Aramex has teamed up with MasterCard, a leading global payment solutions provider, to makeonline shopping more efficient for consumers in the Middle East.
MasterCard is cooperating with Aramex to provide additional, exclusive benefits to itscardholders using the Shop and Ship service. Shop and Ship is the e-tail delivery service by Aramexthat offers Middle East consumers the convenience of online shopping from the US, UK and Europe atcompetitive rates.
Online shoppers can access the Aramex service by logging on to its website ShopandShip.com andsigning up for a lifetime membership account. Once the customer places an order, Aramex receivesthe ordered goods at its facilities from the e-tailer, and then ships and delivers them right tothe shopper.
The year-long programme combines the strengths of MasterCard’s innovative payment processingglobal network and Aramex’s extensive expertise in providing e-services and e-businesssolutions.
Hussein Hachem, CEO for Middle East & Africa, Aramex, said: “At Aramex, we continuouslystrive to develop solutions that are at the forefront of the logistics and transportation industryand that provide real convenience to our end consumers. Shop and Ship, powered by Aramex, makes iteven easier to ‘buy it over there and get it over here’. By using this service, consumers in theMiddle East no longer need to be concerned about whether the US, UK and European e-shops that theyvisit offer the option of international shipping or whether they charge high shipping fees”.
Raghu Malhotra, general manager, Middle East, MasterCard Worldwide, commented: “Being at theheart of commerce, MasterCard is committed to the development of innovative payment solutions andrecognizes the growing popularity of e-tailing globally and regionally. We are pleased to joinhands with Aramex for an initiative that will further boost e-tail in the Middle East and Levantand that creates new business-building opportunities for our customer financial institutions. Atthe same time, as part of our ongoing commitment to deliver priceless experiences to ourcardholders, we are pleased to offer them additional and exclusive benefits that will make onlineshopping and shipping even easier than before”.
The partnership with Aramex follows a recent survey by MasterCard which shows that thepercentage of respondents in the UAE accessing the Internet for shopping increased from 29% in 2009to 42% in 2010. Categories leading the e-commerce growth in the UAE in 2010 include airline ticketsand hotel bookings, followed by home appliances and electronic products, clothing &accessories, restaurants/home delivery of food and supermarkets/superstores.
