Online Shopping Jumps 400% in Saudi Arabia

As coronavirus lockdown grips Saudi Arabia, online shopping has jumped 400 percent in past two months with 30000 registered complaints.

Media reports cited Ministry of Commerce and Investment of Saudi Arabia.

Abdulrahman Al-Hussein, the ministry’s spokesman, said the coronavirus pandemic is to blame for some of the holdups in delivery.

“These are exceptional times. Some of these parties are not exempt and are unable to carry out commercial activity during curfew hours,” he said.

Al-Hussein said that the ministry has organized teams to deal with the problem and ensure customers receive their packages.

Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency regulations stipulate that customers also have the choice to return their purchases and have their payment refunded within 14 days if they paid electronically.

The National Program to Combat Commercial Cover-up will ensure that online payments are available in every mini-mart by May 10. Other commercial services expected to provide online payment facilities by August.

However The ministry is continuing to monitor commercial facilities related to online shopping, with 89,000 inspection trips to supermarkets and the issuing of 9,000 fines, half for price manipulation.

Kingdom’s support for the private sector

Furthermore Al-Hussein highlighted the Kingdom’s support for the private sector, saying that SR170 billion ($45 billion) dedicated to help local content and pay Saudi employees’ salaries.

Meanwhile, a Ministry of Interior source said that restaurants, except food trucks and catering, will allowed to operate delivery and pickup services during Ramadan from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. after meeting health requirements.

The General Directorate of Passports announced that countries benefiting from the “Awda” initiative (Return), where foreign nationals can apply through the Absher service to go home, are Egypt, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Coronavirus Situation in Saudi Arabia

A total of 1,158 new coronavirus recorded in the Kingdom on Thursday, 15 percent of which were Saudi and 85 percent expats, bringing the total number of cases in Saudi Arabia to 13,930.

Moreover There are now 11,884 active cases, 93 of which are in critical care.

Health Ministry spokesman Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly said there 113 new recoveries, taking the total number to 1,925, while seven new deaths had reported, raising the death toll to 121. The latest deaths were of a 69-year-old Saudi woman from Jeddah and six non-Saudis from Jeddah and Makkah aged between 23 and 67.