How a Lebanese ecommerce pioneer carved his niche

The hype surrounding entrepreneurs and tech companies has breathed new life into the myth that startups are staffed by college dropouts in hoodies who get around on skateboards. The reality is that some startups launched, iterated, and adapted way before all the hype, buzzwords, and support came along. Karim Saikali, one of Lebanon’s first ecommerce pioneers, is one such entrepreneur.

Saikali launched BuyLebanese.com in 2000 despite a host of infrastructure and legal hurdles. He and his then-business partner Nasri Messarra wanted to offer Lebanese goods to an international audience. They launched the venture with just $500 that they used to pay for hosting and business registration. The platform, which now ships to more than 128 countries, celebrated its 14th anniversary last November.

“I started with no work experience whatsoever,” he said, recalling his journey. “It could have been a little bit better to have experience. I’d recommend that – otherwise, I like to make mistakes because you learn from that. I don’t think I’ve made any big mistakes, but things could have been a little bit faster if I’d had more experience.”

Testing the waters

Saikali spent a lot of time surfing the web and purchasing goods online while he was going to school in the U.S. Fresh from his master’s studies at Columbia University, Saikali launched the now defunct Lebanon’s Largest Music Store, where music fans could browse and purchase records.

After meeting Messarra through a common friend, the two decided to launch BuyLebanese.com together, dividing software development, business development, online marketing, and customer services tasks between the two of them. Saikali recalls the many technological hurdles and the difficulty of convincing people of his vision.

Original article by Stephanie Nour Prince

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How a Lebanese ecommerce pioneer carved his niche