The Sharjah Business Women Council is putting 1,000 women-led businesses online, but this is not simply a website giveaway.
The council has launched a one-year initiative worth AED3.6 million in partnership with Packman Portal LLC. Eligible members will receive fully integrated e-commerce stores intended to help them sell beyond their existing customer circles and build a more credible presence in the digital market.
For small businesses that still rely heavily on Instagram messages, WhatsApp orders or occasional exhibitions, the timing matters. An online store can turn a scattered sales process into something customers can actually browse, trust and use without waiting for a reply.
Each Business Will Receive More Than a Basic Website
Every participating entrepreneur will receive an online store valued at AED3,600 for one year.
The package includes a dedicated website, payment gateway integration, product management tools, an administrative dashboard and customisable design features. Training and continued technical support are also part of the offer.
That mix is important. Building a website is relatively easy now. Running one properly is where many smaller companies get stuck.
Products need to be uploaded and organised. Payments must work. Stock information has to remain accurate. Orders need tracking, and someone must respond when a customer enters the wrong address or asks for a refund.
The initiative appears designed around those less glamorous parts of online retail rather than treating digital transformation as a one-day launch event.
A Second Free Year Comes With a Sales Target
There is also a performance-based incentive built into the programme.
Businesses that receive at least 365 customer orders during their first year will qualify for another year of complimentary service.
One order a day sounds manageable on paper. For a young company, however, it still requires consistent promotion, dependable products and a shopping experience that does not frustrate customers halfway through checkout.
The target gives participating businesses a reason to use the platform actively rather than letting another website sit untouched after launch.
It may also help SBWC and Packman identify which businesses are ready for faster expansion.
Training Could Matter More Than the Store Itself
The programme will include practical workshops covering digital entrepreneurship, online store setup, inventory management, digital marketing, customer service, performance optimisation and sustainable business growth.
That may become the most valuable part of the arrangement.
A well-designed online store cannot repair weak product photographs, confusing pricing or slow fulfilment. Nor can it create demand on its own. Business owners still need to understand how customers discover products, why they abandon carts and which marketing campaigns produce actual sales.
Packman’s platform also supports services such as payment integration, warehousing, shipping, order fulfilment and marketing assistance. It uses artificial intelligence to help build and organise stores, according to Sharjah 24.
The technology should reduce some of the setup work. It will not remove the need for owners to learn how digital commerce behaves.
SBWC Wants Women-Owned Companies to Be Easier to Find
Maryam Bin Al Shaikh, Director of the Sharjah Business Women Council, said many entrepreneurs do not struggle because their products are poor. The harder problem is visibility.
The partnership is meant to remove some of the technical and practical barriers that prevent women-owned businesses from reaching customers online. It also reflects a broader shift in how entrepreneurship organisations support founders.
Access to networking events and mentoring still has value. Yet a business also needs infrastructure: a place to display products, collect payments, manage orders and measure performance.
The agreement was formalised through a memorandum of understanding signed by Bin Al Shaikh and Mohamed Al Rashed, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Packman Portal LLC.
Sharjah Is Building a More Digital Entrepreneurial Base
The initiative arrives as digital commerce becomes harder for UAE businesses to ignore.
The UAE e-commerce market generated an estimated $8.1 billion, or around AED29.8 billion, in revenue during 2025. It was expected to grow by roughly 10% to 15% through 2026, according to figures cited by WAM and Sharjah 24.
That growth creates opportunity, but it also raises customer expectations.
Shoppers are becoming less patient with businesses that lack clear prices, secure payment options or dependable delivery information. A strong social media account can attract attention. Customers still need somewhere reliable to complete the purchase.
For Sharjah’s women entrepreneurs, the new stores could provide that missing layer.
The Real Test Starts After Launch
Giving 1,000 entrepreneurs an e-commerce platform is a substantial commitment. The bigger question is how many of those stores will become active, sustainable sales channels.
Some will probably use the programme to bring an existing offline business online. Others may be testing a commercial idea for the first time. Their results will depend on product quality, pricing, marketing and the willingness to keep learning after the website goes live.
Still, the initiative removes a familiar excuse: the cost and complexity of getting started.
It gives selected Sharjah businesswomen the tools, training and technical backing to enter online retail with fewer barriers. What they build from there will tell the more interesting story.