Launched in the last few months, new e-commerce app Artistia is looking to capitalise on the high use of Instagram as an e-commerce platform in the Gulf. Used by many young people in the region, Instagram's 'commerce' feature is being used to promote users' handmade crafts, in an effort to generate an income from their hobbies and talents. However, new app 'Artistia' has been produced to be used as one of the first e-commerce only apps in the region. The founder of Artistia believes that the Instagram 'commerce' feature is “not the best way” to market homemade items, and that the lack of alternatives to Instagram in the past is the only reason people use it. The new app allows users to display their handmade items and promote them online, before then sending the items out using a streamlined shipping service, available through partnerships with local shipping companies.
