By SARAH ABDULLAH | ARAB NEWS

Published: Jul 29, 2010 23:36 Updated: Jul 29, 2010 23:36

JEDDAH: Saudi consumers fed up with the low quality of products and seasonal price increases on items that are traditionally purchased before and during Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr are opting to buy earlier and online.

“I have already ordered some appliances needed for Ramadan cooking and clothing for my children as well as some Eid gifts from online shopping sites based in the US and Europe,” said Renad Bassam, a 28-year-old mother of two.

According to a survey carried out by the Arab Advisor’s Group, online shopping in the Kingdom has really been catching on with SR12.3 billion ($3.28 billion) being spent by online Saudi shoppers in 2008.

The survey also showed that 3.5 million people, or 48 percent of the total Internet user base in the country, have purchased products or services online; 41 percent of these shoppers made these purchases using credit cards.

Items in particular demand during the period just before Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr include kitchen appliances, electronics, clothing and home furnishings.

Bassam said she has found it more convenient and economical to order from abroad rather than dragging the family around to the local malls shopping amidst the crowds and finding little selection on items whose prices are marked up due to seasonal demand.

Samia Abdelkareem, 32, described holiday shopping as “torture” and has opted out of the crowds and Jeddah’s summertime tourists for the convenience of shopping by the click of a mouse.

“I was informed that my shipment is on its way and I will be receiving it in no more than 10 days,” she said about jewelry and clothing she recently purchased online.

Arab Advisor’s Group founder and General Manager Jawad Abbassi said the Kingdom’s booming tech-savvy population “provides an ideal context for a thriving e-commerce scene.”

“Our major survey of Internet users in Saudi Arabia revealed a massive size of B2C (Business-to-Customer) e-commerce in the country, which presents opportunities for global and regional e-commerce players to tap into this growing market,” Abbassi added.

Saygin Yalcin, the CEO of Sukar.com, the first online shopping club in the Middle East, says that in the three months the site has been online it has received 2.1 million page views, 100,000 invitation-only members and 150,000 log-ins.

“The idea is to provide lifestyle connoisseurs with exclusive access to the finest brands from the world of shopping at good prices,” said Yalcin.

According to Yalcin, 47 percent of the site’s registered users are Saudi, 31 percent are from the UAE while the rest come from the other Gulf Cooperation Council countries. ¬