Dubai-based Payfort, a leading online payment service provider, has partnered with Shopify, a cloud-based, multichannel commerce platform, to simplify the process of creating and managing online stores for start-ups in the region.

As per the deal, Payfort will help start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the region create online stores using its online payment solutions, said a statement from the company.

Payfort’s merchants will be able to use Shopify’s software to design, set-up and manage their online stores, it said.

According to the Payfort State of Payments 2016 report, the value of online transactions in the Arab world could grow nearly 300 per cent by 2020, potentially reaching more than $69 billion transactions per year, it added.

Omar Soudodi, managing director of Payfort, said: “Many start-ups have a clear vision for what they want to achieve, but often struggle with the technology required for ecommerce.”

“Our company has already launched a number of initiatives aimed at helping SMBs get online. Now start-ups in the Middle East can create their ecommerce store easily using Shopify to begin selling online, offering their customers a choice of payment options via Payfort’s payment solution,” he said.

“By taking the pain out of setting up an online store with secure payment options, companies can focus on their core businesses and help drive the region’s fast growing online commerce market,” he added.

Brennan Loh, director of business development, Shopify, said: “Our mission is to make commerce better for everyone and to spread entrepreneurship around the globe, so we are excited to add Payfort as a payment partner, servicing the Arab countries.”

Shopify is a leading cloud-based, multichannel commerce platform designed for SMBs. “Businesses can now set-up their online stores quickly and easily, with support by Payfort’s payment solutions,” he added.

Payfort is the payment platform for hundreds of the leading ecommerce websites across the region such as Souq.com, Dubizzle.com, Landmark, Jumbo Electronics, flynas, Air Arabia, Flyin, Musafir and bayte.

Payfort has longstanding relationships with banks across the region and supports credit/debit card payment, through globally recognised payment leaders such as American Express, CashU, MasterCard, and Visa, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service