Launching a kiosk business in Dubai can be a very exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs. There are numerous success stories of startups that have gone on to build thriving businesses that launched from a single kiosk in Dubai’s malls. Whatever your ambition, if you want to start a kiosk business of any sort – selling food, drinks, jewellery, cosmetics or something else – you will of course need a kiosk licence in Dubai. In this blog, we will explore the key steps to getting a kiosk licence in Dubai:
• Steps to get a kiosk licence
• Different types of kiosks in Dubai
• Benefits of starting a kiosk business in Dubai, UAE
• Working with Creative Zone
Steps to get a kiosk license in Dubai
To get your kiosk licence in Dubai, you will need to follow these steps:
1. Pick a mall for your kiosk or stall
The first step in getting a kiosk licence is to do your research about different malls in Dubai to find the right place and market for your products. Different kinds of malls in Dubai attract different kinds of customers, so you want to make sure that the products you’re selling match up with their demands.
For example, if you want to open a kiosk selling souvenirs, you might want to choose a tourist-focused mall. On the other hand, if you want to sell popular refreshments such as drinks or smoothies, then you might want to choose a more family-oriented shopping centre.
Once you have identified malls that you think would be suitable for the products you plan to sell, you should then speak to the mall management so they can show you the available spaces and give you a quote.
2. Choose a company name
Next up, you need to choose a trading name for your company. The name should correspond with your business’s core activities (e.g. ‘Ahswin Sharma Perfumes’, or ‘Mohammed Sall Refreshments’), whilst also complying with the UAE’s business naming laws. Essentially you must avoid the use of offensive or potentially blasphemous language in your business name.
3. Apply for a Department of Economic Development (DED) licence
The DED is the primary authority which issues licences for kiosk businesses in Dubai. To ensure that the process of setting up your kiosk business goes as smoothly as possible, contact Creative Zone today.
4. Submit all required documents
When applying for a kiosk business licence, you must provide several documents to the DED. If you are unsure about which documents are needed – or the format to provide them in – Creative Zone can walk you through the process:
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- • An application form with your registration from the DED
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- • A copy of your passport
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- • Your local sponsor’s passport copy (if necessary)
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- • An Emirates ID copy
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- • Your memorandum of association
- • Your tenancy contract for the kiosk space
5. Kiosk licence will be issued
In most cases, the kiosk licence will be issued in just a few days, and you can start getting your business up and running.
6. Start processing visas
Many kiosk business owners employ foreign workers to staff their kiosks. If this is part of your business strategy, you will also need to apply for visas for all your foreign employees. At Creative Zone, we can support you with the process of applying for visas for employees.
Different types of kiosks in Dubai
Kiosks are a common feature of malls, supermarkets, and even roadside locations in the United Arab Emirates. There are many different kinds of kiosks, but some of the most common include:
• Drinks kiosks
Drinks kiosks sell a wide variety of soft drinks such as bottled water, fresh juices, smoothies, as well as canned and bottled soft drinks.
• Snack food kiosk
When people are out shopping, they love to snack – so selling packaged foods such as chocolates, candy, potato chips, nuts, dried fruit and other snacks is a great option.
• Ice cream kiosk
There’s nothing more refreshing than an ice cream on a hot day! Serving up different flavours of ice cream is a perennial favourite.
• Coffee kiosk
Selling coffee is always popular, especially among travellers and businesspeople. If you know how to make different kinds of coffee, then setting up a coffee kiosk could be a great option.
• Popcorn kiosk
Many people love eating popcorn as a snack, so why not set up a popcorn business in a Dubai mall?
• Magazine and newspaper kiosk
Magazine and newspaper kiosks sell a wide variety of print publications as well as other vital goods.
• Souvenir kiosk
Targeting the tourist market, a souvenir kiosk sells various memorabilia that people can take home from their visit to Dubai.
• Cosmetics and jewellery kiosk
Selling makeup, jewellery and other gifts is an increasingly popular kind of Dubai kiosk business.
• Perfume kiosk
Many people enjoy the convenience of buying perfume from a kiosk.
• Electronics kiosk
Some kiosks sell consumer electronics and other accessories such as phone covers, selfie sticks, SIM cards and more.
Benefits of starting a kiosk business in Dubai, UAE
Starting a kiosk business in Dubai can be a very attractive opportunity for entrepreneurs. By starting a kiosk business in a Dubai mall, supermarket, or another retail or leisure hub, you will see several benefits:
• Low startup costs
Compared to other kinds of retail outlets, the startup costs of launching a kiosk business are very low.
• Great for testing ideas
If you have an idea for a business but are not sure if there’s a market for it, then starting a kiosk business lets you experiment with the idea and test demand.
• Flexible leases
Most malls will offer relatively flexible terms on their leases for kiosks, which are much less rigid and long-term than leases tend to be for traditional retail units.
• Strong demand and wide reach
The long-term persistence of kiosk businesses in Dubai demonstrates that people in the UAE love shopping at kiosks. By operating a kiosk business, your products can be exposed to maximum footfall at the emirate’s many malls.
• Ideal for seasonal products
Many kiosk owners switch up their products to sell very different kinds of goods for different seasons, festivals and events.
• Easy to maintain
Compared to traditional retail stores, maintaining a kiosk is usually very easy. The units themselves tend to be made from inexpensive materials such as timber and plastics, and you do not usually need to worry about things like plumbing, customer toilets, electronics, or deep cleaning.
Working with Creative Zone
At Creative Zone, we have over a decade of experience helping more than 44,000 entrepreneurs apply for licences to start their businesses in the UAE and beyond. We have worked with many entrepreneurs who need support with kiosk business setup in Dubai. This means that we understand all the steps involved in applying for your kiosk licence, the paperwork required, and can help you ensure you have all the documents you need to receive approval first time from the DED.
In addition to supporting you with company formation in Dubai, we can also provide you with several other services that will make running your kiosk business a success:
• Dedicated business setup manager
• Tax preparation
• Legal advice
• HR management
• Opportunities for business networking
Contact Creative Zone today and start on your journey to building a successful kiosk business.
Prices offered by free zones are subject to change without notice. Please get in touch with Creative Zone for an updated price based on the current promotions and availability.
