Lebanon’s postal operator, LibanPost, recently participated in two recent regional conferences focusing on the growing influence of e-commerce in the global economy.

 

Sales from e-commerce, the buying and selling of goods and services online, reached $2.2 trillion in 2017, according to market researcher firm eMarketer. This figure is expected to rise to an estimated $4.4 trillion per year by 2021, which would account for 16% of retail sales worldwide.

 

E-commerce is also the fastest growing industry in the Middle East, and is expected to double its market share by 2020. According to the Arab Federation for e-Commerce, e-commerce is estimated to be a $20 billion industry in the MENA region. However, this figure makes up only .71 percent of the region’s GDP, compared to e-commerce accounting for an average of 3 percent of GDP worldwide, which suggests that there is still massive growth potential for the sector in the MENA region.

 

Domestically in the Lebanon, the e-commerce trend has caught on with 12% of all internet users, according to a 2015 survey by market research company Ipsos. Lebanese users primarily purchased fashion, entertainment and beauty products online, while also utilizing e-commerce for e-banking and online bill payment.

 

In Antalya, Turkey, LibanPost was represented by CEO Khalil Daoud at the International e-Commerce Conference 2017, organized by Turkish Post, in partnership with the Turkish Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs, and Communications, on November 20 and 21.

 

The event, which was attended by global representatives from the postal and non-postal industry, as well as several government ministers from participating countries, including Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, sought to examine the increasing role of e-commerce in facilitating the exchange of information, goods, services, delivery, and payments in the economy.

 

During the two-day conference, Daoud was a speaker at the CEOs' roundtable that focused on exchanging experiences and ideas related to the digital transformation of post and e-commerce.

 

Participating countries and third-party entities were also given the opportunity to share their various initiatives and efforts related to e-commerce as a means of promoting further cooperation. As a result, the gathering saw a protocol signed between LibanPost and Turkish Post on maintaining current relations and developing further collaborations, including in the e-commerce domain.

 

LibanPost was also present in Sharm el Sheikh on November 28 and 29 for the 8th EuroMed Postal General Assembly and the Business Development Meetings, jointly organized by the EuroMed Postal Board of Directors and Egypt Post.

 

Euromed, also known as the Postal Union for the Mediterranean (PUMED), gathers 17 postal operators across the Mediterranean region under the Universal Postal Union umbrella, and seeks to promote partnerships in order to strengthen, develop, and protect the collective interests of the member countries and improve the quality of services provided.

 

LibanPost holds major leadership positions within PUMED, with Chairman Daoud currently serving as Chairman of the PUMED Board of Directors and LibanPost’s director of sales and business development Jihad Kosremelli holding the position of secretary-general.

 

During the meetings, Daoud spoke at the opening session of the Enabling e-Commerce in EuroMed Region conference, along with his Egyptian counterpart Essam el Saghir, Chairman of Egypt Post.

 

Upon the conclusion of the gathering, it was agreed upon that Euromed would continue into the next phase of development for an e-commerce platform, to be shared among all member countries that would allow for greater integration of regional markets for both customers and retailers.

 

Throughout the conference, participating countries were also given a chance to share their various initiatives and efforts related to e-commerce.

 

For LibanPost, the growth of e-commerce has led the company to focus efforts on building a solid technical platform, compliant with international standards and based on Universal Postal Union guidelines, to facilitate fast and credible cross-border e-commerce services.

 

Recent initiatives undertaken by LibanPost within this platform include the construction of an integrated supply chain with full visibility for customers to track the progress of their orders, e-commerce payment solutions to facilitate purchasing for individuals with and without credit cards, and various delivery options to conform to customers’ busy schedules.

 

These efforts highlight LibanPost’s desire to become a leader in the e-commerce trend and pioneer ways for users in Lebanon, whether corporate clients or end consumers, to have optimal and efficient e-commerce experiences and logistic services.

 

During the EuroMed conference, LibanPost was also honored as a finalist in the Innovation Award category for its Self-Service Kiosk.

 

The automated machines let LibanPost customers conduct transactions and access information on-demand at nine locations country-wide without the need to wait in line and speak to a live representative, allowing Lebanese to quickly conduct such services as paying their mobile and internet bills, topping up parking meter cards, and settling any traffic ticket or mechanic fees.