Online shopping figures show that the demand for electronics is on the rise in the Saudi market and that electronics is becoming an increasingly popular category in the Saudi market. Nine out of every 10 adults own a smartphone. In terms of the current Saudi population structure, the proportion of those under the age of 35 accounts for around 70%, which means that the electronics category will continue to be on the rise and that importers' friends can start planning their product layout from these young consumer staples.
As an exporter with over 20 years’ export experience, this article will give a brief introduction to the following four types of electronic ancillary products that require certificates to enter the Saudi market.
1. Mobile phone fast charger.
2. Smart wall switches.
3. Smart extension sockets.
4. Smart LED lights.
If you, importer in the Saudi market, happen to have a market layout plan for these four categories of products, then, come and find out.
Fast charging for mobile phones
The popularity of smartphones in the Saudi market has reached nearly 90%, a figure that means that the demand for mobile phone chargers has risen in tandem. Unlike traditional mobile phone chargers, fast charging, as the name implies, will become increasingly popular in the market for its efficient charging technology. The advantage of fast charging for mobile phones is that it only takes about 1 hour to fill a smartphone. Compared to the 5-6 hour charging time of traditional chargers, it greatly satisfied people's need to upgrade their smartphones due to their high power consumption and inconvenience of charging for long periods of time.
Mobile phone fast charging is not within the scope of SQM mandatory requirements. Thus, to enter the Saudi market, no SQM certificate is required, and only a CB product certificate to IECEE certificate is required.
CB certification is the same as the safety certification we usually do, except that the test standard is the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standard.
After the product has passed the CB certification, you can apply for an IECEE certificate with a CB test report and certificate valid for three years, the importer's business licence in Saudi Arabia containing the time of establishment and the legal representative, the manufacturer's business licence and instructions in English and Arabic, etc.
An IECEE certificate can contain multiple models on the same CB certificate, with a maximum of 20 models as a series in one CB.
The application period for an IECEE certificate is 15 to 20 working days and the IECEE certificate is valid for 1 year.
Intelligent wall switches
As mentioned earlier, the Saudi market has a large population and a high proportion of young people, so the demand for interior decoration is increasing year on year. Therefore, the demand for indoor housing decoration is rising year by year. Wall switches, as an essential electrical accessory in interior decoration, are also developing from the original simple design towards intelligence. more and more wall switches can be interconnected with mobile phones and controlled remotely by mobile phones. The young market segment has shown great curiosity and enthusiasm for this intelligent trend in products.
So what certificate is required to import these wall switches into the Saudi market?
SQM certification, of course.
Since 2020, Saudi Customs has required an SQM quality mark for electrical and electronic products to prove that the product complies with SASO standards and is manufactured in a factory with an effective management system to ensure continued compliance. This certification is based on the ISO/IEC 17067 Type 5 certification system and is applicable to both imported and locally manufactured products in Saudi Arabia.
Applicants can register and apply for the Saudi Quality Mark (SQM) through the Saudi Standards Authority's JEEM portal. The Saudi Bureau of Standards then forwards the application to their authorised body to assess and provide their recommendation for the issuance of the Saudi Quality Mark (SQM).
The SQM certificate is a necessary condition for the entry of wall switch products into the Saudi market. So with the SQM certificate, wall switch products can pass customs checks in terms of certification.
The application process will be covered in a separate article. It is worth noting that there are not many Chinese suppliers of wall switch products who have already obtained the SQM certificate. Although the application time for the certificate is 3-4 months, many of them take half a year or even a year to be made because the application process and the required documents are demanding and cumbersome. It is essential to find suppliers who have already obtained SQM certification. In addition, the SQM certificate is valid for 3 years, with annual monitoring inspections.
Smart Extension Sockets
As the electronics market continues to develop, the demand for extension sockets is also on the rise. Its style is developing from original simple 3 gang and 5 gang to multi-functions with USB charging. The potential market demand for smart extension sockets is also increasing due to the youthfulness of the market and the popularity of smartphones in the Saudi market, which has the potential to accept these smart products.
In terms of certification, extension sockets are similar to wall switches that they can be imported into Saudi Arabia without any problems if they have SQM certification. Some may ask if the GCC certificate is still required. It should be noted here that SQM is a system certificate, while GCC is a product certificate. To pass the SQM quality assessment system, it is necessary for the product to be GCC certified. Therefore, the application for the SQM certificate actually covers the prerequisite of passing the GCC certification.
Smart LED Lights
LEDs are widely used as an upgraded light source in both indoor and outdoor locations. The product line of LED products is widely distributed. Indoor LED lamps include LED flat panel lights, LED downlights, LED strip lights, LED bulb lights, LED tubes, etc. Outdoor products include floodlights, streetlights and so on.
At present, the market has seen the emergence of smart bulbs, which can be remotely controlled by mobile phones. The addition of colour temperature control allows the colour temperature of the bulb to be adjusted according to certain time and surrounding, reflecting a very humane feeling.
So, what certificates are needed to import smart LED products to the Saudi market? The main certificates included are the following 2 .
1、EER(Energy Efficiency Register EER)
2、IECEE Registration
The prerequisite for EER registration is to pass an energy efficiency test. Different types of LED lamps correspond to different standards of energy efficiency testing. For example, SASO 2870 is mainly for light source products, SASO 2902 for lamps and lanterns, and SASO 2927 for street lighting products. Some LED products can enjoy energy efficiency exemptions, and these products are mainly used in public emergency equipment, such as emergency escape lights and traffic signals.
After passing the energy efficiency test, you can apply for an EER energy efficiency certificate, which is valid for 1 year, and the executor is the manufacturer. The energy efficiency test report for EER registration must be valid within 2 years, and the registration period is 8-12 working days.
The prerequisite for IECEE registration is that the product has passed the CB test and that the test report is valid for 3 years. The rest are just the usual documents required for registration, such as the business licence of both the importer and the manufacturer, instructions in English and Arabic, etc.
The IECEE certificate is also valid for 1 year and the application period is generally 15-20 working days provided that the information is complete.
The trend of the above popular electronic products shows that intelligent electronic products are becoming more and more popular among people. Smart electronics are connected to mobile devices to achieve convenience, user-friendliness and technology. Many Saudi importers have started to import such products and have achieved good market feedback.
Through the above brief introduction to the certificates required for different products, I believe that importers have an understanding of import certificates. If you need more about the demand for electronic products or want to have a more in-depth understanding for the import of Saudi Arabia market in the process and certificate, welcome to consult at any time.