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With so many malls around, do people in the UAE actually shop online?

The UAE occupies the highest place among the Middle East countries in the e-business category. According to a survey, e-commerce activities are the highest in the UAE with around 51 per cent of people utilising e-commerce portals to conduct their commercial transactions.

At what point does the transition from physical to online transactions occur?

The fast conversion of people buying in-store to e-store is something to watch out for in the near future. The many strengths of online shopping have ensured that it is here to stay. One of the reasons people cite in favour of shopping online is that they can review and compare dozens of stores and products at one go.

What is your presence in the UAE?

Awok.com is aiming for 25 per cent of the UAE online retail business. We completed two years in April, witnessing a phenomenal 500 per cent increase in sales.

What are the main challenges in e-shopping?

One of the major problems in online transactions is the high ratio of fraud committed or reported on the internet. In spite of all the steps taken by the government of the UAE and e-commerce companies to safeguard people’s online transactions, there is still a lack of trust in e-business. Also, there are concerns over the inability of many merchants to meet standards of quality and timely delivery of products.