According to Meta’s research report “The Little-Known Behavior of Cross-Border Shoppers”, the main reason why Saudi Arabian buyers choose cross-border online shopping instead of domestic online shopping is that they have more choices. Clothing is one of the products most frequently purchased by buyers. Many respondents in Saudi Arabia are more interested in electronic products, smartphone accessories, and shoes and bags.
37% of Saudi Arabian buyers said they made cross-border transactions within a month. The most frequently purchased cross-border shopping categories are baby products, pet products, sporting goods, toys and games, and home gardening (in order of ranking).
According to the survey report, the average single cross-border transaction amount of Saudi Arabian buyers is US$152, ranking first among the seven surveyed markets.
In terms of product delivery, most buyers hope that it will arrive within a week, especially when the freight is paid by themselves. 73% of Saudi Arabian buyers said that if the freight is paid by themselves, they hope that the delivery time will not exceed 6 days. In particular, they hope that certain categories of products (such as baby products and sporting goods) can be delivered faster.
In terms of cross-border payments, according to a survey report, 73% of Saudi Arabians have made cross-border payments in the past 12 months to support family members, friends or children in different countries. 89% of people are confident in the security of online cross-border payments.
The most important consideration for Saudi Arabians when making online cross-border payments is to ensure that the funds are delivered within 24 hours and enable them to send funds through mobile applications (both 52%).
Although 89% of people believe that their money will arrive on time, 90% of Saudis said that if cross-border payments are faster, they will use cross-border payments more frequently.
Nearly half (48%) of Saudi Arabian buyers plan to use more e-commerce in the next 12 months. 40% said that cross-border shopping opportunities are the key reason why they pay online now.
Knowing the above shopping preferences of Saudi buyers, cross-border sellers can make corresponding adjustments to attract more buyers to buy.