Dubai: Online shopping platform Idealz, that has reimagined the shopping experience, celebrated its 1,000th winner this month in just two years of operations. The Dubai-based app has gained loyal, local and international, patrons and has since transformed the lives of many with its unique value-adding formula that goes beyond regular discounts and promotional business tactics used by many e-commerce stores.
Founders Jad Toubayly and Easa Al Gurg launched the innovative trade model in 2018 with the aim to convert a unique shopping experience into an opportunity to give back to customers and change lives. The e-commerce store stacks its products into campaigns with limited quantity items attached to luxury prizes.
There are five campaign categories to select from: cash and gold, jewellery and watches, cars, electronics and lifestyle. With each product sold, the customer is awarded a complimentary coupon to the prize draw. Today, the homegrown concept has gained an immense number of customers across 154 countries, and has given away over an astonishing Dh24million worth of prizes, which includes three Mercedes G63s, eight Suzuki Jimnys, two Nissan Patrols, and seven other cars from Mercedes and Alfa Romeo, 21 VIP license plates, 28 luxury watches and over 250 electronics bundles amongst a variety of other prizes.
Win great prizes
The platform currently offers its users the chance to win more elusive prizes such as yet another Mercedes G63, a Ford F-150 Raptor, the all-new Land Rover Defender and a fully-furnished studio apartment in Business Bay.
Jad and Easa’s out-of-the-box thinking has contributed to the success of Idealz, allowing them to engineer a formula that works for everyone, and something that was not already available in the market.
Idealz’ popularity has been brought on by its compelling proposition for the customer. It does not follow the traditional online shopping model of ”selecting items, putting them into the cart, completing the checkout and getting the items delivered” -- the journey at Idealz goes beyond that, translating into an exciting experience keeping shoppers on their toes. The primary aim of the business was to create widespread value by designing an incentive structure so compelling that a single transaction could not only make the user happy, but also those less fortunate around the world.
Rewards come with risks
“Typically, with new business ventures, plans change along the way. We are proud to see that Idealz’ mission and vision has remained on track since its inception in 2016, when myself and Easa simply sketched the business model on the back of an envelope. Adding value above and beyond the traditional transaction is what we strive for. Rewards only come with risks, and we’re pleased to see our incentive-driven concept reach its 1,000th winner by breaking bounds in the realm of e-commerce, changing the lives of both customers and less fortunate communities in great ways, and further fuelling our desire to go against the grain,” said co-founder Jad Toubayly.
Idealz’ core mission of changing lives is not limited to their loyal customers. Last year, Idealz expanded its partnership with Dubai Cares, a philanthropic organization part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, to include the building of schools in underdeveloped countries. The collaboration will lead to the building of six to twelve schools per year from the Dubai Cares list of countries in which it operates, three of which have already been funded and are in the construction phase. Placing value propositions on par with social responsibility, Idealz allows customers to choose to donate their purchased items to charity, which grants them an additional complimentary coupon to the prize draw, thus potentially doubling their chances of winning. Through an optional buy back scheme with Dubai Cares, Idealz then uses the funds towards their philanthropic school-building project.
“They say that if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for life. Access to quality primary education is key in helping communities better their lives, and every individual should have a passion to participate in whichever form, big or small. Idealz not only practices this, but also instils this in customers, giving them the option to donate purchases. We’re also looking at expanding our social footprint, specifically for educational causes,” explained Toubayly.
User-friendly app
User-friendly and customer-rewarding, the app grants customers a coupon into a specific prize draw with every purchase of the self-branded garment or stationery. With over 20 draws taking place per week, app users have the chance to win from five campaign categories: cars, watches, cash, electronics and lifestyle. Currently, their latest prize campaigns offer users the chance to become a landlord, drive their dream car or upgrade their lifestyle overnight, and change their lives forever.
