'Real Opinions’ is a full service market research consultancy with offices in Dubai and beyond.
Why the name 'Real Opinions', you may ask? We wanted a name to show we truly believe in empowering everyday people with the opportunity to have their opinion heard and for our clients to not only hear but for them to understand how to act upon them. We also have a straight forward approach to work and employ industry leading experts and worldwide affiliations.
Dubai-based low cost airline flydubai has been named the region's best value for money airline in a recent UAE poll, collecting 31% of the total vote.
Following just two years of commercial flights, flydubai topped the poll of more than 500 UAE residents who were asked to choose "The best value for money airline for travel in the region". In second place was Dubai-based full service airline Emirates, which just pipped Air Arabia with 18% of the vote - 13% behind flydubai. Sharjah-based Air Arabia took third place in the poll with 16% of the vote - some 15% behind flydubai.
Missing out on a podium finish was Abu Dhabi-based full service carrier Etihad Airways with just 7% of the vote, 24% behind flydubai and 11% behind Emirates. Even when broken down by their home market, Abu Dhabi residents still thought flydubai offered the best value for money.
Dan Healy, the CEO of the Dubai-based research company Real Opinions, which conducted the research, commented: "The regional airline industry has gone through a transformation in recent years, emulating what happened in the regional flights sector in Europe at the turn of the millennium. The prolific growth of low cost airlines and the resultant consolidation in this industry segment has naturally created winners and losers, but passengers are the real winners as they now have more choice to better match their budget and required service levels."
In a further boost for the aviation industry, the introduction of low cost airlines also appears to have grown the overall market as 87% of the 538 respondents agreed that "Cheaper airfares encourage me to fly more often in the region". This is backed up with a sense of adventure to journey where they haven't been before with 86% supporting the statement ''I like experiencing new cultures and adventures".
The parallel growth of the Internet in the Middle East has also come at an opportune time for
low cost airlines; more than 90% of respondents agreed that "There are greater cost savings and choice when you search and book flights online".
Healy added: "We have been very active in the region researching the evolution of the Internet and advertising practices from a consumer's perspective. Our past research has shown that 72% of UAE Internet users have purchased online and flights are top of the list."
However, the research indicates there are still travellers who prefer to deal with travel agents, and on average 67% of travellers reported travel agents now also include low cost airlines in their quotes.
About the Research The research was conducted online using the Real Opinions UAE online panel for 1 week Wednesday 20th to Tuesday 26thJuly 2011. It was conducted in both English (58%) & Arabic (42%) with n=538 respondents.
About Real Opinions Real Opinions is a full-service market research company, specialising in online media, with global and Middle East research expertise and best practice. Based in Dubai, Real Opinions has proven ability to help strategically guide and assess the effectiveness of campaigns.
Real Opinions abides by the codes of conduct from ESOMAR, an international organisation for market research.
For more information about Real Opinions, visit http://www.real-opinions.com or follow @realopinions on Twitter.
To contact them and for any inquiries about this research project:
Two-thirds of consumers in the Middle East use the internet to research products and services, according to new research published today by Econsultancy and Real Opinions.
The Middle East and North Africa Digital Consumer Report shows that 66% of consumers in MENA are using the internet to look for products or items to buy prior to purchase. Of these respondents, 48% use the internet occasionally and 18% use the web regularly to research products.
The report, which is based on a survey of more than 2,000 consumers across different regions in the Middle East, also shows that a third of consumers are currently purchasing products online, and this includes 27% who purchase occasionally and 6% who regularly buy online.
Online consumers are paying for a wide variety of products. Flights are widely bought on the internet in the Middle East, but other things paid for online include hotel reservations, utility bills and books.
Some 39% of respondents currently do not buy online but report they intend to, indicating that consumer interest in e-commerce is set to grow in the region. Some of the barriers to buying online include a lack of trust in payment systems, unsuitable payment options and the lack of online retailers.
Econsultancy’s Research Manager, Aliya Zaidi said: “The good news is that consumers want to purchase online and interest in e-commerce is rapidly growing, spelling out a clear opportunity for companies investing in digital channels. As more companies launch transactional online sites, consumers will become increasingly familiar with internet shopping.”
Zaidi continued: “Consumers also cited poor website design, unreliable delivery and inability to process customer orders, so a focus on best practice can help to remove some of the barriers to buying online.”
The report also examines in detail how consumers use a wide range of online channels, including mobile, social media, search and email. Consumers are using the internet on their mobiles with 77% of respondents carrying out social networking, and 70% using email on their smartphone. Other activities carried out using smartphones include instant messaging, watching video clips and playing games.
Real Opinions’ CEO, Dan Healy, said, “Investigating the results by country reveals how diversified Internet usage is across the Middle East. An interesting difference is where respondents access the internet, with 34% accessing via internet cafés in Yemen while only 8% use them in Bahrain as 18% use free public Wi-Fi networks. There clearly is a challenge for some countries to catch-up with others in the region. ”
Key survey findings:
- The lack of trust in payment is cited as a barrier to buying online by 43% of respondents. The second most cited issue is unsuitable payment options, mentioned by over a third (36%) of respondents. - Social networking is the most popular online activity across the Middle East with 88% of consumers reporting they use the internet for this daily. - Facebook is overwhelmingly the most popular social media site in the Middle East, with some 98% of respondents stating they use the site.
About this report
The Middle East and North Africa Digital Consumer Report is based on a survey (commissioned by Econsultancy and conducted by Real Opinions) of more than 2,000 consumers across North Africa, the Levant and the GCC. Respondents came from the Real Opinions online panel across the Middle East from a pool of over 100,000 internet users.
The 55-page report looks at internet usage in the MENA region, including the types of products and services purchased by consumers online. The report also examines in detail how consumers use a wide range of online channels, including mobile, social media, search and email.
The survey results are broken down for North Africa, the Levant and the Gulf states. Certain questions are split out further for Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The results show that cultural, demographic and population differences between countries can have far-reaching consequences for marketers in this region.
Media contacts: Aliya Zaidi, Research Manager, Econsultancy (e: aliya.zaidi AT econsultancy.com)
About Econsultancy
Econsultancy is a community where the world's digital marketing and e-commerce professionals meet to sharpen their strategy, source suppliers, get quick answers, compare notes, help each other out and discover how to do everything better online. It was launched in 1999 and since then has grown to a dominant position in the digital marketing industry with more than 105,000 members worldwide. Its website and blog attracts more than 300,000 unique users per month and its range of training courses and conferences are attended by more than 5,000 marketers every year.
Econsultancy also provides a range of resources specifically for the Middle East including regionalised reports, such as the Middle East Internet Statistics Compendium, local events, online resources and training programmes. Econsultancy’s 105, 000 members make better decisions, build business cases, find the best suppliers, look smart in meetings and accelerate their careers. Find out more at http://econsultancy.com/hello/mena.
For more information, visit http://econsultancy.com or follow @econsultancy on Twitter.
About Real Opinions
Real Opinions is a full-service market research company, specialising in online media, with global and Middle East research expertise and best practice. Based in Dubai, Real Opinions has proven ability to help strategically guide and assess the effectiveness of campaigns.
Real Opinions abides by the codes of conduct from ESOMAR, an international organisation for market research.
For more information about Real Opinions, visit http://www.real-opinions.com or follow @realopinions on Twitter.
To contact them and for any inquiries about this research project, email inquiry@real-opinions.com
Real Opinions contact: Dan Healy CEO Real Opinions dan.healy@real-opinions.com www.real-opinions.com
Here is an infographic of the research we conducted on smartphones and apps back in April 2011 in the Middle East with over n=2000 smartphone users from our online panel. We'd like to thank Research in Motion (BlackBerry) for sponsoring this research to help make it possible.
The 2012 research results will be presented at The Mobile Show in Abu Dhabi from 17th to 18th April 2012, hosted by Terrapinn.
For in-depth information on this research or our ability to conduct research with smartphone users across the Middle East, please contact us: inquiry@real-opinions.com
26th September 2011, Dubai, UAE Real Opinions research results in Middle East with over 2000 Internet users and 250 businesses decision makers.
The latest research by the Dubai based research company Real Opinions suggests that Middle East businesses are ignoring the voices of an estimated 70 million Internet users in the region and hampering the growth of the e-commerce industry.
Just 6% of Middle East Internet users claim to purchase online regularly and this increases to 33% for those who have ever purchased online. There is a potential to grow this to 72% purchasing online with those that want to purchase online for the first time. The research results show that a lack of trust exists for 43% and unsuitable payment options for 36% prevents them from purchasing online.
Of those websites who have set-up online to take payments, there is still room for improvement as 1 in 10 claim they haven’t made a purchase because of poor website design, 17% were not able to process orders after making a decision to purchase and 23% said deliveries are unreliable.
Dan Healy, the CEO of Real Opinions who conducted the research commented, “There is a tremendous opportunity in the Middle East for e-commerce to grow, particularly for UAE businesses to expand their marketplace from 3.5 million in the UAE to over 70 million in the region. There is a demand for more local business to give Internet users the convenience of transacting online and 27% claim they haven’t done so as they haven’t been able to find them online. Much of the transactions being done at the moment are just for airlines, hotels and paying utility bills.”
With Middle East Internet users spending an average of 4 hours online each day, there is also an opportunity for Middle East business to efficiently target and engage with their target audience. Real Opinion’s research with Middle East business decision makers estimates that digital marketing on average will capture 28% of marketing budgets across organisations in the coming 12 months. Despite this claimed investment in digital marketing, 37% still claim their organisation’s usage of digital marketing is poor. Backing this us is 30% claiming that their ability to assess digital marketing ROI is poor and a further 12% actually didn’t know their organisation’s assessment of ROI, questioning the ability of attracting an even greater share of the marketing budget with this lack of understanding on how to do this.
Another question for business to consider is their mix of investment in digital marketing appropriate for their objectives. The most popular digital marketing investment for Middle East businesses is ‘Email marketing’ with 14%. Balancing this up with the opinions of Middle East Internet users, just 20% claim they have ever bought something because of an email they’ve received and 42% reject emails by claiming they will never influence them to buy. The next most popular digital investments were in ‘Website display ads / ad networks’ (13%) and ‘Social media paid for ads’ (11%).
Healy commented, “With 86% of Middle East Internet users claiming they belong to a new generation of Arabic society, the challenge is for Middle East businesses to catch-up with the needs of these new digital natives”.
This research was carried out leading up to ‘The Internet Show’ in Abu Dhabi presented by Terrapinn which includes a free exhibition running on 27th and 28th of September which aims to help businesses to use the Internet better.
Matthew Wallhead, General Manager of Terrapinn added, "The power of digital and social media channels are becoming increasingly powerful ways for businesses of all sizes to communicate with the target audience. With this opportunity comes some major challenges and amongst them is identifying which channels are offering the greatest ROI. Visitors to The Internet Show are looking for solutions and partners who can help them measure the effectiveness of their digital campaign and I am sure they will get the answers they are looking for by engaging with all of the exhibitors at the show. Entrance to the exhibition and 60+ educational seminars is free”.
About Real Opinions Real Opinions is a full-service market research company, specialising in online media, with global and Middle East research expertise and best practice. Based in Dubai with globally, Real Opinions has proven ability to help strategically guide organisations with communication, insight and assess the effectiveness of campaigns.
Real Opinions abides by the codes of conduct from ESOMAR, an international organisation for market research. For more information visit http://www.real-opinions.com
Contact Real Opinions for more information: inquiry@real-opinions.com Read more!
12th July 2011, Dubai, UAE Research results in Middle East with 2,950 respondents. To receive a copy of the full report, register at www.real-opinions.com/research
Real Opinions and , the local investment fund helping to create a sustainable app development industry throughout the Middle East and North Africa region, has announced the findings of a comprehensive study on the current state and growth potential of the MENA region's app industry.
The objective of the research, which was sponsored by Research In Motion (RIM) and conducted by Dubai based market research company , was to examine and highlight the business potential of apps in the Middle East and to directly support the growth and development of the region's app industry.
David Ashford, General Manager , said, "Consumer consumption of Apps in the MENA region is growing at a fantastic rate; however, it is very different to other parts of the world and that's what makes this research so valuable. We need to ensure that the apps that are developed are what people living in this region want to consume, rather than what developers want to build."
"As an investment fund dedicated to the development of the industry, , receives hundreds of proposals for new apps every month. Therefore, it is imperative that we have access to accurate market intelligence to support us make us informed decisions on the projects we back," he concluded.
Conducted as an online survey, in both English (23%) & Arabic (77%), with almost 3,000 respondents, it is the intention of AppsArabia that this data will now be used by app developers to make informed choices when planning and marketing their apps in the region and to develop apps that are culturally relevant.
Dan Healy, CEO of Real Opinions, commented, "We have witnessed the dramatic evolution of the industry and yet there is a lack of information available on users regionally. Together with insight from David Ashford, the General Manager of AppsArabia, and the integral support of Research In Motion to make this a reality, we conducted this research to help fill some of these information gaps. We hope this will both encourage more investment in the industry regionally and helps more local app entrepreneurs and developersto be successful."
Research highlights:
1. 49% of users expect to upgrade in the next 6 months, 70% in the next 12 months. 2. 82% who don't have a want one and 54% expect to get their first one in the next 12 months. 3. 95% of users have apps installed. 4. Smartphone users have an average of 29 apps installed, while 40% have 10 or less. 5. 51% of smartphone users use apps all day long. 6. 73% like downloading apps that make their life easier and 57% are interested in game apps. 7. 82% of smartphone users with apps download at least once a week. 8. On average, smartphone users download 6 apps each month. 9. In the coming 12 months, 53% of all smartphone users claim they will be buying apps (30% said they wouldn't and 17% were not sure) 10. In the coming 12 months, 24% of all smartphone users claim they will spend more than $50 on apps. 11. 58% would trade their usage data and receive targeted advertising in return for free app 12. 52% recommend apps to friends while half as many (26%) give a simple rating score for those they don't know to see. 13. 33% find out about new apps from their friends while most are discovered doing a search on their smartphone (38%). 14. Just 14% would evaluate an app based upon general media coverage. 15. 62% of all smartphone users surveyed in the Middle East prefer apps to be in English while 39% of users who understand Arabic prefer apps to be in English.
About the Research The research was conducted online survey using the Real Opinions online panel throughout the Middle East for 1 week from 6th to 13th April 2011 leading up to the conference ‘Planet of the Apps Arabia’. It was cconducted in both English (23%) & Arabic (77%) with n=2,950 respondents. The 12 month research result trends will be presented at ‘The Mobile Show’ 17-18 April 2012 in Dubai, UAE.
About Real Opinions Real Opinions is a full-service market research company, specialising in online media, with global and Middle East research expertise and best practice. Based in Dubai with consultants in London and Singapore, Real Opinions has proven ability to help strategically guide organisations with communication, insight and assess the effectiveness of campaigns.
Real Opinions is an accredited member of ESOMAR, an international organisation for market research. For more information visit http://www.real-opinions.com
Contact Real Opinions for more information: inquiry@real-opinions.com Read more!
Real Opinions research results in Middle East with 2,950 respondents. To receive a copy of the full report, register at www.real-opinions.com/research
12th June 2011, Dubai, UAE
The latest research with smartphone users in the Middle East shows the dynamic growth of smartphones and opportunities for app developers with 95% of smartphone users claiming to have apps and 82% download them at least once a month. In a typical month for these smartphone users, 6 apps are downloaded and a third of these are bought.
Although 18% prefer to pay a USD$1 starting price for apps and 13% would pay the full price with all the features and functions, the most appealing business model for 58% is one where smartphone users accept advertising in the app and they are willing to surrender their usage data.
A total of 73% of smartphone users agreed with the statement ‘I like downloading apps that make my life easier’ and this is reflected with the types of apps they are interested in. Communication apps are the most popular for 77% of smartphone users and this is in contrast to just 57% for games. However, the fuller picture is revealed as the popularity of games increases to 69% for full time students and those unemployed. Even 47% of senior officials and managers also find games appealing, but they in particular are more likely to prefer business (60%) and banking/finance apps (56%).
The research was conducted by the Dubai based market research company Real Opinions across the Middle East and sponsored by Research in Motion leading up to the conference ‘Planet of the Apps Arabia’. Dan Healy, CEO of Real Opinions commented,
“We have been witnessing the dramatic evolution of the industry and lack of information available on smartphone users regionally. Together with insight from David Ashford, the Managing Director of ‘AppsArabia’, and the integral support of ‘Research In Motion’ to make this a reality, we conducted this research to help fill some of these information gaps. We hope this will both encourage more investment in the industry regionally and helps more app developers to be successful.”
The potential opportunities for smartphones and app developers is amplified with half of those that don’t have a smartphone expecting to get one within the next 12 months and 7 in 10 of those that do have a smartphone intend to upgrade in the same time period.
4 in 10 of smartphone users are professionals, senior management or officials and 16% are full-time students. The growth of 1 in 5 first time smartphone users is expected to come from full-time students.
AppsArabia’s David Ashford added,
“While there is consumer demand for regional apps, the main challenge has been the willingness of consumers to pay for apps and the options for method of payment. This research shows that users don’t mind in-app ads if the app is free to download and use. But this often isn’t enough of a revenue stream for publishers so entrepreneurs are exploring other ways to combat piracy, such as in-app purchases and try-before-you-buy.”
About the Research The research was conducted online survey using the Real Opinions online panel throughout the Middle East for 1 week from 6th to 13th April 2011. It was cconducted in both English (23%) & Arabic (77%) with n=2,950 respondents.
About Real Opinions Real Opinions is a full-service market research company, specialising in online media, with global and Middle East research expertise and best practice. Based in Dubai with consultants in London and Singapore, Real Opinions has proven ability to help strategically guide organisations with communication, insight and assess the effectiveness of campaigns.
Real Opinions is an accredited member of ESOMAR, an international organisation for market research. For more information visit http://www.real-opinions.com
Contact Real Opinions for more information: inquiry@real-opinions.com Read more!
Survey shows Dubai residents believe owners association will provide transparency, improve better value and services, but have little impact upon industry.
In a recent survey with Dubai residents by the research company Real Opinions, 50% believe that owners managing their own residential communities will give them better value for money and ultimately 56% agreed that this will result in improve services within these communities to better suit what they actually want.
Jim O'Hare, the chief executive of Place Community Managers who commissioned the study commented "These results are a strong endorsement of owner associations, but this is just the beginning of the challenge they face with the transition from developers to actually prove these beliefs. The research reflected this by showed approximately 1 in 3 still don't know what impact they will actually have".
This is in light of the decision by RERA in Dubai (Real Estate Regulatory Authority) for developers to register Owner Associations for their developments by 13th of October 2010. Other questions asked show that 56% believe the transfer of these communities from developers to the owners will also increase the transparency in relation to the contentious question of actual fees charged to owners for the upkeep of their communities. There were just 16% disagreeing that it would increase transparency and 27% weren't sure either way.
Jim O'Hare added, "The recent statement by RERA CEO Marwan bin Ghalaita that the October 13th deadline for developers to comply with the April directions to register owner associations will be strictly enforced may just be the shot in the arm needed to drive not only the registration of them but also confidence in the property industry".
Despite the empowerment of property owners to form their own owners associations and perceived benefits, there was even greater uncertainly in terms of the impact this may have on the larger real estate industry. Just 23% believe this will encourage others to buy property while 46% were not sure. Encouragingly, 17% of those who presently don't own property intend to buy in the UAE, but they are cautious as 14% don't intend to do so in the next 12 months. This is compared to 8% who are presently trying to sell.
About Real Opinions Real Opinions is a full-service market research company, specialising in online media, with global and Middle East research expertise and best practice. Based in Dubai with consultants in London and Singapore, Real Opinions has proven ability to help strategically guide organisations with communication, insight and assess the effectiveness of campaigns.
Real Opinions is an accredited member of ESOMAR, an international organisation for market research. For more information visit http://www.real-opinions.com
Contact Real Opinions for more information: inquiry@real-opinions.com Read more!
I came across the following video with some amazing imagery to compliment the audio to sear the message into the memory. Implications for managers trying to motivate employees. This also crosses into market research where the offer of money might not always have the desired impact for motivating respondents and their considered responses.
Real Opinions to offer Nielsen’s online audience measurement solutions in the Middle East.
The Dubai based market research consultancy Real Opinions has signed an agreement with The Nielsen Company (Nielsen) to offer a wide range of online solutions in the Middle East including SiteCensus, Market Intelligence and Campaign Analysis.
Dan Healy, the CEO of Real Opinions said “After careful consideration, we have decided to work with Nielsen to offer its online solutions to our clients. We believe that Nielsen offers a comprehensive and high quality range of online solutions to help clients seeking to leverage opportunities in the changing Middle East digital landscape."
Dan Healy reunites with Nielsen’s online division where he previously worked in its London office as Research Director in 2005.
Diego Semprún, Managing Director, Nielsen’s online division, EMEA said “Dan brings considerable digital research experience gained in Europe and the Middle East. He has helped the industry grow and prosperby developing innovative products and increasing transparency in the medium. We are delighted to be workingagain with Dan and Real Opinions to deliver even more value and insights to clients”.
Real Opinions recently released the results of their 11 country research project which highlighted how users want Internet advertising to evolve to be more targeted and reflective of their actual behaviour. Dan added “The Internet has evolved rapidly to capture multimedia and social networking in a much more comprehensive manner.Nielsen is uniquely positioned to play an integral role in the industry, as evidenced by its pioneering work with industry leaders.”
About Real Opinions Real Opinions is a full-service market research company, specialising in communication and online media, with global and Middle East research expertise and best practice. Headquartered in Dubai with consultants based globally, Real Opinions has proven ability to help strategically guide communication, target audience analysis and assess the effectiveness of campaigns.
Real Opinions is an accredited member of ESOMAR, an international organisation for market research. For more information about us, please visit www.real-opinions.com
Contact Real Opinions for more information: inquiry@real-opinions.com
The Business Support Department (Dubai Chamber) is hosting a Seminar on Digital Marketing at Dubai Chamber on October 5th 2010.
Experts from Real Opinions and Al Tamimi & Company will provide an introduction to digital marketing, its benefits, and share legal advice on how to protect one’s intellectual property in the digital realm.
Digital marketing experts from Real Opinions will provide a business case for digital marketing including an introduction to DM tools and its effectiveness, tips on how businesses can utilize the technology for internal and external purposes, a step-by-step guide to getting started, and a look into future innovations in digital marketing.
Legal experts from Al Tamimi & Company will explain the legal framework for commercial IP and technological related matters, and provide guidance on how to protect one’s IP, brand, and digital rights. Experts will also share tips and recommendations on what businesses should consider and avoid before signing a legal agreement.
The presentations will be followed by a Q and A session, where participants will have the opportunity to ask questions to the experts in this field.
The aim of this event is to raise awareness on how digital marketing can benefit businesses and the legal steps business owners should consider prior to marketing their business online.
Date: October 5th 2010 Time: 9.00 am to 12.30 pm Venue: Dubai Chamber, Conference Hall, 13th floor Language: English Fees: No Charge for Dubai Chamber Members; 150 AED for Non-Members. Government Representatives and non profit organizations - AED 115 *Non-Members will be required to complete payment prior to the day of the event.
For further enquiries, please contact Business Support Department via email at BusinessSupportEvents@dubaichamber.ae
About Real Opinions Real Opinions is a full-service market research company, specialising in communication and online media, with global and Middle East research expertise and best practice. Headquartered in Dubai with consultants based globally, Real Opinions has proven ability to help strategically guide communication, target audience analysis and assess the effectiveness of campaigns.
Real Opinions is an accredited member of ESOMAR, an international organisation for market research. For more information about us and this study, please visit www.real-opinions.com
Contact Real Opinions for more information: inquiry@real-opinions.com
'Real Opinions’ is a full service market research consultancy with offices in Dubai and beyond.
