If you’re considering starting an online venture or want to expand your business presence on online marketplaces, you’ve probably considered Noon.com. From entertaining a large number of buyers to helping startups and sellers grow, the platform has helped numerous e-commerce businesses by serving them what they need.
While it’s a massively popular, home-grown e-commerce marketplace in the UAE, it’s not the only big player in the e-commerce landscape. Several other platforms are thriving and even outperforming Noon by serving online sellers and buyers with the best profit margins and deals, respectively. Whether you’re looking for great deals and discounts, rapid delivery, reliable customer service, or just want to know what exciting features are available to set up your online store, there are several marketplaces to look out for.
Over the past few years, Amazon.ae, Namshi, Carrefour UAE have gained significant popularity, and rapidly expanding platforms like DeliverIt are also gaining massive traction, giving tough competition to Noon.com.
This blog post will help you understand why you should consider options beyond Noon and what the top alternatives are for the UAE’s native e-commerce marketplace.
What is the need to look for alternatives to Noon.com?
Noon has established itself as a trusted e-commerce giant in the Middle East region by supporting the growth of numerous brands and catering to online buyers with high-quality products. While Noon is currently trying to compete with its biggest rival, Amazon.ae, and other thriving marketplaces like DeliverIt, the sellers might find it intimidating to try another marketplace that charges them less and offers them massive growth opportunities.
Here are some of the common reasons that might convince you to try alternatives to Noon.
Not-so-extensive product range
While Noon is popular for serving multiple product categories, it still needs to expand its product range to include international brands. Platforms like Carrefour UAE offer a wider range of global products, which helps sellers showcase a diverse product range and appeal to more buyers.
Slow deliveries in some areas
While in prominent areas, Noon.com offers rapid deliveries, it doesn’t provide flexible delivery windows to people living in remote places. Platforms like DeliverIt are widely popular for delivering products to consumers’ doorsteps in the shortest possible delivery time, regardless of location.
High Referral fee
Noon charges sellers up to a 27% referral fee, which is relatively high compared to DeliverIt, which charges referral fees between 4% and 12% for every sale generated. DeliverIt gives new sellers and startups more chances to grow without cutting their profit margins.
Strict seller code of conduct
While Noon is favorable to sellers to a great extent, it is worth mentioning that it follows a strict code of conduct for them. The platform can permanently or temporarily penalize a seller’s account for violating regulations and may even take legal action.
Reported negative experiences
Many customers have complained about receiving fake products and have even reported instances of late deliveries and poor packaging. Such experiences raise concerns about the authenticity of the products sold on Noon, making sellers worried about their commercial dealings.
Top 5 Alternatives to Noon
If you want to start selling online and want to look into options other than Noon, here is a list of the top-performing and sellers’ favorite e-commerce platforms, which might be the right place for you.
1. DeliverIt
DeliverIt Top Features:
- Minimum referral fee with no setup cost.
- Vastly expanded delivery services provider.
- Easy to create product listings.
- Stress-free payment settlements.
Source: Deliverit.ae
DeliverIt has everything a seller needs to get started with their e-commerce venture. Whether you want to use its e-commerce marketplace or its delivery services to run your online business, DeliverIt offers tailored solutions. DeliverIt started as a delivery network in the UAE, catering to the delivery needs of small businesses and individuals. With the recent launch of its e-commerce marketplace, it has emerged as a formidable competitor to Noon. With DeliverIt’s established customer base, new sellers don’t have to put extra effort into attracting consumers to their products.
Once you register your business details, the DeliverIt team verifies them and registers you on its e-commerce platform. You can create attractive product listings without any hassle using its innovative tools. From skincare range to electronics to much more – you can list any business on the DeliverIt marketplace. There is no additional setup fee or hidden charges, and the seller only pays a small referral fee, ranging from 4% to 12%, for every sale generated. No other marketplace offers such lucrative opportunities for new sellers, making DeliverIt a platform that’s friendly to sellers.
There is no dependence on third-party delivery personnel when using DeliverIt marketplace; the DeliverIt rider picks the order from the seller’s warehouse or location and delivers it to the customer’s doorstep. Deliverit also handles the payments – takes the cash or accepts the card payments from the buyers and settles the payments with the sellers during the specified time with complete transparency.
2. Carrefour UAE
Carrefour Top Features:
- Strong brand recognition.
- Straightforward registration and simple payment settlements.
Source: carrefouruae.com
Carrefour is one of the pioneers in the UAE’s e-commerce landscape, which gave the e-commerce industry a boost. While it operates multiple hypermarkets, supermarkets, and cash-and-carry stores, its online marketplace is the most popular, where people can buy groceries and shop for anything from the comfort of their own homes. With the inclusion of the food sector in the Carrefour marketplace, it continues to lead the industry.
With more than a hundred retailers registered on the platform and using multiple tools to strengthen their e-commerce businesses, it is considered a haven for online sellers. After your online shop is registered on Carrefour, you can add your products and start selling them to customers who search for them on this marketplace. Since Carrefour has established several physical stores across the UAE, it already has strong brand recognition, so sellers on this marketplace get more exposure. Since Carrefour also houses several international brands, it is a more preferred channel than Noon, especially for sellers dealing in international products.
3. Groupon.ae
Groupon Top features:
- Strong merchant support and a reliable toolkit
- Mobile App for Merchants
- No upfront cost
Source: groupon.ae
Groupon Merchant helps new sellers connect with potential customers and promote their online businesses. Groupon is one of the largest marketplaces in the UAE, generating millions of dollars in sales by following a tech-savvy business approach. Once you have registered your online shop on the platfrom, you can access several tools and expertise to create your campaigns and build your brand. The platform doesn’t charge any upfront costs, which is cost-friendly, especially for new sellers.
The seller’s toolkit comprises fully integrated booking capabilities, an invoicing system, real-time insights into user activities, and the ability to respond to customer feedback. By keeping comprehensive tracking of your e-commerce business on the platfrom, you can manage your campaigns and grow your sales steadily. Groupon Merchants also has a mobile app to help sellers manage their business from anywhere. The strong support offered by Groupon Merchant assists new sellers at every stage of their selling journey.
4. Amazon.ae
Amazon.ae Top Features:
- Globally recognized platform with a strong customer base
- Extensive advertising and brand-building tools
Source: amazon.ae
Amazon is the largest shopping hub for global consumers. With its subsidiary in the UAE, Amazon.ae, it offers local sellers the opportunity to reach out to a larger stream of buyers. Compared to Noon, Amazon.ae houses more brands and offers excellent deals and covers other Middle Eastern countries as well. The platform provides a convenient online business experience for local sellers, featuring local payment methods and fulfillment options.
Moreover, there are multiple selling plans suitable for different business needs. You can utilize FBA services for a more convenient selling experience, and you can even choose to handle your shipping. The matchless marketing and advertising tools, as well as brand-building tools, allow sellers to strengthen their e-commerce presence. If you are a seller selling through Amazon.ae marketplace, you can expand your online business to other Amazon marketplaces as well, which gives you global selling opportunities. However, when using the Amazon.ae platform, be mindful of the referral fee, FBA fees, and other platform-specific fees.
5. Sharaf DG
Sharaf DG Top Features:
- Complete control over product listing, inventory, and pricing.
- Tailored marketing strategies for sellers.
Source: uae.sharafdg.com
Sharaf DG is the leading retailer of electronics, IT, and home essentials in the UAE and is committed to offering growth opportunities to the local sellers. The platform gives sellers complete control over product listing, pricing, and marketing, and also offers flexible sales options. Sharaf DG can even handle your product inventory and provide delivery services to customers’ doorsteps.
Moreover, the seller registration process is straightforward, requiring sellers to enter their required business details. After verification, sellers can start using the marketplace to list and sell their products. Real-time analytics helps sellers analyze the customer journey and how their products are performing. The platform also offers DG Help, which facilitates warranty repair services for several brands. Due to its strong customer base and tailored business solutions, the marketplace was awarded Best Retailer of the Year by Vendors and Resellers in 2011.
Bottom line
While the popularity of Noon encourages sellers to use the marketplace to sell online, it’s noteworthy that several other marketplaces offer sellers more benefits than Noon. Noon is reported to have product limitations, a complicated fee structure, and slow deliveries in a few areas that might convince sellers to look for other online marketplaces in the UAE. Moreover, for new sellers, it can be overwhelming to establish their online business in the saturated Noon market.
DeliverIt is gaining popularity across the UAE, and by providing seller-friendly tools, it is poised to become a major player in the UAE’s e-commerce landscape. The extensive product catalog, competitive pricing, smaller referral fee, fast delivery, and easy-to-create product listings make your online selling experience on DeliverIt hassle-free and profitable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an e-commerce marketplace?
An e-commerce marketplace is an online platform where third-party sellers and merchants can register their businesses and sell products to buyers. These marketplaces have an already established customer base, which means that the sellers and merchants don’t have to put extra effort into marketing their products to the targeted consumers. The marketplace owner controls the marketplace infrastructure, and the sellers are provided with tools to set up their stores, list their products, and manage their sales. Most marketplaces even manage shipping and inventory, adding even more convenience for sellers.
What are the top-performing e-commerce marketplaces in the UAE?
The top-performing e-commerce marketplaces in the UAE are DeliverIt, Amazon, Noon, Carrefour, Namshi, and Groupon.
Is DeliverIt a better platform than Noon?
Both Noon and DeliverIt are top-performing e-commerce platforms in the United Arab Emirates. However, DeliverIt offers a seamless seller registration process and charges a smaller fraction of the amount as a referral fee compared to Noon, making DeliverIt a more convenient and profitable e-commerce platform for sellers.
What is the seller registration process on DeliverIt?
DeliverIt offers a simple registration process to the sellers. The seller must submit the business and online store details on the registration form. After verifying the details, the DeliverIt team responds to the seller within three business days. After the account is registered, the seller can create product listings on the marketplace and start selling.
Does DeliverIt charge monthly from sellers?
DeliverIt sellers do not have to pay a monthly fee. However, sellers must pay a referral fee of around 4-12% on each sale generated.
