The Changing Face of E-Commerce in Qatar

In line with Qatar’s National Vision 2030 we have seen huge growth and opportunities in E-Commerce from 8 years ago.

Previously only large companies could afford to invest in the online platforms and even more importantly the Banking backend. This has dramatically changed with the rise of numerous players in the local market – Qatar’s’ equivalent to Strip or PayPal.

Why is this important?
“The e-commerce sector in Qatar is expected to grow from QAR 4.7 billion (US $1.3 billion) to QAR 12 billion (US $3.2 billion) by 2022. Buyers in Qatar spend on average US $260 per transaction. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, popular categories for online purchases included travel, electronics, carry-out food orders, and taxis/transportation. In Qatar, 87% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) accept credit cards, which are widely used in Qatar.

With lengthy closures of brick-and-mortar stores and malls due to Covid-19, e-commerce has suddenly gone from a convenient shopping alternative to a necessity, creating unprecedented and immediate opportunities for growth in a market where e-commerce was already taking off. While e-commerce was primarily an alternative for electronics, airline travel, taxi/transportation services, and prepared food delivery purchases before Covid-19, consumers in Qatar are leveraging their devices and tech savviness to seek a far wider variety of products through e-commerce. In response, retailers in Qatar are urgently exploring new operational areas to offer better consumer experiences online, both to adapt to these new demands and to survive the sharp downturn in retail sales during Covid-19. For instance, several brick-and-mortar retailers are currently seeking ways to offer online grocery shopping with same-day or overnight delivery. In addition, Covid-19 has accelerated the shift to digital banking, prompting financial institutions in Qatar to focus urgently on updating their digital platforms to better serve clients.” (Source: ITA USA– )

How does this help you as a company?
This can lead to increased sales as well as increased customer satisfaction.

For a services firm:
As an example we completed an Online Zoom Conferencing system for a Law Firm. This enables both new and existing clients to book a meeting either online or in person with a lawyer – and enables payment to be taken at the point of booking. The case history is automatically updated as more meetings are added and additional documentation is submitted

In addition we designed it so that the Law firm can also sent payment links to clients upon request – making it easier for both the client and the law firm. This has increased sales by 25% over the year and kept them operating throughout Covid restrictions.

For a company selling products:

We completed online sales system for a Tech firm – this allows their clients to directly purchase products and services which are then sourced around the world and delivered locally- we integrated a full blown supplier ordering system and payments system. Their client are happy to be able to order hard to get IT equipment with a minimum of hassle and allows the tech firm to receive the payments accordingly.

So what do these type of services/websites typically cost?
For a straight forward E-Commerce website pricing starts at approximately QAR8000 depending on the complexity and languages added (English and Arabic or others) with normally about 1.5% to 3% to the local payment provider.

For something more bespoke prices start at approximately QAR 10 000 depending on the complexity.

If you are interested in finding out more please email us at: info@zentech-it.com