Nuance Digital Marketing

How to start an e-commerce business in Qatar

How to Start E-Commerce for Small Business in Qatar

Everything can be bought online these days. An e-commerce business transmits goods and services across the internet. 

And according to the International Trade Administration or ITA, the e-commerce sector in Qatar is said to grow from QAR 4.7 billion (US $1.3 billion) to QAR 12 billion (US $3.2 billion) by 2022. 

It is now, the right time to invest in the e-commerce business in Qatar. How do you start an e-commerce business in Qatar if you are an entrepreneur? Here is how.


Do your research and find your Niche

Just like any other business, you need to understand the e-commerce business area. 

What do you want to offer? 
Should it be products or services? 
What is going to be your business model?
What about your competition? 

You need to also do some market research and competitor research to understand everything and come up with your niche.


Come up with a business name

While doing your research, you need also decide on the name of your business. 

Your business name is going to be the first thing someone remembers about your brand. 

So it needs to be relatable and unique. Once you select your business name, check if a domain name is available
for this business name. 

You can check that out here. Register your domain with the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) that governs all the Qatar specific internet domains.


Get your Theqa

It is now time to legally register your online business. 

Everyone who is doing e-commerce in Qatar is supposed to get an e-commerce trustmark called the Theqa. 

To obtain Theqa, all businesses need to meet a set of standards outlined by The Ministry of Transport and Communication in Qatar. 

You can find more about it here. If they meet the standards, the businesses are provided with a certificate and a trustmark which is subject to annual renewal.


Create a e-commerce business website

Choose the e-commerce platform you want to go ahead with. Shopify, Squarespace, WooCommerce, and Magento are the most popular choices when it comes to e-commerce platforms. 

Each of these has its merits and demerits. You can decide on a platform based on your requirement. 

While creating the website for your e-commerce business make sure to give importance to the UI/UX of the website. 

Your website needs to be fast, user-friendly, and responsive. Install an SSL certificate to make your website trustworthy. 

Integrate secure payment gateways similar to QPAY.


Get your products ready and market your e-commerce business

Finally, it is time to get your products ready and market your business. 

Use different marketing channels to increase your brand visibility. 

Create accounts on all the different social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, etc

so that people can get to know your brand and reach out to you. 

Use SEO, Social Media Marketing, Campaigns, etc and spread the word and bring users to your website.

Get in touch with us if you are looking to set up an e-commerce business in Qatar.

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