If you’re a resident of Abu Dhabi or anywhere else in the world and thinking of small business ideas in UAE to kick-start your entrepreneur career, you’ll find them here.
Today we’ll discuss small business ideas with enormous potential for success in the United Arab Emirates, in addition to a couple of the best online business ideas in UAE.
We’ll also provide you with a list of the best small retail business ideas in the UAE that you could start with no large investments upfront.
Top Retail Small Business Ideas in UAE 2022
Note that you don’t need to come up with competitive products on a global level to succeed in the retail industry, as you could adopt a certain niche in a single product, or target a particular city or group of people. And also bring new ideas, even within a traditional business industry.
So, to help you kick start your substantial business, we have compiled a list of the small business ideas in the UAE with the best return on investment.
Here’s a list of small business ideas 2022, and it goes as follows.
1. Restaurant and Cafe ☕
People in the UAE have good purchasing power and a large disposable income that makes them lead a lifestyle filled with dining out. Therefore, a good return on investment with high demand if you want to start a business in the UAE can be a small restaurant or a cafe targeting specific cuisines or a combination of traditional ones.
Cafes and restaurants in Dubai like Tribes Carnivore, Asil, and Awtar are three of the best-rated restaurants on Trip Advisor. Who says you can’t start the next top-rated substantial business in the UAE?
A great idea
Food trucks are getting more popular in the UAE every day. It works as the perfect small business idea for beginners since it requires minor investment compared to other good business ideas.
2. Travel Agency ✈️
Dubai is one of the world’s great tourist destinations, so the travel market is already developed. The market is still open to withholding a new travel agency, especially if it’s bringing brand new ideas and motivating travel offers.
Examples 🏖️
Looking for a good idea? Here’s four! ⬇️
- Bring exotic resort deals into the market
- Create discounts on luxurious travel destinations
- Offer overseas tours for residents
- Cruise deals and similar stuff which has a lot of opportunities to grab the market’s attention
3. Printed Clothes and Apparel 👕
As old as printing may be, still, it’s still a high-demand business to start in the United Arab Emirates.
Selling printed clothes is always a great business idea and could blend with many fashion trends.
It’s especially popular among celebrities. Just be careful not to limit yourself just to silk printing, but aim to use modern techniques such as embossing and digital printing, and you will be on your way to success.
Great business advice
If you don’t know where and how to source your printed clothes, a good idea is to consider using Printful for a print-on-demand business.
💡 Read this for more info: A to Z Guide to Start Dropshipping Business from the Ground Up 2022
4. Cupcake and Pastry Shop 🍰
Kids love cupcakes everybody loves cupcakes, especially in the UAE.
In fact, the bakery market in the UAE is worth $683 million based on research by Euromonitor.
It was observed that cupcakes have surpassed other kinds of pastry in popularity and likability, making it one solid choice you could stick to and could bring you lots of customers looking forward to getting your delicious treats.
That’s why it’s one of the perfect small business ideas in Dubai with enormous potential that you could start from home.
Expert Advice 🎓
If you’re thinking of small business ideas from home that could fully operate and succeed, a small pastry shop is one of those good business ideas to work from home.
But how?
Start by initiating your menu, decide what kind of pastry you’d like to open, and the tasty cakes you’ll offer your clients to encourage them to buy from you.
The next step after deciding on your menu, create social media pages with your business name and logo, and then utilize ExpandCart to create an inspiring free store where you can list all your products, receive orders, accept all kinds of payments and manage your whole workflow from one dashboard.
- Free for life, no credit card, no hidden fees
5. Gadgets Accessories 📱
When gadgets are there, you could almost always find accessories for them, almost inseparable from each other.
Since modern gadgets such as tablets, cellphones, laptops are produced immensely in the market, people are looking for accessories to personalize them according to their preferences so that they are unique.
So, it’s quite a good business idea to sell gadget accessories as they still dominate the market and very easily make it to the top 10 small retail business ideas.
Read more about How to Start a Phone Case Business in 2021? [Action Steps] including an example from the United Arab Emirates.
6. Sports Supplies 👟
You don’t need to wait for the Olympics to start a company setup based on selling sports supplies, especially since sports fans will pay their money for a worthy product.
Providing them with what they want will give you a lot of clients in a short time. There are 20 popular sports all over the world with millions of supporters, so the sky is the limit here within such a niche.
7. Baby Products 🍼
Selling baby products is a profitable business and, whenever in doubt, you could consider it one of the top 9 retail business ideas to resort to.
Many entrepreneurs and investors have so many ideas for products to sell and services to promote that could get them very successful. The issue here is that they might have little time to do the selling themselves.
That’s when you come to the rescue as a consigned to retail their products for them and get your commission, one smart idea that is not bad at all is to be in the top 10 profitable business ideas
8. Online Business Retailing 🛒
Online retail could be classified depending on the type of products being sold. Furthermore, its mode of selling is also categorized as unique since it depends on the internet as a channel of selling.
It could be considered consignment as you sell other products on your website, which means you have to do the rest of the activities, such as marketing & promotion activities, delivery, and a range of other related activities.
There are many online portals that you can work on leveraging being an online retailer, such as eBay, Amazon, Etsy, etc.
Read more here: How to Start an Ecommerce Business with ExpandCart
9. Retail Organic Foods 😋
It’s about time you embrace the green movement that is here and start your organic food selling, one that could nicely and easily fit into the list of 10 top ideas for retail businesses.
The reason is that people are getting more aware about their nutritional habits and how is their health is being affected that is why caution is on the rise, and people are paying more attention to what they eat, and they are focusing on picking the most healthy and green food types, turning that field into a profitable business.
10. Used Furniture 🛋️
Selling used furniture is one of the investment opportunities to make a lot of money, especially due to the fact that you can sell furniture for double its price because when it comes to furniture it’s not a deal whether it’s new as it’s old, which gives a huge incentive to start selling it right away.
11. Beauty Products 💅
As lots of people are trying to pursue perfection, introducing your catalog of just the right mix will go a long way in moving your beauty products business forward, and selling will be easier than you expect, something that solidly positions this business in the top 10 retail business ideas.
- Free for life, no credit card, no hidden fees
Top Online Business Ideas in UAE 2022
After bringing you the best ideas in retail in UAE, we thought you may want to take a glance at the top online business ideas in UAE that don’t require a physical product to sell. Let’s dive right in!
1. Start Vlogging 📸📹
It is a business in the United Arab Emirates that does not require any investment. You may take inspiration from someone like Joelle Mardinian, who has amassed a sizable fortune simply by becoming a celebrity in front of the camera.
You must create engaging videos with a high likelihood of going viral. Then you’ll be able to make money through advertising. Most vloggers make money by creating product review videos, which many people like to purchase.
But everything comes at a price, right? Being an influencer in the UAE requires a special influencer license. But do you really need one?
Simply put, yes, if you make money from the content you share. Those influencers in Dubai who make money through adverts and promotions on their social media profiles must get the license.
You don’t need to be a licensed influencer to publish your content if you are an influencer in Dubai who solely receives gifts, products, and services from businesses in return for publicity. Keep in mind that you will require this licence if you get into a paid cooperation with any company; since failing to do so might cause significant fines. Influencers in Dubai who are linked with NMC-certified media firms will not be required to seek a license.
If you want to become a licensed influencer in the UAE, you have two options: earn an individual license or sign a contract with one of the NMC-certified influencer firms. Individual licenses for social media influencers in the UAE will also require a trade license, so expect annual expenses of up to AED 30,000.
2. Become a Tutor 🧑🏫
It’s a new business in the UAE that doesn’t require any investment. You can start this company if you have a strong grasp of specific subjects and believe you can teach them effectively.
The education and schooling system in the United Arab Emirates is highly costly. You may be able to offer your services at a lower cost.
It will enable you to attract more students to your campus. You may begin by instructing at home; subsequently, you can open your own academy and develop your business. Online tutoring is also a viable option.
Sharing your skills or experience via internet channels such as social media has gotten easier. Why not start an online coaching company if you are passionate about anything like fitness, nutrition, or cooking?In the aftermath of the worldwide epidemic, online coaching or tutoring has exploded. Many personal trainers, nutritionists, and life coaches have established internet channels and converted them into profitable businesses. Click To Tweet
You may also work from home as an online coach and interact with customers from all over the world, giving you access to a larger audience and consumer base. To get your online coaching business off the ground, you’ll need to educate yourself on the finest business practices and tools, just like any other home-based business.
3. Consider Web Developing 🧑💻
Web design and development may be a lucrative career, especially if you work as a freelancer. This is a rising industry since many businesses now want to establish an online presence but may not have the resources in-house to do it. Apart from web development, you might also provide web design and other related services to set yourself apart from the competition.
Having a website has become a need for today’s businesses. It’s their company’s internet presence, and one of the first things potential buyers search for when seeking a product or service provider.
Furthermore, the majority of individuals base their first impressions of a firm on its website. This implies that businesses must invest in a visually appealing and intelligent website that provides a positive user experience. As a result, experienced site designers are constantly in high demand.
- Free for life, no credit card, no hidden fees
While there are many internet tools that company owners may use to develop and design their own websites, most choose to hire professional web designers to ensure they receive the best results possible. As a web designer, you’ll collaborate with business owners to develop the appearance and feel of their website, as well as discuss layouts and themes and generate mock-ups.
To provide your clients with the greatest possible designs, you must also keep up with the newest software, design trends, and principles.
4. Become a Social Media Consultant 🙋
Social media has developed into an essential component of doing business. Almost every company and brand has realized this.
But as a social media consultant, how do you make a living?
Before you provide your services to others, you need first build an audience for yourself. Your social media presence and reach should show what you can accomplish for your customers.
Determine your target audience, create an online presence for yourself in that group, and begin making real interactions with them.
To create genuine relationships with the proper users, put together great social media strategy, results-driven social advertising campaigns, and offer engaging social media content. With the aid of such points, you can establish a reputation and gain the trust of businesses that require your social media expertise.
For social media consultancy, many organizations value the importance of having an online presence, particularly to establish a personal relationship with their target market. As they require professional assistance in designing and implementing a social media strategy, haunt and impress such organizations.
Final Words 💬
The list of retail products and online businesses you could dive into is endless, and a lot of retail business opportunities and investment opportunities are out there in the UAE for smart people to grab.
You could sell almost anything as long as you have created a demand for it, including your talents and skills, not just products. So those small business ideas in UAE 2022 are just a guide for what could be trendy currently. Yet feel free to adopt whatever feels appealing and convenient to you.