Survey reveals customer service and pricing key drivers for shopping online in UAE

The survey, titled 'JadoPado's Anatomy of E-commerce in the UAE' , delved into consumers online shopping habits such as what people typically purchase and what time of the day they like to shop. Among the respondents who had shopped online before, consumer electronics were the most common online purchase (85% of respondents), followed by travel and event tickets (58%), and software and applications (49%). In addition, the typical e-commerce shopper preferred shopping in the later hours of the day, with the majority of respondents making purchases between 4 pm to 12 am. The online consumer is also after instant gratification, with 50% of respondents expecting delivery within three days and a further 24% wanting their products to arrive within 24 hours of purchase.

Commenting on the survey findings, Omar Kassim, Founder of JadoPado said: "The survey underlines how consumers today are very discerning. Not only are they looking online for alternatives for the best deals, they are demanding great customer service as well. In order to capture the attention and wallet of online consumers, it is essential for e-commerce businesses to offer high quality experiences that combine top-notch customer service, competitive pricing and speedy delivery."

E-commerce spending in the region continues to grow rapidly, with a study by Visa valuing the market at approximately $5bn across the GCC during 2011 with the UAE constituting $2bn of this online spend. Credit card payment remains the most common form of online payment (75% of respondents), with cash on delivery being the second most common mode of payment for e-commerce purchases (55% of respondents).

While most respondents to the survey had bought at least one item online in the last 12 months, a small proportion (13%) acknowledged that they have yet to experience online shopping. Security and the inability to touch and test products prior to purchase were highlighted as the primary reasons for not doing so. However, an encouraging sign for the e-commerce market in the region is that a majority of these respondents (81%) intend to shop online in the next 12 months.

"This is an incredibly exciting time for the e-commerce market in the Middle East and the UAE. There is no question that awareness of the availability of advanced security and payment methods in the region's online space is growing. In the meantime, it is important to recognize that offering different modes of payments such as cash on delivery can speed uptake in the e-commerce market," Omar Kassim added.