Offer the payment methods your customers expect
Cards remain essential, and Apple Pay and Google Pay make mobile checkout faster. Regional gateways such as Network International, Telr, PayTabs and Checkout.com support local acquiring and currencies. Buy Now Pay Later options such as Tabby and Tamara are widely used across the region. Test each method end to end, including refunds and partial refunds.
Treat Arabic as a first-class experience
A bilingual store needs more than translated text. Layout, navigation, product images with text, search and email notifications all need right-to-left versions. Plan URLs and SEO for both languages so Arabic pages can rank on their own.
Get VAT and invoicing right early
VAT rates differ across GCC countries, for example 5% in the UAE and 15% in Saudi Arabia. Prices, invoices and reports need to reflect the correct rules. Saudi Arabia requires e-invoicing through ZATCA’s FATOORA platform, and the UAE is introducing its own e-invoicing system, so check current Federal Tax Authority guidance before launch.
Plan delivery, returns and cash on delivery
Show delivery times and costs before checkout, support local address formats and decide how cash on delivery, failed deliveries and returns will be handled. Integrate with your courier for tracking so customers are not left asking where their order is.
Choose the platform for the business you will run
Shopify suits many product catalogues and launches quickly. WooCommerce or Magento offer more control. A custom or headless build makes sense when the store is part of a larger platform, needs complex pricing or connects deeply to an ERP such as Odoo or SAP.
Further reading
Prepared with AI assistance; technical references checked against the documentation linked above. These are planning considerations, not a guarantee of project results.
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