LONDON: A new online shopping platform is about to launch in the Kingdom to rival Amazon.
The $1 billion noon.com online shopping platform has just arrived in the UAE and Saudi Arabia will be next.
But which will offer the best value for bargain-deprived Saudi shoppers?
We sent our very own secret shopper to purchase a basket of goods from Noon.com, and compare the prices with like-for-like products at Amazon’s US marketplace.
The Arab News online shopping trolley included 10 items picked at random and including electronics, footwear, phones and toys.
The results reveal that the upstart noon basket came to $2,024 compared — more than 10 percent cheaper than rival Amazon with a total cost of $2,273.45.
But analysts say the difference may be about noon.com stealing a march on its more established global competitor by offering attractive launch discounts.
Still, the arrival of fresh competition is expected to benefit shoppers across the region that have long been denied the online shopping choice of their counterparts in Europe, Asia and North America.
Noon is a joint venture between Emaar Properties chairman Mohamed Alabbar, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the Kuwaiti franchise operator MH Alshaya.
The new site launched on Sept. 30 with offices in Dubai and Riyadh.
Our secret shopper reveals best online bargains for Saudis
Our secret shopper reveals best online bargains for Saudis
Manufacturing and trade drive 5% rise in Saudi operating revenue
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Operating Revenue Index rose 5 percent year on year in November, supported by growth in manufacturing, trade and construction, official data showed.
In its latest report, the General Authority for Statistics noted that the rise was “supported by an increase in manufacturing activities by 6.5 percent,” while wholesale and retail trade, including the repair of motor vehicles, increased by 9.5 percent.
Construction activity expanded 7.4 percent, while financial activities grew 14.4 percent and insurance activities rose 8.6 percent.
The data underline the Kingdom’s broader economic diversification drive under Vision 2030, with non-oil activities such as manufacturing, construction, finance and trade continuing to expand and contribute a larger share to overall economic activity.
On a monthly basis, the index fell 1.2 percent from October, according to the preliminary figures released by GASTAT, pointing to uneven momentum across sectors at the end of the year.
The fall was attributed to weaker performance in some sectors, including a 3.8 percent decrease in mining and quarrying activities and a 25.8 percent drop in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply activities.
In the labor market, the Employees Compensation Index recorded strong annual growth, rising 13.6 percent compared to November 2024. The increase was supported by an 18.8 percent rise in manufacturing activities and a 10.5 percent increase in wholesale and retail trade activities.
On a monthly basis, employee compensation edged up 0.1 percent, reflecting modest gains across several sectors.
Indicators linked to construction activity also strengthened. The number of issued building permits increased 28.4 percent year on year in November 2025, reaching 8,034, compared to 6,258 in the same month a year earlier.
The surge in building permits indicates robust investment in physical infrastructure, a key pillar of Saudi Vision 2030, while rising wages support its aim of improving citizen prosperity.
The report stated this was “a result of the increase in the number of issued building permits during November.” Furthermore, permits showed strong momentum from the previous month, increasing by 7.7 percent compared to October 2025.
