YouTube Launches Shopping Service in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and UAE with Amazon
Listen to the story
YouTube has launched a new shopping service in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates through a partnership with Amazon.
The initiative allows content creators on the platform to earn commissions whenever their viewers make purchases through linked products.
The program is a form of affiliate marketing, a system in which creators promote products and receive a percentage of sales generated through their recommendations.
According to the report, the commission-based feature had previously been available to creators in Saudi Arabia before being extended to Egypt and the UAE.
By including these two additional markets, YouTube and Amazon are widening access to the monetisation tool for a broader base of Arabic-speaking content creators.
The arrangement reflects a growing trend of collaboration between video platforms and e-commerce companies, as both sides seek new ways to generate revenue from online audiences.
For creators, the program offers an additional income stream beyond traditional advertising revenue, which has become increasingly competitive on video platforms.
For Amazon, the partnership provides a direct channel to reach consumers who are already engaged with relevant content, potentially increasing conversion rates for product sales.
The move also highlights the expanding role of social media and video platforms in shaping online shopping behaviour across the Middle East.
As digital content consumption continues to rise in the region, companies are increasingly looking to integrate commercial features directly into the viewing experience.
While specific details on commission rates or eligibility requirements for creators were not disclosed, the launch marks a notable step in YouTube's broader strategy to strengthen ties between content creation and e-commerce.
The expansion into Egypt and the UAE suggests that YouTube and Amazon may continue to broaden the availability of such tools to other markets in the future, depending on how the program performs in these three countries.
Vocabulary7 words
- shopping service
- a tool that helps people buy things
- partnership
- when two companies work together
- Amazon
- a big company that sells many things online
- content creators
- people who make videos or posts online
- affiliate marketing
- a system where people earn money by helping sell products
- commission
- small money you get for selling something
- e-commerce
- buying and selling things on the internet
๐ Ready to use these words in a real conversation?
Practice live with a real tutor on Preply.
Quiz
Answer key
1. To let creators earn commissions from viewer purchases 2. Saudi Arabia 3. False
โ Nice work on the quiz!
Keep the momentum going โ book a live English lesson with a Preply tutor.
Discussion questions
- How might affiliate marketing programs change the way content creators earn income?
- What are the potential benefits and risks for Amazon in partnering with YouTube for this feature?
- Do you think viewers are more likely to buy products recommended by creators they follow? Why or why not?
- How might this trend of linking video content with e-commerce develop in other regions in the future?

