Surfing on success

Having launched its operations in Oman just a year ago, Omania E-Commerce (OEC) today boasts of having a large number of online members – with transactions touching RO5 million, reports Sunil Kumar Singh

It was inevitable. After the spiralling course of internet users and Oman’s advancement towards a digital society, now online businesses or e-commerce are on a roll. Oman is leapfrogging to a completely non-traditional way of how business transactions are done –online, more secure but with lower costs, swift, a large client reach, real-time, and, in line with global standards of e-commerce practices. And the organisation behind the fast growth of e-business is Omania E-Commerce LLC (OEC) - having a strategic partnership agreement with Tejari (the Dubai-based and Middle East’s first and only business-to-business or b2b online business platform).

Having launched its operations in Oman in 2005, OEC today boasts of having set up a business network of a large number of online users or customers in a year’s time. “In Oman there is a growing awareness about internet. People here are ready to explore online applications and are curious to know more. And this awareness, coupled with government’s support to information technology and e-government initiatives, together form the critical mass for the growth of e-commerce in Oman,” remarks Sheikh Mohammed Al-Harthy, Managing Director of OEC, adding, “I think the greater the use of e-governance in Oman, and infrastructure, the more the penetration of e-commerce here.”

Value propositions
Riding on the success of e-government initiatives, OEC has come a long way in introducing cutting edge e-commerce solutions, and that too in such a short span of time. In its fold today are top-notch corporate clients (see box) apart from small enterprises that have started reaping the windfall by using the strategic procurement services, SMS services, electronic purchases, customer care, training and a host of other services offered by OEC.

The value of transactions done through OEC now hovers close to the level of RO 5 million, and it’s still growing. And there are reasons for that. Whether you’re a buyer, a supplier, a seller, a retailer, or a corporate house, wondering how to contact the target buyer or seller or just want to showcase your product, OEC proves to be a handy rendezvous that’s available 24×7, providing a one-stop business solution. It is not just the e-convergence of buyers and sellers that Tejari facilitates. It offers a slew of user-friendly services customised to different business needs and applications. For instance, there is Tejari Transact, designed to cater to buyers and sellers for carrying out their daily sales and purchases. Tejari Transact is an e-procurement solution that takes care of supply chain and logistics, whereby government or corporate bodies can procure goods and services online, without wasting time and resources. Then there is Tejari Tender, the online place where complex natured tenders are posted and processed promptly. “Tejari tender or e-tender is designed for complex needs where the requirement is specific and technical,” says Al-Harthy.

Recently, the company has launched a new product called Tejari Link that acts as a window for a number of companies to showcase their products and services online to a millions of customers. In a way, it provides a 360-degree view to buyers as well as sellers of the products they’re looking for. As Al-Harthy pointed out, “It (Tejari Link) makes the process of finding out what company deals in what product much easier. Our vision is to feature each and every company in Oman to show their profile of products on Tejari Link.”

OEC has also developed efficient security mechanisms also to protect users’ ID and privacy. As Al-Harthy says, “Security measures on Tejari go beyond merely protecting users’ ID. Tejari has developed a hacker proof system with several security layers to protect data hosted in the system. Furthermore, all Tejari applications and data are encrypted and hosted in highly secured premises. Also, strong standard of encryption is used on data transmitted from one point to another.”

The future is now
With the government working on multi-pronged strategies to promote knowledge economy and Information & Communication Technology (ICT), OEC is optimistic of a long and secure future of e-commerce in Oman and has many a plan up its sleeve. “I think the market is becoming more and more competitive and the sector has the potential to grow by millions in the next few years. And the way to have a competitive edge is to be more efficient. We see tremendous growth in this sector in the next few years,” says the buoyant Al-Harthy, adding, “ We are looking to working towards several e-solutions.” Also, though the focus of OEC is currently on b2b transactions but it’s coming out with products for general customers, b2c or business to consumers.

In the just concluded GITEX exhibition held in Dubai, a real-estate portal called ‘Semsari’ was launched by its partner Tejari, which covers both b2b as well as b2c sectors. However, the portal caters to the real estate market of Dubai only, but in the coming days there are plans to launch it outside Dubai too. This will give a major push to the already booming real estate sector in Oman, bringing property buyers and sellers on one platform.

Clearly, OEC opens up market or avenues for Omani companies to different parts of the world, whereby any member online is able to compete and reach outside Oman. It is also planning to launch new features that would exclusively encourage Omani products and brands. Moreover, the company is also considering online payment solutions whereby all transactions will be online, real time and automated. Till now customers use the offline payment methodology.
OEC sees great potential for the growth of e-commerce after the Oman-US Free Trade Agreement comes into effect. As Al-Harthy remarks, “I think that any free trade agreement will facilitate and have a positive effect on online business. With trade agreements breaking geographical barriers, it becomes much easier for organisations to complete the procurement cycle by facilitating the logistics and regulations that relate to cross border trading.”

Forging alliances
OEC is working with various business and government organisations and is planning to expand the network to streamline its business operations as well as to facilitate the ongoing drive towards digital Oman. “Currently our focus is on creating awareness about Tejari as an e-procurement solution by interacting with key stakeholders one-to-one and presenting to them the concept and looking for areas where we can contribute,” says Al-Harthy.

However, in order to support the rapid strides e-commerce is making in Oman, there is need for increased broadband access, more credit card users and a comprehensive legislation on e-commerce. As Al-Harthy says, “I think there’s still more room for improvement. We need more high-speed internet penetration, more users, and superior quality to enable us to reach to the level of countries which are more e-advanced and e-enabled. Even on the financial front, we need more credit card users to give push to online transactions.

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