The majority of the
Lebanese people love to shop, and who can blame them? The possibilities are
endless and with so many great options to choose from, it has become a go-to
activity for most. In the past, we had
to physically go to stores to purchase items, but today we can do that with the
click of a button.
The notion of online shopping in Lebanon is still a new one. Although most
people would still rather visit the shops physically, others have no problem
shopping online. However, the Lebanese e-commerce market is still a shy one. Lebanon has shown a
moderate increase in online shopping despite ranking 5th on e-commerce
readiness in the Middle East (and 56th worldwide) according to the UNCTAD B2C
E-commerce index in 2017. Despite
being slower than other countries, it shows no sign of slowing down when it
comes to catching up with its neighbors.
Given what we know about online shopping, we can see that Lebanese people still
lack trust when it comes to using their credit card online. Paying cash is
still the preferred method when ordering online especially that there are no
e-commerce laws or even a regulatory framework for e-transactions in the
country. However, one should not despair. A new e-commerce law is currently
being studied by the Ministry of Economy, which would set standards for the new
digital markets. Lebanese people are known for being resilient and creative
when it comes to making the most out of any situation.
There are endless ways
to buy online to go around using a credit card. An example of that would be
using a Port Interface Card (PIC) card or an Internet Prepaid card. Using
either of those cards can really change the way you shop. For that reason, cash on delivery
is a predominant payment method in Lebanon, as more than two-thirds of payments
are made in cash, even though some websites try to discourage it. Regardless
of the payment method you are using, there are a lot of advantages to consider
when buying online:
1) No buying pressure
Physically going to stores can be stressful for a lot of us. Sales
representatives are sometimes a lot to deal with. Although it’s their job to
persuade people to buy a product, repeatedly saying no is pretty daunting. The
sense of freedom that we have when shopping online is like no other, afterall,
no one should feel obligated to buy something they don’t want to.
2) Convenience of online shopping
Customers can purchase items from the comfort of their own home. Never has it
been this easy to shop online and cancel transactions if you have a change of
heart. You can now save time, get great discounts and look at a wide selection
of products without having to leave your home.
3) Endless Choices to Choose from
Shopping online gives you the opportunity to buy a wide range of products from
your favorite brands. With it, you can easily buy anything from various online
stores without having to worry about proximity. Years ago, you couldn’t even
imagine something like this existing. Now, you can have anything in a matter of
days/weeks/months, isn’t it crazy?
4) Reviews, reviews, reviews!
There’s nothing better than finding out how good a product is and/or how well
it’s working prior to spending your money on it. Looking at reviews can save
you from making a horrible mistake when buying an item.
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