The Middle East, especially the Gulf region is one of the fastest-growing e-commerce markets in the entire world. The region benefits from high spending potential, as the region boasts of a high per capita income. Internet and social media penetration are also some of the best in the world, a good indication that the Middle East is ripe for online business.
Although nowhere near as developed as the markets in the US and Europe, Middle East is experiencing an undeniable boom. Change in buying behavior is seen lately with consumers preferring local brands. This results to huge potential for e-commerce profit in 2021 for online sellers especially the ones leveraging Amazon and Noon platforms among many others.
So what are the best strategies for sellers to penetrate Amazon and Noon in the Middle East? We have listed down some of the useful tips to help you become a pro seller:
BUILD A BRAND – Sure building a brand isn’t a walk in the park. For new brands that are unknown to shoppers, exposure and building credibility is a struggle but the good news is most e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Noon have massive traffic and following on a daily basis. This gives both new and established brands have the opportunity to gain brand exposure equally. Aside from that, the ability of buyers to leave a review on your product is a game changer. The key is to build brand with good quality, upgraded features, provide color/variations (if possible) and of course, competitive pricing. Sellers should also spend time coming up a brand name that makes sense and has a nice ring to it along with designing a logo. Create something simple and clean but relatable and you’re good to go.
KICK ASS IMAGE AND CONTENT LISTING – Images and content listing on e-commerce platforms are very important, it can make or break a product. It’s important to highlight the product features and articulately write descriptions in bullet points along side a crisp product image. Remember, your products are online and buyers don’t get to touch it or try it personally, you need to be very accurate and convincing with your listing as much as possible. Give your buyers the look and feel even when they’re buying your products in front of their screens.
COMPETITIVE PRICING - Keeping the break-even point in mind, sellers can adjust prices up and down, and watch the impact on sales. With proper tracking, brand owners will identify the best price that allows the best ratio of product sales to profits. Remember, in market places such as Amazon and Noon, you’re competing with thousands of products, one of the best ways to attract your niche is your price point.
KEYWORDS = RAKING & VISIBILITY- there’s a lot of stuff you need to do to be found in the algorithms when people search about your product, one of the most important things is Keywords. Relevant keywords should be spread at the back of your listing so that people can actually find you. You don’t need thousands of keywords; you just need the most accurate and relevant keywords that describes your product that way it’s easier to baby sit these keywords when you run a PPC campaign.
BUILD SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES - Facebook and Instagram among others play a role in building and creating brand awareness, especially for newly launched products. Across the Middle East, Instagram has 63 million users in total, representing about 10% of global users for the platform – an impressive feat given that, population-wise, the Middle East makes up only 3%. Leveraging on social media will also help you find and position your products to your niche using user demography and many other data that these platforms have.
Try implementing our tips today and scale your e-commerce business.
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