--- source_url: "https://balkanecommerce.com/agenda-2026/beyond-europe-scaling-brands-into-the-middle-east-via-marketplaces-amazon-more/" title: "Beyond Europe: Scaling Brands into the Middle East via Marketplaces (Amazon & More) | Balkan eCommerce Summit" mirrored_at: 2026-08-04T15:03:27.544Z host: balkanecommerce.com cited_in_42a: true mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/balkanecommerce.com/agenda-2026/beyond-europe-scaling-brands-into-the-middle-east-via-marketplaces-amazon-more/index" --- > **Original source:** https://balkanecommerce.com/agenda-2026/beyond-europe-scaling-brands-into-the-middle-east-via-marketplaces-amazon-more/ The panel discussion explored why the Middle East is rapidly becoming one of the most attractive growth opportunities for eCommerce brands looking to expand beyond Europe. The conversation focused on the rise of marketplaces such as Amazon UAE and Amazon Saudi Arabia, the evolving consumer behavior in the region, and the operational, compliance, logistics, and advertising strategies brands need in order to scale successfully. #### **The Middle East Is Becoming One of the Fastest-Growing eCommerce Regions** Krystel Abi Assi opened the discussion by highlighting the scale and momentum of eCommerce growth across the Middle East, particularly in: - the UAE - Saudi Arabia - and Egypt. She shared that: - UAE eCommerce reached $8.8 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $13.8 billion by 2029 - Saudi Arabia’s eCommerce market is expected to exceed $31 billion by 2026 - annual growth rates in the region are approaching 10%, making it one of the fastest-growing digital commerce markets globally. The panel emphasized that: **the opportunity is not only Amazon itself, but the convergence of:** - rapidly changing consumer behavior - government digitization - marketplace infrastructure - and highly advanced logistics systems. #### **Lower Competition Creates Strong Opportunities for New Brands** One of the key themes throughout the panel was that: **the Middle East is still a relatively young marketplace ecosystem.** Compared to mature Amazon markets such as: - Germany - the UK - or the United States, competition levels are significantly lower. According to the speakers: brands entering growth-stage marketplaces benefit from: - lower advertising competition - easier visibility - faster ranking opportunities - and stronger chances of building market share early. Hristo Atanasov explained that: many sellers struggle to launch successfully in highly saturated European marketplaces because: - competition is aggressive - pricing pressure is high - and Chinese manufacturers constantly enter the market with cheaper alternatives. In contrast: Middle Eastern customers are generally: **more quality-focused and less price-sensitive.** This creates stronger opportunities for: - premium brands - European-made products - supplements - cosmetics - and higher-margin categories. #### **Compliance Is Critical – Especially for Supplements and Cosmetics** Milcho Vasilkoff focused heavily on: **compliance and product registration requirements.** He explained that: while the Middle East may appear operationally simpler than Europe, brands still need to comply with: - local regulations - product registration rules - labeling requirements - and halal certification standards. Key compliance requirements discussed included: - local Arabic labeling - government product notification - halal certification for certain categories - and strict documentation transparency. The panel warned that: brands cannot simply: - ship products into the region - or begin selling immediately. Instead: products often need: - formal registration - local compliance approval - and marketplace verification before launch. Milcho stressed that: **attempting to bypass or manipulate compliance processes can lead to permanent account bans and restrictions.** #### **Logistics and Speed of Delivery Define Success** A major topic during the discussion was: **logistics infrastructure and delivery speed.** The speakers explained that: consumer expectations in the Middle East are heavily shaped by: - convenience - ultra-fast delivery - and quick-commerce culture. According to the panel: **next-day delivery is already considered standard,** while delays of several days dramatically reduce conversion rates. The discussion highlighted Amazon’s growing investment in: - same-day delivery - ultra-fast fulfillment - and “Amazon Now” style quick-commerce services. The UAE was described as: **one of Amazon’s key testing markets for rapid delivery innovation.** As a result: the panel strongly recommended that brands: **hold inventory locally within the region,** rather than relying on cross-border shipping from Europe. This is especially important because: - customs procedures increase delivery time - customer patience is extremely low - and faster local fulfillment directly impacts sales performance. #### **Consumer Behavior in the Middle East Is Different from Europe** Another important insight was that: **customer behavior differs significantly from European markets.** The panel explained that: Middle Eastern consumers: - value convenience - expect speed - respond well to premium positioning - and are more willing to pay for quality products. Unlike some European Amazon markets where: price competition dominates, customers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia often prioritize: - product quality - presentation - brand perception - and delivery experience. The speakers noted that: this makes the region especially attractive for: - premium cosmetics - supplements - wellness products - and branded consumer goods. #### **Marketplace Expansion Requires Localized Advertising Strategies** Hristo Atanasov discussed how advertising strategies differ in growth-stage marketplaces. Because search volume is lower in the Middle East: brands often work with: - fewer keywords - smaller datasets - and less mature search behavior. However: this lower competition also creates: **lower advertising costs and easier growth opportunities.** He explained that: successful expansion requires: - testing products gradually - identifying winning SKUs - optimizing budgets dynamically - and adapting campaigns to local search behavior. The panel also discussed: - AI-supported advertising analysis - Amazon Brand Analytics - and the growing importance of data-driven expansion strategies. #### **Testing the Market Before Scaling Is Essential** One of the strongest recommendations from the panel was: **do not assume a successful European product will automatically succeed in the Middle East.** Instead: brands should: - launch carefully - test categories - validate demand - and scale gradually based on performance. Milcho explained that: successful sellers often: - list their full catalog initially - but focus advertising spend on only a few selected products. Once data identifies: - strong-performing SKUs - profitable categories - and effective positioning, brands can then scale more aggressively. #### **Key Takeaways** The panel demonstrated that: the Middle East is rapidly emerging as one of the world’s fastest-growing eCommerce regions Amazon UAE and Amazon Saudi Arabia offer significantly lower competition than mature Western marketplaces consumer expectations in the region are centered around convenience, speed, and premium experiences compliance, halal certification, and Arabic labeling are essential for many product categories local inventory and fulfillment are critical because delivery speed directly impacts conversion rates Middle Eastern consumers are generally less price-sensitive and more focused on quality advertising strategies require localization, testing, and data-driven optimization brands should approach expansion gradually through product testing and SKU validation marketplaces in the region are still evolving rapidly, requiring sellers to stay highly adaptive The overall conclusion of the panel was: **the Middle East represents one of the most promising next-stage growth opportunities for eCommerce brands – especially for businesses willing to localize properly, invest in operational readiness, and move early before competition intensifies.** The presentation is not available for sharing.