Saudi women market businesses through social networks

(MENAFN- Arab News) Social networks provide high school and university graduates with a chance to practice mini e-business activities, which include marketing accessories, cosmetics and maintenance for women's phones. This feminine sector is starting to flourish in the virtual world, even though some continually to be worried about collecting the value of these services and products after marketing them electronically. Some Saudi young women from Jubail benefited from the new technology by marketing their activities and products on social networks through forming a nucleus for future e-trading. Jubail youngsters today may represent a role model for Saudi women who can enter e-business. They didn't wait for private or government jobs to become available to them and quickly found their own source of income. One of these ventures is 'Feminine Gallery,' whose owner is a university graduate working from home. She imports brand bags, shoes, accessories, high quality watches and also temporary tattoos, an alternative to henna and eyebrow colorings. She and her friend moved into this area of trade after visiting many bazaars. Her flourishing business is a great opportunity, and the owner said she loved this kind of work because she liked marketing. The businesswoman behind 'Al-Malikah' (The Queen) said her venture markets mobile phone maintenance and serves women in their homes. It maintains the privacy of their information. The owner is a university student. She chose this activity as a hobby, and wants to share her experience with all members of society. "Social networks, especially WhatsApp, gave me and other girls like me, a new market. The growth is small but I can see a flourishing future for this trade, if customers and marketers are given guarantees that this could be an alternative to real markets. Everyone is moving toward this kind of trade, because it can reach different sectors of society. Financial returns are acceptable, but it is not a substitute for a job," she added. "I use Twitter and WhatsApp to market my products and these have become a great service to my business. But it's a seasonal business, and not a replacement to a proper job. It doesn't provide me with a steady income, but it can be developed, and it depends on the availability of goods in the market," said Bashayer Al-Masari, storeowner of "Al-Jubail." She said she markets high quality watches, clothes and bags, which appeal to different customers. Bashayer has a BA in education, and resorted to this business to have an income of her own, until she gets a proper job. Najlaa' Al-Abed Alqader, a jewelry designer, uses social networks because these allow her to know her customers' opinions directly, and share information with other members of the profession. She also gets to know other people's experiences. She said as a private enterprise, it is much better than a job, and she likes to make use of technology and the services provided by these websites to develop her business through gauging customer satisfaction. Fatimah Al-Hameed, who has a diploma in computer programming, and is currently studying business administration, said she went into this business through the 'Al-Jubail Spirit' project, for design, graphics and gift-wrapping, because she enjoys handicrafts and computer graphics. "I prefer to use these websites to increase my income. I use Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp, as well as my e-mail to market my commercial activities," she said "This commercial activity has realized good financial returns, and if I took it up full time, I don't think I would need a job because my field relies on occasions and annual activities. I can see my work developing because of the constant communications with my clients through sites and programs. I think these offer an alternative to traditional markets," she added. "This work has saved women from having to go to the markets for a long search, which sometimes leads to nothing. Our prices might even be better than what they can find in the market," she continued. Al-Hameed showed that the use of these social networks in any fledgling business gives it a push forward and allows entrepreneurs to be creative. They will be surprised to learn of the existence of virtual cities and smart gates found in social media websites.