Overview of Logistics Companies in Saudi Arabia
The e-commerce boom in Saudi Arabia in the wake of the pandemic has led to unprecedented growth in Saudi Arabia’s Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) delivery market. The current trend suggests the market will grow by an average of 6.5 percent per year until 2026. Logistics companies are the lifeline of Saudi Arabia as eCommerce drives most of the market growth. Third-party logistics companies (3PLs) in Saudi Arabia offer end-to-end shipping and order management services which include on-demand delivery, same-day/next-day delivery, time-defined/slot-based delivery and returns management.
Apart from these core shipping services, most of the logistics companies in Saudi Arabia also offer warehousing solutions that an eCommerce business can avail of for systematic maintenance of its inventory and speedier pickup options for delivery. Since the eCommerce industry relies heavily on courier and logistics companies to oversee a crucial part of a customer's purchase journey, the decision to pick one logistics company from a sea of many becomes a vital one.
After all, every logistics company comes with its own pros and cons. You might find some services rank higher on your priority list than others. Also, as your business achieves newer heights, you may want to partner with multiple courier companies depending on their reach and the niche your business belongs in. That's why it always pays to know who the top players in the industry are. We have narrowed down the options to the top 10 best logistics companies in Saudi Arabia for eCommerce.
List of Top 10 Best Logistics Companies in Saudi Arabia for eCommerce Shipping [Cheapest and Fastest]
No matter the size of your eCommerce business, you will need the help of an eCommerce Logistics startup or company to keep your customers happy. Below, we have compiled a detailed list of the best shipping solution providers in Saudi Arabia and the services they provide, let's take a look!
1) Aramex Logistics Company in Saudi Arabia
Aramex is a UAE-based multinational logistics, courier, and package delivery company operational since 1982. Aramex has grown rapidly to become a global brand, serving over 220 countries over the world. They currently provide comprehensive logistics and transportation solutions in Saudi Arabia and other countries of the Middle East.
Key Features:
- They provide express courier delivery for both domestic and international shipments.
- Rapid and cost-effective freight shipping services from land, air, and the ocean are also available.
- For businesses that want to start selling online, Aramex partners with eCommerce solution providers like ShopGo and Martjack to help host virtual storefronts, assist in supply chain management, and provide technical support.
- For established eCommerce businesses, Aramex takes care of end-to-end shipping, tracking, and delivery requirements as well as warehousing solutions.
- They also offer shipment management services like co-packing, bundling, and several on-site services.
2) Barq Express Logistics Services in Saudi Arabia
Barq Express , also called Al Barq Express, is an ancillary of the major conglomerate Alafaliq Holding, based in the city of Riyadh. They provide logistics, courier, and delivery services to individual persons as well as eCommerce businesses. Since its inception in 2016, it has quickly moved up the ranks to become a prime GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Logistics company.
Key Features:
- Their A.I.-driven recommendation engine uses route optimization to chart out possible routes and selects the one with the least amount of traffic congestion so that parcels get delivered in the fastest possible way.
- Since Saudi Arabia lacks a formal street address system, Barq Express uses the GPS of the customer's phone for location-based pickup and delivery via the BarqApp.
- The Barq Express API integration makes use of one unified express number for tracking shipments all across the region. It sends real-time updates on the status of the order to both the enterprises and customers via SMS and Whatsapp messages.
- Barq Express also offers hyperlocal services or 2-hour deliveries within select areas of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
3) Saudi Post Courier Company in Saudi-Arabia
Saudi Post (SPL) is the brand name of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, a government-led postal service system in Saudi Arabia. It is popularly known as "al-Bareed" within the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It has an expansive postal network of over 470 main and 180 branch post offices across the region. It aims to become the modern logistics arm of KSA commerce.
Key Features:
- They offer two modes of delivery for eCommerce businesses that ship both domestically and internationally- Express and Economy.
- With express shipping, your shipments can be insured beforehand and delivered right to the doorstep of your customer. It also allows a shipment weight of up to 30kgs.
- With the economy mode, customers will receive their shipments at their nearest parcel station. All orders can be tracked via the SPL online platform and the mobile app.
- All orders, whether a door-step delivery or a parcel station pickup, come with pre-negotiated prices that can be viewed right on SPL’s website.
4) UPS (United Parcel Courier Service) in Saudi Arabia for Logistics Services
United Parcel Service (or UPS) is a transportation and logistics company working in 220+ countries worldwide including Saudi Arabia. It offers innovative solutions to businesses, big and small. It is especially well-known in high-growth areas like healthcare, SMEs, and international markets.
Key Features:
- UPS provides a host of shipping options for eCommerce businesses. Depending on your frequency of sending out shipments, you can choose between the Low Volume Scheme or the Volume Shipping scheme.
- Their automated heavyweight global shipping product, WorldShip, oversees the packaging of LTL (Less-than-truckload) and air freight shipments.
- Direct integrations with online marketplaces automatically import your orders and make the shipping process faster.
- Avail discounts when paying via PayPal, credit cards, or a UPS user account.
5) Fetchr for eCommerce Logistics in Saudi Arabia
Fetchr is a cloud-based eCommerce logistics platform that has quickly made its name in the eCommerce shipping logistics industry in the country. Fetchr is good for any business that looks for flexibility in their courier partners. They use advanced logistics technology to ensure customer satisfaction.
Key Features:
- Fetchr is renowned for its superfast delivery in both its hyperlocal and express delivery options.
- The Fetchr platform lets you manage your orders and inventory levels, optimize shipping and keep track of every nitty-gritty logistical detail of your business.
- Fetchr's A.I. uses machine learning to schedule customer orders, pickups, and deliveries.
- The platform's predictive analysis tools provide prompts that will help your eCommerce business earn greater profits and revenues.
6) SMSA Express Logistics Company in Saudi-Arabia
SMSA Express is one of the leading express transportation and logistics service providers in Saudi Arabia. It has been working in the region for more than 20 years. With 200+ retail centers spanning across the kingdom, it offers great network coverage and excellent transit times.
Key Features:
- Their automated, secure shipping service comes with real-time tracking facilities for deliveries made to home and business addresses.
- The carrier platform sends notifications to customers to ascertain the cause of returns. This aids in keeping RTO% at a minimum.
- Aside from core shipping services, they also cater 3PL services like warehousing and distribution for eCommerce enterprises for proper supply chain management and inventory keeping.
- All their features are fully customizable to suit the specific needs of your eCommerce business.
7) Careem Shipping Company in Saudi Arabia
The Dubai-based ride-hailing company, Careem, is a subsidiary of the internationally operational taxi aggregator, Uber. It is the pioneer of the Middle East's ride-hailing economy. Careem has recently entered the eCommerce courier and logistics sector with the introduction of Careem Express. For now, express shipping options are only available through bike deliveries in Dubai.
Key Features:
- Super-fast deliveries happen within a short time frame of 45-60 minutes.
- Careem's advanced mapping technology finds the shortest route with the lowest traffic bottlenecks to get your shipments to your customers in a time-efficient and cost-efficient manner.
- If your business is rapidly growing, Careem might just be the right logistics partner for you. They offer attractive discounts on volume-based shipping.
- Stay on top of your game with 24/7 technical support should you find any difficulties in tracking your shipments or managing orders.
8) Naqel Express Courier Company in Saudi Arabia
Since its formation in 1993, Naqel Express has been dedicated to providing end-to-end logistics and supply chain management solutions to both eCommerce businesses. They are committed to giving the best customer experience and have extended their foothold in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Key Features:
- Avail time-definite express shipment deliveries of less than 35kgs all over the world. Shipments weighing more than 35kgs can be shipped within Saudia Arabia and other GCC countries.
- They offer personalized sea, land, and air freight services for both imports and exports. A freight specialist informs clients of the best routes, schedules, and rates for their shipments.
- With a Customs Clearance License, Naqel Express can clear all international shipments on the clients' behalf.
- They also provide storage and distribution services like warehousing and inventory management to reduce operative costs and improve order cycles.
9) FedEx eCommerce Logistics in Saudi-Arabia
FedEx is an American multinational delivery services corporation that provides inland and international logistics and shipping solutions to Saudi Arabia. It's one of the rare logistic companies that can safely transport dangerous goods like lithium batteries and dry ice, either interstate or cross-borders.
Key Features:
- It is well-equipped and trained personnel cater outstanding transportation services that can handle high-value weighing up to 68kgs per shipment.
- FedEx manages customs clearances for all your orders shipping outside the country.
- The FedEx Tracking Tool saves all your shipments and lets you track them in real-time from one single interface.
- The mobile tracking tool enables automated updates, barcode scanning, and 24/7 support so your customers don't face any snags in the post-shopping experience.
10) Zajil Express Logistics Services Provider in Saudi Arabia
This Riyadh-based logistics courier company caters to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia through fast-moving domestic express shipping services. Zajil Express is one of the most favored shipping partners by eCommerce businesses for its on-time delivery within the cities of Saudi Arabia.
Key Features:
- They offer a plethora of door-to-door shipping services that ensure the pick-up, transport, and delivery of all your shipments.
- Transportation time varies according to the distance your shipment needs to cover.
- Presently, shipments can be delivered within 4 hours for distances less than 500 km, 48 hours for distances more than 500 km, and 72 hours for distances more than 1000 km.
- They can ship orders weighing up to a massive 25 tonnes. However, these orders need to be pre-booked and delivery times have to be prearranged.
For super urgent deliveries, you can avail of their Super Express Delivery feature that makes use of the Dammam-Riyadh-Jeddah special route to deliver goods before 9 am the next day.
List of Top Essential Criteria to Select the Best Logistics Company in Saudi Arabia for eCommerce Businesses
This exhaustive list of the top 10 eCommerce logistics companies in Saudi Arabia along with the services they provide should help you narrow down your search for the best eCommerce shipping company to choose for your business. However, this is not a decision that can be lightly made.
To choose the right courier partner you must carefully consider the needs and scope of your business. Many industry-specific things must be included to make an informed decision. The eCommerce boom has led to the rise of many logistics providers in the Middle East and UAE markets. For an online business looking to hire a logistics company, the options are too many.
We understand this can quickly get confusing. Should you go for the fastest courier delivery partner or the one that serves more locations? Do you need same-day delivery services even though it costs a lot of money? Do you need help with warehousing? Frankly, the questions are endless.
To help you answer some of these questions, we have made a list of the most important factors an e-commerce company should consider before choosing a logistics partner. ClickPost is a first responder in the courier delivery industry and our experience tells us there are 10 essential facets to a good logistics company. Let's discuss what they are in more detail.
1. Shipping Costs
Although it's natural to be tempted by a logistics company offering the lowest shipping rates, this might not always be the right decision to make. eCommerce logistics costs often become high even when the initial base rates are low. This happens due to hidden costs, value-added services, or weight discrepancies. Be sure to always connect with your courier company directly to ascertain all costs are within your stipulated budget.
2. Reach and Serviceability
It's of the utmost importance for an eCommerce enterprise to partner with a logistics company that covers all the locations that it receives orders. A logistics company catering to multiple locations isn't always the best choice if it doesn't deliver to the locations your audience comes from.
3. Order Tracking
Tracking visibility is essential for a hassle-free post-purchase journey for both your customers and you. Logistics companies that use GPS tracking and provide real-time updates via notifications can ensure order tracking transparency and customer happiness.
4. Speedy Delivery
The thriving eCommerce industry has made customers extremely time-sensitive, with most of them preferring faster deliveries. If you want to provide faster shipment delivery to your customers you need to choose a logistics company that offers a variety of speedy delivery services like express delivery, SDD or NDD (same-day delivery or next-day delivery), and hyperlocal delivery at reasonable prices.
5. Limitations on Shipping Volume and Cargo Size
The size and volume of your orders will vary depending on the niche your online business deals in. For instance, e-commerce furniture stores or ones dealing in heavy machinery will need to ship products of much greater size and volume than an online retail store. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to check whether the courier company you wish to partner with is capable of handling orders of such a huge size.
It is good to mention here that most logistic solution providers have the transportation and fleet capacity of carrying about 30 kgs worth of orders. Any more, and you are looking to hire a logistics partner that specializes in bulk and voluminous shipping. This list includes 2 such companies that take on orders of great volume - FedEx and Zajil Express.
Each of these shipping and supply chain management companies are equipped to handle orders weighing 68kgs and 25 tonnes respectively. Choosing any of these parcel delivery services can help you with bulk and heavyweight shipping. However, keep in mind the locations they deliver to before finalizing either of them.
6. Specialisation and Niche Services
Some e-commerce businesses may need specialized shipping conditions and services to deliver their products without loss or damage. If your online business sells products that are highly valuable, flammable, radioactive or fragile, you will require the assistance of logistics service providers that can handle such items.
Many shipping companies provide temperature-controlled transport, excellent packaging services for fragile items and even customs clearance and customs brokerage for outbound shipments. Depending on your needs, you should look for a logistics partner that can provide you with all these services.
If you are an online fashion or retail business, you may need services like steam-ironing, folding, barcode tagging, etc., as part of your shipping and fulfillment plan. Always talk to your logistic provider for any special requests with orders.
7. Terms of Insurance
Having a proper insurance plan with your logistics partner is of great importance for online vendors selling fragile items or products of high value. A damaged or broken item does not only incur a huge loss to the company but also breaks its reputation. Online sellers of jewellery and other valuable items will do well by choosing a shipping partner that ensures safe shipping at all costs.
Such courier providers usually have a trained staff operating the fleet/vehicle carrying such high-value products. Drawing up an insurance plan with your shipping company ensures that losses are kept to a minimum and that the onus of bearing the loss does not only fall on the e-commerce company.
8. Proof of Delivery
Proof of delivery may sound counterintuitive but there is good reason e-commerce stores push for this service. The biggest problem of online commerce is that not all deliveries are fulfilled even though it may be marked as such. Many times, a courier delivery agent marks an order as fulfilled or delivered even though the delivery has not occurred. To keep a tab on fake deliveries and keep them from going out of control, the proof of delivery service can really help.
A proof of delivery is an electronically signed document by the customer upon the receipt of their order. With this mechanism in place, fake deliveries are just not possible. This saves the e-commerce business a lot of time and money. It also helps them keep their customers happy by avoiding scenarios arising out of fake delivery attempts.
9. Reverse Logistics
Reverse logistics or returns management is the process where goods or orders return inward through the supply chain. Reverse logistics starts from the product return at the customer's end and reaches the warehouse or seller. In easier words, it's called product returns. And it is one of the biggest pain points of the e-commerce world. Product returns are rampant in the online retail segment and the reason is not always a defective or damaged product. Anyhow, it's common knowledge that returns happen and also that they make online businesses sad and worried.
The best way to tackle product returns is by choosing a logistics company that can manage product returns well. This means that the logistics provider should be prompt with return pick-ups, have shorter refund processing times and have faster delivery to the warehouse. Ideally, a returns management system should call or get in touch with customers to address their grievances, know more about the reason for return/exchange and clarify any doubts.
10. Past Records and Reviews
When choosing a logistics company to handle your entire e-commerce shipping operations, one should look at the logistics company in its totality instead of in parts and pieces. Yes, it's logical to go for a logistics service provider that offers all the shipping services you are in need of.
But t's even more important to check the past records and reviews of the company before finalizing them. If a company has regularly delivered to its promise and made customers happy, then it will do the same for you. But, on the other hand, if you see mostly negative reviews about the company consider it a red flag and move away. No matter the fancy services a shipping company provides, if it doesn't deliver to its promise, it's no good at all.
Courier Company | Headquarter | Founder | Founded | Products | Industry | Revenue |
Aramex | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Fadi Ghandour, Bill Kingson | 1982 | Express Logistics, Domestic Express, Freight Forwarding, Logistics Shop & Ship, Warehousing, Customs Clearance | Freight Forwarding, Express Logistics | 1600 million USD (2020) |
Saudi Post | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | King Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al-Saud | 1926 | Express Doorstep Delivery, International Shipping, Post Office Delivery, Parcel Station Delivery | Postal and Logistics Services | 663 million USD (2017) |
UPS | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | James E. Casey | 1907 | Low Volume Shipping, WorldShip, International Freight Forwarding, Multi-Carrier Shipping, Returns Management, Warehousing | Courier, Supply Chain Management | 84620 million USD (2020) |
Fetchr | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Idriss Al Rifai, Joy Ajlouny | 2012 | Hyperlocal Delivery, Same Day Delivery, International Shipping, Customer Service | Logistics, Parcel Delivery Service | 141 million USD |
SMSA Express | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Naif Sultan Al Athel | 1994 | Freight Forwarding, Trucking, Air & Sea Cargo, Ecommerce Solutions, Warehousing & Distribution, Healthcare Logistics | Express Delivery, 3PL Logistics | 600 million USD |
Careem | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Mudassir Sheikha, Magnus Olsson, Abdulla Elyas | 2012 | Route Optimisation, Real-time Tracking, On-demand/Same Day Delivery, Variable Pricing, 24/7 Customer Support | Courier Service, Taxicab, Vehicle for Hire | 435 million USD |
Naqel Express | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Osama Mohammed Al Taf | 1993 | Logistics, Cargo, Courier and Documents | Logistics, Supply Chain | 402.6 million USD |
FedEx | Memphis, Tennessee, United States | Frederick W. Smith | 1972 | Express Delivery, Logistics, Business Solution, Freight Forwarding, Transportation of Dangerous Goods | Transportation Services, Ecommerce | 22.6 billion USD |
Zajil Express | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Osama Al Sharif | 1999 | Heavy & Palletised Shipping, Same Day/ Next Day Delivery, Cash on Delivery, Super Shipment, Packaging, Door to Door Delivery, Express Shipping | Supply Chain, Operations, Logistics | 4 million USD |
Final Conclusion
Managing an eCommerce business of any size, big or small, is no easy feat. Finding the right logistics providers can simplify running a business and make sure that your end-customer is always happy. To find the best logistics company for eCommerce in Saudi Arabia you need to start determining the shipping costs, reach, order tracking visibility, and speed of delivery offered by the logistics companies listed above. We suggest you contact these logistics providers directly to communicate your business needs and the specific services you require.