Has consumer behaviour in the Kingdom changed for good?
Bushra Al Anazi ·
Online habits formed in 2020 have stayed. What that means for retailers and service companies planning the next three years.
In 2020 many Saudi shoppers ordered groceries, paid by phone and booked appointments online for the first time. Six years later, most of them have not gone back.
Our work with retail and service clients shows three lasting shifts. Customers expect to check prices and stock before they leave home. They pay with mada and Apple Pay far more than cash. And they judge a company by how quickly it answers on WhatsApp.
This does not mean branches are finished. Stores that add click-and-collect, easy returns and knowledgeable staff are seeing visits rise again. The winners treat the shop and the app as one service.
For owners planning the next three years, the question is no longer whether to invest in digital channels, but how to connect them to stock, staff and customer service so the promise on the screen is kept in the store.