Local retailers account for 95.3% of online purchases in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH — Around 95.3 percent of online purchases in Saudi Arabia were made through local retailers, compared with 55.4 percent through international shopping websites. This was revealed in the Saudi Internet Report, issued by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST). The fifth edition of the report highlighted the growing adoption of digital channels among consumers, with 76.9 percent purchasing products or services online, including 85.6 percent of women and 70.2 percent of men. The report found that 95.3 percent of online purchases were made through local retailers, compared with 55.4 percent through international shopping websites. Clothing and footwear were the most purchased online products at 87.7 percent, followed by cosmetics at 46.2 percent, groceries at 41.8 percent, computers and smartphones at 36.9 percent, and travel services at 36.5 percent. Geographically, the Eastern Province recorded the highest rate of online shopping at 85.2 percent. The report also noted that 96 percent of consumers used government digital services, including 96.2 percent of men and 95.6 percent of women. Tabuk and Qassim regions recorded the highest use of these services at 98.6 percent each, while Al-Baha region recorded the lowest at 92.4 percent. The report further showed that 85.9 percent of consumers used digital banking services, including 86.2 percent of women and 85.7 percent of men. The Eastern Province recorded the highest rate of use of these services at 89.6 percent, while Najran region recorded the lowest at 78.1 percent. These indicators come amid continued growth in Saudi Arabia's digital economy. The Kingdom's communications and information technology market reached SR199 billion by the end of 2025, recording a compound annual growth rate of 8 percent over the past five years and reinforcing its position as the largest and fastest-growing market in the Middle East and North Africa.