‘Instagram shopping’ a hit with young Saudi entrepreneurs

Instagram is a photo-sharing application that has grown to capture 150 million active users from all around the world.
Though Instagram has not enabled sales of advertisements yet, many companies and individuals already use it as a means to promote their services. It is not used for displaying pictures or expanding social circles only anymore.
Actually, Instagram is the prime tool for marketing products. Saudi users are no exception and exhibit various items on Instagram.
They include cosmetics, food and clothes for kids and adults and many others. Young Saudi female graduates who have not found a suitable job find it an ideal pastime.
Besides its financial returns, creating network connections that outlast the purchase is what makes working online a fulfilling experience.
Amjad Zarihan (known on Instagram as Fancyboutiqe) has over 2,780 followers. She is a recent pharmacy graduate who couldn’t find a job. Instead of staying home waiting for a job to come, she created her own. Amjad mainly trades in cosmetics but she also does business in other items.
“The products are displayed in my account on Instagram, but to place an order and agree on the best method of payment and time of delivery, I communicate with the customer on Whatsapp. It shows more seriousness and willingness on the part of the customer to purchase the item.”
“I am passionate about make-up, and I try most of the products myself before I sell them to the customers,” Amjad says. “Of course my work in trading through Instagram does not substitute a full-time job in a private or government sector. However, I am not planning to give up on it after I find a full-time job.” Commenting on how secure her work on Instagram is, Amjad says, “It is financially and socially rewarding. I now know a lot of people I would not have known had I not been on Instagram.”
Reem Al-Driwish, (known on Instagram as Make_for_beauty) has over 17,000 followers. She is a young Saudi business owner who is also interested in make-up products. She has a diploma in computer and interior design.
She says, “Most customers are interested in products which have famous brand names and are commercially known.”
“There are many replicas of make-up products that are sold as original. It is my responsibility as an owner of my business to gain the trust of my clients by selling them the original brands of products. Therefore, the websites I order from have to be trustworthy,” she says.
Saudi customers share various experiences about their “Instagram shopping.” AlaaManie, a health education coordinator in a government hospital says, “I had only one experience of buying from Instagram and that was not very encouraging. The product was different from the picture displayed. Now, if I need to buy anything online, I do it myself.”
On the other hand, Roqayah, a King Saud University faculty member, had a different experience to relate. “I had a wonderful experience shopping with Instagram. The product reached on time and the price was cheaper than the products online. I shall definitely do it again. However, you need to be careful about choosing a trustworthy salesperson on Instagram,” she cautioned.