With the advent of eCommerce in every segment of the world, the markets in UAE were to follow the same course. The big questions was when the big movers caterging to both Consumers and Business will follow suite. This question remained un-answered for me for a long time as I was keeping an eye on the very fast moving segment of Office Automation. 

With more and more people lookin towards the Internet to search for the solution to their needs, there was a huge gap in the market of Office Automation, Electronic and Gaming products online. 

The very first player to emerge in the segement was a website know as DubaiMachines.com. which was venture of Athar Business Machines and Athar e-Commerce solutions. Although not a big player in offline channels, the company quickly filled in the gap and grew tri-folds using the online channels, which proved my theory that big opportunity resided in the field of online marketing in B2B channels. When I further researched on DubaiMachines.com I realized that the smart enterprenure is not only catering to B2B market but B2C as well thus completing the online market circle. I have keenly followed the company since then and they seem to have added other digital marketing channels apart from Searc engine medium. They also covered all touch points in getting the customer inquiry.

Recently, to test their effectiveness, I ordered a Home Theatre System and Logitech headphones online. As this was a test transaction I had full intention of refunding the bigger item which was Home Theatre and just keeping the Head phones.  The astonishing part was when I was browsing the website, their representative approached me via the online chat module. To cut the long story short the sales rep provided such a good picture of the available solutions that I was enticed to keep the home theatre system with me. The order was placed on the phone and was delivered the very next day (and i am still the owner of the home theatre System much to the annoyance of my wife :) ) 

So finally the gap in GCC region and UAE was filled by dubai machines on the online mediums. The bigger players were a bit lathargic to catch up on the band wagon of B2B online market in the segment of Office Automation and electronics but now companies like Sharaf DG, office one UAE have bought forward their online presence as well. My personal experience with them has been not as personal as Dubai Machines but then again who am I to say anything again the corporate movers of UAE.