DUBAI: Amazon has launched its Prime service in Saudi Arabia with a free 30-day trial followed by a subscription fee of SR16 ($4) per month or SR140 per year.
The service allows Saudi Prime members to access shipping benefits such as free one-day delivery in all key metropolitan areas in Saudi Arabia, with the option of same-day delivery to Riyadh and Jeddah.
Subscribers will also receive free international delivery for items over SR200 from Amazon US and UAE, access to Prime Video and Prime Gaming.
“What is interesting about the Prime program, especially for small businesses and retailers in Saudi Arabia at this time, is the use of the infrastructure we have put in place in the Kingdom,” said Ronaldo Mouchawar, vice president of Amazon MENA. “This is a good opportunity for entrepreneurs, brand owners, sellers, retailers and big businesses to benefit from the technology as well as the logistic infrastructure that is available.”
Ronaldo Mouchawar, vice president of Amazon MENA. (Supplied)
The Prime service has over 150 million members globally and its video service in Saudi Arabia will include global titles with Arabic subtitles and dubbing options.
Not all of the platform’s content currently features Arabic subtitles and dubbing but Amazon is working on prioritizing shows that are popular among Saudi audiences.
As Amazon releases new global programs, the plan is to “include Arabic as a language in the thinking and release,” said Mouchawar.
In 2019, Amazon reportedly spent $6.5 billion on original content. It has not launched any originals in the MENA region yet.
“Making sure the content is compelling to the local population is important as we are now adding multiple countries in the region,” said Mouchawar, adding: “We’ll see what we can do with what’s available as we want to make sure that the shows are something our customers want to watch and are compelling and then we’ll move forward.”
