Ubuy Teams Up with Tabby to Bring “Buy Now, Pay Later” to GCC Shoppers

Cross-border shopping has always carried a little thrill. You find a product you cannot get locally, click “buy”, and then… you wince at the total. That upfront cost can be a bit of a faff, especially when you are ordering electronics or premium beauty items from abroad. So when I see platforms trying to ease that pain point for shoppers in our region, I pay attention.

Ubuy, the cross-border e-commerce platform serving customers across the GCC, has now integrated Tabby as a payment option for shoppers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In simple terms, this means customers can split their purchases into instalments rather than paying the full amount in one go.

The new option is live on both Ubuy UAE and Ubuy Saudi Arabia. At checkout, shoppers can select Tabby, choose their preferred instalment plan, and complete the transaction within seconds. The remaining payments are then scheduled automatically, aiming to keep the repayment process smooth and transparent.

It’s not exactly breaking news that flexible payments are in demand. The GCC’s e-commerce sector has been growing rapidly, and consumers increasingly expect “buy now, pay later” solutions as standard. In many ways, offering instalments is no longer a nice extra — it’s becoming spot on for staying competitive.

Dhari AlAbdulhadi, Founder and CTO of Ubuy, said the move reflects the company’s focus on convenience. “Customer convenience has always been at the core of Ubuy’s growth strategy,” he said. “By integrating Tabby, we are giving our customers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE greater financial flexibility while maintaining the seamless international shopping experience Ubuy is known for.”

That balance — flexibility without complicating the customer journey — is key. Cross-border platforms already deal with shipping times, customs considerations and currency conversions. Adding payments into the mix can either smooth things nicely or make it messy. Ubuy seems to be betting on the former.

From what I see across the MENA startup landscape, partnerships like this are part of a wider pattern. Fintech and e-commerce are increasingly intertwined, and I reckon we will see more regional payment champions embedded directly into large retail platforms. It just makes sense. When startups collaborate instead of trying to build everything themselves, they often move faster — and that’s something we at Arageek always like to highlight, because it energises the ecosystem.

On the flip side, I’m not a fan of instalment models if they encourage overspending. Flexibility should empower consumers, not trap them. That said, when used wisely, spreading payments can open doors — especially for entrepreneurs and small business owners who rely on imported tools, gadgets or supplies to keep their operations running.

Ubuy, which provides access to millions of international products across categories such as electronics, fashion, beauty and homeware, has been expanding its localised offerings in the region. The addition of Tabby strengthens its push to combine global product access with region-specific solutions tailored to GCC shoppers.

And believe it or not, these small checkout tweaks can make a big difference. In e-commerce, growth often comes down to tiny friction points. Remove one hurdle and conversion rates can climb. It’s definately a space to watch as competition heats up.

For consumers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, at least, international shopping just became a little more manageable. And for the region’s startup watchers, this is another reminder that collaboration — when done right — can be chuffed to bits with results.

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