News

Checkout.com Uses AI To Boost eCommerce Acceptance Rates

Intelligent Acceptance leverages the company’s global data network to increase acceptance rates, lower fees, and improve merchant’s profits.

Published

2 years ago

July 4, 2023

Nour Nasir

Checkout.com

Global payments solution provider, Checkout.com, has launched a new feature called Intelligent Acceptance. The system uses an AI-powered optimization engine that can monitor billions of transactional data points, with early beta testing showing a 9.5% average improvement in checkout acceptance rates.

“We believe in abstracting complexity for businesses and empowering them to optimize their payments with ease. Machine learning enables us to […] leverage our expansive global transaction data to provide real-time insights. Meanwhile, an adaptive AI-powered payments engine constantly optimizes acceptance rates, unlocking more revenue, saving time, and offering greater cost controls,” says Meron Colbeci, Chief Product Officer at Checkout.com.

False declines — legitimate transactions mistaken for fraud attempts and subsequently blocked — are a $50.7 billion problem globally. Intelligent Acceptance can route card payments through the system much more smoothly, using continuous adaptation while leveraging Checkout.com’s global network and direct relationships with card acquirers to deliver incremental improvements.

Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East

Intelligent Acceptance can also drive down a merchant’s costs by dynamically routing transactions to the network with the lowest fees. Furthermore, if a transaction requires 3DS authentication, data can be automatically added to a payment request to ensure compliance.

The launch of Intelligent Acceptance comes as business leaders seek new ways to drive revenue and improve cost efficiencies to reconcile increased expenses. Research conducted by Checkout.com in partnership with Oxford Economics recently revealed that up to 25% of consumers abandoned an online purchase due to too much checkout friction, resulting in significant lost revenue for merchants.

News

Rabbit Expands Hyperlocal Delivery Service In Saudi Arabia

The e-commerce startup is aiming to tap into the Kingdom’s underdeveloped e-grocery sector with a tech-first, locally rooted strategy.

Published

3 days ago

April 7, 2025

Nour Nasir

Rabbit

Rabbit, an Egyptian-born hyperlocal e-commerce startup, is expanding into the Saudi Arabian market, setting its sights on delivering 20 million items across major cities by 2026.

The company, founded in 2021, is already operational in the Kingdom, with its regional headquarters now open in Riyadh and an established network of strategically located fulfillment centers — commonly known as “dark stores” — across the capital.

The timing is strategic: Saudi Arabia’s online grocery transactions currently sit at 1.3%, notably behind the UAE (5.3%) and the United States (4.8%). With the Kingdom’s food and grocery market estimated at $60 billion, even a modest increase in online adoption could create a multi-billion-dollar opportunity.

Rabbit also sees a clear alignment between its business goals and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to boost retail sector innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises, attract foreign investment, and develop a robust digital economy.

The company’s e-commerce model is based on speed and efficiency. Delivery of anything from groceries and snacks to cosmetics and household staples is promised in 20 minutes or less, facilitated by a tightly optimized logistics system — a crucial component in a sector where profit margins and delivery expectations are razor-thin.

Despite the challenges, Rabbit has already found its stride in Egypt. In just over three years, the app has been used by 1.4 million customers to deliver more than 40 million items. Revenue has surged, growing more than eightfold in the past two years alone.

Also Read: Top E-Commerce Websites In The Middle East In 2025

CEO and Co-Founder Ahmad Yousry commented: “We are delighted to announce Rabbit’s expansion into the Kingdom. We pride ourselves on being a hyperlocal company, bringing our bleeding-edge tech and experience to transform the grocery shopping experience for Saudi households, and delivering the best products – especially local favorites, in just 20 minutes”.

The company’s growth strategy avoids the pitfalls of over-reliance on aggressive discounting. Instead, Rabbit leans on operational efficiency, customer retention, and smart scaling. The approach is paying off, having already attracted major investment from the likes of Lorax Capital Partners, Global Ventures, Raed Ventures, and Beltone Venture Capital, alongside earlier investors such as Global Founders Capital, Goodwater Capital, and Hub71.