RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Commerce has allowed commercial establishments to electronically obtain licenses for discount sale in the run-up to the Kingdom's "Founding Day" without losing the permitted days of the annual discount sales. The ministry explained that the period of the discount season extends from 15 to 28 February, indicating that licenses can be issued through the link. https://sales.mc.gov.sa/home Below are the types of discount licenses the Commerce Ministry is granting: • All-inclusive discounts: They are granted to stores that wish to make comprehensive discounts for all products in the store. • Partial discounts: They are granted to stores that wish to make partial discounts of at least 50% of their products. • Final liquidation only for stores: It is a license granted to stores that wish to conduct a final liquidation of the store due to leaving the trade, changing the type of activity, making comprehensive renovations in the store, or because of its transfer from one place to another. • Seasonal Sale: It is carried out through a license granted to stores that wish to conduct discount sales in seasons predetermined by the Ministry, without losing any of the days of the discount balance available to them. • Promotions: This service allows shop owners and e-stores to submit an unlimited number of promotional offer requests with the promotion period not exceeding 6 months. A store is allowed maximum of 3 licenses per year, so that one license does not exceed 45 days for comprehensive discounts. Discount license system The system allows the merchant to issue discount licenses and request promotional offers service for stores without the need to visit the branches of the Ministry of Commerce. One of the advantages of the e-discount system is that it accepts license requests for discounts and promotional offers immediately. It also allows one-time license extensions for discounts. Under the system, merchants can submit applications from anywhere electronically. The system enables issuing licenses for discounts and promotions using the commercial register, commercial agency, or trademark. It also allows issuing licenses to all shops at the level of the regions of the Kingdom. Another advantage of obtaining a discount license is it increases consumer confidence in the discounts offered by a store as it is allowed to place the discount logo in all promotional offers.
