Amazon doubles storage capacity in KSA with new facility in Riyadh
E-commerce giant eyes 40,000 online sellers in Saudi Arabia by 2025, says top official
Amazon has opened a new fulfillment center in Riyadh doubling its total storage capacity in Saudi Arabia and increasing selling opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses.
The facility, which spans 390,000 sq. feet across five floors, with 2.7 million cubic feet capacity can store more than 9 million products, according to a press statement . The opening of the fulfillment center in the Saudi capital will provide SMBs a platform to showcase their products and expand their reach, a top official of the e-commerce giant said.
In an interview with Arab News, Prashant Saran, director of operations for Amazon in the Middle East and North Africa region, said that the new facility will provide sellers with more storage options and help them expand their online businesses to new markets. “Whenever a new fulfillment center opens, it has a transformative impact on the economy of the host city by contributing to expanding product selection and availability, growth of e-commerce sales, talent development, and the acceleration of entrepreneurship,” said Saran.
He added: “The majority of products sold on Amazon.sa come from small and medium-sized businesses. In fact, many SMBs venture into e-commerce for the first time using our simple and convenient services.”
Saran noted that Amazon has been working closely with Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Small and MediumSized Enterprises, also known as Monsha’at, to host
40,000 sellers on Amazon.sa by 2025.
The new center was opened in Riyadh on Tuesday in the presence of Suliman Al-Mazroua, CEO of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program, and officials of the Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services, the Transport General Authority; and Monsha’at. “Amazon’s expansion supports Saudi Arabia’s logistics sector bringing the latest innovations and technologies in e-commerce operations to the country,” said Al-Mazroua, according to the statement. “Led by a diverse cohort of talented Saudi nationals in managerial positions, we expect this fulfillment center to support the Kingdom’s digital economy goals,” said Abdo Chlala, country manager of Amazon in Saudi Arabia.
Saran added that Amazon has been always cooperating with the Kingdom to support its localization efforts, and with Amazon Academy announced earlier this year, the e-commerce giant is providing training to 30,000 Saudi citizens in cloud technology, retail, and logistics.
Many SMBs venture into e-commerce for the first time using our simple and convenient services. Prashant Saran
Director of operations for Amazon, MENA