INTERVIEW-Malaysian halal e-commerce site Aladdinstreet to spend $100 mln, onboard 60,000 merchants
Photo: Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, co-founder of halal e-commerce site Aladdinstreet, was Malaysia's first astronaut / Courtesy Aladdinstreet
Shariah-compliant e-commerce is the next big opportunity for global online retailers looking for new customers. Muslims around the world spent more than $101 billion on Internet shopping last year, according to data from the State of the Global Islamic Economy 2015/16 report.
While Malaysia-based business-to-business halal e-store Zilzar is often in the media, it will soon see competition from Aladdinstreet, the new kid on the block. Co-founded by Malaysia’s first astronaut, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, the site is boldly claiming it will be the Shariah-compliant equivalent to Amazon or Alibaba.
“Aladdinstreet’s business model focuses on the halal market,” Shukor told Salaam Gateway. “But unlike others, our footprint is worldwide, with partner offices located in 30 countries at this moment, and more in the near future.”
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Leighton Cosseboom