AsianFin -- Saudi Arabia’s homegrown e-commerce platform, Zode, officially ceased operations on July 1, with after-sales service continuing until July 14.

The platform, which had previously conducted multiple business promotion events in China, had ambitious plans to become a key player in Saudi Arabia’s digital economy.

Founded in November 2024, Zode’s management team included members from prominent Saudi business families, such as Sami Juffali of the Mercedes family. The platform had established deep collaborations with major Chinese companies, including Huawei Cloud and JD.com, focusing on technology integration and supply chain support.

Despite positioning itself as a strategic contributor to Saudi Arabia’s digital economy, the platform struggled to maintain operations and customer engagement, leading to its shutdown just nine months after launch.

Zode’s brief existence highlights both the challenges of scaling e-commerce in emerging markets and the risks associated with cross-border business partnerships, even when backed by established industry names and international collaborators.

The closure also marks a cautionary tale for investors and tech companies seeking rapid expansion in the Middle East, emphasizing the need for careful market adaptation and sustainable operational planning.