While businesses in the UAE are pioneering in certain fields such as oil and tourism, e-commerce in the Emirates is still lagging behind other places, partly because of security concerns and partly because of a lack of awareness of local e-retailers.
When I launched my online fashion boutique, the first questions that my friends asked me were: "How do customers pay for your products?" and "don't you think it's better if you had your own physical store?"
Their concerns represented those of the UAE public. People still think twice before submitting their credit card information online and prefer to view an item before purchasing it.
"I don't buy anything online anymore. My friend once ordered an Xbox from eBay, and they literally delivered to him an empty box without the device," says Ali Mohammed.
Not operating a physical store had its ups for a new entrepreneur such as I.
I did not have to worry about Abu Dhabi's high rents, employee wages or municipality taxes. Instead, I put that money towards improving my designs.
In fact, I have a global presence. I operate my store from basically anywhere that has an internet connection, enabling me to reach millions of potential customers with a mouse click.
As nice as that may sound, it also came with baggage.
Two weeks after launching my store last year, I received numerous e-mails from potential customers requesting appointments to view my designs before purchasing them. Scheduling appointments was a hassle, as some customers did not reside in Abu Dhabi, while others asked if I could meet them in a public place to show my work.
Operating from home had its disadvantage: potential customers were reluctant to come to my majlis and view the designs, and so many of them turned away.
However, only short months later, I overcame that challenge. My line was carried in fashion boutiques across the Gulf region, which made it easier for my clients to go to those stores and physically inspect my work.
In addition, that also provided me an opportunity to reach other customers who were loyal to those boutiques.
Other difficulties aside, providing the most trusted payment method has been the most vital challenge that I and other owners of small online businesses have faced. I knew that to gain customers I should provide a highly secure, world renowned payment vehicle and assure shoppers that they could exchange their purchases or get refunds.
Owning an account at Barclays Bank in England made it easier for me to register for a business account on the trusted online payment site PayPal, which was still not available for business sellers with UAE bank accounts.
The payment process was simple. International customers, submitted their credit card details to PayPal via its secure payment page. PayPal deducted a small fee and transferred the customer's payment to me.
Once I received an order notification via e-mail, I processed it and shipped the item within a maximum of two days.
Still, I knew that some customers would be hesitant about trusting PayPal and that others simply did not know about online payments. I had to provide alternative methods.
For UAE and GCC customers, I provided the option of paying upon delivery of the product, a service offered by Aramex mailing service.
Domestic and international customers could safely send their payments to my business account via Western Union.
The availability of multiple payment choices aided me in attracting different types of customers and showed them that their preferred payment choices were of paramount importance to me.
Though my business is successful relative to its size, there remain challenges that I cannot overcome.
I miss out on customers in other GCC countries where boutiques do not carry my line. Many of those potential customers are reluctant to shop for a product they have not seen and would rather wait till they visit the UAE to view my work.
Luckily, I have overcome many difficulties.
Hurdles such as frail technological infrastructure, weak technological culture and awareness among UAE buyers who still opt for international e-retailers, and a shortage of trained personnel to operate online stores are only a few concerns raised by my fellow business owners, many of whom believe it is still riskier to establish an online business in the UAE than in the US.
Currently, most e-commerce in the UAE is business-to-business, with only a few retailers, such as the furniture store Ikea, establishing an online presence.
Owners of small businesses should have a bit more faith when planning their online presence. Providing a refund and exchange policy and a secure payment method is more likely to attract customers to an online store.
Owners should also not forget to advertise, using new media platforms as well as traditional ones, and their ads should highlight "secure payment methods" and "refund policy".
Everything new takes a while for customers to get acquainted with. It is only a matter of time before UAE customers get on the e-commerce wagon, especially when the products and the process are worth it.
Manar Al Hinai, an Emirati, is a fashion designer and writer based in Abu Dhabi. She was recently named an Arab Woman of the Year.