BoxCommerce, a fast-growing e-commerce platform, has officially launched in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), eyeing the country’s booming mobile commerce market and large community of small businesses. The company is betting that its simple, all-in-one solution will fill a major gap for local entrepreneurs who want to take their businesses online but lack the tools or tech know-how to do it.
Founded in 2019, BoxCommerce offers a full suite of tools that help businesses set up online stores, manage inventory, accept payments, and handle deliveries all without needing a developer. After expanding to Kenya in 2022, the company says it onboarded over 5,400 merchants in its first year 16 times more than Shopify in the same period. It has since expanded into South Africa and Indonesia, with the UAE now marking its entry into the Middle East.
“The UAE is a strategic market for us,” said Craig Mcleod, BoxCommerce’s founder and CEO. “With over 70% of people shopping online and mobile commerce leading the charge, we believe we can help small businesses here tap into this incredible growth.”
The country’s e-commerce sector is expected to generate $8 billion in revenue this year and cross $10 billion by 2029, making it one of the most promising markets in the region. Despite this growth, many small businesses still struggle to find easy-to-use tools that allow them to sell online efficiently.
BoxCommerce aims to change that by offering a simple, fast way for SMEs to build an online store often in just a few minutes. The platform also enables sales across websites, social media platforms, and online marketplaces, helping sellers reach more customers wherever they are.
“There are around 600,000 SMEs in the UAE, yet very few e-commerce tools are built with their unique needs in mind,” said Rahul Vaish, BoxCommerce’s Director for MENA. “SMEs make up 94% of businesses in the UAE and employ over 86% of the private workforce. Supporting them is not just good for business, it’s essential for the economy.”
BoxCommerce’s expansion comes with solid backing: the company is part of MasterCard’s Startup Engagement program and previously took part in Facebook’s Commerce Accelerator. Its goal is clear to become the go-to platform for small and growing businesses in emerging markets that want to build powerful online sales channels without the complexity.