If you are planning to work or stay here in Saudi Arabia for quite some time, then getting a mobile phone is definitely essential. Aside from using it for your day-to-day calls and text, you can use it to do research, make cash transactions, and of course… stay in touch with your family back home.
But what if you are are short on cash to buy a new phone? Don’t worry, because you can always purchase a mobile phone and pay in installments through a “buy now, pay later” plan. You heard that right! Getting a new gadget, shoes, clothes, and many other items — is now made easier through this “fintech” innovation!
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Guide to Mobile Phone Installment in Saudi Arabia
As the name says, “buy now, pay later” is a method of payment that enables shoppers to purchase the items they want (e.g. electronics, apparel, furniture, toys, sports equipment, etc.) and pay for it in installments… without any added interest!
Benefits of “Buy Now, Pay Later”
Obviously, “buy now pay later” is perfect if you need to buy an item but you’re short in cash at the moment. This method allows you to pay in stages, easing the burden of having to pay a big amount all at once! By doing so, you are able to manage your finances better.
Besides, “buy now, pay later” methods are usually interest-free, which means that you will still be able to purchase the item for a good price. In this article, we will discuss different companies or start-ups that offer installment payments in Saudi Arabia.
Buy a Mobile Phone on Installment with These Companies
In Saudi Arabia, the following companies are leading the pack when it comes to providing “buy now, pay later” purchases: Postpay, Tabby, Tamara, Telr, and Spotii.
1. Postpay
Founded in 2019, Postpay is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It caters to shoppers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The Postpay team itself is composed of more than a hundred employees, coming from 10 countries.
According to the official website of Postpay, more than 500,000 shoppers have downloaded its mobile app, and 1.2 million customers use Postpay every month. The items they buy include apparel, health and beauty products, home products, sports and fitness equipment, gifts, and many more.
Here’s how Postpay works, for both in-store or online shoppers: Upon choosing Postpay during checkout, you can opt to split your purchase into 3 interest-free payments. The first payment is charged at the time of purchase, while the remaining 2 payments will be charged monthly.
As for product brands and stores, you can use Postpay when buying from these popular names: American Eagle, Asghar Furniture, Bath & Body Works, Boots, Chattels & More, Foot Locker, Kcal, Lenskart, Marina Home, Miral Experiences, Mothercare, Muji, Namshi, Ounass, Pottery Barn, Sand Dollar, Squatwolf, The Entertainer, Tryano, Victoria’s Secret, West Elm, Yalla Optical, and 143 Anywhere.
To learn more about Postpay, check out its official website.
2. Spotii
Since it was launched in 2019, Spotii has rapidly expanded across five countries, with more than 1,500 partner merchants and one million registered customers. It is available for shoppers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
You can use Spotii to buy products from numerous categories, such as: fashion, health, beauty, jewelry, electronics, fitness, leisure, and travel, among others. Among the most popular brands or stores covered by Spotii are Adn-Sa Store, Al Tayf Shop, Harvey Nicols, Jashanmall, Jehazak, Fitness Time, Instyle, La Reen Abaya, LetsTango, Max Deal Store, Meem Electronic, Shopkees, Shoes Lovers, WafiApps, Zahia, Zagzoog Home Appliances, and more!
Spotii is available for both in-store and online purchases. It features thousands of brands and products, which you can pay through interest-free installments.
To know more about Spotii, just visit its official website.
3. Tabby
Tabby is another “buy now, pay later” platform that more and more people have been using. Using its mobile app or website, all you have to do is find the product that you want to buy. Add this to your “shopping cart,” then choose Tabby at check out. You’ll need to sign up and link your card before getting approved.
As for the payment, this is split into 4 monthly payments at zero interest. The first payment is collected upon order, while the remaining three payments are collected every month. That’s it!
With Tabby, you can look forward to buying a wide range of products: clothes, appliances, electronics, beauty products, toys, luxury products, and much more. Some of the brands and stores that have partnered with Tabby are Aleph, Brands for Less, Coach, Cole Haan, Faces, Golden Scent, Home Box, Karaz Linen, Lacoste, Level Shoes, Melen Bedding, Namshi, Noon, Ounass, Pottery Barn, Shein, Sun & Sand Sports, Tanagra, and West Elm.
For more information, head to the official website of Tabby.
4. Tamara
Tamara is a leading shopping and payment platform, not only in Saudi Arabia, but in the entire GCC region. It features many product categories, such as: apparel, beauty, baby and child, home and kitchen, accessories, fitness and outdoors, gifts, and others.
When using the Tamara mobile app, you can choose from these payment options (both are interest-free):
- Split in 3. Payments are split into 3 and paid over 2 months.
- Split in 6. Payments are split into 6 and paid over 5 months.
In addition, shoppers can take advantage of the exclusive discounts through “Farah,” the discount program of Tamara. As for fashion products, here are some of its most well-known brands and stores: Actan, Farfetch, HG Abaya Line, Level Shoes, Lululemon, Namshi, Next, Ounass, Sayyar, Shein, Vogacloset, and 2Trendy.
Notably, Tamara’s products and services have been certified as Sharia-compliant by the Shariyah Review Bureau, which is the world’s leading Shari’a Advisor — present in more than 21 countries across the GCC, Europe, Africa, United States, and Asia.
To qualify for Tamara, shoppers must be at least 18 years old and a legal citizen or resident of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or the UAE. For more details about Tamara, check out its official website.
5. Telr
Telr is an award-winning payment aggregator and provider that caters to shoppers, start-ups, and SMEs. It has more than 2 decades of experience in the field of payments technology.
Telr allows customers to buy products and pay for it in 4 monthly installments, without any interest. The company is headquartered in Singapore, although its technology is managed from Dubai. In addition, Telr has offices in Saudi Arabia and India, along with payment gateways for companies in Saudi Arabia, India, and the UAE.
Head to the official website of Telr for more details.
Final Thoughts
If you are keen on buying a new mobile phone, but are short on budget — consider making a purchase through Postpay, Spotii, Tabby, Tamara, or Telr. This way, you can still buy the products you want, without having to break the bank!
Speaking of shopping, do you like buying items online? If so, check out this guide to online mobile shopping in Saudi Arabia!
