The Mena region's e-commerce market is set to double by 2021, but shopping destinations like the Dubai Mall are unlikely to disappear any time soon. Reem Mohammed / The National
The Mena region's e-commerce market is set to double by 2021, but shopping destinations like the Dubai Mall are unlikely to disappear any time soon. Reem Mohammed / The National

High Noon for online shopping in the Middle East



It seems that 2017 will be a watershed year for online shopping in the UAE. After a long period of silence, Noon, the $1bn e-commerce startup backed by Emaar Properties chairman Mohamed Alabbar, finally opened for business in the UAE, selling a range of goods that include electronics, groceries, fashion and home and kitchen products.

Noon's launch in the UAE  –  to be followed by a Saudi launch in the coming weeks -  comes a month after the sale of Amazon products in the country for the first time via Souq.com, which Amazon acquired in March.

Neither services is going to put the country’s bricks and mortar retailers out of business any time soon, given the centrality of malls in the UAE’s social and economic culture. Old shopping habits are unlikely to change overnight.

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But the arrival of two heavyweights like Noon and Amazon promises to kick start e-commerce in a big way in the region; BMI Research forecasts that the region’s online retail market, while still small compared with the rest of the world, will double in size to $48.8 billion by 2021.

Retail is just one sector in the UAE’s economy that is undergoing a transformation as a result of disruptive digital technology.  Mashreq yesterday announced the launch of its online-only Mashreq Neo banking service, targeted at millennials, which does away with the need for physical branches and branch staff. Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, the bank’s chief executive, last month said the bank plans to shed 10 per cent of its workforce over the next year.

Du and Etisalat have also launched digital only offerings, in the form of Virgin Mobile and Swyp respectively. Such services are designed not only to appeal to young and digital savvy customers, but also to see whether such digital only products can point to savings elsewhere in the telcos’ business lines.

Such a trend will significantly impact jobs, the consequences of still yet to be determined, both in the the Middle East and beyond. But for now the region's customers can celebrate the launch of Noon and other services that promise a more convenient and less expensive shopping experience.

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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The Saga Continues

Wu-Tang Clan

(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)

Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species

Camelpox

Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.

Falconpox

Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.

Houbarapox

Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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