- We help Western, regional and Chinese sellers launch and grow in the six GCC markets.
- Everything we publish is free: guides in three languages, 11 tools and 190 provider listings across 18 service categories.
- We start with official sources, then add real seller and agency experience, and we update fees and rules regularly.
- We earn from our own services and, in some cases, provider referral fees. Neither ever changes our rankings or advice.
The Gulf is one of the most exciting places to sell online right now. Shoppers are young, mobile-first and ready to buy.
And the momentum is real: Saudi app-based delivery orders grew 60% in a single year.
But getting started can feel confusing, because fees, customs rules, payment habits and Arabic listings all work a little differently here.
MiddleEastEcom exists to fix that. We help sellers from anywhere grab the Gulf opportunity, with clear guides, free tools and the right partners.
Why MiddleEastEcom exists
Too many sellers look at Saudi Arabia or the UAE and stop at "it looks complicated."
We think that's a missed opportunity, because the Gulf rewards sellers who show up early and do the basics well.
So we built one place that explains it all in plain language. It's for three kinds of sellers:
- Western brands from the US, UK, Europe and beyond who want their next big market.
- Regional founders building stores in Riyadh, Dubai, Doha or Kuwait City.
- Chinese sellers and factories shipping from Shenzhen, Yiwu or Guangzhou to Gulf shoppers.
Each group gets guides written for them, in their language. New here? Start with our Gulf ecommerce guides.
What we offer
Everything a seller needs to go from "should I?" to a first sale:
- Independent guides in English, Arabic and Chinese, covering marketplaces, platforms, payments, logistics, rules and marketing.
- Free interactive tools that do the maths for you, from fees and landed costs to VAT.
- A researched directory of freight forwarders, 3PLs, payment gateways, agencies and more.
- Free quote matching. Tell us what you need, and we'll introduce you to a few providers that fit.
- Our own services for Shopify builds, SEO and Arabic localization.
The best way to use the site? Follow three steps, starting with our country guides:
- 1
Pick the market you want to sell in
Start with the Saudi Arabia or UAE guide to see who buys, what sells and how to get set up.
- 2
Run your numbers before you ship
Use the fee, landed cost and VAT calculators to check your margin before you ship a single box.
- 3
Get help where you need it
Find forwarders, 3PLs and agencies in the directory, or ask us for free quotes.
Calculate marketplace fees, landed costs, VAT and more in seconds.
Compare forwarders, 3PLs, gateways and agencies across the GCC.
Describe your project once and get matched with suitable providers.
Shopify development, SEO and localization for Gulf stores.
Meet Maya
Maya is our lead guide and the author you'll see across the site.
She's our illustrated guide character, and she presents the guides our team researches and writes. She loves this market, and she's honest about the trade-offs.
When Maya shares an opinion, it's marked as hers. Read more about her on Meet Maya.
How we research
We start with official sources: government portals, customs and tax authorities, central banks and the marketplaces' own seller pages.
Then we add what official pages leave out. That means real experience from sellers and agencies who work in these markets every day.
Rules and fees in the Gulf change often. So we review our pages regularly and show the update date at the top of each one.
Want the full process? Read our editorial policy.
How we make money
Keeping the guides free costs money. We earn it in two ways:
- Referral fees. Some providers may pay us a fee when a seller we introduce hires them.
- Our own services. Sellers can hire us for Shopify, SEO and localization projects.
Neither one affects our rankings, reviews or advice, and no provider can pay to appear higher. The details are in how we make money and how we vet providers.
How to reach us
Have a question, a correction or a partnership idea? We'd love to hear from you.
Use our contact page or email us at hello@middleeastecom.com. We read every message.
Frequently asked questions
No. We're independent. No marketplace, payment company or logistics firm owns us or approves what we publish, which is why we can say plainly when one option beats another.
Sources & further reading
- Editorial policy — MiddleEastEcom
- Affiliate and referral disclosure — MiddleEastEcom
- How we evaluate service providers — MiddleEastEcom
