While Snapchat continues to grow, with the company recently reporting that it’s now up to 800 million monthly actives, its next challenge lies in maximizing that reach, especially in regions outside the U.S., where the platform generates a lot less revenue per user.

Could Saudi Arabia offer big opportunities on this front?

Today, Snap has published a new report which explores the opportunity for retail marketers in the Gulf state, amid rapid technological change in the region.

As per Snap:

“The innovation surge in Saudi Arabia presents vast opportunities for retailers, yet many lag in embracing change. As consumers rapidly adopt tech-driven shopping experiences, many retailers aren’t moving as fast.”

In a new whitepaper, created in conjunction with Kearney, Snap provides insight into the rising opportunity in the region, and where Snapchat fits in as a discovery and eCommerce source.

The report first looks at how social media users in Saudi Arabia discover new products, with social media/brand pages being the second most common source of info after search.

Which is pretty much what most would expect, but it does present a bigger opportunity for brands to connect via social and messaging apps, which the report suggests they are not capitalizing on as yet.

The report also looks at the top social platforms in the region, and how they’re used:

While also providing a broad overview of key action points in response to the data:

It’s an interesting overview of the current Saudi Arabian market, as well as where Snap fits in, based on usage and engagement.

And it could well offer new pathways to help drive more opportunities for the app, which, as noted, Snap really needs as it struggles to maximize its potential.

You can download the full “Retail Innovation vs. Customer Expectation: Who is falling behind?” report here.