Online shopping is already a widespread phenomenon in the West because of its money and time saving convenience. In contrast, Saudi society is still very relaxed with the amount of money being spent on things like clothes and accessories, particularly with respect to women. However, the bargain bug has now bitten Saudi girls who are exposed to Web sites that offer online shopping facilities as well as social networking sites - particularly Facebook - that advertise the latest fashion at the cheapest prices. Saudi Gazette spoke with a number of these online shoppers and asked then why they've moved from shopping for brands in malls to these online stores. When I first started University I was very interested in appearing elegant on a daily basis and would change outfits every day and accessorize respectively,” explained Hadeel Al-Youssefi, a graduate in English Literature from the King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. “But I was only getting 840 Saudi riyals a month for my allowance and that wasn't enough to spend on new clothes and accessories.” According to Al-Youssefi, buying one designer skirt would require at least 200 to 300 riyals. “This forced me to look at other alternatives and some of my friends recommended a couple of Web sites that sold fashionable but cheap clothing,” she added. She became a regular customer of these Web sites and claims that she bought a number of items like jackets, dresses and skirts for daily and occasional wear. One advantage is that some of these sites deliver for free so there isn't a need to visit the mall at all. In fact, for some girls, visiting the mall is difficult in itself, making the option to buy online even more convenient. One student at the King Abdulaziz University lives away from her family - who are based in Tabuk - and on campus, and she told Saudi Gazette that she isn't permitted to visit malls. “Going out for shopping is impossible because my family have not permitted me to leave the university complex,” she explained. “Buying online has therefore become a much more convenient option than asking friends to get me things from their visits to the mall.” Those behind these Web sites have indeed found a niche for their services. Saudi Gazette spoke to Noura Um-Naif, a Saudi woman who has launched a Web site in the Kingdom offering a variety of clothing and other items that have been made in China, for very low prices. “I coordinated with a Chinese company that provided me with information about the different products they have and this allowed me to develop a Web site that can act as a medium between the producers and customers,” she remarked. According to Noura, much of her customer base is made up of young, tech-savvy Saudi girls who want the latest fashions but at low prices. “I receive the products from abroad within 15 days and deliver them to the customers via my driver.” She has no idea where the Chinese company is or what kind of company it is, and her only mode of communication with them has been via phone. Despite the risk however, she claims that she has never received a single complaint by the customers and this has gone a long way to promote __
