Retail head Zhia Shariat said ride-hailing app will grow its e-commerce venture Dukkan to other markets where it operates
Dubai-based ride-hailing app Careem is exploring the possibility of delivering “a lot” of items following the launch of e-commerce venture Dukkan at SoleDXB last week, according to Zhila Shariat, Careem’s head of retail.
Dukkan – Arabic for shop – will use a dedicated website to sell 100 percent locally sourced clothing items with culturally-inspired designs, which will then be delivered by Careem’s pre-existing network of drivers.
In an interview with Arabian Business, Shariat said Careem is exploring “a lot” of other items for potentially delivery as the company works towards the goal of becoming the region’s “biggest mover of people and things” by 2020.
“We have over 500,000 ‘captains’ in our network. We have the logistics infrastructure and on the ground knowledge,” she said. “We definitely want to fuel business for our existing captains as we create more demand.”
Shariat added that Dukkan has had a “great reception” in Dubai so far, and that the brand – like Careem itself – will eventually expand to other markets in which the company operates.
“We’re currently looking at KSA next,” she added. “There is lots of creative talent [in Saudi Arabia] and we want to work with local creators there.”
Additionally, Shariat added that the delivered items and local partners will likely differ in each of Careem’s markets, reflecting the company’s desire to collaborate with local creators.
“We want to work locally within the markets we’re in. Each market is totally different in terms of what products they’d like,” she said. “Being local is one of our brand pillars, and we want to work with the community and co-create.”
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