Omar Kassim, the founder of JadoPado, a retail portal based in Dubai, named his website after the Gujarati word for "fatty". He hopes the site, which sells goods such as Apple's iPad, will bring fat profits. Yet with the low uptake of e-commerce in the UAE, online retail sites face an uphill battle against the prevalent mall culture. Mr Kassim explains how he plans to compete.
What does the name JadoPado mean?
I'm Sri Lankan by nationality, from a minority community. And we speak a dialect of Gujarati. JadoPado is the equivalent of "fatty" in English.
That explains half of it. But why fatty?
When we were brainstorming names, my sister saw my little son running about. And she said "oh, why don't you use the name JadoPado"?, because his little belly was sticking out. And it sounded catchy. We wanted something that stood out, and possibly meant something a bit funny.
Does that mean you are specifically targeting the Gujarati population?
Not at all. Our target is just about anyone. Currently we deliver to Dubai only: we wanted a nice-sized test market. But we're expanding into Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the next six weeks.
When did you launch the site and what have sales been like?
The site went live on March 20. And we've touched Dh2 million (US$544,000) in terms of sales. It's actually been beyond expectations because we've done no PR or [mainstream] marketing, except a few Google ads. Our main marketing has come from people talking about it.
What is the competition like in the UAE's online retail industry?
It's a very nascent market at the moment. There isn't a lot of competition. But at the same time it depends on the category. If you look at the electronics space, it's very competitive. But in some of the other retail categories there just aren't enough players out there. Some of the larger retailers with physical presences have made half-ditched efforts, but haven't really pushed it.
Is it only a matter of time before Amazon launches a store in the region? What impact would that have on local players?
I think Amazon potentially doesn't see this space as a large enough market. I don't know if it makes enough sense for Amazon to start up.
Your site sells electronics and perfume. What other categories are you looking at introducing?
We're looking at expanding the fashion category. We're very seriously looking at the grocery space. It would be non-fresh [goods] to start off with. We're probably looking at another 12 months before we approach wholesalers. It makes sense - we can see a market for it, but perhaps we need to give it a little more time. It's on the back-burner at the moment.
There's a strong mall culture here in the UAE. How can retail websites hope to compete with that?
Mall culture out here goes beyond shopping: It's your time out, it's a place to eat. But at the same time Dubai and, by extension, the region is very convenience-driven. It's probably one of the only cities where you can drive up to an ATM machine. And in that sense, our biggest selling point is our delivery times: we generally deliver the same day.
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The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
RESULTS
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: M'A Yaromoon, Jesus Rosales (jockey), Khalifa Al Neydai (trainer)
5.30pm: Khor Al Baghal – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: No Riesgo Al Maury, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Khor Faridah – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: JAP Almahfuz, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Mahmouda, Pat Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AS Jezan, George Buckell, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
7.30pm: Khor Laffam – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Dolman, Antonio Fresu, Bhupath Seemar
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Scoreline
Australia 2-1 Thailand
Australia: Juric 69', Leckie 86'
Thailand: Pokklaw 82'
