Al-Futtaim Panatech, exclusive distributors for Panasonic in the UAE, provided the logistics and back-office support for purchases made on Japanese manufacturer’s new shopping portal launched recently in the country.

In the very first week of its launch, the ePlus portal (eplus.panasonic.ae/EN) attracted nearly 100,000 visitors who made the most of some great deals on Panasonic’s well known audio and television products, a statement said.

“I must thank Al-Futtaim Panatech for helping make the launch of ePlus possible,” said Seiji Koyanagi, managing director of Panasonic Marketing Middle East. “Online shopping is growing in the UAE and as a customer-centric organisation."

"Panasonic aims to provide our customers unmatched convenience of shopping from anywhere anytime. As the UAE grows in leaps and bounds with communities springing up in almost every conceivable location, this online portal provides customers the opportunity to shop online for Panasonic products from the comforts of their home or office.”

“By shopping online, customers also contributes significantly to the environment by reducing the use of personal transport, the ethos that Panasonic strongly advocates and implements,” he added.

“Al-Futtaim Panatech is proud to be associated with a dynamic and innovative brand like Panasonic. ePlus is the right step forward especially given the shopping trends that we are witnessing among internet savvy UAE consumers,” said Probir Mukherjee, managing director, Al-Futtaim Electronics.

“And by the response this portal has received since its launch, I believe we are on the right track to provide our customers the ease and safety of buying our products online.”

A third-party delivery service will deliver the purchased product at the specified destination/location within four working days to any location within the UAE.

The portal is using a secured payment gateway to secure all online payments and Panasonic will not store any credit card information giving customers that added security to shop online, the statement said.

“Customers can avail fantastic offers and get a chance to enter raffle draws to win fabulous Panasonic products,” Mukherjee said.

“For example, every purchase of Dh500 ($136) between the July 1 and July 31, will entitle customers to get a chance to enter a raffle draw where the winner can win a 42-inch Viera Full HD 3D plasma TV. Furthermore, customers who make purchases of more than Dh250, between July 3 and August 2 on the website, get a chance to enter a draw to win the highly acclaimed Lumix GH2 camera,” he added.

The ePlus website is only available in English but Arabic and a wider Middle East version will also be launched at a later date, the statement said. – TradeArabia News Service