Date: October 6, 2019
SouqMazoon.com, a new digital marketplace specifically designed for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be launched in the month of November 2019. To ensure an efficient and smooth delivery system for purchased items, SouqMazoon has signed a partnership agreement with Oman Post to be its logistics partner.
SouqMazoon, which is a Zubair Corporation (Z-Corp) social investment project, has been designed by Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC) in partnership with technical partner and project originator Qaid Al Ardh Modern Projects which is an SME company itself.
With an intention to help aspiring entrepreneurs to maintain a strong online presence, SouqMazoon will act as a resourceful platform for Omani SMEs to trade, promote and sell their products.
As SouqMazoon’s partner, Oman Post, which has equipped itself for a key role in the Sultanate’s promising e-commerce future, will manage the end-to-end logistics from pickup at vender point to door-to-door delivery to customer. Oman Post will provide support from all its 83 branches spread across the country. This will enable SMEs the flexibility to deliver their products from all the governorates of Oman.
In collaboration with Zubair SEC, Oman Post will provide guidance and training to SMEs who have signed-up for the marketplace, as to how to best pack their products according to the standards and guidelines of Oman Post. In addition to the online payment option provided by the e-market, Oman Post will also enable ‘cash on delivery’ option to customers.
Nauzer Nowroji, Senior Advisor, Zubair SEC said, “Given the diverse geographical distribution of SMEs, Oman Post’s network would provide a significantly large delivery capability for SMEs, which enhances their chances for access to wider markets. The professionalism and expertise that Oman Post brings to this partnership is of immense value to SMEs and customers using SouqMazoon service.”
He added, “When we first started designing and engineering SouqMazoon with our partners Qaid Al Ardh Modern Projects, we visualized early on the need for bringing the right stakeholders and partners to this project, to make sure that efficiency and optimisation are achieved, and that our main objective to serve Omani SMEs would be best served. Hence, partnering with Oman Post, the strongest national postal service provider in the Sultanate, was the optimal choice and we are proud that we have this partnership sealed.”
Abdul Malik Al Balushi, CEO of Oman Post said, “With SMEs increasingly turning to online marketplaces to sell their products we commend the efforts of Z-Corp, Zubair SEC, and Qaid Al Ardh Modern Projects to develop specifically for SMEs a digital platform, SouqMazoon, which will benefit aspiring and established entrepreneurs and SMEs in Oman. Such digital marketplaces will be instrumental in revealing the SME potential in Oman. At Oman Post we have been keeping pace with the changing times and are today a highly responsive multifarious service provider. In addition, our network strength provides us a competitive edge to be a perfect partner for this new exciting marketplace.”
On behalf of SouqMazoon,Badar Sulaiman Alyaarubi, CEO of Qaid Al Ardh Modern Projects said, “We are honoured to be working alongside Z-Corp, Zubair SEC and Oman Post on this journey. The digital SouqMazoon provides SMEs an opportunity to embrace digitisation which in turn would enhance their participation in the building of Oman’s economy. This platform is a chance for SMEs to become aware of business possibilities through e-commerce and is certainly a silver lining for SMEs.”