Breaking barriers in retail

The site is a venture between Jashanmal & Son and American Express® Middle East, and the team states that innovation is the key to preventing the retail scene from becoming static.

The new site, which means "gift" in Arabic, is more than just an online shopping directory, stressed Bharat Jashanmal, managing director of the new business. "Hadiaya.com is already plugging a gap in the retail sector, thanks to the novelty collection of products and services available online.

"The idea behind Hadaiya.com is to provide something out of the ordinary. We have sourced products from around the world that are difficult to find - collectibles and special purchases that would be difficult to find in a Middle East shopping mall."

According to Jashanmal, one reason why the site has proved popular is because each item has an interesting story behind it - so each product page features the people behind the product. "The entrepreneurs behind these products all have their own stories to tell - and we are telling them online.

"We've chosen this route because, let's face it, it adds to the collectibility of the products, which is enhanced because they are only available in small numbers for a short period of time."

Trevor Stokes, President and CEO of American Express Middle East and North Africa, said: "We are showcasing gadgets, gifts and gizmos that will make hours of window shopping obsolete. Now, you can stock up on gifts for all your loved ones with the click of a mouse - and guarantee that the gifts get there on time!"

Some of the highlights include a travelling humidor, sterling silver computer mouse, sculpted stereo speakers and an Underwater Scooter.

"The site is probably best summed up by saying they are must-have items that make life easier," said Stokes. "I defy anyone to surf the site and not find a suitable gift - including a virtual shopping cart of gadgets and gizmos for an executive lifestyle."

Shopping has always been part of the culture, and Middle East residents enjoy the sensory experience of shopping, but Jashanmal believes these real-time browsers will be as active online.

He said: "Web users also enjoy the sensory - albeit different senses - of browsing and shopping online.

"If the Hadaiya.com products can't be found at a mall, consumers will be only too happy to explore the online option, and will, hopefully, be surprised and delighted by the site, which is retail to a different level."

He stressed that Jashanmal & Sons had been looking to branch into online retail "for as long as the concept has been feasible and the market has been ready". With 20 months of work chalked up into the creation of Hadaiya.com, he believes that the venture puts him at the forefront of retail development.