The Last Mile of Ramadan: Key Considerations for Tapping Market Potential

The MENA region is a vast pool of untapped potential, with an average CAGR of 27%. It is one of the last rapidly developing markets available for e-commerce traders.

Ramadan is the MENA region's biggest holiday of the year. 1.8 billion people will be celebrating Ramadan in 2021; 24% of the entire global population. Ramadan is vitally important in the MENA region and for the 450 million people who live there and e-tailers must understand that this period is a huge opportunity to take advantage of.

Understanding the holy month is vital for traders, but more so is understanding how to deliver products in time for the celebration at the end of the month-long fast.

Timings

The sheer volume of packages that come through the MENA region can cause potential bottlenecks in key shipping lanes and ports. Border delays happen and to avoid being caught out, be prepared and ship early.

Nevertheless, we love a challenge, and you can’t always predict what you will need to send in advance. Last minute orders can always be accommodated. One method we would use is by chartering a cargo plane which speeds up the delivery time. Our international connections also mean we can ensure rapid custom clearance and fast pickups to get the goods to their destination before the deadline.[HT1] 

Navigating Customs

When shipping from the UK to the Middle East, certain challenges are in place which could limit some carrier's ability to operate in the region. These challenges could cause delays in customs clearance and last mile. They include but are not limited to: dealing with local taxes & duties, shipment inspection and valuations as well as controlled commodities.

We at Aramex address a number of these challenges through technology and years of experience on the ground, this allows us to complete formalities smoothly and quickly.

Aramex understands exactly what is required and is prepared to deal with any hurdles that come our way to ensure a seamless express delivery. Aramex finds solutions.

The Final Stretch

Through Ramadan, the last mile delivery is the stage of the journey that's the most important to consider. The drastic change of routine in the MENA region for the population means that couriers and recipients are operating at the last hours of the night and are more dormant through the day.

Bottlenecks are not limited to ports and airports, last mile delivery can also face hurdles as the changing work life schedule commonly leads to reduced operations capacity. To combat this, we find it vital to have infrastructure closer to the destination to avoid disruption. Our network has been considerably developed in the MENA region, and so our infrastructure is in place and ready for the mass volume for Ramadan and Eid.

Our expertise can aid e-tailers to perfect their offering in this region. Aramex is your go-to MENA expert and can assist retailers tap into the MENA market potential. To explore our expertise and insights, get in touch with our team.