Dubai’s Al Tayer group launches online luxury retail platform

Dubai-based Al Tayer Group’s retail business – Al Tayer Insignia – has launched a new luxury retail e-commerce platform called Ounass.

Initially catering to customers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Ounass.com offers women’s ready-to-wear, footwear, handbags, fine jewellery, cosmetics, and home merchandise from designer brands, exclusively for the local market.

Some of the brands featured include Valentino, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, Jimmy Choo, Acqua di Parma, Armani Beauty, Boucheron, Jonathan Adler, Kate Spade and Roberto Cavalli, among others.

The site will also feature exclusive capsule collections from international and regional brands such as Gucci, Roland Mouret, Rami Al Ali and Ayesha Depala, a statement said.

Ounass.com will offer free delivery in less than two hours within Dubai, same day within the UAE, and within 48 hours in other GCC states. It will also include a cash on delivery option, in-home personal styling services, and exchanges and returns.

The dual language (Arabic and English) site will also provide relevant editorial content, the statement added.

Khalid Al Tayer, CEO of Al Tayer Insignia, said: “Ounass.com offers the Middle Eastern customer relevant merchandise and content shot locally and created specifically for her lifestyle.”

Eda Kuloglu, senior vice president – Merchandising for Ounass and Al Tayer Insignia’s Department Stores, added: “We know that our local customers shop all over the world and have access to any number of retailers in the fashion capitals of London, New York, Paris and Milan. Therefore we have ensured that there will always be exclusive capsules and items not found anywhere else but on Ounass.com.”

The UAE has seen a boom in online retail in recent years as the region’s e-commerce market matures.

Middle East online shopping is up 1,500 per cent over the last decade, according to a 2014 study by MasterCard.

Most recently, Dubai billionaire Mohamed Alabbar launched a e-commerce site – Noon.com with a promise to dominate the Middle East e-commerce market.

The company is backed by a $1bn initial investment from Alabbar and other Gulf investors and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which is a 50 per cent shareholder.

Read more: Dubai’s Alabbar to “dominate” Middle East e-commerce with Saudi-backed platform

Noon is promising 20 million products when it comes online in January.

Also read: Souq CEO not worried by $1bn rival Noon.com 

Gulf e-commerce begins its next chapter