally, over his rejection of a political solution with the Palestinians and his support for violent Jewish settlers who attack Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Digital Payments Revolution Boosts E-Commerce Opportunities in Saudi Arabia