4Sale’s Egyptian Visionary, Tarek Sakr, Drives Digital Innovation in Kuwait
Updated 4/29/2025 8:00:00 AM
Arab Finance: In this insightful interview with Tarek Sakr, Founder and CEO of 4Sale, a leading classifieds platform with a strong presence in Kuwait and Egypt, shares a compelling perspective on the dynamics of e-commerce in these key Middle Eastern markets.
The e-commerce market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region saw substantial growth, increasing by over 30% in 2024, according to a report by Flowwow and Admitad. Furthermore, the MENA e-commerce market is projected to expand to approximately $50 billion by 2025, as noted by Virto Commerce.
Sakr unpacks 4Sale's impressive growth, particularly within the thriving automotive sector. His perspectives underscore the burgeoning importance of online platforms in facilitating commerce in Egypt and Kuwait, highlighting the unique opportunities and consumer behaviors shaping the digital marketplace in the region.
1- 4Sale has achieved impressive growth in recent years, including record revenues and increased ad activity. What do you attribute this success to?
2024 was a breakthrough year for us. We experienced solid performance across our core business lines, a testament to our innovation and the trust we built with users.
Office listings generated a 61% year-on-year (YoY) revenue increase, with steady growth also observed in both free and paid listings. Our users are more engaged than ever and see the value our platform provides.
In the automotive sector, several factors contributed to our success. We have seen a noticeable increase in the availability of high-quality used vehicles, rising disposable income among Kuwait's expat community, and a growing appetite for SUVs and luxury cars.
We have also expanded our network of dealership partnerships, bringing premium brands such as Mercedes, Audi, and Volkswagen onto the platform, which has strengthened our position in this vertical market.
2-How does 4Sale maintain its leadership in the Kuwaiti market?
4Sale’s business model remains exclusively focused on Kuwait. With deep local expertise, we are building on strong foundations established over years of world-class service, introducing new services and verticals to meet the evolving needs of Kuwaiti consumers.
Our leadership is rooted in our ability to truly listen to our customers. A key strategic initiative is delivering hyper-personalized product and service recommendations tailored to each user's unique needs.
Modern consumers expect more than just convenience; they want highly specific, personalized interactions, an understanding of their preferences, and seamless access to the goods and services they seek. 4Sale is perfectly positioned to deliver this.
We embrace a data-driven optimization model-similar to platforms, such as Google and Facebook, so we can optimally understand user behaviors and preferences. This allows us to deliver more relevant and engaging recommendations, creating a richer, more valuable customer experience.
In 2024, we also scaled our infrastructure significantly to prepare for strong growth in the months and years ahead.
3-The automotive sector has been a major contributor to 4Sale’s business model. Can you elaborate on the innovations and partnerships that have strengthened your position in this sector?
4Sale maintains its market leadership by doubling down on what it does best — offering tailored, high-impact solutions for the Kuwaiti audience.
The automotive vertical has been one of the company’s most successful segments since its inception, and its continued growth is supported by strategic partnerships with leading local dealerships. This network is set to expand further in 2025.
In early 2025, we introduced our new ‘Worry-Free’ packages, a full-service offering that simplifies the car buying and selling process for users. From professional photography to managing buyer enquiries, this package streamlines the entire journey while enhancing visibility for service providers on the platform.
4-What role do hyper-personalization and enhanced user experiences play in your strategy for retaining users and attracting new ones?
Hyper-personalization is at the heart of our strategy. We are focused on not only retaining our loyal user base but also constantly finding new ways to engage broader audiences. We are very proud of our market position, but our ambition remains undimmed. We want everything we do to be faster, easier, more personalised, and ultimately more impactful for our users, while offering as much choice as possible.
AI also plays a huge role in helping us evolve into a true superApp. It powers everything from personalised recommendations and chat automation to dynamic pricing and fraud detection. Equally important, it enhances the security and reliability of the platform, which is critical for user trust and loyalty.
5-4Sale recently launched new car-selling packages that simplify transactions for users. Can you share more about how these innovations have impacted user engagement and revenue growth?
In February 2025, we introduced our ‘Worry-Free’ packages, designed to remove common stresses from selling a car. This full-service solution includes everything from professional photography and premium listing placement to managing buyer enquiries, allowing users to sell faster and with less effort.
This launch was important in our wider strategy of making the entire 4Sale experience as seamless and stress-free as possible. We are constantly exploring how to simplify complex transactions for users.
The packages are available in three tiers: Basic, Pro, and Premium. Users can choose what suits their needs best. We have included features such as professional inspections and vetted buyer interactions, which are important in building trust and credibility, and have influenced the strong engagement experienced since launch.
The impact has been great in user satisfaction, platform engagement, and increased visibility for car service providers. It has grown our revenues and reinforced our position as the go-to destination for car transactions in Kuwait.
6-What are your plans for further diversifying 4Sale’s offerings? Are there untapped sectors you aim to explore in Kuwait?
Diversification is key to our growth strategy. We have over 197 categories and continue to expand to meet evolving consumer needs and behaviours.
We remain focused on identifying and unlocking opportunities in under-served or emerging sectors within Kuwait. We aim to broaden our platform’s relevance across all aspects of daily life, offering even more variety, convenience, and value to our users.
7-What advice would you give to entrepreneurs looking to build successful e-commerce platforms in emerging markets like Kuwait and Egypt?
First, be prepared to put in the hard work. Building a business from the ground up comes with many challenges, from operational hurdles to market uncertainties. Success often requires long hours, persistence, and much self-belief. However, it is important to stay open to feedback and surround yourself with people whose advice you can trust.
Second, develop patience. Not everything will go to plan. Suppliers may fall short, processes might fail, and mistakes will happen. Patience allows you to stay focused and learn from setbacks. The ability to keep going, even in the face of failures, often separates those who succeed from those who don’t.
Third, focus on relationships. Building strong personal connections with your team, your backers, and especially your customers is essential. Trust and loyalty are invaluable assets, and delivering great customer service is one of the most effective ways to build a lasting brand in any market.
Above all, believe in yourself and your vision. If you don’t, no one else will. Stay committed, prove your ideas work, and success will follow.
8-With your offices in Kuwait and Egypt, can you tell us more about how this setup supports your growth and how the team dynamic contributes to your success?
Having offices in Kuwait City and Cairo has been a real advantage for us. We can tap into diverse talent pools and build a team with broad perspectives and expertise. One example is our tech team, which is 80 people strong.
They are constantly developing new products and features, driving innovation in the classifieds space. I am incredibly proud of how far they have come and excited for what is next as they evolve. They are a big part of our confidence in achieving further organic growth.
We also strengthened our leadership team in 2024, which is another important strategic step forward. We welcomed Khaled Gomaa as Chief Technology Officer, Fadila El Badry as Chief Marketing Officer, and Mohamad Salah Khouzam as Chief Operating Officer. The appointments reflect our commitment to building best-in-class operations and bringing in top-tier talent to support our growth.
Overall, this setup gives us the flexibility to scale smartly, move quickly, and continue growing our platform and our people.
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