A friend told me last week his two containers were stuck at Jeddah port for 9 days. Customs volume doubles before Saudi National Day. A 3-day clearance now takes a week. Happens every September.
My rule: ship to overseas warehouses 3 weeks before the sale, using providers like 8ship that have local hubs. Don't rely on direct shipping. Between clearance and last mile, you need 25 days minimum. Even air freight needs a 5-day buffer.
Saudi National Day runs Sep 23-25, customs closed. Cargo arriving then just sits. So push everything earlier. Example: a flight landing Sep 20 means your goods hit Riyadh right on the holiday — guaranteed delay.
COD orders surge during sales, and FX swings matter. The riyal is pegged to the dollar, so Saudi is fine. But watch Iraq and Egypt orders. Set a small FX lock window.
Honestly, someone always runs out of stock. Prepare now, or watch competitors sell out your sizes. Your call.