SMEs and local food producers to get support from noon.com to drive online sales

Khalifa Fund and noon partner on programme to back small businesses in Abu Dhabi during the pandemic

The UAE is home to over 24,000 farms, according to Adio, which is allocating funds to accelerate innovation in local agriculture. Victor Besa / The National

Small Emirati-owned businesses will soon be able to sell their products on noon.com, under a new partnership between the online marketplace and Khalifa Fund for Economic Development.

The agreement aims to offer a helping hand to small businesses looking to break the e-commerce market in the UAE.

Startups and local entrepreneurs in Abu Dhabi will benefit from a host of benefits as part of the initiative.

Those who sign up will be given immediate access to noon’s millions of customers as well as discounted rates on online market space.

Participating small and medium-sized enterprises will be offered a two-month commission-free period for online sales on the website and will get one per cent credit back on their sales for three months.

Local farms that promote home-grown UAE produce will also be allocated dedicated space on the popular ‘noon Daily’ grocery delivery service, where customers can shop their fruits and vegetables to help drive sales online.

As part of the e-Empower programme, which was set up by the Khalifa Fund last month, experts from noon.com will also provide one-on-one training to Emirati micro-businesses looking to upscale their online customer reach.

From support with content creation, getting the most out of analytics and help with marketing campaigns, they will learn how to stay afloat during economic instability.

There will be a dedicated section on noon.com to give special visibility to e-Empower companies.

An intensive marketing campaign will also be co-created between noon.com and the Khalifa Fund to propel sales.

Local businesses can apply to participate in the programme via noon.com.

Consumer habits around the world have been affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.

As people spend more time at home, they have increasingly turned to online shopping, hastening the growth of e-commerce in the region.

In June, a study by Dubai Police, Dubai Economy and Visa, showed that 48 per cent of consumers planned on increasing their use of online payments with cards or digital wallets for future e-commerce purchases, even after the Covid-19 pandemic subsides.

In Abu Dhabi, SMEs account for 98 per cent of all companies making them a key pillar of the emirate’s economy.

As such, the UAE capital recently announced various measures to support and develop SMEs, including economic relief packages during the pandemic.

Speaking to The National, Mouza Al Nasri, chief executive of Khalifa Fund said the collaboration with noon.com would help small businesses thrive in a digital consumer landscape.

"The onset of the current health pandemic has had an impact on the way people shop and over the past few months we have seen positive trends in the e-commerce sector,” she said.

“With this initiative our objective is to transform adversity into opportunity and support and develop the spirit of entrepreneurship in Abu Dhabi.

“Collaborating with an industry giant like noon, a company which has high penetration in the e-commerce market, will create a huge advantage for hundreds of SMEs.”

Mohamed Alabbar, founder of noon, said the new partnership would act as a support system for small businesses.

“The noon.com partnership with the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development is an important step in the safeguarding of our digital landscape for future generations,” he said.

“We must give our local SMEs, the ones who have been on the frontline, the best tools to thrive.

"E-empower companies will grow with noon, expanding their reach to millions of customers in the region."