Saudi Arabia, the largest market in the Middle East, got it’s first group buying website this week with the launch of YallaBuyIt.com which will be serving daily deals to buyers in Riyadh and Jeddah.
The group discount/buy model (akaFalafel Startups) offers a discount from a local vendor allowing you to sign up for the purchase if you’re interested.
If enough people show interest, the offer goes live and consumers can buy the coupon until the deadline is reached or it sells out.
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With this latest addition, the number of Daily Deals websites in the regions goes up to 15 (according to ourMiddle East Group Buy Watch) unevenly covering Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, andEgyptwith the rest of the region’s markets expected to follow soon.
We contacted the people at Saudi Arabia basedYallaBuyItto ask them what they think will happen when the rest of the region’s heavy hitters enter the Saudi market, Ali Abdulrazak Mohammad YallahBuyIt’s Business Consultant replied “We are the first website going to provide such a collective buying solution in Saudi Arabia, and we know very well what our people need in Saudi Arabia, so simply we are going to provide our people what they need”.
Which puts the relatively bigger regional daily deals websites likeGoNabItandCoboneon the spot. Although the Saudi market can definitely take more than one group buying website, the question is how fast can they set up shop before the party simply gets too crowded.
Story byAhmad F Al-Shagra
Co-founder of Nadrus.com, Ex-Editor of The Next Web ME, trainer, blogger, and programmer.Co-founder of Nadrus.com, Ex-Editor of The Next Web ME, trainer, blogger, and programmer.
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