Amazon Egypt: Global expertise meets local needs
The e-commerce market in Egypt is growing rapidly, with rising internet penetration, improved infrastructure, and an increased number of online shoppers driving the industry forward. The revenue of the Egyptian e-commerce market was expected to reach $6.8 billion in 2023, according to a report by Statista titled “Revenue of the e-commerce market in Egypt from 2017 to 2027”.
With the increase of international and national marketplaces, Arab Finance interviewed Omar Elsahy, Amazon Egypt General Manager, who discussed Amazon’s plans in Egypt, their role in social sustainability, and the global expertise they bring to the Egyptian market.
1-Amazon acquired Souq.com in 2017. How did this align with the company’s vision and plan in Egypt?
Amazon's acquisition of Souq.com in 2017 was a significant milestone for both companies and a strategic move towards expanding Amazon's presence in the Middle East, including Egypt. Egypt is a dynamic and thriving marketplace with a diverse customer base and a robust industrial sector. The acquisition allowed Amazon to tap into the burgeoning e-commerce industry in Egypt and accelerate its growth in the region.
With the customer base built over the years on Souq.com and a broad selection of products through a well-established e-commerce company, Amazon was able to leverage its global expertise in logistics, technology, and customer service to enhance the company’s capabilities and bring a world-class e-commerce experience to customers in the region.
Since Amazon’s entry into the MENA region, we have been seamlessly integrating our local know-how and global expertise to provide customers in Egypt with a superior shopping experience—one that is characterized by excellent service, trustworthy transactions, and a rapidly expanding range of products and services, all at competitive prices and with convenient and fast delivery.
2-What is the one program you are proud of bringing to customers in Egypt?
In June 2022, we were pleased to launch Amazon Prime in Egypt. Amazon Prime is a membership program designed to improve customers' shopping experiences by providing year-long value by combining a range of savings, convenience, entertainment, and gaming all in a single membership. It is enjoyed by more than 200 million paid members around the world. Amazon Prime helps you get the most out of Amazon.
The benefits include free next-day delivery with no minimum order in most governorates across Egypt, free same-day delivery on orders over EGP 350 placed before 11:30 am in Cairo and Giza, access to popular award-winning international movies and series on Prime Video, and access to in-game content and free games to download with Prime Gaming. In addition, Prime members have access to exclusive deals on Amazon Prime Day, Amazon’s annual global shopping event.
We are also happy to announce the return of the second Amazon Prime Day on July 11th and 12th, with hundreds of thousands of deals available exclusively for Amazon Prime members in Egypt. During the 48 hours, Prime members will enjoy savings and convenient payment methods with installment plans, during the summer season, across over 30 product categories.
3-How do you ensure that Amazon Egypt's operations align with Amazon's global strategy and values?
This is one of our top priorities at Amazon, and we are very proud to have a vigorously structured workplace where all locales find a way to consistently be aligned. We have a set of guiding principles that are consistent with Amazon's global values, such as customer obsession, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. We also have our Leadership Principles, which describe how Amazon does business, how leaders lead, and how we keep the customer at the center of our decisions. Our unique Amazon culture, described by our Leadership Principles, helps us relentlessly pursue our mission of being Earth’s most customer-centric company, best employer, and safest place to work. We provide extensive training and development opportunities to our employees, promote a culture of diversity and inclusion, and foster a sense of ownership and accountability throughout our organization.
We also leverage our global network and expertise to learn from their successes and challenges, and we adapt our strategies accordingly, providing a localized experience to our customers in Egypt that meets their specific needs and preferences.