Although Dubai is best known as a shopper’s paradise, offering a plethora of luxury stores and gigantic malls, online shopping in Dubai is a growing trend. Although other countries such as the US have an established ecommerce practice, the online shopping trend in Dubai is relatively new and has seen rapid growth in the last five years. Even though some shopping enthusiasts feel that there is no substitute for the sensory pleasure one experiences when visiting their favorite stores, many shoppers feel that shopping via the internet has great benefits.
With busy schedules and the ubiquitous presence of the internet, ecommerce has never been more appealing. Some of the top benefits to buying goods or services on the internet are:
Time Saving: There is no denying the convenience factor when shopping online. You can browse through a staggering variety of products and buy what you like from a variety of different online retail stores without the hassle of having to get dressed and travel to your favorite stores. Online shopping can be done 24 hours, every day of the week, at a time that is convenient to you; you don’t need to wait for the store to open.
Better Online Deals: Most online stores offer great discounts on their products and services in order to attract more customers. Online retailers realize that their customers are on the lookout for good deals and they tailor their prices accordingly. Moreover, online shoppers can browse through many different websites for the same product and compare prices much quicker than if they tried to physically visit several stores.
More Variety: Physical stores often carry a limited stock of products and often times there are limitations on sizes, color options or available styles. Shopping online negates these limitations and online retail stores often carry a huge variety of items, far greater than a physical store may be able to accommodate.
More Privacy: Some people prefer to shop in anonymity particularly for personal items such as lingerie. In Dubai, where women often prefer discretion when shopping, this is one of the main reasons why online shopping may be attractive particularly to women shoppers. People are often embarrassed when shopping for certain items; online shopping can save them from this embarrassment and allow them to shop without any inhibitions.
Although the ecommerce business in Dubai is still young, there are many reliable online websites that offer a very large variety of products at great deals. Listed below are the top 8 online websites in no particular order. They have been selected for their reliability in terms of product quality and online shopping safety as well as the range of products on offer.
Cobone
Founded by an Irish entrepreneur Paul Kenny, Cobone has become an immensely popular website for market-based deals on things to see, do, buy and eat in the Middle East.
Launched in Dubai in mid 2010, Cobone already has a huge client base that visits the website regularly for fantastic deals on beauty services and products, outdoor adventures, deals on meals and restaurants across the city, car related products and services as well as travel packages. Collaborating with a wide range of companies, Cobone has a unique system that guarantees good business for the vendor as well as unbeatable prices for the online shopper.
Deals are updated daily and each deal is open for 24 hours only with a minimum number of buyers needed for the offer to become active. Shoppers can register for daily email alerts; if you like something you see sign-up for it and get your friends involved to reach the minimum buyer count. If there are enough buyers for the deal to go active, you will be charged based on payment terms you selected and a coupon will be emailed to you which must be printed for use. If there are not enough buyers, the deal automatically becomes inactive and you will not be charged. Each deal has its own terms and conditions; potential buyers should read these carefully as some deals are valid for a limited time, may not be usable on certain days or may be subject to other terms and conditions.
JadoPado
JadoPado is a growing online venture that offers a wide range of electronic goods including phones, cameras, audio-visual equipment as well as laptops and other related accessories. They also offer household goods, toys and gaming accessories, fitness and health related products and sporting goods.
Subscribing is super-easy; all you need is an email address to start shopping online. The jadopado team will send you online offers, exclusive online-only product offers as well as discount deals.
The website has a ‘Learn’ section which gives online shoppers insight into the newest technologies as well as guidelines on how to buy at JP. There is also a discussion forum where buyers can ask questions, get advice and receive feedback from other online shoppers on a range of products.
Souq.com
Souq.com is one of UAE’s largest online retail websites offering a wide variety of products including clothes, watches, toys, kitchen accessories, electronic goods as well as beauty products just to name a few.
Registering is easy; fill in the online form or you can register via your Facebook account for quick access to all the website has to offer.
Shopping is easy in five basic steps: Browse through the categories on the drop down menu, check out the product details and specifications before adding it to your shopping cart, proceed to checkout, fill in your address details and information for delivery and select your payment method to place your order. Orders can be tracked through the website’s tracking tool that can be accessed through the ‘My Accounts’ tab.
The website has teamed up with some of the UAE’s leading banks to offer customers the option of paying in installments.
Crazy Deals
Initially launched with the objective of providing a comprehensive array of consumer electronic products, Crazy Deals has expanded to offer buyers a much larger range of products. Featuring the ‘Craze of the Day’, shoppers are treated to a variety of deals at largely discounted prices on a daily basis. Crazy Deals promises its shoppers authentic products delivered promptly to their door step. Customer Service can also assist with special requirements for products that may not be available on the website at the time.
Namshi
Namshi is one of Dubai’s most popular portals for shoppers who love fashion. Offering a wide range of brands, including premium brands in shoes, clothing and other fashion accessories, the website offers great deals for men, women and children as well as a free 14-day return policy for dissatisfied customers.
Supermart
Whether you’re sick in bed, too busy to visit a store or just plain lazy, Supermart is the ideal solution for you. Offering a wide variety of groceries including organic and gluten-free products as well as baby products, health and beauty products, pet products and stationery and magazines, this online portal is very easy to use. Payment is either by cash or card on delivery, and does not require users to put in any payment details online. Orders above AED50 do not have a delivery charge and the staff try to ensure that your order reaches you within 90 minutes.
Aido
Aido was launched in 2008 with the aim of becoming the largest supplier of DVDs and Blu-ray movies. Today this online mega store has expanded to provide a massive range of products as well as brands across product ranges with easy payment options and great value. All electronic items ordered on the website come with a one-year warranty.
Mumzworld
For all things mum and baby related, Mumzworld offers a wide selection of care products from local, regional and global brands for children from the time they are born to the age of 12. Prices are competitive and orders over AED200 are delivered without an additional charge to any of the seven emirates in the UAE within 2-3 business days.
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