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"There are 14 Million people online in Saudi Arabia alone, and tens of millions more in the Arabic region. By listing their cars online, anyone of those can become the buyer for the dealer or seller. That is why Abi Sayara  was created." - Niko Ruokosuo, Founder.

Abi Sayara is an online classified portal for the automotive industry. The site offers car listings complement by a number of features that assist users in formulating opinions on what to buy including pricing information, side-by-side comparison tools, photo galleries and videos. Additionally, the site offers unbiased editorial content as well as a special guide designed to help make an informed decision when looking to buy a car.

Abi Sayara was founded by Finnish born Niko Ruokosuo, former COO of Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), who decided to capitalize on the apparent buyers versus sellers’ gap found in the Saudi market.

“Clearly there is huge demand for online content, and the key areas are automotive and real estate,” explained General Manager Sigurd Andersen. “The customers are online, but not the sellers.”

The automotive online sales platform is a proven concept that has been applied around in several countries with success. Abi Sayara reapplies this model to the Saudi market with minor tweaks and customizations that address the local needs.

For instance, the website focuses on existing offline car dealerships with dedicated pages on the site, or “virtual showrooms”, to list their inventory, something that was initially met with skepticism by local car merchants. But that has changed over time, “once they tried and realized how easy the process is and how it opens up a new world for them,” explains Sigurd.

Abi Sayara is also the first such company to launch a mobile platform, and the first to utilize QR codes. QR codes are generated and attached to cars that are available for sale on the website allowing anyone with a QR reader to find out more details straight on their device. QR codes are also generated for dealers where potential buyers visiting the dealership can scan it and see what is available in the showroom. This also allows potential buyer to review the dealer’s inventory later from their own home and follow any updates from the showroom.

The website, which launched back in October of 2011, has reached 125 thousand unique visitors per month, a clear indication of the appetite for such services in the kingdom according to Sigurd. The company is even considering adding more verticals, including real estate.

Concluding the interview, Sigurd shared his optimism on the Saudi online landscape stating: “I do see a lot of good things happening. Media agencies are on the right track, and companies will eventually follow the development going on online.”