Markets
Four markets we live in.
Not a list of opportunities. What is actually true about selling here, including the parts that are hard.
Karachi
Umair
Patna
Aryan
Manila
Umer
Dubai
Shamas (guest)
Market
~240M people · median age ~20 · consumer electronics import market $2.4B
Retail structure
Overwhelmingly general trade. Mobile retail clusters — Saddar in Karachi, Hafeez Centre in Lahore — set the price the whole country pays. Modern trade is under 10% of the category.
What is hard
Import duty structure changes with the budget. Dollar availability and LC delays can strand a shipment for weeks. Warranty culture is thin, which means a brand that honours warranty is remembered for it.
What we have there
Existing distribution relationships across 4 cities, PSQCA experience, and a founder who has been importing into this market for over a decade.
Market
~1.43B people · the world’s second-largest smartphone market · accessories market growing ~14% CAGR
Retail structure
Distributor–dealer hierarchies that are precise and unforgiving about margin. Regional strength matters more than national presence: winning Bihar and UP is a different business from winning Bangalore.
What is hard
BIS registration is mandatory and slow — plan on 8–16 weeks before it is a market at all. GST and state-level logistics add real complexity. Price sensitivity at the entry tier is brutal.
What we have there
Ex-Oppo channel knowledge in Bihar, an operating company on the ground, and BIS filings in progress for the solar line.
Market
~115M people · 7,600 islands · among the world’s highest social-commerce adoption
Retail structure
More concentrated than South Asia: national chains and mall retail matter, alongside sari-sari stores at the smallest end. Live-selling and marketplace commerce are not a channel experiment here, they are the channel.
What is hard
Island logistics turn one country into three distribution problems. BPS certification and import documentation are strict. Typhoon season is a real line in the plan.
What we have there
Ten-plus years of resident operations in Manila, warehousing and last-mile relationships, and a founder who lives there.
Market
~10M people · high-income, high e-commerce penetration · gateway to the wider GCC
Retail structure
Amazon.ae and Noon dominate online; Dubai and Sharjah malls anchor offline. A demanding, brand-aware buyer used to fast delivery and easy returns.
What is hard
Marketplace competition is fierce and margin-thin. Amazon/Noon account health, ad spend and review velocity all need constant management.
What we have there
A guest team member resident in the UAE since 2008, running Amazon and Noon accounts and consulting on online brand growth and sales scaling.