Food deals in Dubai all the rage

Aug 7
09:50

2012

Taqir saeedi

Taqir saeedi

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Merchants, daily deal sites, and DED have to join forces with each other to formulate a regulation framework to address complaints of consumers regarding false advertisements, undelivered commitments, and bogus discounts if they want market to react positively and create long-term customers.

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Food deals in Dubai abound in the online world with netizens swinging into high gear to feast on delicious cuisines available in lower than original prices. Food deals promoted by daily deal sites,Food deals in Dubai all the rage Articles also called group buying websites, provide foodies local and foreign dishes on discounts that sometime reach up to 70 per cent. People can enjoy these bargains during dining in or as takeaways. One can browse through a number of restaurant deals in this holy month of Ramadan when people’s interest in scrumptious culinary favorites both local and foreign is piqued all the more. Gainsaying is the fact that love for food is not time bound and springs up mechanically any time in a day or after Maghrib during Ramadan when Muslims observe fast and restaurants in Dubai embellish their food menus with tongue-tempting and appetite-whetting sensual pleasures. It is another thing that food’s love blossoms into its peak when leashed in the hours and food enthusiasts love to unleash it on variety of dishes and Iftar buffet. People prefer to go to eateries that offer buffet since such culinary special provides them with motley platters at fixed cost. One couldn’t help but notice perceptible digital marketing of Iftar buffet Dubai 2012.  Be they local or foreign restaurants, all are partnering with daily deal sites in Middle East to publicize discounts. Often, critics look askance at the gusto with which restaurants market cut-price deals. They get self-destructive or there is something fishy, they say. Suspicions catch intensity specially when delectable, ingredients-rich, and flavorful gastronomic delights bear incredible markdowns. This new retail format relying on online shoppers has made inroads into Middle East for just two years back, though global group buying industry is too a johnny-come-lately in the well-developed ecommerce landscape, introduced in 2008.  According to a latest counting, only United Arab Emirates (UAE) cherishes 30 daily deal businesses led by just three: Groupon, Cobone, and LivingSocial. Nearly all of them promote food deals in Dubai, a city that is called a haven of shoppers and people with diversified taste buds. Daily deal industry has not saved itself from barrage of criticism on its irregularities. Complaints regarding fake discounts or inflated/bluffed prices, false adverts, and undelivered commitment are commonplace.  Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED), in recent days, has taken cognizance of the situation. But, it seems to be in the perplexing state over where to begin with to do away with the issues related to advertising and promotions on group buying platforms. “We have been working with the DED very closely, meeting with them almost every week to try to come up with a mechanism that works,” chief operating officer at Groupon Middle East, Samer Choucair, told The National.“Because we are not a store, a shop that wants to run a discount – we are running 15 to 20 discounts every day – we can’t follow the regular process a store would.” Ministry of health has directed daily deal sites to take its approval before publishing medical products (goods and services). However, medical service takers are just one group susceptible to voluble claims of charlatans. What about food deals in Dubai for instance or adventure bargains? There are many more segments.   World over, daily deals are all the rage. An estimate said global consumer’s spending on daily deals, instant deals, and flash sales would swell up to over four billion dollars by 2015 from currently approximately two billion dollars. Competition is escalating yet so is consumer fatigue over overwhelming email marketing. The pioneer of daily deals in Middle East, Cobone, boasts of 1.5 million customers and has daily 100,000 visits per day from Middle East.   “The incredible development of the UAE within the past 40 years has shaped the attitude of its people towards embracing new technologies and great new business ideas,” Emirates 24/7 cited Alexander Kappes, CEO of Groupon UAE, as saying.  “The UAE market offers a young population, high internet penetration and increasing interest in E-commerce offers and online shopping,” added Alexander.Transforming the daily deals fashion into a permanent retail format needs, however, regulations.