White Friday, Ramadan and Eid: When to Order from Britain to Saudi Arabia
White Friday, Ramadan and Eid: When to Order from Britain to Saudi Arabia
TL;DR: Timing is everything when you buy from Britain for Saudi Arabia. The best British sales fall in late November, late December and January, and gifts for Ramadan and Eid need to be ordered weeks ahead. Expect 15% VAT on every parcel. Eligible online orders under SAR 1,000 may be exempt from customs duty, and combining your orders into one parcel cuts shipping costs.
Why Saudi Shoppers Buy from Britain
British brands such as Barbour, Burberry and Marks and Spencer have a strong following in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, but local prices are often higher and the ranges smaller. Many British websites don't deliver to the Kingdom at all. With a delivery address in Britain, you shop like a local customer and choose how your parcel travels to you. The trick is knowing when to buy.
Your Shopping Calendar for British Sales
White Friday: 27 to 30 November 2026
What Saudi shoppers call White Friday is Black Friday in Britain, and it's the biggest sale weekend of the British year, running into Cyber Monday on 30 November. Order early in the weekend, before popular sizes sell out. Our Black Friday 2026 guide covers the details.
Christmas and Boxing Day: late December
Many British stores start their biggest clearance sales on Boxing Day, 26 December, and some begin online on Christmas Eve. Our warehouse is closed on 24, 25 and 28 December, so parcels arriving then are handled on the next working day. See our Christmas shipping guide for the dates.
January sales
Discounts often continue through January, which makes it a good month for winter coats, knitwear and homeware at reduced prices.
Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 2027
Ramadan is expected to begin around early February 2027, depending on the moon sighting. If you're buying gifts, aim for your parcel to leave Britain at least three to four weeks before Ramadan begins. Carrier networks and customs are busy in the run-up, and a little extra time takes the stress out of it.
What an Order Really Costs in Saudi Arabia
VAT of 15%: charged on every parcel from the first riyal, calculated on the goods, shipping, insurance and any duty or fees, not just the product price.
Customs duty: eligible online purchases worth under SAR 1,000, including shipping and insurance, may be exempt from duty, depending on how the carrier declares them and whether the goods need any special import approval. Above SAR 1,000, duty applies to the whole value. It's usually around 5% for most consumer goods, but varies by product.
Small fees: a processing fee may apply to low-value shipments, and carriers may add their own clearance fees.
Remember: SAR 1,000 is duty relief, not a tax-free allowance. For example, a basket worth SAR 800 including shipping that qualifies for the relief carries no duty, but VAT of 15% still adds SAR 120, plus any small fees. Check your own basket in our customs duty estimator.
One Special Purchase or a Growing Collection?
A one-off luxury buy. Some Saudi shoppers order a single valuable piece from Britain, such as a watch, a designer handbag or jewellery. An item like this will almost always be worth more than SAR 1,000, so expect duty on the full value as well as 15% VAT. Declare what you actually paid, keep the receipt and original box, and choose a tracked express service. Our guide to shipping watches and jewellery covers this in more detail.
Collectors. Others buy regularly: trading cards, video games, LEGO and board game editions, often from several British sellers at once. Free storage lets you wait for pre-orders and new releases, then ship everything together in one parcel. Just don't split a single order to stay under the duty threshold. For collector tips, see our guides to Pokémon cards, LEGO and board games.
Things to Check Before You Buy
Perfume and aerosols: these can't be forwarded in any size, which often catches out Eid and Christmas gift sets. If one reaches our warehouse, we'll contact you to agree what happens next.
Medicines and supplements: some products sold freely in Britain are controlled in Saudi Arabia. Check before you order.
Restricted goods: Saudi Arabia restricts some items, such as products containing pork or alcohol and certain publications.
Electronics: devices with batteries built in can be forwarded as restricted items, without cover against loss or damage. Power banks can't. Our lithium battery guide explains why.
The full list is on our prohibited and restricted items page.
How to Order from the UK to Saudi Arabia
1. Register free and get your British address, with your unique unit number.
2. Order from UK websites. Most accept Saudi Visa and Mastercard cards. If one doesn't, our Shop & Ship service can buy the item for you for 3% of the order value plus £5.
3. Each parcel is photographed and weighed on arrival, so you can see it in your dashboard.
4. Keep everything in free storage (30 days on Individual, 45 on Business, 60 on Premium) and consolidate it into one parcel, typically cutting shipping by 40 to 60%.
5. Compare Royal Mail, Parcelforce, UPS, DHL, FedEx and DPD in our shipping calculator. Before Ramadan and in December, express is the safer choice.
6. VAT and any duty are paid by the recipient, usually on delivery or through a payment link from the carrier.
For more on how parcel forwarding works and the options for the Kingdom, see our Saudi Arabia shipping page. Use code SEND2HUB2026 for 5% off shipping until 31 December 2026, on up to 10 shipments.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the best British sales for Saudi shoppers?
White Friday (27 November 2026), Boxing Day (26 December) and the January sales.
When should I order Ramadan gifts from the UK?
Ramadan is expected to begin around early February 2027, so aim for your parcel to leave Britain three to four weeks before.
Do I pay VAT on small parcels to Saudi Arabia?
Yes. VAT of 15% applies from the first riyal, even when customs duty is waived.
How is the 15% VAT calculated?
On the full customs value: the goods, shipping, insurance, any customs duty and fees, not just the product price.
Are online orders under SAR 1,000 duty-free?
Eligible online purchases under SAR 1,000 may be exempt from customs duty, depending on how the carrier declares them. VAT still applies.
Can I send perfume gift sets to Saudi Arabia?
No. Perfume and aerosols can't be forwarded, so check Eid and Christmas gift sets before you buy.