The reasons for such a shift in behaviour is because of the variety of options available for consumers to shop from, the lower priced options and the convenience to get things delivered right at their doorsteps.

Sell on Noon in the Middle East

In order to make the most of the current situation of eCommerce in the GCC region, selling on the top online marketplaces and websites becomes important.

One of the biggest marketplaces in the GCC region is Noon, a fully homegrown digital marketplace that has been active since 2017.

Noon is a well-renowned marketplace with the biggest number of online sellers and a variety of products available. The platform is suitable for sellers who wish to sell new, used or refurbished products with the freedom to have complete visibility and control over their sales, operations, etc.

The platform provides two modes of selling, one that is known as Noon FBN or fulfilled by noon and the other as B2B to give flexible options to businesses.

But you may wonder, why exactly should you start selling on Noon and what all benefits can the platform offer to your business? Read on to find out.

Why Become a Seller on Noon?

Noon had recently concluded one of the biggest sales in the Middle East named Yellow Friday Sale for a full week starting November 24th 2020 until November 29th 2020. To make the sale even bigger, Noon got the biggest Bollywood Starts including Shah Rukh Khan to encourage shoppers to shop during the sale by sharing a video message.

The Yellow Friday sale was started in 2018 by the marketplace to engage more and more audiences, provide them with amazing offers and discounts and ultimately increase profits and boost sales. The event became a huge success in the very first year, and seeing that Noon came back with an even bigger sale this year, 25 million sized sales to be exact!

The leading marketplace offered discounts up to 80% on the original price and sold items from almost all product lines, including beauty, gadgets, accessories, clothes and a lot more, the sale saw a massive jump in terms of profits and customer footfall. 

With such a large customer base and more than thousands of sellers already present on the platform, it is quite understandable why you need to start your e-commerce selling at Noon.

Apart from just the why, you also get a plethora of benefits when you begin selling from the platform, some of which include:

• Great exposure to audiences
• More traffic on your website/online store
• Increase in the pool of customers
• More trust amongst shoppers to buy from you
• Little to no requirement of having your own workspace
• Lesser manual dependency
• More to learn with the help of Noon support and teaching centres

Now that you know why, let us move on to the how, as in what are the methods and steps to start selling on the platform.

How to Become a Seller on Noon?

In order to begin your eCommerce sales on Noon, there are certain requirements that you need to fulfil based on which you will be eligible to become a Noon seller and take your eCommerce business to the next level.

1. For Registration

The first of it all is to own a valid trading license and be a registered company in the UAE, KSA and Egypt. For those who have a license, the next step is to create an account on Noon.com, submit copies of all the required documents and pay a  small amount known as a noon seller fees.

The list of important paper you need to have by your side when registering on the platform include:

• Trading license or Commercial Registration
• Passport or Residence ID
• Residence VIsa for non-nationals
• Proof of purchase/invoice
• Letter from distribution authorization, or a manufacturer permit/certificate
• VAT certificate or VAT non-enrollment declaration for those who aren’t registered

Once you are done with the documentation process, you need to wait for a week in order for the noon seller support team to check and validate the information shared by you and help you with any noon seller training if required.

2. For Payments

After your account is live, you need to give bank details in order to receive payments for all your sales and purchases. For that you need to provide the below details on a signed and stamped company letterhead:

• Legal name of the company
• Bank account number
• Iban
• Swift code
• Bank branch
• Store currency (once chosen, it wouldn’t be possible to change it in the future)
• Cancelled check that has company’s legal name, the bank account number, and IBAN  

3. For Fulfilment

Post activation of your account, you can choose either one of Noon fulfilment options that the platform offers or even go with both the options as long as your inventory is kept separately for each of the options.

• Noon B2B Fulfilment 

Going for the basic B2B or Back to Back selling mode of fulfilment, you are in charge of handling and maintaining your products. Once you receive an order the Noon logistics team known as noon express picks up the order from your facility and takes it to their own fulfilment centre from where it is packed, shipped and delivered.

The advantage of choosing this mode of operation is that you get to have complete control of the pricing, processing and quality of your products.

• Noon FBN

When you choose Noon FBN or Fulfilled by noon, you allow the marketplace to store your products in their own fulfilment centres, manage and maintain it and deliver to the customers from there itself. 

The benefit of choosing this mode of operation is that you only have to focus on promoting your business and fixing the prices. All of these are the legal requirements that you must have in order to be a Noon seller but just beginning on the marketplace will not give you immediate profits, you require the right technology support to handle your operations, maintain your inventory, order and fulfilment, manage warehouse operations and much more.

Let’s Start Selling on Noon!

Selling on Noon is not just about listing your products; it’s about leveraging the platform’s reach and capabilities to grow your business. With its user-friendly interface, robust fulfillment options, and supportive seller environment, Noon stands out as a premier destination for e-commerce in the Middle East. By embracing this platform, businesses can significantly expand their customer base, increase their sales, and establish a strong presence in the rapidly growing digital marketplace

Related read –

• What is Warehouse Management System?
• What is the difference between Logistics and Supply Chain Management?
• Different Selling Models of Amazon & Noon: How to Handle Selling?
• What are Biggest Business Challenges Faced by UAE’s Fashion and Retail Brands?
• How to Sell on Amazon in the Middle East (The UAE and Saudi Arabia)?
• Top E-commerce Marketplaces for Businesses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• UniShip – Advanced Logistics Tracking Platform
• UniReco – Automated Reconciliation of Orders, Returns and Payments
• Key Challenges & Benefits of Marketplace Payment Reconciliation
• Benefits of Shipping Notifications

The post How to Sell on Noon: Become a Top Seller on Noon in the Middle East appeared first on unicommerce.com.

This trend is not just limited to the UAE but is spreading across the GCC region. As per estimates, revenue from the UAE’s beauty and personal care industry is projected to surpass US$1.14bn by 2023, out of which 27.5% of total revenue will be generated through online sales.

However, as the market rapidly shifts towards e-commerce, sellers must stay ahead by adopting a multi-channel selling strategy. But just like a perfectly winged eyeliner, achieving success in multi-channel selling requires precision and careful execution.

Let’s explore the challenges you may face and the best practices to help you succeed in the UAE’s thriving beauty and personal care market. So let’s dive in!

Overcoming Multi-Channel Selling Challenges in the UAE Beauty & Personal Care Market

Here are some common challenges associated with multi-channel selling in the UAE beauty market and ways to overcome them!

Challenge 1: Multi-channel Inventory Management

One of the main challenges in multi-channel selling is managing inventory. As a seller, your products may be listed on various e-commerce platforms, such as Amazon, Noon, and your website. Keeping track of your inventory levels across all these channels is crucial to avoid stockouts, overselling, and errors.

Solution: It’s crucial to have a robust inventory management system that can handle real-time inventory updates, multi-warehouse inventory visibility, and order fulfillment across multiple channels. With efficient inventory management, sellers can avoid stock-outs, overstocking, and overselling, ensuring smooth operations and customer satisfaction.

Related Reading: Top 5 Multichannel Inventory Management Challenges and Solutions in 2023

Challenge 2: Consistency in Product Information and Pricing
In today’s digital world, customers have easy access to information and are more informed about products and pricing. This means that having inconsistent information or pricing across different sales channels can result in confusion and distrust among customers, leading to lost sales.

Solution: To overcome this challenge, you need to have a centralized system for managing your product information and pricing which provides SKU codes that can be mapped with a channel ID and synchronize your data across all marketplaces and carts. You should also regularly audit your channels to ensure they are up-to-date and aligned with your pricing strategy.

Challenge 2: Dealing with Shipping Process Across Multiple Channels
Shipping logistics is a common challenge for e-commerce businesses, particularly when expanding across multiple channels and marketplaces. As the number of sales channels increases, so does the complexity of shipping processes. It is crucial to manage shipping across channels effectively to maintain customer satisfaction and protect your brand’s reputation. Failure to deliver on time can result in negative feedback, which can impact future sales.

Solution: It’s essential to streamline the checkout and shipping processes as much as possible. To achieve this, businesses must adopt a strategic approach that involves leveraging a range of fulfillment options such as self-fulfillment, third-party logistics, and dropshipping. You can also invest in a software solution that seamlessly integrates with local logistics providers that have a strong presence in the region. This will result in more timely and faster deliveries, which can enhance the customer experience.

Related Reading: Biggest Business Challenges Faced by UAE’s Fashion and Retail Brands in 2023

Challenge 4: Keeping Track of Data and Analytics
Managing data and analytics from different sales channels can be like juggling multiple balls simultaneously. With each sales platform offering different metrics and reporting processes, gaining valuable insights into customer behavior can be challenging.

Solution: To get a holistic view of how your beauty and personal care business is performing across different channels, it’s important to have a centralized data management system. This system should be able to gather data from all the different channels and integrate them into a single, easy-to-read dashboard. You can easily identify products with the highest and lowest-selling SKUs allowing you to make informed decisions about customer behavior and brand engagement. Furthermore, you can analyze which regions and which sales channels in the UAE are generating the most sales, helping you focus your marketing and sales efforts accordingly.

Challenge 5: BOGO and Beyond – Offers and Promotions Management
In the competitive beauty and personal care industry, promotions such as Buy One Get One (BOGO) or other discounts can be a powerful tool to attract new customers and keep them coming back for more. However, managing these promotions can be a tricky balancing act – you want to drive sales without sacrificing profit margins.

Solution: It’s important to have a multichannel order management system that can handle complex promotions like BOGO and other discounts, as well as accurately calculate and apply these promotions to customer orders. Additionally, the system should be able to handle cancellations or changes to customer orders without causing discrepancies in the promotion pricing or leading to fraud.

Related Reading: How To Sell On Amazon in The Middle East (The UAE and Saudi Arabia): The Ultimate Guide To Sell On The Marketplace!

Challenge 6: Managing Customer Service and Returns Across Channels
In the UAE beauty market, providing excellent customer service and managing returns is crucial to building customer trust and loyalty. With multi-channel selling comes the potential for more customer inquiries, complaints, and returns. This can be overwhelming for online sellers, as they must ensure they provide the best post-purchase experience possible.

Solution: To effectively manage customer service and returns across channels, it’s important to have a post-purchase management platform that integrates with all your sales channels. This will allow you to easily track and manage customer inquiries, complaints, and returns from one place, rather than jumping back and forth between different platforms.

Wrapping Up!
The beauty and personal care market in the UAE is thriving, and it’s the perfect time for online sellers to leverage their presence and tap into the market’s potential. While multi-channel selling comes with its own set of challenges but with the right approach, they can be surmounted and yield significant benefits.

Having a SaaS platform that integrates with multiple sales channels and streamlines operations can be a game-changer for online sellers in the UAE’s beauty and personal care industry. So invest in the right technology and watch your business flourish like a blooming desert flower!

The post Beauty and Personal Care Industry in UAE – Challenges & Their Solutions appeared first on unicommerce.com.

These statistics paint a vivid picture of the flourishing e-commerce market, offering opportunities for sellers to establish their presence. This rapid growth of the e-commerce ecosystem has also given rise to multiple marketplaces. Sellers looking to stay competitive should choose the right marketplace for their business.

It is also important to recognize the thriving categories driving this expansion. As of 2023, the top segments capturing the attention of online shoppers in the UAE include Fashion and Apparel, Electronics and Gadgets, Beauty and Cosmetics, Perfumes, Dry Fruits, Baby Products, Health and Wellness, and more. Understanding these popular categories is key to tailoring your business strategy and product offerings to cater to the preferences of the local consumer base. 

So, whether you are an established online retailer or a newcomer looking to venture into the world of e-commerce, this comprehensive guide will serve as your compass, helping you navigate the top marketplaces in the United Arab Emirates. 

Top E-commerce Marketplaces in the UAE

Here are the top e-commerce marketplaces in the UAE offering abundant opportunities for both buyers and sellers:

Amazon

Building on its global reputation, Amazon ventured into the UAE market, offering an expansive range of products and services tailored to the local audience. The online retailer established a presence in the Middle East through the acquisition of Souq.com, which was later rebranded to Amazon.ae for the UAE.

• Commission Structure: Starting from 5% or min 1.0 AED to 15% per item, depending on the product category
• Shipping Mechanism: Amazon UAE operates  on three models: 
• 1. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) model, which allows sellers to store their products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Amazon handles storage, packaging, and shipping. Amazon’s local courier partners include Emirates Post, Aramex, SkyNet, PostaPlus, Shipa, and Naqel. 
  2. Easy Ship model, the orders are picked up from the seller’s location by an Amazon Logistics delivery associate and delivered to the buyers’ doorstep. 
  3. Self-Ship model, which allows sellers to ship products using their own delivery partners. 
• Monthly Web Visitors: Around 16 million 
• Top Selling Categories: Electronics, Beauty, Fashion, and Health 

Amazon has acted as a springboard for numerous businesses in the UAE. A testament to its influence is reflected in the words of Dr. Sakher Al-Amir, Chairman of Kyan Medical, a leading medical distributor in the region, “Since we started selling on Amazon, our sales have increased by eight to nine times.”

Noon 

Founded in 2016, Noon has rapidly grown its presence across the Middle East, with a significant footprint in the UAE. It has become a household name for many consumers looking for a wide range of products. What truly distinguishes Noon is the simplicity and accessibility it offers to sellers. 

Within a mere 48 working hours, individuals from any location can become registered sellers at Noon. Additionally, the payment system is remarkably hassle-free, guaranteeing that revenue is disbursed weekly without any delays or deferred payments.

Noon operates as a multinational marketplace, and UAE constitutes the largest contributor to its Gross Merchandise Value (GMV).

• Commission Structure: Ranging from 4% to 27% per item, depending on the product type
• Shipping Mechanism: Noon operates on two models: 
• 1. Fulfilled by Noon (FBN) or Noon Express allows sellers to store products within Noon’s customer fulfillment centers (CFCs). Opting for FBN means that Noon manages the inventory and handles customer orders, ensuring prompt shipping to customers on the seller’s behalf. Noon also takes care of customer inquiries and returns. All FBN items are prominently labeled as ‘Noon Express,’ allowing customers to filter and identify them easily. FBN is popular among customers due to its promise of delivering orders within 24 hours of purchase.
  2. Fulfilled by Partner (FBP), where sellers retain their inventory in their own location. Sellers accept incoming orders through Noon Seller Lab, prepare the items for shipping, and then hand them over to Noon Logistics, either via pick-up or drop-off at a Noon hub.
• Monthly Web Visitors: Approximately 3.8 million

Multinational companies like El Sewedy recognized the pivotal role that Noon played in their success journey. Ayman Osama, Business Agent at El Sewedy, shared their journey from initially selling five SKUs to now offering well over 200 SKUs from a wide range of globally recognized mobile brands.

Carrefour

Established in the region in 1995 through a strategic partnership with the UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim Group, Carrefour has since become a dominant retail force in over 30 markets across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Carrefour’s unique business model empowers brands to showcase their products across both online and offline platforms. 

By collaborating with Carrefour, brands transition from mere suppliers to strategic partners, amplifying their presence in one of the world’s most dynamic retail landscapes.

• Monthly Web Visitors: Around 1.3 million
• Top Selling Categories: Groceries, Electronics, Clothing, and Household Items

Sharaf DG

Founded in 2005, Sharaf DG is one of the leading electronics retailers in the UAE. With its strong presence both online and offline, Sharaf DG has become a trusted name for consumers looking for electronics, gadgets, and a wide range of other products.

The retailer allows businesses to list their products, giving them complete control over inventory and sales performance. Sellers can work with a fixed margin or a minimum guaranteed margin, and they can monitor the customer journey and product views both online and in physical stores.

• Founded: In 2005
• Monthly Web Visitors: Approximately 1.3 million

DubaiStore

DubaiStore is a unique online marketplace launched by Digital Economy Solutions, a joint venture between Dubai’s Department of Economic Development and Emaratech. Established to support local businesses and SMEs, DubaiStore offers a platform for licensed businesses in the UAE to showcase and sell their products online without the need for individual e-commerce infrastructure.

What sets DubaiStore apart is its commitment to promoting local businesses. It provides a secure and transparent platform for both buyers and sellers, ensuring that all transactions are safe and trustworthy.

• Commission Structure: 4-15% per item, depending on product category
• Shipping Mechanism: DubaiStore has partnered with multiple logistics providers to ensure timely and efficient delivery of products. 
• Monthly Web Visitors: Around 480K
• Top Selling Categories: Electronics, Beauty & Fragrance, Home & Kitchen, and Baby Products

Namshi

Namshi was founded in 2011 and quickly established itself as one of the leading online fashion and beauty marketplaces in the UAE. Headquartered in Dubai, this marketplace primarily focuses on offering a wide range of fashion and lifestyle products. The e-commerce marketplace Noon successfully acquired Namshi, further consolidating its presence in the online retail space. 

Known for its user-friendly website and mobile app, Namshi makes it easy for customers to browse and shop for fashion and lifestyle products. They offered multiple filters and search options to help customers find what they were looking for.

• Commission Structure: 12-16% per item, depending on the product type
• Monthly Web Visitors: Approximately 360K

Let’s Sell Efficiently on the Top E-commerce Marketplaces in the UAE!

UAE’s e-commerce sector is in the midst of an exciting growth phase, presenting a wealth of opportunities for businesses. It’s essential to understand and leverage the potential of the leading e-commerce marketplaces in the country, such as Amazon, Noon, Dubai Store, and more. 

These marketplaces are not only prominent but also highly user-friendly on both Android and iOS platforms. This user-friendliness ensures that your products are readily accessible to a broad audience, making it easier for you to connect with your customers.

However, it is equally important to remember that efficient management of your e-commerce operations is essential for success. Whether you choose any marketplace, leveraging the right technology and logistics providers can streamline your operations and help you make the most of the e-commerce opportunities in the UAE. 

By making informed choices and aligning your business strategy with the right marketplace, you can unlock the vast potential of the e-commerce market in the UAE and position your business for long-term success.

Explore our platforms:

• Integrated logistics management system
• Automated payment reconciliation system

Our Top SaaS Solutions for E-commerce Businesses in the UAE:

• UAE’s Best Warehouse Management System
• UAE’s Highly Sought-After Inventory Management System
• Best Order Management System in the UAE

Related read –

• Multi-Warehouse Management Challenges & Solutions in UAE
• Oryvo achieved Maximized Efficiency and Minimized Workload with Unicommerce
• How Dubai-based Vidiwell achieved 230% sales order growth in 7 months?
• Order, Inventory, and Logistics Management in the UAE – Challenges & Solutions

The post Top E-commerce Marketplaces for Businesses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) appeared first on unicommerce.com.

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From establishing multiple touchpoints across channels to retaining loyal customers to evolving marketing strategies, you have a lot of opportunities lying at your fingertips.

Are you a budding entrepreneur thinking about starting an e-commerce business in the UAE? Or maybe you have an established brick and mortar, but you are finding issues synchronizing your orders and inventory. Or maybe you do have a great online presence, but your operational costs are hampering your ability to grow your bottom line. Well, the answer is to integrate your order, inventory, and logistics in such a way that you not only speed up the inventory turnaround but also synchronize your efforts.

But before that let’s first focus on the current market opportunities and understand the untapped potential for e-commerce businesses in the market!

1. Growing Opportunities for E-commerce Players in the UAE

In the current scenario, the GCC region includes the largest e-commerce penetration rates globally. Not only consumers highly dependent on the upcoming technology systems, but businesses are also leveraging them to build their retail capabilities. 

Coming over to the marketplace platforms in the region. Now, that’s something you, as a seller, can’t afford to miss. Amazon.ae has become the biggest player in the UAE market, followed by Namshi.com and Noon.com. While Amazon has been the greatest e-commerce platform in the area, there are still others that you can definitely leverage, especially if you are a startup and are looking for niche consumers.

As we talk about e-commerce, it would be wrong to leave the logistics as achieving operational excellence is the goal of each e-commerce business. While enhancing the logistics and supply chain management capabilities could be the main focus of the businesses in the region, the new and improved technological methods, such as GPS-driven solutions, RFID tracking, and 3D printing, could be leveraged to support growth and scale business. Moreover, the emergence of shipping providers has empowered SMEs.

Now, the question is how can you actually make the most of these lying opportunities?

Well, it’s understandable that working in sync and optimizing operations has to be the top priority, but what are the actual challenges that work as a roadblock in your e-commerce journey, especially when you are operating in the UAE? Have you ever thought about that? Let’s understand!

2. Challenges associated with Order, Inventory and Logistics in the UAE –

We have seen that e-commerce is growing at an explosive pace in the United Arab Emirates, and people are shifting to online channels, but there are still some challenges that e-commerce businesses face even today. But, first of all, you need to understand that inventory, order, and logistics are correlated to each other. Even if you have mastered any one of these, you won’t be able to amplify business profits because the process will remain incomplete.

Imagine that you have adopted an automated e-commerce inventory management system to get more control & visibility over your inventory. But you are still not able to fulfill orders on time. What could be the reasons?

Maybe your outbound workflow is not strong enough. Or maybe you are not able to assign your orders to shipping providers efficiently. Manual errors could be one of the common problems that companies witness without proper implementation of inventory, order, and logistics systems.

Some of the challenges that you are bound to encounter without a proper inventory, order, and logistics system are:

1. Inventory Management Challenges in the UAE

Businesses in the UAE are experiencing e-commerce inventory management challenges such as keeping the real-time inventory count and maintaining fast stock replenishment. One of the main reasons for the inventory challenges is the obsolete and poor infrastructure of warehouses that are not competent to house the inventory in a systematic way. Moreover, the value chains are complicated in nature and also hinder the growth of e-commerce businesses. Some of the main inventory management problems that people in the UAE face are:

• Unable to keep up with the real-time inventory count
• Hard to maintain the fast stock replenishment
• Difficulty in locating the inventory in the warehouse due to limited visibility
• Problems in consolidation & sorting of inventory due to obsolete warehouse infrastructure
• Witnessing the situations of stockouts amid peak season
• Difficulty in managing the marketplace orders due to poor sync between inventory and online orders

2. Multichannel Order Management Challenges in the UAE

One of the biggest problems in the UAE region is that bulk orders are difficult to route and fulfill. For example; you deal in the online business of fragrances and home aromas. Amid Eid al-Fitr, you come across bulk orders of Oudh. But due to the poor logistics capabilities, you are not able to fulfill them. In the order management process, this kind of problem is generally faced by businesses.  Moreover, handling order returns is yet another issue that e-commerce brands face. Right from assigning the delivery partner for the returns, to hastening the overall process, there are a lot of aspects in reverse logistics that businesses need to gain control of. Some of the main order management challenges that people in the UAE face are:

• Hard to pick & pack optimization of SKUs at the order level
• Difficulty in fulfilling orders faster amid the seasonal demands
• Controlling the quality of the products to avoid delivery of damaged products
• Challenges in aligning the returns management process

3. Logistics Management Challenges in the UAE

The countries in the UAE have the biggest disadvantage of postal codes over any other country. Many countries in the region don’t have postal codes or mail courier systems, which in turn creates a cluster in the minds of the businesses as to what orders need to be delivered in which region. For example, in Dubai, there are no street addresses for retailers to deliver the products, which makes it difficult for them to fulfill the demands of their customers on time. Moreover, e-tailers face difficulties in picking up products from SMEs as they are not much aware of e-commerce and are aligned to rather sell products to physical retail stores.  Some of the main logistics management challenges that people in the UAE face are:

• Difficulty in tracking the order from the fulfillment center to the final destination
• Delay in delivering products due to the lack of postal codes
• Hard to assign deliveries to various shipping providers on the basis of the nature of the order
• Inability to integrate various fulfillment centers & warehouses due to lack of full-stack supply chain solution

3. How Can You Overcome the Challenges in the UAE? Curated E-commerce Management Solutions to Overcome These Problems

In the digital age of technology, it has become increasingly important for you to opt for a technology that can manage and handle your operations with utmost ease. Right from maintaining the track of the inventory to automating the order updates to integrating with the leading logistics players, you can perform an array of tasks.

Let’s hop on and understand the processes and steps to solve the operational challenges in order, inventory and logistics management.

1. Inventory Management Solutions in the UAE

Be it centralizing inventory to analyze the inventory levels and stockouts, or updating the inventory from offline, online, and warehouse in real-time, a centralized Inventory Management System – like Unicommerce – will empower you to understand the depth of multichannel and omnichannel retail. Moreover, with inventory management software you will be able to:

• Assess and update on virtual, and actual stock across multiple sales channels in real-time
• Integrate offline and online inventory seamlessly that eventually gives omnichannel experience to customers
• Monitor stock movements in order to build a steady stock pipeline and disbursement across all the sales platforms
• Synchronize stock automatically in order to ensure accurate stock visibility that eventually improves sales and controls order cancellations
• Rotate stock to address multichannel challenges, such as loss of freshness in the stock, old stock, damage, holding the cost of dead or unmoving stock

2. Order Management Solutions in the UAE

An intelligently deployed multichannel sales tactic doubles up the sales volume with the addition of an order management system. The order fulfillment software enables quick order processing even during the situations – products of mixed prices, and varied nature of orders (fragile/inflammable/expensive).

If you are planning to employ a multichannel order management system, you should opt for a solution like Unicommerce, which ensures a 100% fulfillment rate!

The following are the features that a scalable order management system enables:

• Handle bulk orders; right from the order creation in various internal systems and marketplaces to invoice and label printing and shipping arrangement
• Handle unified orders across all the sales channels to process orders faster while saving your time and resources so that you can focus on your business expansion
• Ensure brand loyalty and grow repeat customers base across multiple touchpoints
• Reduce time in the processing of orders, thereby hastening the reverse logistics process

Apart from that, you should also utilize services such as multi-fulfillment centers (MFC) that are designed and curated to cater to the needs of your customers!

3. Logistics Management Solutions in the UAE

Being one of the crucial tasks in the process of operations management, logistics not only helps you fulfill orders faster, but you can also enhance the customers’ experience with improved delivery services. To manage logistics in the UAE, you need the following listed logistics management solutions:

• Outsource experienced logistics professionals to ensure fast and efficient delivery of orders

  Employ local delivery agents who are familiar with the city’s nooks & crannies so that they can deliver seamlessly in the absence of postal codes

  Leverage marketplace platforms such as noon.com, which has invented a geotagging system that captures the location of the customer automatically

  Join hands with full-stack eCommerce enablement platforms like Unicommerce as they provide logistics integrations with world-class last-mile delivery platforms in the UAE.

  While the e-commerce industry in the UAE is on the brink of a massive shift due to changing consumer preferences, it’s imperative for you as a seller to understand the upcoming challenges & their solutions. Why? Because your operations are the fundamental of your business, and if you brace yourself against all the challenges then you will surely be able to accelerate your business growth, and who ain’t looking for that?

Related read –

• Different Selling Models of Amazon & Noon: How to Handle Selling?
• What are Biggest Business Challenges Faced by UAE’s Fashion and Retail Brands?
• How to Sell on Noon?
• How to Sell on Amazon in the Middle East (The UAE and Saudi Arabia)?

The post Order, Inventory, and Logistics Management in the UAE – Challenges & Solutions appeared first on unicommerce.com.

While buying patterns have changed completely, people’s expectations in regard to online shopping have also elevated. Now you must be thinking about how you can leverage these growth patterns, and deliver the best quality services to your customers while scaling your business to its full potential. 

The best way to align your business with the latest trends while yielding amplified results is that you must start selling on Amazon. 

Why Should You Sell On Amazon In The Middle East? 

Being one of the most popular marketplaces in the entire MENA region, Amazon has not only dominated multiple markets but is also one of the reasons for the increasing demand for online shopping in the region. Moreover, the marketplace has been present in the region after acquiring Souq, which was the best online shopping site in Dubai. 

As the platform has been gaining popularity day by day, research by Podean reflected that Amazon UAEhas clocked around 43.6% of shoppers in 2020 while KSA reflected that Amazon Saudi Arabia is the most popular online retailer with 64% of shoppers shopping daily. With that being said, there are many other benefits that Amazon has over other marketplaces as you get: 

• Fulfillment Support: Having its own fulfillment model, Amazon provides end-to-end logistics support to businesses at an affordable fee. 
• Immediate Exposure: Businesses get immediate access to multiple buyers at a single point in time due to Amazon’s popularity. 
• Promotions and Offers: Amazon keeps on introducing promotional offers and e-commerce businesses selling over it can take the advantage of it. 
• Secured Transactions: Amazon guarantees safe payment processing with its seamless and safe payment infrastructure that allows sellers to sell without any worry of cyber fraud. 
• Multiple Payment Options: Amazon gives a plethora of payment options, including credit cards, bank transfers, e-wallets, invoices, direct debit, etc.
• Simplified Listing: Having an easy-to-use infrastructure, businesses can list their products over the platform with ease. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Seller on Amazon in the Middle East (The UAE & Saudi Arabia)

1. Choose your business type: Before we begin with registration, you must understand that there are two ways through which you can sell on Amazon. You can either sell as a ‘brand owner’ by manufacturing your own product under a private label or you can sell as a reseller by finding the popular products that already exist and listing them over Amazon. 

2. Choose your Fulfillment Strategy: Your next step is to select which fulfillment strategy suits your business the most. Amazon offers two fulfillment strategies: You can either sell on your own while maintaining inventory and delivering products to end-customers, or you can let Amazon take the responsibility of your orders (right from packaging, labeling to picking and shipping) via Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). 

3. Registration Formalities: Now that you have decided to sell across Amazon, your next step is to register on the platform. Amazon offers two models (Professional and Individual), you can choose between the two as per your preference then complete your registration by providing details, including: 

• Email address of business or Amazon customer account  
• Phone number 
• Government-issued national ID (e.g. Emirates ID)
• Bank account number, 
  • For Businesses – Trade License if you are an owner and a Power of Attorney only if you are a legal representative  
  • For Individuals – Either of recent bank account statement, credit card statement or utility bill

Amazon, while gaining great popularity across the Middle East, is offering competitive pricing to the sellers. Find the Fees & Pricing details from here: UAE & KSA

4. Activating Account: After the registration is complete, the Amazon team will verify the documents within 48 hours. After that, you will have the access to your Seller Central account. 

5. List Products using Seller Central: Seller Central is a portal where you can add product information, update inventory, manage payments, and more. Moreover, it’s a place where you list your products.

Amazon has some specific norms and guidelines while listing products. So you must fulfill them before listing your products. 

6. Create Product Detail Page: Your next step is to create a product detail page where your offered details will be displayed. The page includes the title of your product, 3-4 images, any variation in the product available, crisp information about the products in bullet points, and more. 

7. Deliver your Products: Get ready to transport an enhanced customer experience by fulfilling the last step. 

4 Strategic Ways to Increase Your Sales on Amazon in the Middle East

While it is very crucial to learn to sell on the platform, it’s equally important to learn the ways of increasing sales and managing operations. We have culled out a list of a few techniques to grow your e-commerce business with Amazon. Read on!

1. Inventory management

Start with a unified panel that can allow you to manage inventory levels so that you can manage to avoid stockouts while amplifying the business profit margins. Moreover, with a centralized platform like Unicommerce, you can update your stock over Amazon while minimizing order cancellations. 

2. Order management

Allocate orders automatically with order management software to fulfill them quickly. You can also leverage barcode scanning technology to avoid any sort of confusion, eventually reducing both order returns. 

3. Diverse catalog

Add a wide variety of products by leveraging the cutting-edge technology solutions of platforms like Unicommerce that give “catalog manager” to handle multiple catalogs. Moreover, bringing diversity in terms of color, shape, usage, etc., will also enable you to fascinate your customers. 

4. Seamless integrations

Connect with best-in-class service providers, including shipping partners, ERP systems, etc., by integrating your system. Integrations also enable you to simplify routine tasks, such as accounting, and more. 

If you’re serious about scaling your business across the platform, then there’s no better time than now because the Middle East online shopping scenario is growing like never before. While Amazon is the best way to become a successful seller in the area, you must optimize your offerings using the tips we have curates, else, your hard work will go in vain. So, go on and get ready to boost your business in the Middle East with Amazon.

Read how Businesses are growing with Unicommerce –

• How Dubai-based Vidiwell achieved 230% sales order growth in 7 months in the Middle East
• 99.99%+ Fulfillment Rate for the Kuwait-based Platform Toyfull
• How YZ Buyer Demonstrated 2X Growth
• Oryvo Achieved Maximized Efficiency and Minimized Workload with the Robust Technology Solutions

Related read:

• Warehouse Challenges & Problems in Managing Multiple Warehouses in the UAE & Saudi Arabia
• Order, Inventory, And Logistics Management In The UAE – Challenges & Solutions
• Omnichannel Retail Trends in the Middle East
• Different Selling Models of Amazon & Noon: How to Handle Selling?
• UniShip – Advanced Logistics Tracking Platform
• UniReco – Automated Reconciliation of Orders, Returns and Payments
• Key Challenges & Benefits of Marketplace Payment Reconciliation
• Benefits of Shipping Notifications

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