EZStore.me, an initiative which aims to help boost SMBs by empowering them to go online was launched earlier today. EZStore.me is a result of the joint collaboration between global and regional ecommerce leaders Aramex, Google, PayPal and ShopGo. The initiative works by empowering small business owners to take their businesses online and harness the power of the Web in expanding their sales channels, boosting their growth and expanding their customer base.
EZStore.me aims to offer a “minimum risk online store” one-stop-shop solution to help offline merchants and startups debut their eCommerce journey in MENA. The initiative empowers small business owners by providing them with the necessary skill sets and tools to go online and removing all payments and logistical challenges; making a seamless the beginning of their online journey.
The initiative will additionally focus on the education and support to the local entrepreneurs about eCommerce challenges and opportunities such as creating an e-store, selling online, receiving money, logistics and shipping and online marketing. Workshops will be organized across MENA to bring store owners and entrepreneurs to meet with key online service providers such as Aramex, Google, PayPal and ShopGo, to demystify the eCommerce process and kick start their e-store.
Small business owners will receive many benefits by signing up for EZStore.me. Aramex will offer credits and competitive prices designed specifically to boost ecommerce opportunities in the region. Hassan Mikail, Global Director Ecommerce stated: “This is a very unique project we’re backing, since it completes the loop for anyone to go online swiftly; whereby the technology, logistics, payments and marketing are part and parcel.”
Google will provide EZStore.me customers with vouchers for AdWords, videos and tutorials to learn how to best use AdWords and the fantastic Google tools available to merchants to help them bring traffic to their website. “With millions of small businesses in the MENA region and only a small fraction of them having websites the technological gap between offline and online is huge.” said Mohammed Mourad, Regional Head of Google in the Gulf.
He added, “Various studies indicate that SMBs make significant contribution to country GDPs with the Internet and eCommerce as the main driving force behind this. We aim in our collaboration with our partners to provide small business owners with the incentives and know-hows to establish their business online.”
PayPal will offer EZStore.me customers discounted transaction fees within the first 3 months of launching their e-store allowing them to seamlessly and securely process payments online. Elias Ghanem, Managing Director of PayPal Middle East and North Africa added: “PayPal is very excited to co-found this initiative as it perfectly fits with our mission to enable commerce across the world and help entrepreneurs in MENA to take their business online. PayPal will provide simple, convenient and safe payment solutions that will complement EZStore.me’s offering and allow both retailers and consumers the necessary flexibility and security to enjoy online shopping.”
ShopGo’s contribution to businesses which sign up to for the EZStore.me package include building out their e-Store, providing MENA localized payment and shipping solutions, ready-made responsive themes, and a user-friendly platform that allows business owners to manage their entire operation on their own. ShopGo’s Marketing Specialists will also provide support for Google Adwords. “ShopGo helps retailers to become e-tailers” stated Moe Ghashim, CEO of ShopGo.
This is the first initiative of its kind in the MENA region to take on this unique approach in empowering small businesses to go online and boost their growth. In addition to adding a new list of skill sets to their repertoire, SMBs who make use of EZStore.me’s services will be able to harness the power of the Web as a new channel to offer their products and services to customers in MENA and around the world.
