The mature market environment in Europe and the United States has made the overseas track seriously involuted, and many cross-border businesses have set their sights on the "rich and oily" Middle East market.
Benefiting from the unique conditions of the Middle East - high consumption level, high Internet penetration rate, good foreign trade policy environment and other factors, the Middle East has also become a new blue ocean market in the field of cross-border e-commerce.
Recently, Amazon also announced the official launch of the "10,000 stores set sail" plan in the Middle East, and at the same time launched a three-step full support initiative for new sellers in the Middle East, paving the way for the Middle East to go to sea and helping sellers dig in the Middle East.
1. What is Amazon's "all-round support".
The "10,000 Stores Set Sail" program launched by Amazon Global Selling provides a series of support for sellers to start their business in the Middle East, covering branding, logistics, compliance, customized and exclusive guidance, etc.
In terms of opening a store.
1.Sellers who have already opened stores on other Amazon sites: You can open the Middle East station through Amazon's "One-click Registration Global" account without paying additional monthly feesThrough the functions of "one-click listing through the world" and "establishing international product information", you can quickly synchronize existing listings in the Middle East
2.New Amazon sellers who have not settled in other sites: Amazon Middle East Station (UAE Station + Saudi Arabia Station) is free of monthly rent. Pay 39For $99, you can also open 17 major Amazon sites in the world, including the Middle East station, with one click
In terms of branding.
1.Advertising: It can provide free 1v1 support for novice sellers with advertising managers and exclusive advertising courses in the Middle East. There are also a series of support resources such as Ascent advertising budget replacement resource slots, free reporting** activities, etc.
2.Brand protection: Help Middle Eastern sellers connect with local resources, quickly register brands, and unlock hidden benefits for brand sellers.
3.Traffic support and brand building: The Middle East station also has "Emerging Brand Day" (Emerging Brand Day) and "International Brand Pavilion" (IBP) drainage projects and ** activity subsidies for sellers to reduce trial and error and time costs.
In terms of logistics.
1.First-leg logistics: Amazon cross-border carrier partner program (Amazon SEND) and third-party logistics service program Pre-Send in the Middle East provide a variety of options.
2.Warehouse management: FBA Inventory can measure the efficiency of sellers in managing FBA inventory through the inventory performance dashboard, and provide methods and suggestions to improve inventory performance to solve inventory management challenges.
3.Last-mile delivery, one-click sales to 5 major Gulf countries: Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Middle East sellers provide fast delivery services. At the same time, sellers who only go online in the UAE can also sell their goods to the five major Gulf countries with one click through the UAE export program.
2. What is the "secret to victory" in the Middle East?
In the Amazon Middle East, there are as many as 25** throughout the year, of which key marketing nodes account for 1 4. Under the influence of religious culture, traditional festivals are becoming an important node in the Middle East to release the vitality of consumption.
Ten. 1. Festivals such as White Friday have become the peak season for the Middle East station.
The largest traffic station of Amazon Middle East is the UAE station, followed by the Saudi Arabia station. Among them, the UAE station not only has the function of radiating to neighboring countries, but also sells goods to the five major Gulf countries with one click through the UAE export plan.
So pay attention to the needs of these two big sites. At the same time, most of the countries in the Middle East are Muslim countries, so you should pay attention to the following:
1. Understand the needs, preferences and shopping Xi habits of local consumers.
2. Understand local laws and regulations and abide by local regulations, respect local religious beliefs and cultural traditions, and avoid offensive or inappropriate behaviors or publicity.
3. The Middle East station can be operated directly in English, but multilingual and more localized operations can also be considered. Highlighting products with a local mindset is a plus.
4. According to the data of Amazon, household goods, personal computers, beauty, wireless devices, and consumer electronics occupy the forefront of the best-selling categories in the Middle East, and the category growth rate also maintains a high year-to-year growth.
3. What are the "compliance requirements" of the Middle East station?
At the same time, sellers should also pay attention to the compliance requirements of the Middle East site, and it is essential to register and declare VAT VAT. VAT is a type of excise tax that is levied on the amount of goods and services traded.
1. Middle East value-added tax (VAT) compliance requirements
As required by local regulations in the United Arab Emirates, you trigger a tax obligation if you have local storage and sell to local Saudi residents in the United Arab Emirates through Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). You will need to register for your local VAT within 30 days of the first Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) order. If you're selling only on self-fulfillment (MFN), you don't need to register for a VAT number.
2. Steps for VAT registration in the Middle East
1) Prepare materials related to VAT registration in the Middle East:
This includes, but is not limited to, business licenses, articles of association, registration application forms, bank account details, financial statements, and sales vouchers.
2) Entrust a local tax agent or a qualified service provider to register
You can entrust a local accounting firm to submit a registration tax number, and it is recommended to contact the seller's staff to assist in registration and help the seller complete the complex VAT registration and declaration process.
3) Submit the attachments related to VAT registration:
During the registration process, enterprises need to upload the documents and supporting materials prepared above for review by the tax bureau, which will usually complete the review and issue the registration certificate within a few working days.
4) Open a VAT account:
Once registered, businesses will receive a unique VAT account number. With this account number, businesses can log in to the Inland Revenue Department** platform to file VAT returns and pay taxes.
3. Consequences of not registering for Middle East Value Added Tax (VAT).
The Saudi and UAE tax authorities have clear regulations on penalties for failing to register for VAT, and penalties may be incurred for failing to register for VAT in a timely manner, filing and paying fees in a timely manner.
For example, in the UAE, if a seller fails to register for a VAT number within 30 days of the first Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) order, the penalty will appear on the tax account. Therefore, sellers need to complete the VAT compliance process in a timely manner.
It is not difficult to see that Amazon has been soaring in the Middle East market, and more sellers who are eager for growth will also usher in new opportunities for development.
In the future, with the blessing of a number of favorable policies, e-commerce in the Middle East will accelerate its take-off, and sellers with business expansion needs can seize the opportunity to enter the game and ride the wind.