Is desertcart legit or scam? Reviews and complaints

Is DesertCart a Legitimate Online Shopping Site?

DesertCart is an online shopping marketplace that allows consumers to purchase products from various retailers and vendors in a single shopping cart experience. As the site continues to grow in popularity, some potential shoppers may have questions about its legitimacy. This in-depth review will explore DesertCart’s background, policies, and reviews to determine whether or not it can be trusted as a safe place to shop online.

Overview of DesertCart

DesertCart was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The site functions as a third-party marketplace, where numerous merchants within the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region can list products for customers to browse and purchase centrally on DesertCart’s platform. Top categories include consumer electronics, fashion, home goods, toys, entertainment and more.

While somewhat new compared to more established global marketplaces, DesertCart has grown rapidly due in large part to serving areas that previously lacked unified online shopping hubs. They aim to simplify cross-border ecommerce within the MENA region and internationally. As of 2022, DesertCart operates local language sites for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other countries.

Security and Payment Methods

All pages on DesertCart use HTTPS encryption to protect payment details and personal customer information entered during shopping and account registration. They support major credit/debit cards from Visa, Mastercard, American Express and others. An additional security layer is that orders are not shipped until funds fully clear with the payment provider – serving as a protection for both merchants and buyers.

DesertCart also incorporates automatic fraud screening of payments through a partnership with payment security vendor Thawte. This monitors for things like stolen cards, suspicious geographic spending patterns and other potential fraud signals. While no system is perfect, these measures indicate DesertCart takes online security seriously.

Shipping Policies and Delivery Times

The shipping and delivery experience on DesertCart depends on the individual merchants listings policies. However, DesertCart sets baseline standards and covers various country-specific carrier integrations to simplify cross-border logistics. They estimate 2-4 weeks as average delivery timeframes, with the ability for merchants to offer faster shipping upgrades.

DesertCart also insures orders automatically through their partnership with DHL eCommerce for orders leaving from the UAE fulfillment center. This provides protection in case of damage or loss during transit. For disputes over shipments, their policies are clearly defined to resolve issues.

Return and Refund Policy

DesertCart’s return policy gives customers 14 days upon receipt of orders to initiate refunds/replacements for issues like defective or incorrect items. Customers must return merchandise and provide proof of postage/tracking within this window. Once returned, refunds typically appear within 7-10 days after confirming the return. Importantly, the policy covers returns/refunds across international orders as well which can give customers peace of mind shopping internationally on the site.

Merchants on the site may set their own individual return criteria as well, but DesertCart’s baseline buyer protection policy protects customers from businesses with stricter policies. Overall the returns criteria seems fair and on par with major online retailers. This is an important consideration for those buying online sight-unseen.

Transparency Into Company Operations

Legitimacy is aided by clearly disclosing important company details like leadership, funding sources, physical address locations, number of employees. DesertCart does so openly – outlining their top management team who are based in Dubai, as well as providing context on their Series A funding round that valued the business. They also maintain retail showrooms and warehouses around Dubai that customers can visit. This level of transparency about their business activities indicates they have nothing to hide.

Level of Merchant/Brand Integrations

The quality and popularity of merchants/vendors that choose to partner with a marketplace builds confidence for shoppers. DesertCart hosts numerous recognizable brands like Adidas, Nike, Levi’s, Rayban and electronics manufacturers like Dell. They’ve also developed integrations with regional QSR chains and supermarket operations. The willingness of bigger brands to associate directly with DesertCart within their communities shows an endorsement of legitimacy.

Customer Ratings and Reviews

Any marketplace lives and dies by their customers’ experiences, so checking reviews is paramount. DesertCart carries a solid 4.5/5 star rating across major review channels like TrustPilot and their Google Business profile based on thousands of verified buyer reviews. Popular comments praise fast shipping, quality products, and customer service’s responsiveness. While occasional issues seem resolved, the predominantly positive feedback indicates users feel comfortable and supported shopping there.

Industry Recognition for Growth

Outside validation comes from organizations within the ecommerce industry ecosystem recognizing DesertCart’s growth trajectory. For instance, they have featured as one of the ‘Growing Startups to Watch’ by MAGNiTT, a leading market intelligence platform for startups in MENA. The Middle East Research and Training Institute also named DesertCart one of the ‘Promising Startups in MENA’ that are geared to empower economies through job creation and cross-border synergies. Winning such accolades from respected industry groups adds confidence that their success is legitimate.

Commitment to User Privacy

Privacy protection heavily factors into a shopping site being perceived as authentic and trustworthy. DesertCart maintains a detailed Privacy Policy available on their site outlining how customer data is collected and used. They do not sell personal data as clearly stated. Data sharing is limited to their delivery/shipping partners to enable order fulfillment. The policy also allows users to modify/delete personal account information and control communication preferences transparently, demonstrating commitment to privacy rights.

Platform and Application Security

As more customers rely on mobile apps for shopping, ensuring programs are properly vetted for safety is crucial. DesertCart is available as iOS/Android applications in addition to desktop. They subject app versions to security testing at independent firms like WhiteHat Security and AppSecure to monitor for vulnerabilities before making updates available. Acquiring these kinds of third-party app assessments displays diligence regarding customer data protection across all channels.

Analyzing Complaint Handling and Responses

While reviews have been mostly positive, user complaints reflect real issues even the best companies must work to improve on. To legitimately gauge how DesertCart handles problems, I sampled response threads on sites like TrustPilot for orders that did not meet expectations. The platform consistently replied to acknowledge and investigate further, even for old complaints, displaying a dedication to resolution. This open communication and accountability for shortcomings helps maintain customer trust over time.

Verdict – DesertCart Checks Out as a Legitimate Online Marketplace

After an extensive 3rd party audit of available information on policies, security measures, partnerships and a wealth of user feedback – all signs point to DesertCart operating with integrity as a bonafide online shopping destination. Their rapid rise has been built upon commitments to seller/buyer protections, delivery quality, responsiveness and overall striving for best-in-class customer service standards regionally. While no business is infallible, DesertCart appears fully legitimate and deserving of consideration for shoppers in the Middle East and those globally wanting direct access to the marketplace’s product assortments and vendors.