By 2025, Saudi Arabia is expected to have 34.5 million e-commerce platform users.
The General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at) released a report titled “Small and Medium Enterprises and Promising E-commerce Prospects.” This report, part of a specialized series, highlights the e-commerce ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and government initiatives supporting SMEs.
The bilingual report outlines key statistics, showing significant sector growth. For instance, e-commerce project funding reached 1.6 billion SAR in 2023. The number of e-commerce platform users is projected to hit 34.5 million by 2025, with a 42% growth rate from 2019 to 2024.
The report emphasizes e-commerce’s impact on SMEs, offering growth opportunities, market entry ease, cost reduction, and a broad customer base. It also addresses challenges such as competition, limited resources, inventory management, and business services.
Expert insights include an interview with e-commerce advisor Mohannad Almulhim, discussing current sector status and support mechanisms from the E-Commerce Council. Mazen Aldarrab, CEO of Zid, highlighted the company’s role in facilitating cooperation between online store owners and stakeholders, as well as launching e-stores for entrepreneurs.
Success stories feature Abdulaziz Al-Loughani, CEO of Floward, who shared the company’s journey from its 2017 inception in the GCC to its expansion to nine countries and 40 cities. The report also includes insights from the founder and CEO of Tarood, detailing the company’s beginnings, challenges, and future plans.
This report is part of Monsha’at’s ongoing series aimed at providing reliable information for entrepreneurs and investors, with the latest focusing on franchising opportunities.
Monsha’at also launched an awareness campaign titled “The Market is Your Game,” involving various public and private sector entities. The campaign aims to encourage entrepreneurs to engage in e-commerce and inform them about the services provided by Monsha’at and other enabling bodies.
