How to build and grow a profitable e-commerce business in Dubai

The Covid-19 pandemic, despite its economic and social implications, proved to be a catalyst of change, ushering in a digital era earlier than many would have anticipated.

It also propelled the growth and acceleration of key sectors – e-commerce being one – in an otherwise upended world. Driven by other key elements such as high internet penetration, a 360-product suite, a young tech-savvy population base and convenience at its core, the regional e-commerce sector has since taken flight.

The numbers add up too: In the first five months of 2020, the UAE saw a 300 per cent increase in demand for e-commerce services among consumers. In May 2020 alone, e-commerce represented the highest number of licences issued to any business sector. Overall, the GCC’s e-commerce market is expected to be worth roughly $50bn by 2025, according to a report by Kearney Middle East.

However, with the effects of the pandemic reverberating across the length and breath of the business landscape, no sector remained truly immune. Several e-commerce players in the UAE also shut shop last year.

Therefore, in trying economic conditions, key questions remain: How can startups enter and prosper in the incumbent e-commerce landscape? And how do existing retailers and brands effectively integrate digitalisation in their operations to lend an omni-channel experience? Will retail stores be converted into micro-fulfilment centres? How do real-time financing solutions fit into the equation?

Gulf  Business, in partnership with Dubai CommerCity, is hosting a live webinar on Monday, May 31, at 3pm (local time) on the topic: How to build and grow a profitable e-commerce business in Dubai. Listen and interact with industry heavyweights as they discuss Dubai’s booming e-commerce landscape – from curating an enabling ecosystem and ensuring a smooth supply chain mechanism, to understanding financing and adopting digital payments. The webinar will help answer key questions for aspirants and those in the business. 

Our panelists for the webinar include:

DeVere Forster, COO, Dubai CommerCity

Deepak Chandran, senior vice-president and head of Cards at Emirates NBD

Ben Mclean, head of e-commerce UAE, DHL Express

Pankaj Aasthana, VP – digital payments & labs, Mastercard MENA

Register Now: http://response.gulfbusiness.com/gb_talk_may_2021​