Dubizzle launches mobile website

Dubizzle, a free classifieds and community website, has announced the launch of a mobile version of its site, offering consumers the ability to easily access Dubizzle services from mobile devices, it said in an emailed statement today.

“Dubizzle is rolling out the mobile platform simultaneously across all 14 countries in MENA where the company currently operates,” the statement said.

“The Middle East’s online marketplace is a bustling forum where consumers are eager to stay connected when and where it suits them best,” said Sim Whatley, cofounder of Dubizzle. “The launch of Dubizzle mobile builds on our current offerings by adding a new way for people to do business on the go,” he added.

“We have invested and will continue to invest huge amounts in Dubizzle’s usability, functionality and security,” added J.C. Butler, cofounder of Dubizzle. “As the region’s e-commerce industry continues to evolve, the mobile site is just one example of how Dubizzle is planning to deepen our user’s connection with their local community.”

Users visiting Dubizzle.com from their mobile will now be automatically redirected to the new site, the statement said, adding that the mobile platform is currently available only in English, and that the company has plans to develop Arabic and French versions later this year. The website is also developing Smartphone apps for Apple, Android and Blackberry devices, which it said it will release to the public later in 2011. 

According to a report from intelligence firm IDC, global smartphone shipments are expected to grow by 25 per cent annually, reaching nearly 926m units in 2015.

Launched in 2005, Dubizzle claims over a million and a half unique visitors a month and more than 70 million page views from across the region.