Buying a stock lot for Saudi Arabia, step by step

You want to import a stock lot but have not done it before, or a past lot went wrong. This guide shows the order of steps, the papers you need and the warning signs to watch for.

How to buy a wholesale stock lot for import into Saudi Arabia

1. Define what you need. Write down your city, the category, genders and ages you sell, the grade you accept and whether brand labels must stay on.
2. Ask Kifayatullah for current lots. Send your list by WhatsApp or email. He replies with the lots open now from Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, Cambodia or India.
3. Get the packing list and photos. Ask for the full packing list with sizes, colours and carton counts, plus photos of opened cartons, not only the best pieces.
4. Check condition and labels. Confirm whether the lot is grade A or B-grade, look at close-ups of any faults, and check care, origin and brand labels.
5. Confirm HS codes and SABER. Agree the HS code for each line. We check whether SABER product or shipment certificates are needed before the goods ship.
6. Agree the lot price in writing. Settle the price for the whole lot as it stands, the grade and the documents to be supplied, and put it in writing.
7. Choose the route and port. Pick Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdulaziz Port Dammam with rail to Riyadh Dry Port, or road from Dubai through Al Batha. We confirm the route per order.
8. Clear customs with ZATCA. Your importer of record, with CR and customs registration, files the declaration, pays the duty and the 15% import VAT.
9. Receive and check the goods. Count cartons against the packing list, open a sample and report any gap to Kifayatullah quickly with photos.

Before you start: who is the importer

Every lot entering Saudi Arabia needs an importer of record. That company holds a Commercial Registration (CR) and a customs registration with ZATCA. If you do not hold these yourself, you need a licensed importer or customs broker to act for you. Sort this first, because it decides whose name goes on the invoice and the bill of lading. Global Pioneer ships from Dubai and has no office in the Kingdom, so the Saudi side sits with you.

Documents a Saudi stock lot needs

We confirm the document set per shipment. Country of origin must match across the invoice, the certificate and the labels on the goods. Arabic labelling applies to many consumer goods, so check this when you review the photos.

Red flags in a stock lot offer

• A seller who will not share a full packing list, or sends only catalogue photos.
• Grade not stated. Every honest offer says whether goods are grade A or B-grade.
• Branded goods with no word on labels or brand owner release.
• Pressure to pay before HS codes and SABER needs are settled.
• A country of origin on the papers that does not match the labels.
• Cosmetics or fragrances mixed into a clothing lot. These follow SFDA rules, which is why we keep them out unless you ask.

Costs to plan beyond the lot price

The lot price is only the start. List every cost before you agree, so the landed cost per piece is clear.

• Freight by sea or road, and any transshipment or consolidation in Jebel Ali.
• Marine or transit insurance.
• SABER certificate fees for regulated lines.
• Customs duty, which is the GCC common external tariff of 5% for most goods, with some lines different.
• Import VAT at 15%, which VAT-registered businesses can usually reclaim through their returns.
• Port handling, storage and broker fees.
• Inland transport from the port or dry port to your store.
• Relabelling or sorting if the lot needs it.

Picking a source and a category

Each source country suits different goods. Bangladesh and India lead on cotton garments. China covers footwear, bags and home goods. Vietnam and Cambodia bring footwear, sportswear and travel goods. See the five sources compared, or start from a category such as apparel or footwear.

City routes differ too. Buyers in Riyadh often route through Dammam or the dry port, Jeddah buyers use their own port, and Dammam is the closest big market by road from Dubai. The Saudi hub lists all twelve cities. To check any trading partner, read how to verify a wholesale supplier, and Arabic readers can use this guide in Arabic.

What to send Kifayatullah first

Your city, what you sell, the grade you accept, your label preference and who your importer of record is. With those five points he can match you to open lots and suggest a route.

SABER is the step that holds most mixed lots at the port. Our SABER guide for stock lots explains product and shipment certificates line by line.

Questions buyers ask

Sources and cities for Saudi buyers

Last updated 2026-10-08. Global Pioneer General Trading FZE, Falcon Tower, Rigga Al Buteena, Deira, Dubai, UAE. Contact: Kifayatullah.