RIYADH, 22 March 2008 — Newcomers to Saudi Arabia get used to the fact that women are prohibited by police-backed social restrictions (rather than overtly stated law) from driving cars, but they often fail to realize that women in fact play an instrumental role in car purchases. In the Kingdom’s larger cities it is common for women to peruse car showrooms, and women are often the ones who select the vehicles in which they will be chauffeured.
According to Abdullah Bo-Hulaigah, a marketing director at the Aljomaih Company, 15 percent of Saudi women are the buyers. And as the value of the car increases, the women play a more active role. According to industry watchers, women buy one in five luxury sedans. “About 480,000 new cars entered the Saudi market last year, 25,000 of which were sold to women,” he said adding that this number would quickly jump to 25 percent in the first year that Saudi Arabia were to lift the driving ban.
Bo-Hulaigah said that if the number of Saudi women car buyers increased, his company would have to consider the front-seat features. Right now, many car dealers pay close attention to the features available in the back seat because so many cars are chauffeur driven.
Norah Hajji, a sales representative from Alamthal car-finance company, said women are less interested in handling, speed and performance, and make purchasing decisions based on spaciousness, safety and overall appearance. “Working, middle-income women expect a car to last a long time,” she added.
The purchasing power of Saudi women is perhaps one reason why the car showroom is an open venue for men and women. While most commercial establishments allow men and women to shop together, the vehicle showroom is usually a less crowded place. Similar commercial spaces require male and female sections, such as banks or literary events; not so in a vehicle showroom. Nevertheless, in 2006 a number of companies began women only showrooms, because, despite the stereotypes that portray gender segregation as an imposition by men, many Saudi women actually prefer and feel more at ease to shop or sit in cafes without the presence of large groups of single men. Showroom sales representatives say that women are often the ones making the choice for vehicle options and colors. Omar Al-Anzi, a Cadillac sales representative, said ladies could be picky when it comes to appearance and they are more likely to be finicky and select options that add to the price tag.
“Pearl, gold and black are colors that fascinate ladies a lot,” said Al-Anzi. “Ladies tend to prefer tinted windows, too.”
Shareef Najy, sales manger of BMW, Mini Cooper and Rolls Royce, said the numbers regarding women car owners is misleading because many women choose to put their cars in the names of their male relatives.
“This makes it easier for them to transfer ownership or traveling abroad by car,” he said.
