By Bahaa Awad, director of technology and consulting, Interesting Times
The e-commerce market in the MENA region was estimated to be $28.5bn in 2020 and is projected to grow to $48.6bn by 2025 at a compound annual growth rate of 18.8 per cent.
Do you want to learn how brands are interacting with their changing audience in the region this Ramadan? Watch business leaders from brands and agencies come together and discuss how they engage with audiences and the evolving advertising landscape during Ramadan. Click here to book your seat!
Successful omnichannel strategies boost revenue up to four times. They have three things in common: excellent customer experience, mobile friendliness and a unique product offering.
It pays to reimagine businesses in the digital space with quick commerce, a type of e-commerce platform that allows businesses to set up and manage an online store quickly.
Before the advent of quick commerce platforms, setting up an online store typically required significant technical expertise and could be time-consuming and costly. Quick commerce platforms have made it much easier for anyone to set up and manage an online store even with little technical expertise. This is a significant advantage for businesses that do not have the resources to hire a dedicated IT team.
Quick commerce platforms make it easy for businesses of all sizes to sell products and services online, helping to drive the growth of e-commerce.
There are several advantages to using a quick commerce platform including:
Ease of use: Quick commerce platforms are designed to be easy to use even for those with little to no technical expertise. This means that businesses can set up and manage their online store without the need for specialised knowledge or technical skills.
Time-saving: With a quick commerce platform, businesses can set up their online store in a matter of hours or days rather than the weeks or months it might take to build a custom website from scratch.
Cost-effectiveness: Quick commerce platforms can be more cost-effective than building a custom website as they often offer a range of features and tools at a lower price point.
Scalability: Quick commerce platforms are designed to handle a wide range of products and sales volumes, making it easy for businesses to scale up as they grow.
Integration with other tools: Many quick commerce platforms offer integration with other tools and platforms such as accounting software and marketing tools, which can help businesses streamline their operations and save time.
Customer support: Most quick commerce platforms offer excellent customer support so you can get help whenever you need it.
Managing a quick commerce platform requires a diverse range of skills and resources. To succeed, you will need to invest in a team and have the technical and marketing skills necessary to set up and run an online store.
The team depends on the size and complexity of your online store. A small store with just a few products may only require one or two people to manage it, while a larger store with a wider range of products and more advanced features may require a larger team. Ultimately, the size of your team will depend on the available resources and the level of support you need to manage your online store effectively.
To set up and manage your online store, you will need a certain level of technical proficiency. This may include tasks such as setting up payment gateways, integrating with other systems and managing web hosting. If you do not have these skills yourself, you may need to hire someone with technical expertise to help you.
In addition to technical skills, you will also need marketing and sales skills to succeed with an online store. This may include copywriting, social media marketing and customer service skills. You may need to hire a team with the following skill sets:
Data: By collecting and analysing data about your customers, sales and website traffic, you can make informed decisions about how to optimise your online store. For example, you can use data to identify which products are most popular and tailor your marketing efforts accordingly. You can also use data to identify and fix any issues with your website such as slow loading times or broken links.
CRO: Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) involves using data and insights to optimise your website for conversions. This can include tactics such as improving the design and layout of your website, testing different calls to action and optimising the checkout process. By using CRO techniques, you can increase the number of visitors who complete a purchase on your website.
CRM: Customer relationship management (CRM) is the process of managing and nurturing customer relationships. By using a CRM system, you can easily track and manage customer interactions including sales, support and marketing activities. This can help you build stronger relationships with your customers and improve customer loyalty.
SEO: Search engine optimisation (SEO) involves optimising your website to rank highly in search engine results for relevant keywords. This can help you attract more qualified traffic to your website and increase the chances of making a sale. By using SEO techniques, you can improve the visibility of your online store and drive more organic traffic to your website.
Finally, providing excellent customer service is crucial to the success of an online store. You will need to be able to respond promptly to customer inquiries and handle any issues that arise.
