The UAE's Landmark Group is looking to boost its online sales by introducing more of its brands and shops to the Middle East e-commerce market.
The company, which in December launched e-commerce sites for three of its retail brands, Emax, Babyshop and Splash, is focusing on the online world to drive growth.
"The plan is to put all our retail businesses online," said Savitar Jagtiani, the business head of e-commerce at the Landmark Group on the sidelines of the Arabnet Digital Summit in Beirut.
"We are in it for the long run. It is about growing the online side in parallel with the offline. We have 17 retail businesses and 25 customer facing brands in total and we've taken the first three online right now." Landmark Group has 1,500 stores across 19 territories with brands such as Centrepoint, Iconic and Home Centre under its umbrella.
About 20 per cent of the traffic to the chain's three websites comes via Facebook and the company is keen to integrate social media into its online strategy.
The conversion rate - that is, the number of people who visit the site and buy a product - is still low for Landmark Group.
"The most successful internet retailers have a conversion rate of 3.22 per cent for 2012-2013 and that is definitely an aspirational conversion rate to work towards to over time," Mr Jagtiani said.
Currently the three websites are available only to customers in the UAE, but the group has plans to open them up to a wider regional audience.
"One of the pan-regional challenges is methods of payment. Online payment in some countries is not as popular and cash on delivery is more dominant, which has its own risks," Mr Jagtiani said.
Return rates for goods bought through an online transaction are about 2 per cent at the moment, whereas return rates for cash-on-delivery items can be as high as 20 per cent.
thamid@thenational.ae
The National photo project
Chris Whiteoak, a photographer at The National, spent months taking some of Jacqui Allan's props around the UAE, positioning them perfectly in front of some of the country's most recognisable landmarks. He placed a pirate on Kite Beach, in front of the Burj Al Arab, the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland at the Burj Khalifa, and brought one of Allan's snails (Freddie, which represents her grandfather) to the Dubai Frame. In Abu Dhabi, a dinosaur went to Al Ain's Jebel Hafeet. And a flamingo was taken all the way to the Hatta Mountains. This special project suitably brings to life the quirky nature of Allan's prop shop (and Allan herself!).
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Dr Graham's three goals
Short term
Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines
Intermediate term
Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations
Long term
A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness
Series result
1st ODI Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets
2nd ODI Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
3rd ODI Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets
4th ODI Zimbabwe won by 4 wickets
5th ODI Zimbabwe won by 3 wickets
Day 1, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Sadeera Samarawickrama set pulses racing with his strokeplay on his introduction to Test cricket. It reached a feverish peak when he stepped down the wicket and launched Yasir Shah, who many regard as the world’s leading spinner, back over his head for six. No matter that he was out soon after: it felt as though the future had arrived.
Stat of the day - 5 The last time Sri Lanka played a Test in Dubai – they won here in 2013 – they had four players in their XI who were known as wicketkeepers. This time they have gone one better. Each of Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva, Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis, and Niroshan Dickwella – the nominated gloveman here – can keep wicket.
The verdict Sri Lanka want to make history by becoming the first team to beat Pakistan in a full Test series in the UAE. They could not have made a better start, first by winning the toss, then by scoring freely on an easy-paced pitch. The fact Yasir Shah found some turn on Day 1, too, will have interested their own spin bowlers.
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
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THE SPECS
Jaguar F-Pace SVR
Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 680Nm
Price: Dh465,071
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
