File photo used for representation
Doha: Qatar's e-commerce market indicated steady growth in 2023, boosting its activities. Highlighting its presence in the region, online shopping has continued to be one of the major backbones of the country's economy.
Some of the customers and entrepreneurs who shop on a daily basis spoke to The Peninsula about the convenience and flexibility of purchasing goods online.
“Shopping from the comfort of one's home is my preferred choices for getting things done especially since the beginning of COVID-19,” said, Aisha.
Preferring online over in-store shopping, she says that it enables individuals to buy according to their convenience without much difficulty.
“I do buy mostly online from Lulu, Carrefour, Namshi, and for electronics, maybe Jazp,” Aisha said adding that various products can be surfed with the help of one click away.
“Of course, there are no such obstacles including crowded atmosphere or sales pressure wherein you can purchase them at your own pace. Sometimes you also get discounted or better affordable prices comparatively,” she added.
On one hand, customers argue that the availability of better prices and convenience are the key reasons for online shopping, while on the other hand, e-commerce entrepreneurs in the country claims it benefits the local community and economy.
Valeria Mazzei, 23, Founder and Director at Venus Karma, an online and social media platform for customised products, said: “In terms of the online retail industry, we are trying to fulfill a niche in the market. This is good for a buyer due to the high-quality customisation and easy access to delivering the product.”
Mazzei remarked that 99 percent of the orders come through Venus Karma’s social media pages from countries including Qatar, UAE, Spain, Netherlands, the US, Italy, and the UK among others.
Making a note of the vibrant local community following the latest trends, Valeria said, “I noticed that in Qatar, the young generation really want to continue buying on social media for their convenience and customer service.”
Having partnered with Qatar Foundation (QF), the social media retailer offers senior jackets to students in the universities. She noted that “Venus Karma was one of the first retailers to create a trend based on customised street wear including a lot of uniforms designed and provided for QF Gyms, cafes, and digital companies.”
The sales and revenue of the Qatari-based firm made a stronger and more positive impact during the first quarter of 2023 than in earlier years. Commenting on the development, Mazzei said that “We have reached a very high standard of streetwear that was sold outside of Qatar. This is also one of our unique selling points because of our high-quality materials that can be customised.”
Mazzie highlighted the firm’s plans and objectives to expand its presence in the GCC market to facilitate its’ regular customers based in those countries.
She said: “Our consumers are 99 percent of Qataris ranging from age 16 to 35. This is because the nature of the product is really flexible in addition to using it on different occasions while delivering products across Qatar and other gulf countries.”
“My wish is definitely to have more pop-ups to connect with people hosting spaces and activations in Qatar. It will also gather the people together in order to drive e-commerce engagement,” she added.
