Network International, a leading payment solutions provider in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, has launched ‘Go-Online’, an e-commerce platform, powered by Shopmatic, targeted at local small, medium and start-up businesses.

Network International is the UAE’s largest merchant acquirer and the company’s  partnership with Shopmatic, a leading global ecommerce player, lends it a significant first mover advantage in the ecommerce space, said a statement from the company.

Samer Soliman, managing director - Middle East, Network International, said: “As part of our commitment to enable commerce in the region, our aim is to enhance the ecommerce ecosystem by offering potential entrepreneurs a ready world-class platform with an integrated payment gateway.”

“Go-Online will hasten go-to-market for smaller ecommerce entrants, enhance customer acquisition and instil confidence in shoppers looking to purchase online,” he said.

“We believe our efforts are aligned to the vision of the UAE government as we lend support to the SME sector, the backbone of our economy,” he added.

UAE merchants using Go-Online can create their own web store and start selling their products in an easy user-friendly manner.

Go-Online’s interface can be customised to cater to specific audience groups, and offers 60+ ready-made design templates that allow simple product uploads and edits.

The templates are mobile responsive, ensuring that the online store automatically displays well on any digital device (desktop, mobile or tablet).     

According to industry analysts Frost & Sullivan, e-commerce is a megatrend for businesses in the UAE, valued close to $10 billion. As smartphone penetration rates in the nation continue to rise, ecommerce and mobile-commerce are tipped to grow further with online shoppers now representing 62 per cent of the UAE’s population.

Anurag Avula, chief executive officer of Shopmatic, said: “The partnership with Network International is a significant step in enabling digital commerce for the growing ecommerce markets of the Middle East and Africa.”

“This marks the entry of Shopmatic in one of the most exciting emerging ecommerce markets and continues to cement our commitment to supporting SMEs and entrepreneurs in their online commerce journey,” he said.

Network International’s payment gateway, Network Online, is the Middle East and Africa region’s most innovative, with high levels of security, simple refund capabilities and seamless checkout. It offers a customisable gateway solution that can be tailored to meet the processing needs of diverse industries or business models.

Today’s announcement is aligned with Network International’s mission to enable commerce in the region by introducing innovative payment technologies and solutions for easier, safer and secure payment transactions, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service