Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does a retail sale via mail order or internet business do?
It sells products to customers who order remotely, by website, app, catalogue, mail, or phone, with goods delivered or, for digital products, downloaded.
2. What channels does this activity cover?
Internet and mail-order sales of any product, direct sale via television, radio, and telephone, and internet retail auctions where buyers bid online.
3. Can this activity sell digital products?
Yes. Products ordered over the internet can either be delivered physically or, for digital goods, downloaded directly by the customer.
4. How is this different from other non-store retail?
This activity covers remote ordering by internet, mail, phone, or broadcast. Door-to-door selling and vending machines fall under a separate non-store retail activity.
5. Does this activity need approval or AML registration?
No. This activity requires no third-party approval and is exempt from AML compliance requirements, making it straightforward to set up.
Topic Summary
UAE E-Commerce Market Is Rapidly Growing
UAE online sales reached AED 32.3 billion (about USD 8.8 billion) in 2024 and are projected to surpass AED 50.6 billion by 2029. Dubai alone accounts for roughly 60 per cent of the national e-commerce market.
No Third-Party Approval Required
A Meydan Free Zone license for this activity requires no third-party approval to get started. It is also not subject to anti-money laundering compliance requirements.
One License Covers Multiple Sales Channels
Activity 4791.00 covers selling goods via websites, apps, catalogues, mail, phone, TV, radio, and internet auctions. This lets online and mail-order retailers operate across all those channels under a single license.
Mobile and Connectivity Drive Buyer Demand
Near-universal internet access and a mobile-first shopping culture keep UAE consumer demand strong. Most shoppers place orders directly from their smartphones, giving online sellers a large and active customer base.
Lower Overheads Than Physical Retail
Selling online removes the need for a shop floor, cutting one of the biggest costs in traditional retail. Combined with strong local logistics, this makes it easier to reach customers across the entire UAE efficiently.
Know What the License Does Not Cover
This activity does not permit running a physical store, supplying goods wholesale, or operating a courier and delivery service. Selling regulated goods such as medicines also requires separate approvals beyond this license.
Setup a Retail Sale via Mail Order Houses or via Internet Business in Dubai
This activity is the retail sale of goods online or by mail order. Buyers choose from a website, app or catalogue and order by internet, phone or mail. In the UAE, one of the world's most connected markets, online shopping is booming.
The growth is fast. UAE e-commerce sales reached AED 32.3 billion, about USD 8.8 billion, in 2024. 1 They are set to pass AED 50.6 billion by 2029. 1 Dubai alone makes up around 60 per cent of the market, and e-commerce was 12 per cent of the emirate's non-oil economy in 2024. 2 High internet and smartphone use keep driving sales.
For online sellers, this means a large, growing base of shoppers. A Meydan Free Zone business license lets you sell online and by mail order. It needs no third-party approval, as shown below.
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Why Online Retail Is Booming
- Connected market: Almost everyone is online in the UAE.
- Mobile-first: Most shoppers buy on their phones.
- Fast delivery: Strong logistics get orders out quickly.
- Wide reach: One store can serve the whole country.
- Low cost: Selling online needs no shop floor.
The UAE Online Shopping Boom
A highly connected, mobile-first market keeps online retail growing fast. Here are the key numbers.
Sources: EZDubai; Mordor Intelligence
Who Is This Activity For?
4791.00 - Retail Sale via Mail Order Houses or via Internet
Activity 4791.00 is the retail sale of goods via mail order or the internet. Buyers choose from ads, catalogues, websites or apps, and order by mail, phone or internet. The goods are then delivered or, in some cases, downloaded.
The license covers online and mail-order selling. It also covers direct sales by TV, radio and phone, and internet auctions. It does not cover running a physical shop, or supplying goods in bulk. Those limits are shown in the exclusions below.
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It helps to be clear on what this license does not cover. It does not cover running a physical shop, which is store retail, a separate activity. It also does not cover supplying goods in bulk, which is wholesale, or running a courier and delivery service. And selling regulated goods, such as medicines, still needs their own approvals.
In short: if you are selling goods online or by mail order, you are in. If you are running a physical shop, supplying in bulk, or delivering as a courier, those are separate activities.
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Compliance
THIRD-PARTY APPROVAL
This activity does not require third-party approval to obtain a business license from Meydan Free Zone.
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE
This business activity is not subject to AML compliance requirements.
References
1 EZDubai, with Euromonitor. UAE e-commerce sales reached AED 32.3 billion (about USD 8.8 billion) in 2024, set to surpass AED 50.6 billion by 2029.
2 Mordor Intelligence. Dubai accounts for about 60 per cent of the UAE e-commerce market, and e-commerce made up 12 per cent of Dubai's non-oil GDP in 2024.
