Tabby and Tamara are buy now, pay later (BNPL) providers licensed by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). The customer splits the order into installments, while the provider pays you the order value minus its fee on the settlement schedule in your contract and handles collection. You add them as payment options at checkout, either directly or through a payment gateway that supports them, and you will usually need a commercial registration and a business bank account.
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How do Tabby and Tamara work for a Saudi merchant?
The model is simple. Your customer picks Tabby or Tamara at checkout and splits the order into installments instead of paying in full. You do not wait for those installments: the provider pays you the order value minus its fee, on the settlement schedule agreed in your contract, and it handles collecting the remaining payments. That is buy now, pay later, or BNPL, from the merchant's side.
Both are licensed by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), which is why each purchase runs through a quick eligibility check that the provider approves or declines. You never manage the customer's credit or chase payments. Your job is to present the option clearly, deliver the order and process returns correctly.
Put differently, BNPL is not credit you extend to customers. It is one more payment method next to mada, Apple Pay and cards, with one difference: it softens the weight of a larger total, which makes the decision to buy easier.
- 1Customer chooses installments
At checkout they tap Tabby or Tamara and continue in the provider's page or popup, signing in with their mobile number.
- 2Instant check and approval
The provider assesses the purchase in seconds, approves or declines, and collects the first payment if the plan requires one.
- 3Order confirmed on your side
The customer returns to your store and a webhook tells your system the order is paid, so fulfillment can start.
- 4Settlement to you
The provider transfers the order value minus its fee to your bank account on your contract's settlement cycle.
- 5Installments collected
The customer pays the remaining installments to the provider directly. Collection is not your concern.
Is buy now, pay later right for your store?
Not every store benefits equally. BNPL shines when the total is large enough to make customers hesitate, yet small enough to split comfortably over a few payments. If your average order is very small, the fee may not pay off and most customers will simply tap mada.
| Business type | BNPL fit | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Perfume and oud | High | Gift baskets and seasons lift order values, especially before Eid |
| Electronics and accessories | High | Shoppers compare prices; an installment line on the product page can tip the decision |
| Furniture and decor | High | Watch long delivery times and your cancellation policy |
| Fashion and abayas | Medium to high | More returns, so wire refunds into your system properly |
| Courses, services and bookings | Medium | Confirm the provider accepts your service category |
| Groceries and daily meals | Low | Small, frequent baskets; mada and Apple Pay fit better |
What do you need to sign up as a merchant?
Each provider sets and updates its own requirements, but what Saudi merchants are typically asked for looks similar. Prepare these before applying so approval does not stall.
- A valid commercial registration in the business's name (or whatever documents the provider accepts; ask directly if you operate under a freelance document).
- A Saudi bank account in the same business name to receive settlements.
- A working website or app with clear prices, real product photos and contact details.
- Published return, cancellation and shipping policies, including delivery times.
- E-store authentication on the Business Platform (formerly Maroof) adds trust; see how to verify your store.
- Owner and authorized signatory details, and sometimes an estimate of monthly sales.
Integration: direct or through your payment gateway?
There are two common ways to add Tabby and Tamara to your app or website. You can contract with each provider and integrate its API directly, or you can use a payment gateway that offers them among its methods. The second gives you one technical integration, although the BNPL agreement itself usually stays between you and the provider.
- Full control over the checkout experience and installment messaging
- A direct relationship with the provider's merchant team
- More technical work: two separate integrations and their webhooks
- Makes sense when BNPL is a large share of your sales
- One integration covering mada, Apple Pay and installments
- Reports and settlements often in a single dashboard
- Display options limited to what the gateway supports
- A good starting point for small and mid-size stores
Whichever route you take, three technical points are non-negotiable: payment webhooks, so an order is never confirmed just because the browser came back; full and partial refunds from your admin dashboard; and settlement reconciliation that matches payouts to orders every cycle.
Where should you show installments so they actually lift sales?
The most common mistake is adding Tabby and Tamara only at checkout, so customers discover the option after they have already decided. Show the installment message earlier, while they are still weighing the price.
- Product page: a short line under the price showing the amount can be split, using the provider's official widget.
- Cart: a reminder of the installment option next to the total.
- Checkout: the option clearly visible with the provider's logo and a one-line explainer.
- Ads and seasons: in Ramadan, Eid, National Day and White Friday campaigns, mention installments in the message itself.
- WhatsApp and support: keep a ready reply for "do you offer installments?".
Refunds, cancellations and disputes: how do they work?
When a customer returns an item bought in installments, you do not send money from your own account. You issue a refund through the BNPL provider (from its dashboard or API), which adjusts or reverses the customer's installments and deducts the amount from your settlements. Your order system must be able to send that refund to the right provider.
| Situation | What you do | What happens for the customer |
|---|---|---|
| Cancel before shipping | Cancel the order and send a cancellation to the provider | Installments are cancelled and payments returned per provider policy |
| Full return | Issue a full refund in the system after receiving the item | Remaining installments are cancelled and paid amounts refunded |
| Partial return | Issue a partial refund for the returned item | Remaining installments are reduced |
| "I never received it" | Provide proof of delivery from your carrier | The provider reviews the dispute under its process |
Your published return policy is your first reference, and the Saudi E-Commerce Law expects clear contract and cancellation terms. Read return and refund policy for Saudi stores and handling refunds and chargebacks.
How do you add Tabby and Tamara to your own app with Fanann?
If you build your own store or app, you do not need a platform template to offer installments. In Fanann you describe what you want and the agent builds the checkout, connects local payment methods and adds order and refund events to your admin dashboard. The keys from your provider account are stored as secrets, never in the code. For the wider technical picture, see adding BNPL to your own app.
Build a Saudi perfume and oud store in Arabic (RTL) with an English version. Checkout offers mada, Apple Pay, Visa/Mastercard, Tabby and Tamara. On each product page, add a line under the price showing installments are available, using the providers' official widgets. Only confirm an order after the provider's payment webhook arrives. In the admin dashboard: an order list with the payment method, a full or partial refund button that sends the refund to the right provider, and a weekly settlement report that matches orders to amounts received. Prices in SAR including 15% VAT, with an e-invoice per order. Add return and shipping policy pages. Store all payment keys as environment secrets.
Try it in Fanann- Apply as a merchant with Tabby and Tamara (or via your gateway) and wait for approval and test keys.
- Test in sandbox: a successful order, a declined order, a cancellation and a partial refund.
- Check that installment messages appear on product pages in Arabic and English.
- Switch to production keys, place a small real order, then refund it.
- Reconcile your first settlement against orders before launching a campaign.
Key takeaways
- With BNPL the customer pays in installments; you receive the order value from the provider, minus its fee, per your contract.
- BNPL works best for mid-to-high baskets: perfume, electronics, furniture, fashion, courses and services.
- Expect to need a commercial registration, a business bank account and a live store with clear policies.
- Show the installment message on product pages, not only at checkout; that is where it changes decisions.
- Plan refunds and cancellations upfront: they go through the BNPL provider, which adjusts the customer's installments.
Frequently asked questions
How do merchants get paid by Tabby or Tamara?
Are Tabby and Tamara licensed in Saudi Arabia?
Can I add Tabby without a commercial registration?
Who carries the risk if the customer stops paying installments?
Should I add both Tabby and Tamara or just one?
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