What Steps to Follow Before Starting an Ecommerce Business in Dubai?

It goes needless to mention how bright the future is for e-commerce businesses in Dubai. As for the world, e-commerce revenues are predicted to double in the next two years. And within the rapidly-developing nations like North Africa and the Middle set, Emirates takes pride in being home to the largest B2C e-commerce market. Dubai’s e-commerce business is also set to grow in double digits, thanks to millions of active internet users and an internet penetration rate of about 96.4%.

For those planning on setting up an eCommerce business in Dubai, here are some of the basic steps that you should abide by to stay relevant in the market.

You must first start with determining your business activity as per your needs. The DED offers a massive list of 2,000 activities that Dubai permits. What more? You can also get additional approvals if a few of them aren’t written in the list.

Your business location can be either a free trading zone or even a mainland region, as per your preference. For an e-commerce company set up in Dubai, you might require a legal address. Bear in mind that every location-based in Dubai has its exclusive benefits and restrictions.

You must name your company and get it registered for your business formation in Dubai. When naming your company, you should be following all the convention guidelines that come with naming your company. Dubai imposes certain rules for a trading name that the city expects you to follow. For your business name, try staying away from obscene words and controversial terms that can trigger insults.

Once you have finished completing all the mentioned steps, you must think of obtaining a valid e-commerce license in Dubai for an e-commerce business company set up in Dubai. Every entrepreneur for e-commerce business operation in Dubai needs to have a valid license for smooth business operation in the country sans any compliance issue.

Figure out and Decide What is the best thing to Sell?

UAE is already home to reputed e-commerce giants operating there for years, so when thinking of launching your e-commerce business there, you need to think carefully regarding what to sell and offer to your clients that shall stand apart. If you already own trading business, you might want to think if online selling of products would look favourable or if becoming a reseller will fetch you more credits. 

For your trading company to expand and transform into an online marketplace, you must start selling your products online. If you have decided to establish your e-commerce business in Dubai as a reseller, make sure to first figure out the products and services that you would be bringing to the table.

According to the law, only UAE nationals can carry out their commercial business activities in the UAE mainland. So, if you have already collaborated with a local sponsor for your LLC company, then the process involving obtaining a mainland e-commerce license in Dubai should be simple. As for the free zone business formation in Dubai, you also have to partner for logistical activities; cleaning of delivery services and imported goods for instance.

The primary medium for e-commerce is the digital platform or the website where the products are put up along with their descriptions and specifications followed by customer’s review and feedback for the buyers to understand and make the right purchase. Henceforth, to build a successful e-commerce business, you might have to include certain elements like:

• Ratings and feedbacks

• Contact details

• Zoom feature to view the products properly

• Shipping details

• Product images along with categorisation

• Offers, discounts, and bestsellers displayed on the homepage

• Customer registration

The majority of the e-commerce business setup in Dubai will happen digitally, hence you must have the best solution for all your monetary transactions. Neither you nor your customers would love the idea of getting hacked or losing their precious money. Therefore, you need to partner with a trustworthy banking partner for the same. Additionally, you also have to create a safe payment gateway that shall offer easy payment options for your clients. Several banks also provide tailor-made packages for their e-commerce companies.

For those preferring online sites to sell their products, you must have a spacious facility, unless of course your company is a small start-up and you are largely inspired by the top businesses who kickstarted their entrepreneurship journey from cramped and small garages. For an e-commerce company set up in Dubai, you can either lease a warehouse or own it completely. An e-commerce business just like all other businesses should have a proper address for a smooth and hassle-free license procedure and company registration.

This is the most integral aspect that ensures hassle-free business transactions; starting from on-time delivery of products to import. 

When you are setting up an e-commerce business in Dubai, you have to consider post-sales services as well. And to pull this off easily, you must learn the art of dealing with negative feedback, complaints, and the toughest of queries from clients. For this service, you can prefer choosing your in-house team or you can also outsource the job. 

Preparing to establish an e-commerce business in Dubai isn’t only complicated but also time-consuming. However, Dubai Business Setup is there as a pioneering consultancy company that can help you to cater to your business needs with ease and with sheer professionalism by aiding you to pick the best jurisdiction and by supporting you to meet your banking requirements. The comprehensive business assistance can help you set up a successful e-commerce business in Dubai in the most hassle-free manner. 

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