Google launched today ‘Grow My Store’ tool in Arabic (Link) and English (Link) for retailers operating in the Middle East and North Africa.

This free tool guides local businesses to improve their digital storefront, grow customer traffic and optimize online customer experience to successfully complete further transactions.

Retailers can enter their website URL into the ‘Grow My Store’ tool to receive a customized assessment report and an overall score supported by industry benchmarks. This in addition to consumer trends and actionable tips to improve their sites including what type of product information to display online. Those recommendations are market-specific, and are presented with more than hundred local insights by internal research and external surveys led by Kantar, and commissioned by Google.

“Retailers witnessed a paradigm shift in the last year; thousands have moved online. They are the heart of our communities and the driver of recovery in MENA and around the world. This is why we are launching ‘Grow My Store’ in both Arabic and English for retailers of all sizes and who are selling online, offline or both.

We are committed to helping retailers grow and reach more customers via this tool, as businesses will be able to evaluate their sites directly and receive a set of local insights and customized recommendations.” 

commented Ziad Chehade, Head of Ads Marketing at Google in the Middle East and North Africa.

According to a recent research by Kantar and commissioned by Google, around 85% of online shoppers (across consumer electronics, home & garden, apparel, food & groceries and beauty) use their mobile devices to look for information about products they intend to purchase. Customers’ expectations on retail websites are also growing exponentially. Research shows that 66% of online shoppers have already left a website due to its slowness, and around 81% of them prefer to pick-up where they left off exploring the offerings.

Last year, Google announced that all retailers have access to list their products on the Google Shopping tab, across over eight countries across the region, to help them connect with more customers regardless of whether they advertise with Google. This was part of the company’s ‘Grow Stronger with Google’ initiative to help accelerate economic recovery in the MENA region through tools, programs and grants.