Jumbo Electronics to launch online shopping site

Consumers will soon find electronics shopping a little easier, as Jumbo Electronics plans to launch its online retail portal in the next two months. 

While there has been a wave of new online-retail start-up websites this year, the Dubai-based retailer is one of the few brick-and-mortar sites to take their wares to the web. 

Deepak Khetrapal, the chief executive officer of Jumbo, said while it is still early days for internet shopping in the UAE, the brand needs to have an online presence.

"If they want us to be online, we need to be online. Will they actually do their shopping online? We don't know as yet. But we can't be absent from where the consumer wants us to be." 

Online shopping has been long-accepted in North America and Europe, but has been slower to catch on in the region due to security concerns around using credit cards online. But this is changing, and this year at least nine e-commerce websites based in the UAE have been launched, such as Aido.com and luxury fashion shopping club Sukar.com.

Last month, the French retail giant Carrefour launched a UAE-specific online web portal, in conjunction with its local partner, Majid al Futtaim, selling about 3,000 of its non-food items. 

Jumbo Electronics will make its entire portfolio of electronics, which include Sony and Casio products, available throughout the region, Mr Khetrapal said. 

aligaya@thenational.ae