A considerable number of young Qataris have indicated their preference for online shopping to buy a wide range of products, especially those that are not available in the market, local daily Arrayah has reported.
While they said such form of shopping should be encouraged, the youngsters also felt that strong protective measures should be put in place to regulate the process and guarantee the rights of consumers.
Online shopping has become popular among the young generation, especially when it comes to buying goods such as newly launched electronic products, automobile spare parts and accessories, garments and personal accessories, books and music albums. Also, they use the Internet to avail of services such as hotel and airline bookings, car rentals and purchase of tickets for entertainment and
sports events.
Nayef al-Rumaihi, a young Qatari man, said e-shopping has become a modern necessity as it offers consumers a range of newly launched items in the market, competitive prices and a convenient and hassle-free shopping experience.
“Online shopping can ease traffic congestion problems and spare shoppers the trouble of looking for parking space,” he pointed out.
Ahmed al-Hilali, another Qatari, said Internet shopping should be limited to products that are not available in the local market and be conducted with utmost care involving well-known brands.
He added that products and services such as home appliances, cars and real estate should be bought and availed of through direct sales.
Some felt there should be an upper limit for online purchases (like QR5,000) as the process may involve fraud or manipulation. They also pointed out that such limited purchases should be carried out only through websites that have proper credentials and enjoy a good reputation.
