Author: Dana Khammash

Convertedin, a marketing operating system for e-commerce brands, has raised a $3 million seed round from global and regional investors. The round was led by Saudi Arabia’s Merak Capital and saw participation from 500 Global and MSAS.

Convertedin is built for brands and businesses who desire a single platform to drive personalized & scalable campaigns, convert customers, achieve measurable results and grow revenue. Today Convertedin works with hundreds of homegrown and multinational brands across Africa, the Middle East, and South America.

Mohamed Fergany, CEO and co-founder of Convertedin, said, “As SMBs around the world build e-commerce services, they need the right tools to convert customers and generate revenue. With Convertedin, brands no longer need expensive and complex infrastructure for data-centric marketing. Today, we have built a marketing operating system, the preferred choice for hundreds of local and international brands. Today, Convertedin is a business with strong fundamentals,  and we are honored to partner with leading global investors as we embark on our next growth phase.”

As brands shift to e-commerce sales, they operate with vast amounts of fragmented data. With its advanced technology, Convertedin helps to unify zero-party and first-party data, unlock value for businesses, create marketing efficiencies, and have a singular focus on growing revenue.

With Convertedin, on average, brands increased their ROAS by 2x and reduced customer acquisition costs by 40%. The company’s clients include leading names from automotive, healthcare, technology, and other industries.

Ahmed Aljibreen, Partner at Merak Capital, said: “As eCommerce businesses become increasingly prevalent, they often lack the capabilities to leverage data for customer acquisition to drive topline growth. The ever-changing landscape of digital marketing platforms adds a new layer of challenges for e-commerce companies. For that and more, we are excited to back Convertedin. This mar-tech company has built a state-of-the-art platform to simplify digital marketing, improve customer acquisition and drive growth for its clients. Convertedin is led by a world-class team in which we have tremendous confidence as the company embarks on its next growth stage in MENA and Latin America.”

As part of its expansion plans, Convertedin will open its first office in South America to be located in the Brazilian city of Rio De Janeiro. With e-commerce revenue in South America set to grow to $167.34 bn by 2025 from 244.1 mn users, Convertedin is well positioned to help businesses accelerate growth and drive revenue generation.

By shaping the future of data-centric marketing, Convertedin is reimagining how brands engage with customers to build trusted relationships and maintain customer privacy. Integrating with over ten major e-commerce platforms and ad networks, Convertedin helps drive customer engagement and conversion online and offline.

Through a suite of industry-leading tools, marketers can quickly deploy campaigns across the web, search engine ads, social ads, SMS, and email services, while tracking and attributing revenue conversion.

Currently available in multiple languages, including Arabic and English, the company will launch services in Portuguese soon. Since Launching in 2019, Convertedin has worked directly with brands while also operating in partnership with leading media buying and advertising agencies.

A wave of anger and calls for a boycott of the chain of stores LC Waikiki grew in Turkey and the Arab world in the past few weeks after the brand pulled T-shirts with Arabic writings from Turkish stores.

The chain has come under double fire for selling children’s T-shirts with Arabic writings in Turkey.

“It’s time to play” the English translation of the Arabic writing “حان وقت اللعب” is The phrase written on children’s T-shirts that caused chaos on social media in Turkey, rejecting the presence of the Arabic text. The company responded to criticism by announcing that it was withdrawing Arabic-language T-shirts from its stores in Turkey.

Many Arab and Turkish people expressed their anger on social media, using solid and firm words against the chain of stores and asking people to take serious action against LC Waikiki, wondering why the stores have withdrawn these T-shirts. At the same time, its shelves are filled with clothes written on it in other international languages that have not been removed.

Baraa Nizar Rayan tweeted: “The Turkish LC Waikiki company apologizes to the racists and withdraws from the Turkish market a shirt bearing three words in Arabic (wrongly placed) in the Turkish market. Dozens of its shirts bear English phrases, which were not withdrawn and did not apologize because of them. The company has branches in 16 Arab countries; you should boycott it And not approach it if you care about your dignity!”

Samer Tarawneh wrote: “The Turkish clothing brand LC Waikiki apologizes to its customers in Turkey after racist criticism of it for selling a product that has writtings in Arabic. We Arabs will boycott LC Waikiki, and we will not buy your products in any country until you respect our Arabic language!”

Mehmet Tasoglu tweeted: “All languages of peoples around the world must be respected, and nobody should act in a racist manner towards a particular language. I will stop buying any of LC Waikiki’s Turkish products and call on everyone to boycott them because they support racist discourse in Turkey.”

Al-Habib Al-Hashemi tweeted, “I will not buy anything from LC Waikiki stores anymore, because they considered writing in Arabic on clothes a mistake that requires an apology, concerned about the racist customers’ feelings who doesn’t have morals.”

It is known that LC Waikiki stores sell clothes in addition to household supplies, and most of the goods are printed with words in several languages, including English, Chinese, and others.

Amazon filed a lawsuit against over 10,000 Facebook group administrators who allegedly brokered fake reviews, including one called “Amazon Product Review,” which had more than 43,000 members.

The groups are set up to recruit individuals willing to post incentivized and misleading reviews on Amazon’s online stores in the US, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Japan and offer refunds or other payments to buyers willing to leave fake reviews on products like camera tripods and car stereos.

According to screenshots of Facebook messages included in the complaint, another group, called “Amazon Varified Buyer & Seller,” had more than 2,500 members complaint said administrators allegedly sought out fake reviews and offered them to Amazon sellers, charging $10 per review.

Amazon said that Facebook parent company Meta has taken down half of the more than 10,000 groups reported by Amazon and continues to investigate others.

The case represents Amazon’s latest effort to root out fake reviews on its sprawling third-party marketplace. The marketplace accounts for more than half of e-commerce sales and has helped the company generate record revenue.

Fake reviews have become more severe as Amazon’s online marketplace has grown to amass millions of third-party merchants. Bad actors often seek to boost their product ratings or search ranking by soliciting fake reviews.

.And because it’s unknown who is running the Facebook groups, Amazon said it filed the lawsuit to learn their identities, shut down the groups, and compel them to return their “ill-gotten gains from brokering fake reviews,” according to the complaint.

Amazon said it has internal teams that scope out fake review purveyors. The teams work with Facebook to close the groups. “Nonetheless, new Facebook groups offering fake reviews continue to appear,” the complaint states.

Dharmesh Mehta, Amazon’s vice president of selling partner services, said, “Our teams stop millions of suspicious reviews before customers ever see them, and this lawsuit goes a step further to uncover perpetrators operating on social media,”

Added, “Proactive legal action targeting bad actors is one of many ways we protect customers by holding bad actors accountable.”

Amazon has previously said it uses a combination of machine-learning tools and human moderators to try to curb fake reviews. It’s also asked other social media companies to step in and assist, as fake review communities have flourished in Facebook groups and messaging apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, and WeChat.

It’s known that Amazon introduced reviews in 1995 to help customers make more informed shopping decisions.

Tribal, a global fintech company, introduced its expense management platform giving small, medium, and micro enterprises in the MENA region more control over their spending.

Tribal is a payment and financing platform that uses the latest emerging technologies to provide small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in emerging markets with better access to financial services.

Tribal offers access to modern payment methods like multi-currency physical and ​virtual business credit cards, local and international wires, short-term financing, and a powerful ​spend management platform​ to track and control their expenses—all in one interface.

According to a study by the International Monetary Fund, SMMEs, including startups, account for over 90% of all businesses in the MENA region. Many of these organizations are looking to adopt new technologies and digitize to effectively adapt to the realities of the post-pandemic world and current macroeconomic challenges.

Digitization and automating financial operations can help SMMEs avoid financial risks, manage resources efficiently, and make real-time decisions.

By harnessing digital tools, finance teams can control and monitor the use of resources in real-time, informing decision-making and allowing them to adapt to changing business conditions in real-time.

According to Tribal, organizations using its digital platform prepared more internal and real-time financial reports in May 2022. The development of these reports is one of the top three activities carried out by Tribal clients, along with bank transfers and credit card management.

Amira Fadel, Regional Manager for Tribal MENA, said: “An instrumental factor in the growth of SMMEs is the control and monitoring expenses. By automating these processes and analyzing data, digital platforms specialized in these areas can greatly improve companies because they provide finance teams with a clear picture of expenditures, allowing them to focus on providing value and creating growth.”

70% of SMMEs have accelerated the use of digital technologies since the pandemic – According to a December 2021 study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Effectively monitoring and controlling expenses is integral to a digital transformation strategy as it allows companies to reduce risks and avoid the complications that often come with traditional expense control, such as manual errors, false invoices, and improper use of funds.

However, it can be challenging for many startups to access sophisticated digital solutions through traditional banking because they do not meet the required requirements or do not find solutions tailored to their needs. Fintech companies have emerged as an alternative to meet the unique digital and financial needs of startups and SMMEs.

Fadel added: “Tribal’s expense control platform makes it possible to maximize efficient use of resources by assigning credit limits for each employee or team in a company. Also, through its value offer, the company offers the possibility for companies to have an unlimited number of corporate credit cards.”

By bringing these digital solutions for expense control to startups and SMMEs, Tribal is supporting economic growth in the region by helping companies innovate, integrate, and accelerate into the future. Tribal’s vision is to streamline all financial management processes onto one unified platform to create the most efficient and comprehensive solution for its clients.

Tribal has raised funding from SoftBank Latin America Fund, QED Investors, BECO Capital, Stellar Development Foundation, Coinbase Ventures, and additional crypto and strategic investors. The company is also among an elite group chosen as part of the Visa FinTech Fast Track program. 

Trust Smart Solutions (TSS) teams up with Payscript to enable Crypto payment acceptance on the point of Sales Terminals in the Middle East region.

Trust Smart Solutions is a regional payment technology provider, enabling acquirers, processors, and banks with payment acceptance infrastructure. It’s also a regional channel partner with PAX Technology for supplying PAX POS terminals and other solutions.

Payscript is an all-inclusive Crypto solutions-as-a-service platform; it allows users to make crypto payments through different channels, including sending and receiving payments, accepting payments on E-commerce stores and online websites, and physical point-of-sale transactions in retail stores and cafes.

This collaboration will expedite intersectional user adoption among those seeking crypto payment solutions and open opportunities for various new offerings.

Tamim Halawani, Deputy General Manager of Trust Smart Solutions, said, “Crypto is at the forefront of payment innovation globally, addressing high-impact use cases across the merchant-consumer ecosystem. We firmly believe that our partnership with Payscript will democratize access to the crypto universe and drive seamless adoption across various payment channels.”

Nadeem Shaikh, CEO of Payscript, said, “Cryptography is going to be the future of money, whether it’s Bitcoin or Stable Coin or Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) still needs to be seen, but it’s inevitable. Crypto provides a better, transparent, secure framework for managing money. Our partnership with Trust Smart Solutions will enable merchants across the Middle East and North Africa to accept crypto payments on the point-of-sale terminals directly in addition to cards! Isn’t that amazing? I am super excited about the partnership and the opportunities lying ahead”.

Careem has acquired the Dubai-based money transfer platform Denarii for an undisclosed amount, and some key members of the Denarii team will also be joining Careem, according to a press release.

Founded in 2019 by Jon Santillan and Walfrido Perez, Denarii’s proprietary money transfer technology uses a single API call to enable fintechs like Careem Pay to facilitate quick and affordable international money transfers. Denarii also helps businesses build secure profit centers by automating accounts payable and B2B payments.

Careem Pay will use Denarii’s money transfer technology to connect customers and Captains with remittance services provided by licensed providers. It also offers a digital wallet that stores real money for customers in the UAE and a peer-to-peer (P2P) transfer product that enables customers to send, request, and receive money using a phone number, personal QR code, or personal payment link.

Seamless access to international remittance services will round out Careem Pay’s payment offering for customers and Captains to address their everyday financial needs.

“We’re thrilled to acquire the assets of Denarii, a startup that is transforming the way people move money across the world. Denarii’s innovative API will accelerate our journey to offering simple and affordable international remittance services, adding to the wide variety of services already available through Careem Pay.” Mudassir Sheikha, CEO and co-founder of Careem commented.

Jon Edward Santillan, CEO and co-founder of Denarii, said: “Careem’s large network of customers, Captains and merchants, and a decade of payments processing experience will enable us to increase the impact of the money transfer technology we built through Denarii. Careem has done more than any regional startup to simplify and improve lives, and we’re excited to join the team to increase economic freedom for millions of people.”

Careem has a significant presence in countries connecting some of the most active remittance corridors in the world, such as the UAE, KSA, and Pakistan. Careem Pay simplifies payment experiences by making it easier for customers, Captains, and merchants to hold and transfer money, pay bills, and complete and accept payments on and beyond the super App.

Careem Super App in the UAE offers more than a dozen services, including ride-hailing, food and grocery delivery, micro-mobility, digital financial services, and partner services, including car rental, home cleaning, and PCR testing.

It is worth mentioning that Careem was established In March 2012 in Dubai and still operates in over 100 cities, covering 12 countries across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.

Google Hangouts is officially shutting down in November 2022. Google is prompting users who still use the Hangouts mobile app to migrate to Chat before it retires this year.

The company will start prompting Gmail hangouts users on the web to switch to Chat beginning in July.

Google pointed out that Hangouts will remain usable on its desktop site until November, and it will warn users “at least one month” in advance before it starts pointing the Hangouts site to Chat.

Earlier this month, Google discontinued GChat (or Google Talk), which Hangouts was initially supposed to be its successor, for good.

In 2018, the company first gave a clue in its plans to transition users from Hangouts to Chat while making it free for all users in 2020.

If you’re a Hangouts user, Google should automatically transfer your existing conversations to Chat. The company also allows you to use its Takeout service to download a copy of your Hangouts data before it’s officially discontinued comes November.

Google said it’s rolling out a few new features to tempt users to switch, including making direct calls, creating in-line threads in Spaces (the rebrand of Rooms), and sharing and viewing multiple images.

Etisalat Egypt has unveiled its new branding as ‘Etisalat by e&,’ following the steps of the e& Group’s recent rebranding in the UAE market.

Etisalat is leaving behind its bright green logo as part of the rebrand.

“The green color will disappear,” Chief Consumer Officer Ahmed Yahia said, mentioning that they will use the new logo on all of Etisalat’s stores in the market over the coming few days.

Say goodbye to the Etisalat green logo

The new identity, Etisalat by e&, is in line with the Group’s current positioning as a ‘global technology and investment conglomerate that digitally empowers societies.’ Yahia said.

Say hello to the Etisalat new logo and brand identity

Egypt is the second-largest market for Etisalat after the UAE, comprising 100 million users.

“Egypt has significant potential, including its expansion in financial inclusion, the mega projects being implemented, and the wide-scale investment opportunities the state offers. That’s why we aim to expand in the local market in telecom and other technology solutions,” Yehia explained.

Hatem Dowidar, the group CEO of e&, said that the rebranding of Etisalat Egypt’s corporate identity aims to create harmony within the Group’s telecommunication brands and align with its transformation journey and refreshed positioning, especially about accelerating value generation through innovation and digitization.

Dowidar added, “We aim to contribute to strengthening Egypt’s digital economy and help create even more opportunities. The brand identity change is in alignment with our strategy to enhance Etisalat’s leadership position in Egypt’s telecommunications market through innovative solutions and principles that make a tangible difference to our people, shareholders, and investors,”

Hazem Metwally, CEO of Etisalat Egypt, stated that the new brand identity leverages Etisalat’s leadership position in the Egyptian market with its state-of-the-art infrastructure, robust operations, and strong partnerships built upon years of sustainable growth and continuous commitment to innovation.

Metwally added, “Over the past 15 years, we have created value for our subscribers, shareholders, people, and communities. Our story of success is one that we want to continue to follow in the future in our new brand evolution and continue to re-invent ourselves so that we can make a difference in the market,”

On Feb 23rd, Etisalat Group changed its brand identity to e& aiming to expand in other activities related to technology in general rather than focusing only on telecom services.

Two years after the end of season 3 of the legendary Westworld, season 4 premiered on HBO Max Monday, June 27, 2022. Fans from the Middle East region can watch it on OSN at the same time as HBO.

The HBO original nine-time Emmy-winning stirred controversy and kept the audience glued to the screen since season 1 came out in October 2016.

How to watch Westworld in the MENA region?

Westworld fans from across the Middle East and North Africa (Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Oman) can watch season 4 on the OSN network at the same time as it’s premiered in the US.

OSN has an exclusive partnership with HBO to broadcast series and movies along Paramount+ and Universal studios.