AI Translation
Translate Your Products to
Arabic
Reach 422M+ speakers of Arabic across Saudi Arabia and beyond. Tap into a thriving e-commerce market with AI-powered translation that captures cultural nuances and drives conversions.
422M+
Speakers
$19.5B
Market Size
26M
Online Shoppers
15.0%
Annual Growth
Arabic E-commerce Market Opportunity
Understand the potential of selling to Arabic-speaking customers
Market Metrics
Avg. Order Value:$120
Mobile Commerce:75%
Growth Potential
The Arabic e-commerce market is growing at 15.0% annually, with a total market size of $19.5B. This represents a significant opportunity for businesses looking to expand internationally.
Target Audience
26M online shoppers actively buying products in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania. These customers are ready to purchase from international sellers who speak their language.
Arabic Cultural & Language Insights for Product Translation
Understanding the culture is key to successful product translations
Recommended Tone & Style
Use a Mixed (leaning formal) tone with respectful, community-oriented, brand-conscious, indirect style when writing product descriptions.
Key Considerations
- Adherence to Islamic values and customs is crucial in all content and imagery.
- Family and community values are highly significant; content should reflect this positively.
- Brand reputation and trust are paramount; emphasize quality and reliability.
- Direct communication can sometimes be perceived as abrupt; a more indirect and polite approach is often preferred.
- Respect for hierarchy and elders is important in formal communications.
⚠️
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ⚠Using literal translations that miss cultural nuances or local expressions.
- ⚠Ignoring religious holidays and events like Ramadan and Eid in marketing calendars.
- ⚠Displaying inappropriate imagery (e.g., alcohol, immodest clothing, or anything conflicting with Islamic values).
- ⚠Not offering popular local payment methods, which can lead to high cart abandonment.
Selling Products in Saudi Arabia: E-commerce Landscape
Understand the platforms, payment methods, and shopping habits of Arabic-speaking customers
Popular Platforms
Noon
Amazon.sa
Jarir Bookstore
Extra
Shein (international)
Payment Methods
Mada (local debit card network)
Apple Pay
STC Pay
Credit Cards (Visa/Mastercard)
Cash on Delivery (COD)
Shipping Expectations
Customers expect fast and reliable delivery, often with real-time tracking. Free shipping is a strong incentive, especially for higher-value orders. Cash on Delivery remains a popular option, particularly for first-time buyers or lower-value items.
Peak Shopping Seasons
Ramadan
Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Adha
Saudi National Day (September)
White Friday (November - local equivalent of Black Friday)
Best Practices for Translating Products to Arabic
Use Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) for general business and formal communication, but consider local dialects for highly localized or casual content.
Be highly sensitive to cultural and religious contexts. Avoid references, imagery, or language that could be misinterpreted or cause offense.
Ensure proper gender agreement in grammar and vocabulary, as Arabic is a highly gendered language.
Pay attention to right-to-left (RTL) formatting for text, images, and website layout to ensure a native user experience.
Proofread meticulously for any grammatical errors or awkward phrasing, as high-quality language reflects positively on your brand.
Localizing
Localizing Products for Arabic-Speaking Customers
Translation is just the beginning. Adapt your content to local expectations for maximum impact.
Visual Preferences
- High-quality, professional photography is essential. A blend of product-focused and lifestyle imagery works best, showcasing products in modern, aspirational settings that reflect Saudi Arabian lifestyles. Avoid overly casual or 'gritty' aesthetics.
- Models should generally reflect the local population and adhere to cultural modesty standards. Women should be depicted in contemporary yet modest attire (e.g., abayas or smart casual clothing covering arms and legs); men typically in thobes or smart casual wear. Family-oriented imagery is highly effective and resonates well.
- Design aesthetics favor clean, modern layouts with ample whitespace, ensuring a premium feel and ease of navigation. While traditional Islamic patterns can be incorporated subtly, the overall interface should be uncluttered and user-friendly, prioritizing high-quality visuals and clear Arabic typography.
- Images of people can feature direct eye contact, which is generally acceptable and conveys sincerity. Group photos, especially those showing families or friends interacting positively, are preferred over isolated individuals, emphasizing community and social connection.
- Embrace imagery that celebrates Saudi culture and identity, such as iconic landmarks (e.g., Kingdom Centre, Al-Ula), traditional hospitality (Arabic coffee, dates), and scenes of modern Saudi life. Avoid any imagery that could be perceived as immodest, religiously insensitive (e.g., depicting religious symbols inappropriately), or politically charged. Depictions of alcohol or pork are strictly prohibited.
Units & Measurements
- The metric system is the standard for all measurements (e.g., meters, centimeters, kilograms).
- Clothing sizes primarily follow European (EU) sizing conventions (e.g., women's 36-44, men's S-XL with EU equivalents). It is highly recommended to provide a comprehensive size chart including conversions to US/UK sizes for international brands.
- Shoe sizes also predominantly use European (EU) sizing. Similar to clothing, offering a detailed conversion chart to US, UK, and perhaps Japanese sizes is beneficial for customers.
- Weight units are expressed in kilograms (kg) for larger items and grams (g) for smaller products. For example, '2.5 kg' for a bag of rice or '250 g' for a snack.
- Dimensions are typically listed in centimeters (cm) in the order of Length x Width x Height (الطول × العرض × الارتفاع). Example: 120 سم × 60 سم × 75 سم.
Number & Date Formatting
- The date format is typically DD/MM/YYYY or D/M/YYYY (e.g., 25/03/2024). While the Hijri calendar is also used, Gregorian dates are universally understood in e-commerce.
- The decimal separator is the Arabic comma (،). For example, '1,234.56' would be written as '1.234،56'.
- The thousand separator is typically the Arabic decimal point (.). For example, '1,234,567' would be formatted as '1.234.567'. Sometimes a thin space or no separator is used.
- Currency is the Saudi Riyal (SAR). The symbol 'ر.س' or 'SR' is placed after the amount, often with a space. Example: '1.234،50 ر.س' or '1.234,50 SR'.
- The 12-hour format with AM/PM (ص/م or صباحاً/مساءً) is common in daily conversation, but the 24-hour format (e.g., 14:30) is widely understood and used in digital contexts. The week officially starts on Sunday.
Color Meanings
- Red (أحمر) and Orange (برتقالي) are commonly used to highlight sales, discounts, and promotions, drawing immediate attention to offers. Red is a universal signifier for deals, while orange suggests energy and warmth.
- Blue (أزرق) and Green (أخضر) are excellent for conveying trust and reliability. Blue is associated with stability, professionalism, and security (often used by banks), while green holds deep cultural and religious significance, representing peace, prosperity, growth, and the national color of Saudi Arabia. Green is ideal for products emphasizing quality, health, or eco-friendliness.
- Gold (ذهبي), Black (أسود), and Silver (فضي) effectively signify premium quality and luxury. Gold conveys prestige and wealth, black suggests sophistication and elegance, and silver implies modernity and high-tech quality. These are suitable for high-end products and services.
- While generally positive, bright Yellow (أصفر) can sometimes be subtly associated with sickness or envy in specific cultural contexts if used excessively or inappropriately. It's generally safe for accents but should be used thoughtfully in dominant branding.
- Green (أخضر) is highly significant due to its strong association with Islam and the national identity of Saudi Arabia. Incorporating green can evoke feelings of national pride, peace, and prosperity, making it a powerful color for building positive brand associations in the market.
Arabic Local SEO Tips
Optimize your product content for search engines in Arabic-speaking markets
Google (Google.com.sa) is the dominant search engine in Saudi Arabia. Optimize primarily for Google's algorithms, focusing on local relevance signals.
Utilize both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and common Saudi colloquialisms in keyword research. For instance, while 'سيارة' (car) is MSA, local searches might include 'موتر' (motor, colloquial for car) or specific regional brands. Also, optimize for common English transliterations of Arabic terms (e.g., 'Riyadh' vs 'Riyad') as many users search in Latin script.
Structure content with clear headings and subheadings (H1, H2, H3) for readability, as Arabic users appreciate well-organized information. While long-form content is accepted, ensure it's concise and direct where appropriate, adopting a professional yet approachable tone.
Focus on local link building by targeting Saudi-specific directories like 'الصفحات الذهبية السعودية' (Saudi Yellow Pages), collaborating with local news portals (e.g., Sabq.org, AlRiyadh.com), and partnering with prominent Saudi influencers on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat for product reviews or mentions.
Implement a .sa ccTLD (e.g., yourbrand.sa) to strongly signal local relevance and build trust. Use `hreflang="ar-sa"` to specifically target Arabic speakers in Saudi Arabia, differentiating from broader Arabic content.
Optimize for mobile-first indexing, given high mobile usage. For voice search, which is growing, anticipate conversational Arabic queries (often colloquial) and provide direct, concise answers in your content.
Checklist
Arabic Product Information Checklist
Ensure your product data is complete and optimized for Arabic-speaking customers
Product Content
- Translate product titles accurately
- Localize product descriptions with local keywords
- Adapt marketing claims for local regulations
- Translate bullet points and key features
- Review brand voice consistency
Attributes & Specifications
- Convert sizes to local standards
- Translate color names appropriately
- Localize material descriptions
- Convert measurements (cm/inches, kg/lbs)
- Adapt technical specifications
SEO & Discoverability
- Optimize meta titles with local keywords
- Write compelling meta descriptions
- Translate image alt text for accessibility
- Research local search terms and trends
- Include relevant local product categories
Related Languages
Expand to similar markets
Platform Integrations
Arabic Product Translation for Every E-commerce Platform
Translate once, publish everywhere. Connect your Arabic product catalog to Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, Amazon, and more. All translations sync automatically across every sales channel.
Don't see the platform you need?
We're constantly adding new integrations. Let us know what platforms you'd like to see next, and we'll prioritize them for future updates.
Expand Your Global Reach
Connect with customers worldwide through AI-powered translation that captures cultural nuances and drives conversions across all major markets.
Arabic Product Translation FAQ
Common questions about translating products to Arabic
Ready to Sell in Arabic?
Start translating your product catalog today and reach millions of new customers