Inside Saudi Retail in 2025: 5 Trends Shaping the Kingdom w/ Ghadi Ali

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Show Notes:

Guest: Ghadi Ali — Fashion & Retail Consultant; Jury Member at the Saudi Retail Forum; Top 50 Global Inspirational Women in Retail

What we cover:
• The KSA retail snapshot under Vision 2030  
• Trend #1: Omnichannel expectations and pharmacy execution  
• Trend #2: From price wars to experience-led retail  
• Trend #3: Data & AI powering decisions, inventory, and personalization  
• Serving older shoppers without forcing tech  
• No‑tech CX pillars: communication, transparency, easy returns  
• Trend #4: Sustainability—mindset vs price sensitivity  
• Trend #5: Localization: “tradition meets tomorrow”

Quotes:
• “Offline or online, the goal is a seamless journey.” — Ghadi  
• “Personalization works when customers raise their hand.” — Alex  
• “Design for inclusion: not everyone wants to ‘go digital.’” — Ghadi

Credits:
Host: Alex  •  Guest: Ghadi Ali  

Disclaimer: Views are the guests’ and hosts’ own. 

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⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Intro: Five Things Friday x Saudi Retail

00:47 Meet Ghadi Ali: background, mission, recognition

01:51 KSA market snapshot & Vision 2030

02:33 Fastest growth: e‑commerce & Gen Z

02:55 Trend #1: Omnichannel expectations

03:51 Pharmacy example: one‑hour delivery

04:20 Omnichannel maturity vs challenges

05:36 Trend #2: Customer experience as differentiator

06:28 Store experiences that wow

08:03 Ramadan retail moments in‑store

09:12 Trend #3: Data & AI powering retail

09:54 Personalization: opt‑in matters

12:11 Serving older shoppers without tech

13:00 No‑tech CX: comms, transparency, returns

13:46 Shopping missions > silos

16:22 Trend #4: Sustainability—mindset vs price

17:20 Fast fashion tension & B‑Corp culture

18:55 Trend #5: Localization: tradition meets tomorrow

20:23 Closing & Riyadh visit shout‑out

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#TheRetailPodcast #Retail, #SaudiArabia, #Vision2030, #Omnichannel, #CustomerExperience, #DataAnalytics, #AI, #Sustainability, #Localization, #FashionRetail, #GCC, #RetailPodcast, #FiveThingsFriday

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello and welcome back to another edition of Five things
Friday Stroke, the retail podcast.
I'm fortunate enough to be joined by Fadi from Riyadh in
Saudi Arabia. We as part of our global mission
on bringing the best of retail to you, the, the retail

(00:20):
enthusiast across the world, I thought, what better way to look
at what's going on in the, in the, in the region by talking to
someone in the region rather than having opinions or
perspectives. So Vadi, thank you so much for
coming to the show. I know you, you're quite active
in the retail community right in, in, in Riyadh and in the, in

(00:43):
the, in the region. OK, so actually I'm a fashion a
retail consultant with over 10 years of experience in the
retail industry. So I work with consultancy firm
and retail across GCC region andbeyond.
Basically I help them adopt, grow and understand the local
market. You know Alex, the thrive and
today rapidly changing environment also spent Yeah.

(01:08):
And since 2023, I had the owner of being part of Saudi retail
firm as a jury member. So to be honest, Alex, this has
been far beyond what I ever expected.
It becomes for me a mission and a passion.
I always say that my mission beyond expectation, so this is
basically what I'm trying to do.Oh, it's fantastic.

(01:29):
I mean, I've seen you all over LinkedIn, so you're obviously
doing something really well. So why don't we just dive
straight in? Tell me.
I mean, for those of us who don't know the Kingdom, who
don't know Riyadh, who don't know the cultural differences,
just give us an overview, if youlike, of what's happening in in
the, in the retail industry within the region.

(01:49):
I believe that Saudi Arabia now is a dynamic and unique market
when you talk about young digitally and undergoing rapid
transformation, especially in the light of Vision 2013.
So I believe that also Saudi Arabia has a strong marketplace,
an amazing opportunity for all brand and businesses to to

(02:12):
realise and match the commercialsuccess.
Got you. And is there from how you see is
there one industry that's growing faster than another
other you know, in terms of likefashion or grocery or what, what
sort of the the major growth industry within the region?
Actually, it's more about e-commerce and digital things,

(02:34):
you know, with Generation Z and all that stuff.
I think today you and I will embark, will embark many things
together. We'll talk more about the five
trend shipping, the retail sector also.
Sure. OK.
Yeah. And I think it's a, it's a great
segue. Why don't, why don't you tell me
the five things that you see from your opinion that are
shaping the industry? OK, So I'll start with the Omnia

(02:58):
channel because you know Alex, nowadays especially after 2020,
we all can notice that customer behaviour changing so fast,
Yanni, it's like an overnight changes.
So customer now start to expect more from the brand.
They expect more in terms of quality, delivery price and even

(03:19):
customer support. So we also notice a high
competition between retail and e-commerce.
So I believe that today being present online or offline is no
longer enough. So I always say that offline or
online, at the end of the day, it's a win, win, win
competition. So customer now with more

(03:42):
seamless experience like across everything, website, physical
store, even in delivery. So I want to share with you also
one example that stands out to me as a pharmacist.
So some of them really kneeled at Mashala.
They created this super smooth integrated shopping experience.

(04:05):
Like you can walk into the pharmacy or just order from the
app and it get a delivery like within an hour.
I believe that the whole, yeah, the whole experience feel more
connected. Let me think what do you think
about also Omnia channel? Obviously from my perspective, I
imagine in the United them the maturity of Omni channel is
quite mature because lots of retailers understand that they

(04:28):
have to have multiple channels and what they've been focused on
is getting the the back end. You know, they're like their
business is structured in a way that they can compete more
effectively across all channels.In fact that there is only one
channel, right And that's where the customers, but that that's

(04:48):
in for example, in the UK or theUS where the markets are very
mature, but in different areas within Europe and within
Southeast Asia, we see that there's a different approach to
Omni channel. Everyone wants to be Omni.
Obviously all retailers understand the importance of it.
It's just it's not that easy when you're not built to be

(05:11):
multiple channel because maybe you've only come from physical
stores and now you're becoming digital.
Yeah, absolutely. I believe that it's not just
about being present everywhere, it's about being fast,
personalised Danny, across all those touch point.
Yeah, yeah, indeed, indeed. OK, so that's the first one.

(05:33):
What's the second one? Also, I want to talk about
customer experience, which is something I'm really passionate
about it. So yeah, you know what's
interesting, Alex, about customer experience.
We are not just seeing a shift in how people shop, but also
why, why, why, why they choose certain brand.

(05:56):
I believe that it's no longer just about how offering the
biggest discount. I we moved from the price wars,
experience wars, especially now with the Generation Z here in
Saudi Arabia. Yeah.
What they're really they're looking for is that personalised
experience. So, yeah.
So I want to ask you, when was the last time you walked into

(06:20):
the store and you feel you felt like the different, I mean in
terms of experience? I think the honest answer to
that is in the in New York when I walked into a kids bookstore
or a kids toy shop. There's a couple of great
examples in in the US where the way that retailers position

(06:43):
themselves for selling to children, I really enjoyed.
So that was from New York, from the UK when I went to Gym Shark
in Oxford St sorry in Regent Street.
That was really, really impressive.
How they've blended experience where you can have a gym session
you you can have a class or go and do some weights and the

(07:05):
showers and and changing rooms in a retail store.
I thought that was super awesome.
And then in Shanghai, I loved watching Boy sang.
I think there, I don't know how to pronounce it properly, but
basically they sell luxury sportswear and they had an
internal ski slope. They had an internal freezer

(07:27):
where you can put, you know, a jacket for the Antarctic, walk
into the freezer and see how warm it is.
So super, super cool from experiential.
So that I think they would be probably my top three or four.
How about for you? Absolutely.
That's kind of, yeah, that's kind of experience.
It's not just about there, not just about selling a product,

(07:50):
it's about creating a journey. 100 percent, 100%.
How about for you? Is there, is there anything,
Luke, that you've seen that is is is like that for you?
Yeah, lots of, lots of lots of great experience.
Actually, OK, tell, tell, tell me.
Explain it for me. Yeah, especially during Ramadan
season. So I remember last Ramadan when
I went to the shopping mall, I saw like this kind of one in one

(08:14):
store. They tried to present like local
food inside the store. You know, that's something
that's something I I yeah. It's unforgettable experience
because I never imagined like shopping and find food like in
store and clothing stores. So it's something for me, it's
Yanni. It's the real thing, yeah.

(08:34):
Oh, I see what you mean. You OK?
Because obviously I presume it was night time.
So you you could you were you were allowed to eat at that
time, right. Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. After after mother appears.
Yes, interesting. So going into like a fashion
store and seeing that they've got I presume it's like dates or

(08:55):
things like that local, local, local produce.
Yeah, that they're yeah, that's really cool.
OK, that's, that's an interesting one.
It's. To Break to help you break your
fast during your shopping. So customer experience was #2
what's #3 for you, OK. I think that we talk about a
trial and a customer experience.Let's shift the gear of Betiani

(09:17):
to something really important todata and AI, seriously changing
the game and now in retail industry.
So I believe that behind the scenes retailers here in Saudi
Arabia are going all on data analytics and AI.
They try to using and adopt thistechnology to understand more

(09:40):
consumer behaviour and try to manage inventory.
So they try to adopt technology to personalise the customer
experience. So I want to ask you another
question if you allow me. OK.
How do you feel really about thepersonalising recommendation?
It's helpful or kind creepy. I, I no, not at all.

(10:01):
I think they don't have enough when you opt into personalised.
So if you opt into a loyalty programme, the expectation is
that the retailer, you're givingpermission for them to know
something about you. And so I don't think they go far
enough. I think people want more,
deeper, wider relationships whenthey have opted in only when

(10:23):
they've said yes. Obviously if they've said no,
then they want to be left alone and you know, they want their
privacy respected. But when they've chosen to
engage and they say yes, please,you know, you know, personalise
my experience with you, then I don't think, especially for the
new generation, I don't think it's it's creepy or icky.

(10:49):
That's what I expect. And I know that's what Gen Z and
Gen Alpha expect as well. When, when they're when they're
sort of interacting with retailers or, you know, on
whether they're on a shopping website, on an e-commerce
website or in store. Yeah.
Yeah, absolutely. I believe that when and then
when it when it's done right, itsaves like time and feel super

(11:11):
relevant back in 2021. And I mentioned also in one of
my speech that investing in innovation would be the key to
driving the economy in the yearsahead.
Looking looking at me where we are now Alex that could be more
true any today that is not just like and I seem to have its

(11:35):
engine behind smart decision andthe innovation especially when
we talk about retail industry. Yeah, no, I, I totally agree.
I think, I think retailers challenge is finding the skilled
staff, understanding the systemsthat they need to put in place
and building the processes to enable their business.

(11:57):
So I think it's I, it's, it's difficult.
And so I have a lot of empathy, yeah, for retailers who are
trying to do that or leaders, because I don't think it's easy.
I want to mention also somethingreally important from my any
From my experience, we cannot force like people for example

(12:19):
above 7070 to use technology. I believe that retailers need to
find another convenient solutionfor all age group.
Now focus just engine a Generation Z, but we also need
to focus more in all the people.At the end of the day, we invest
in technology just to enhance the customer experience, not

(12:39):
replacing human connection. Yeah, that's, that's a really
important one. It does feel that some of the
customers are being left behind and yeah, well, it probably is
the I don't Yeah, the older generation or the less, less
digital native people who are not used to being online.
And just a few weeks ago, yeah, just a few weeks ago.

(13:01):
OK, just two weeks ago, I had a meeting with one of my clients
and we discuss, you know, all about the ARVR things,
technology. He asked me very simple
question, lady, how can we provide customer experience
without using technology? So actually my answer was very
simple, just focus. You have to focus in three

(13:24):
pillars, first communication, second transparency, third
three, try to create easy returnpolicy.
That's all. How about your advice?
How we can how come brand like provide customer experience
without using technology or far away from using technology?
Yeah, you want me to tell you? OK, this is and so in my mind

(13:54):
where, where brands get it wrongis when they forget what their
customer mission is. So for example, like the all of
the stores that I, I mentioned, they imagine you're a fashion
retailer and you, you sell clothes.
OK, now those clothes for specific, maybe some of someone

(14:17):
wants something to wear to theiroffice, maybe someone wants
something to wear to dinner. And So what what retailers need
to do is to zoom out and think of the customer journey in the
aspect of what the customer's coming in for, What's the
shopping mission and those shopping missions.

(14:37):
Sometimes you come in and maybe you're, you're greeted with
something that has nothing to dowith the mission that you're on.
And so therefore you as a customer become really
frustrated. And so the balance is
understanding if if you're buying food for dinner, maybe

(14:59):
the experience is having four orfive items put together as an
idea for a Friday night evening meal with your family or so
people. Unfortunately, the customer
journey depending on who you talk to within the retail,
whether it's merchandising, whether it's marketing, whether

(15:21):
it's technology, operations, they all have a different view
on it. And when you think of where it
works well, which is online e-commerce, Amazon, that's
because only one person owns that customer journey.
And that's what I think retailers need to do a little
bit more of, especially, I mean,in the UK as a classic example

(15:43):
where the idea is if you're coming into a sports shop, I
just need to give you product. And yeah, that that was true.
But when you look at what Jim Shark is doing is like, well,
don't just come and buy from me,come and spend time with me.
And so that's, that's again, what I see a lot in Shanghai in

(16:07):
China, where retailers. Yeah, it is.
It is absolutely. Maybe we should.
We should. This is.
I'm curious. Let's let's move on because I'm
conscious of time #4 yeah. I want to also talk about
sustainability because now you're seeing more especially

(16:29):
among your generation among younger customer in Saudi
Arabia. I mean, it's a shift towards
sustainability and ethical retail.
So and I think that's becoming more common now even in
supermarket here in Saudi Arabia, we'll see more eco
friendly option like for example, reusable bags, simply

(16:51):
because this generation expect that and really care about
sustainability. And if you ask me as an expert,
I believe this is not just a trend, it's a mindset.
The younger generation is reallydriving that shift, if you agree
with me. So they're choosing a brand
basically, they reflect their values, especially when it comes

(17:14):
to environment, sustainability and all these things.
So it's no longer just about theproduct itself.
Sustainability is a really toughone, but I think price and
affordability is is a, is a big thing.
And what we've seen here is thatwhen people have to make a
choice over over price or sustainability, they're choosing

(17:38):
price. It influences people.
So yes, they are influenced, butultimately they are choosing
price as a majority. Now, obviously there is a
minority that will say, OK, maybe I pay more for something,
but by paying more, I end up with something that's, I don't

(18:00):
know, unique. It lasts longer, it's got better
materials, it's better for the planet.
But I don't think we're there yet because companies like
Sheen, Timu and fast fashion retailers are just, you know,
churning out product. And so I think, I think it's one

(18:20):
like in, again, the difference between for me when I'm Shanghai
to Manhattan, when you go aroundShanghai, if the retailer is B
Corp certified, which is basically a certification of
sustainability plus ethics and other elements, you don't hardly
see that in New York when you walk around the stores.

(18:42):
So there is a real big mind shift or cultural difference in
people's approach to sustainability.
Yeah, so, OK, that was #4 tell me #5.
OK. I want to talk also about most
exciting thing happening in Saudi retail now.
So yeah, it's like this kind of collab between local identity

(19:06):
meets global standard and I And I want to also share a quick
note about localisation last year during my participation.
And so the research firm, they had like opportunity to moderate
a session focused on how tradition meets tomorrow.
So basically the discussion was incredibly engaging and really

(19:29):
insightful and it's really highlighted how localization is
relevant and important to our marketplace.
So in a person, a lot if you askme, I would say like
localization is something I'm truly passionate about it.
And I believe that local insightis everything.

(19:50):
You have to understand the people you are speaking to.
You have to understand demographic diversity.
You have to also understand yourtarget customer habits, value,
even their expectation. So in a market like Saudi
Arabia, that balance now is moreimportant than ever.
Customer here are smart, connected and proud of their

(20:12):
identity. And also customer, I think
everywhere, everything, any around the globe are aware of
their power and influence. I love it.
I think listen, it's, I think that's a beautiful way to end
the podcast because I think that's such a, a nice way to
reflect on, on the market and the, the community, if you like,

(20:35):
and then the retail industry within the region.
So Gaudi, thank you. Sorry, I pronounce it properly.
Gaudi, thank you so much for giving up your time to be with
us. I, I love being interviewed
that, that was very cool. Thank you very.
Much. Yeah, Yeah.
I love it. Thank you for giving me the

(20:56):
opportunity. It's a conversation.
It's a it's a conversation. My pleasure.
And hopefully maybe actually, ifyou've got anything, any
recommendations of where I should go in Riyadh, I would
welcome anything because obviously I'm there next week.
So please feel free to say oh you must drop by but blah blah

(21:18):
blah place I would I would recommend any recommendations.
OK, I'll send it to you. No worries.
Thank you, have a lovely day. Thank you, Alex.
Bye.