Taking your business online is no more a strategic decision on whether to be the first mover or a fast follower in the online market. Those days are far gone by, unless your products are super niche or you are catering to a remote area where internet is still in the flourishing stage. For businesses in internet-connected-cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and various others, moving your business online is all about sustaining their business, even as a ‘late entrant’ to the online landscape.
In any business, at any time, the mantra is the same – ‘be where your customers are’. In earlier times, the customers were completely offline and loved to hop from store to store searching for the product they want. Not anymore! The below info graphic and the various other findings show that people spent a substantial amount of time online and that their purchase preferences are highly internet driven, especially with the flourishing of internet, smart phones and ecommerce portals. In this scenario, having an online presence is no more a luxury for businesses, but a mere necessity for survival.
If you’re a UAE or Middle East based business operating completely offline, below are a few important statistics that’ll tell you why it’s high time for you to have an online presence. While it’s true that you may not have the first mover advantage, there’s still a great economic opportunity as a fast follower or a late entrant to the market.
