The new facility covers an area of more than 350,000 sqft spread across five floors, with a storage capacity of 2.1 million cubic feet, equivalent to more than 22 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The new space allows Amazon to store millions of items for customers, independent sellers, entrepreneurs, and small and medium businesses.
But what does this mean for us, the consumers? Well, it means that we can expect even faster and more reliable delivery times, especially during peak shopping moments such as Prime Day, 11:11 and White Friday. With a wider selection of products available for immediate shipping, customers in Dubai and the wider UAE can enjoy the convenience and speed of Amazon's fulfilment service like never before.
In a recent interview with Prashant Saran, Director of Operations, Amazon MENA, we got a better insight into what this new facility means for Amazon, its customers and its sellers in the UAE.
When asked about the new facility's purpose, Saran explained that it's all about keeping up with customer demand: "Since the launch of Amazon.ae in 2019, we continue to expand our operation's footprint to better serve customers across the UAE with speed, convenience and reliability. The new fulfilment centre will also boost our storage capacity by 70 per cent in the UAE, enabling us to store millions of products and better serve customers through a wider selection."
This is great news for online shoppers in the UAE, as Amazon's increased storage capacity means that we can expect even more products to be available for delivery. The enhanced capacity will also provide more small and medium businesses with access to Amazon's world-class logistics expertise and global technology through the fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) model, which allows them to store, pick, pack and ship customer orders through Amazon.
In addition, Saran noted that Amazon is committed to the long-term growth of the UAE and its people. He said, "We pride ourselves in offering our employees a variety of different kinds of roles where they can learn in-demand skills and pursue a range of career paths from technology and analytics to delivery and supply chain roles. The training, upskilling and mentorship programs available to employees at the fulfilment centre will foster future-facing skill sets that are useful across the industry as the UAE's digital economy continues to grow."
When asked about Amazon's plans for further expansion, Saran was keen to emphasise the company's commitment to the UAE's growth: "E-commerce and entrepreneurship are at the heart of the UAE's digital economy, and we are committed to supporting the country's digital transformation. With this acceleration towards e-commerce adoption thanks to strong Government support, a culture of innovation and a highly connected and young population Amazon is growing rapidly to serve more customers across the Emirates."
Last month, Amazon also announced its pledge to display products of 100,000 small and medium UAE enterprises on Amazon.ae by 2026. This commitment is in support of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to make Dubai one of the world's top ten digital economies. It's clear that Amazon sees the UAE as a key market for growth and is committed to supporting its development in the long term. And with e-commerce on the rise across the MENA region, there's plenty of potential for Amazon to continue to expand its operations and reach even more customers in the future.
In fact, according to a recent study by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the value of the UAE e-commerce market is expected to reach US$9.2 billion by 2026, up from $4.8 billion in 2021. With such strong growth potential, it's no surprise that Amazon is investing in a new fulfilment centre in Dubai South.
So, what exactly is the fulfilment process, and how will this new facility support customers? The fulfilment process is the backbone of Amazon's operations, ensuring that customers receive their orders quickly and efficiently. It involves several steps, from receiving orders and picking products from storage shelves to packaging and shipping items to customers.
At the new fulfilment centre in Dubai South, Amazon's latest technology and employees come together to raise the bar of customer experience, ensuring fast, reliable and convenient delivery.
To give customers a better idea of what goes on behind the scenes at the new fulfilment centre, Khaleej Times got a sneak peek of the facility. In the video, viewers can see the various stages of the fulfilment process, from the moment an order is placed to the final stages of packaging and shipping. The video also showcases the facility's impressive size and scale, with rows upon rows of products stored on shelves, ready for shipping.
Overall, the new fulfilment centre in Dubai South is a major investment for Amazon and one that will benefit customers, entrepreneurs, small and medium businesses, and the e-commerce ecosystem across the UAE. With increased storage capacity and the latest fulfilment technology, the facility is set to become a key player in the region's e-commerce industry. And with Amazon's commitment to investing in the local workforce and supporting the UAE's long-term growth, it's clear that this is just another milestone in Amazon's continued journey in the region.