Kuwaitis Buying from American Stores in Record Numbers

1/16/2013

The United States may be thousands of miles away, but the distance doesn’t stop Kuwaitis from buying American goods in record numbers. 

In December, the U.S. package forwarding company MyUS.com processed more shipments destined for Kuwait than at any time prior. The company does not release actual shipment statistics, but its December 2012 shipping volume signifies an impressive 153% increase in shipments from U.S. merchants to Kuwaiti buyers when compared to December 2011. 

“Kuwaiti buyers appreciate the quality and prices they find when shopping with U.S. retailers,” says John Wright, Vice President of Sales for MyUS.com. “The surge in buying last year tells us that American products are becoming more desirable, and American pricing makes them much more accessible.” 

Certainly, many Kuwait buyers shop American retailers to save money. As of January, an Apple iPod Touch sold for $461 US (130 KD) on Kuwaiti websites, while American retailers sold the same product sold for just $379 US (106 KD). Many other products were also significantly cheaper when purchased from U.S. websites. 

Wright also attributes much of the upswing to increased awareness among Kuwaiti buyers. MyUS.com provided U.S. shipping addresses to thousands of Kuwaiti customers as of December, 2012, more than half of whom signed up for the service within the last year. 

The MyUS.com service helps customers buy from American retailers by providing a unique U.S. shipping address. Customers can order from U.S. companies and have purchases shipped to this address, where MyUS.com inspects the item, consolidates it with the customer’s other purchases, prepares customs paperwork and processes the package for international shipping. Customers in Kuwait typically receive their purchases within three to four days.