The Middle East has a growing appetite for eCommerce and mCommerce, according to a new report from market research company yStats.com. In a new report entitled “Middle East B2C E-Commerce Market 2015”, the company’s researchers say that the region is both “the largest online market in terms of sales” and the region with “the best infrastructure for B2C E-Commerce, with the highest mobile, smartphone, Internet and payment card penetration.”
The researchers highlight Israel as a promising market experiencing growth in Internet and online shopper penetration, and also highlight Bahrain as the fastest growing B2C E-Commerce market. But Saudi Arabia in particular stands out as the country where mCommerce has an especially high potential.
It all ties in nicely with a GSMA report that came out last fall indicating massive potential for mobile-driven growth; many of these countries have suffered from relatively poor communications infrastructure, but the swelling flood of relatively inexpensive mobile devices has consumers in these areas excited to get connected and explore the possibilities.
Much of this will be good news for Apple, whose mobile payment service Apple Pay is poised to expand into the Middle Eastern market imminently. It could also be very good news for Apple’s competitors, who, seeing the enthusiasm with which consumers have been embracing mobile commerce and payment systems, have started trotting out services like Samsung Pay and Android Pay.
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