Category: Shopping

Let me know if this has happened to you. Whenever I order anything from Amazon straight to Kuwait, I either get the packages shipped via FedEx, or Aramex.

When the package gets shipped by FedEx, I don’t run into any issues, the packages get delivered straight to me without delays.

On the other hand, if the package ships with Aramex, it’s a completely different story.

The package doesn’t go out for delivery, instead Aramex starts blaming me for the delay either by stating they attempted to deliver the package and I wasn’t there, or that the delivery information is missing. This happens basically all the time.

Amazon sends me a message daily saying my package is on hold because Aramex is saying there is missing delivery info. Aramex doesn’t attempt to call me to get the “missing” info. I also can’t called Aramex to ask them what info is missing since there isn’t a way to talk to a human being and their automated system doesn’t have an option for updating delivery or whatever. They also have an automated WhatsApp system that you could in theory try and get a hold of a real person through, but I haven’t been able to get someone myself to verify that actually works. Yesterday I tried that and I’ve been on hold for more than 24 hours now and haven’t gotten a hold of anyone.

So the package usually stays in limbo for a few days, Aramex telling Amazon they can’t deliver cuz of missing info, and I can’t call Aramex to give them whatever missing info they want. Then, a few days later magically Aramex somehow manages to get the missing info and send my package out for delivery.

I have a theory to why they do this, I believe it’s so that they don’t look slow in front of Amazon. They blame the customer so that it’s not their fault for being late. End of the year when Amazon audits there delivery speed it won’t show any delays in delivery that way.

So let me know if you’ve run into this problem before because I’m sure it can’t be happening just to me.

Update: This is hilarious but I have another package that was meant to be delivered today and they couldn’t because “We’ve attempted to deliver the shipment, but the office was closed. Not to worry, the delivery has been rescheduled”

They tried to deliver at 11:39AM so obviously they are lying because the office was open at that time. This summarizes my issue with them, they keep coming off as liars. If they were just honest and were like “Sorry we couldn’t deliver the package today because it’s the holidays and we have too many shipments to deliver” I would have understood and be ok with it. But saying the office is closed when it isn’t, come on….

Get ready for the Ya Hala Kuwait Shopping Festival, a massive 70-day initiative aimed at boosting the local economy while delivering an unforgettable shopping and entertainment experience. Whether you’re a local, resident, or Gulf tourist, this event has something for everyone.

What’s It About?
The festival’s goal is to stimulate Kuwait’s economy by enhancing commercial, tourism, and entertainment activities. From massive discounts and exclusive offers to exciting giveaways, the festival ensures every outing is a rewarding one.

Who’s Involved?
Expect participation from shopping malls, retail stores, restaurants, cafes, entertainment venues, and even cooperative societies. It’s a collaborative effort that brings together all sectors, including aviation, hotels, and small businesses, to offer something truly unique.

Why You Should Visit
The Kuwait Shopping Festival isn’t just about shopping—it’s a celebration of local culture, economic growth, and community spirit. It’s designed to support small and medium enterprises while creating a vibrant atmosphere that encourages domestic tourism.

Whether you’re looking for great deals, family entertainment, or a reason to explore Kuwait’s rich commercial and cultural offerings, this is the time to dive in.

Let the festivities begin! Keep an eye out for more updates and exclusive offers @yahalakuwait

Yesterday, True Value declared bankruptcy in the US. For the time being their stores will stay open, but I’m curious to what will happen to the Kuwait store if they do end up closing down. Although I prefer Ace Hardware since they carry more of the things I need day to day, I’m still a big fan of True Value and like having them as an option. I especially like that they have a location in Salmiya since it’s very convenient for me. Actually, I feel lucky that I have 2 Ace Hardwares and a True Value near my place, only thing missing really is Binnisf and I’ll be set. Anyway, hopefully the bankruptcy doesn’t affect us here in Kuwait.

“My Belongings,” or “Moqtanayaty” (مقتنياتي) in Arabic, is a store in Kuwait City specializing in vintage electronics, including radios, boomboxes, record players, TVs, cameras, as well as records and cassettes.

Unlike most places that sell vintage items, nearly everything in this store is in working condition. They also repair vintage electronics in their in-house workshop. So, if you have an old record player that stopped working, you can bring it in, and they’ll try to fix it for you.

The store isn’t new—I first discovered it and posted about it in 2016 when it was located beneath JOA in the city. Since then, they’ve relocated several times and now have two locations in a building across the street from Souk Al Mubarakiya.

Their corner store on the ground floor serves as the repair shop, while the main showroom is located on the first floor of the same building. To access the showroom, you’ll need an employee from the repair shop to take you upstairs.

The showroom is like a mini museum where everything on display is for sale.

If you want to stop by to browse or get something, the shop is open daily except for Fridays from 8:30 AM to 1 PM and again from 4:30 PM to 9 PM. It’s located on Ahmad Al Jaber Street, opposite the Ahli Bank of Kuwait tower. Here is their location on Google Maps and here is their Instagram account @vintage_radio_

Over the summer, Lush released a watermelon soap with 100% of the profits going toward childhood mental health services in Palestine, and it has recently become available at Lush in Kuwait.

The “Watermelon Slice” feels right at home on their shelves, which is why I love this simple idea so much. Right next to the watermelon slices, they have the following message written:

You can’t wash away the trauma children experience during conflicts – but when you buy this soap, 100% of the profits will be donated solely to projects providing urgently needed professional mental health support and trauma counselling for children in Gaza and the West Bank.

Lush sells the watermelon slices by weight, so the thicker the slice, the more it costs and the more you donate. I love it.

The Arts & Crafts shop that used to be located off Canada Dry street have moved to a new location. Their new shop is located in the Design District in Shuwaikh, the same complex that has the restaurants Cure and Ovo (Google Maps).

The store is much smaller than their previous location but they’re still a good place to visit if you’re looking for specific art supplies from any of the following brands:

Art Rangers
Canson
Daler-Rowney
Gelli
Lyra
Maimeri
Mogart
Rotring
Sennelier
Speedball

They used to have an online store but seems to be down. Also not sure what their relationship with Mogahwi is since they have a joint store in Shuwaikh as well (Google Maps).

Their Instagram isn’t updated frequently but if you want to check it out it’s @artsandcrafts_kw

Marks & Spencer recently opened their new location in The Avenues. It’s located in Phase II in place of where Baroue used to be located. The new store also has their food range and an M&S Cafe.

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Below are the official prices for the new iPhones in Kuwait. These are the prices all authorized Apple resellers in Kuwait will be following:

iPhone 16

iPhone 16 128GB KD299.9
iPhone 16 256GB KD329.9
iPhone 16 512GB KD399.9

iPhone 16 Plus

iPhone 16 Plus 128GB KD329.9
iPhone 16 Plus 256GB KD364.9
iPhone 16 Plus 512GB KD439.9

iPhone 16 Pro

iPhone 16 Pro 128GB KD374.9
iPhone 16 Pro 256GB KD409.9
iPhone 16 Pro 512GB KD480.9
iPhone 16 Pro 1TB KD554.9

iPhone 16 Pro Max

iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB KD444.9
iPhone 16 Pro Max 512GB KD519.9
iPhone 16 Pro Max 1TB KD589.9

Some of the prices are slightly higher than last year, for example when you compare the 15 Pro with the 16 Pro, this year its KD2 higher:
iPhone 15 Pro 128GB: KD372.9
iPhone 16 Pro 128GB: KD374.9

If you purchase the iPhone 16 Pro 128GB online from the US Apple Store and shipped it to Kuwait, even with taxes and shipping it would still be cheaper, costing around KD345. This is because the US has the lowest iPhone prices. Compared to the rest of the world though, Kuwait’s prices are somewhere in the middle.

Here’s a price comparison for the same phone in different parts of the world, in case you’re planning to pick one up on your next trip:

iPhone 16 Pro 128GB

Australia: KD367
Canada: KD326
Denmark: KD432
France: KD415
Germany: KD404
Hong Kong: KD337
India: KD436
Italy: KD419
Kuwait: KD375
Netherlands: KD415
Spain: KD412
Switzerland: KD378
Thailand: KD362
UAE: KD358
USA: KD305
UK: KD400

If you’re interested in purchasing it locally, pre-orders in Kuwait will be starting tomorrow (Friday) at official Apple resellers.

Tomorrow, IKEA will be launching their new concept in Kuwait called ‘IKEA for Business’. I got a sneak peek of the store, and I left impressed.

The new store felt like a movie set because they built various shops with shop fronts inside a large warehouse-like building. The idea is that they wanted customers to see in person how you could fit out an entire shop or office with just IKEA furniture and accessories.

When I first walked into the IKEA store, I stepped into the offices of a recycling company called RRR—complete with cubicles, private offices, a waiting room, and everything you’d expect from a real office. The next area had a more casual office vibe, which turned out to belong to a make-believe marketing agency called Mirage. It was more colorful and less serious looking, completely different to the previous corporate looking offices.

After leaving the office area, I found myself on a street lined with a nail salon, flower shop, and café. None of them were real, of course, but they looked and felt convincing, complete with working faucets and functional equipment. To the left of the nail salon were stairs that led me up to a women’s hair salon. I walked through it and emerged out the other side onto a rooftop restaurant.

Exploring the store was surprisingly fun, like a KidZania for adults since they had hotel rooms, a kids nursery, a company board room, and various offices all for customers to interact with and explore.

The coolest thing wasn’t even what was on display—it was that IKEA now functions like a design studio with a contractor. Previously, they’d help design a room or bathroom, but they wouldn’t handle finding a painter or taking care of plumbing for example. With IKEA for Business, that’s changed. They now can manage everything from design to execution, so you don’t have to deal with anyone else. Super convenient.

If you want to check out the new IKEA store, it’s located in Shuwaikh where their first original store used to be, right next to the new Spark gym (Google Maps). Opening hours will be 10 to 10 and they open to the public from tomorrow.

According to a contact of mine, Alshaya are bringing Primark, the popular multinational fashion retailer to Kuwait and the Middle East GCC.

Primark is known for offering affordable, fast fashion and a wide range of clothing, accessories, and home goods. The brand is particularly popular for its trendy styles at low prices, appealing to budget-conscious shoppers.

I don’t have any idea on when they’re planning to open their first location, but I’d imagine they would need at the very least a year. I’ll update this post if I discover more.

<strong>Update: It’s now official.

Last night, Pottery Barn opened their new location in Avenues Phase III, and it’s a significant improvement over the previous store. The old location felt somewhat cold, but the new store, particularly the top floor, is much cozier and more inviting.

They took over the space previously occupied by Williams Sonoma in Grand Avenue, which I think is a much more fitting location for them. It’s worth checking out if you’re in Avenues and looking for something for your home.

Boutiqaat, the largest online fashion and cosmetics platform in the region just launched a very cool campaign where you could win one of three Hermes bags.

Every 30KD spent on their website enters you into the special draw for a chance to win a bag. So for example, if you spend 100KD you get three entries for the draw. The more you spend the more chances you get. What’s funny is that you probably have a higher chance of winning a Hermes bag with Boutiqaat than trying to buy one from a Hermes store. These bags are incredibly hard to come by!

This campaign is applicable across the Gulf as well as Iraq and for both men and women. For more info and to stay posted on future campaigns, follow @boutiqaat or shop by visiting Boutiqaat.com

The Soph Spot is a local merch store with a commitment towards helping a variety of causes, from injured children in Palestine, to animal welfare and ongoing regional challenges.

The idea came to Haya (not sharing her last name since she wants anonymity) because she was always helping animals and harassing everyone around her to do the same. But, she hated the idea of begging for donations, so she thought there must be another way to get people to donate and that’s when she came up with the idea for a merch shop (named after her dog Sophie who passed away) where all proceeds from the sales would go towards helping animals.

While in the process of creating The Soph Spot, Haya realized that her idea could also help a variety of causes, and since she’s half Palestinian, she decided to create a a line of Palestinian merch where proceeds would go to @heal.palestine. Recently, she also added a collection drawn by children, with proceeds of those sales going towards the Red Crescent Society, specifically for families who can’t afford medical care.

It’s a pretty smart, feel good concept, and one that works since people tend to like buying merch that supports a cause they care about. As of this post Haya is supporting three causes, but hopes to keep adding more as she goes. Her merch is actually really cool and I love some of the designs.

You can see some of the items above, but if you want to buy something or just show your support, the instagram is @thesophspot and the website is thesophspot.com

Marks & Spencer are opening a new location at The Avenues. They currently have a small store in Phase I (small for an M&S) but they recently took over the Baroue location and surrounding shops in Phase II, which is a pretty huge area. I think it might be bigger than their 360 Mall location.

No idea when they’re opening but hoarding is up.

A few weeks ago I posted that I got a bluetooth adapter for my Bang & Olufsen A9 and that I had crazily bought the A9 for 890KD 10 years ago. Out of curiosity I was trying to find out how much a new one today costs and I cam across the Bang & Olufsen website for Kuwait.

Not sure how long its been around for but I wasn’t aware they had an online website with all the prices listed. Want a Beolab 50? That will cost you 18,975KD. Want a Beolab 90? Thats selling for 47,000KD. Add to cart!

I love that they have all the prices up. Anyway, the new A9 starts at 1,290KD which is quite a big jump from their prices 10 years ago. Here is the link to the B&O website.