Over the past fifteen months, as we have sheltered and hunkered indoors due to the pandemic, we have naturally migrated online – shopping, streaming, education, and video conferencing are just some of our abodes.
One such blossoming online sector is directories that are much more than an electronic version of the Yellow Pages. Yelp, the much-used online directory, has grown its user base multifold – all during the pandemic – as it incorporated more robust business reviews, directions, top 10 lists, and customer support.
My Ethos Market
A newcomer to this sector is My Ethos Market, a halal business directory hosting businesses from all over Canada that qualify for a single attribute: halal. This halal market directory is a great option for Muslims and non-Muslims alike living in Canada who are looking for an easy, one-stop solution to their search for halal products and services across their locality.
We decided to check out this directory that promises to bring all halal businesses near you on a single, country-wide platform. The following is our initial impression.
Landing on the homepage of My Ethos Market, we were instantly greeted by a simple yet effective interface. “Find Local Businesses Through an Online Halal Market Directory”, reads the landing page.
A detailed search bar and minuscule icons open a vast variety of listings that one can explore in multiple categories. We were surprised to find that the newly launched directory already had around 2,700 listings, ranging from fashion and food to finance and business.
The future
According to the website, the directory will soon incorporate American halal businesses as well; a much-needed expansion, in our opinion.
How to add a halal business listing?
You can add a new listing by an easy-to-spot button that is available at the top right of the home page. It also seems that the no-picture snapshots are meant to induce businesses to add their specific information and “own” their listings.
The button takes you to a sign-up form in order to move ahead with your listing. Once you’ve logged in/signed up, you need to fill an elaborate form providing all accurate information regarding your business.
Once submitted, the information goes through a verification process to ensure that your business is indeed halal. After verification (the duration of which is unknown), you can find your listing on the directory.
Validation
We think the sign-up process is an onerous activity and expect the directory to limit or eliminate it once critical verification is achieved or a better methodology is adopted.
Each listing comes with the option for users to share their experience with the business/vendor on the directory for everyone to review. You can provide comments, photos, and ratings in what is geared to be the rudimentary basis of a reviewing platform. However, you will need to register yourself on the website before you can leave any reviews.
Besides leaving a review, you can also share the listing information via social media and ‘heart’ it to make it one of your favorites on the site.
Some other useful aspects:
- Easy to navigate: The website provides a simple UI for the users to navigate through and find precisely what they are seeking. The site’s blog also provides informative guides to a halal life. Navigation amongst different pages and categories is made effortless through this simple user interface.
- Wide Variety of Choices: The directory currently offers around 24 different categories from which to choose. These include a wide variety of services pertaining to all types of customers, and their needs, tastes, and price points.
- Public Input: The directory not only invites reviews and feedback from its users but also allows users to post new listings and suggest any corrections they might notice on a listing. Talk about open to criticism.
My Ethos Market is a great option for the citizens of Canada to indulge in halal life without much bother. As the directory evolves, we look forward to revisiting it to see how it caters to the ever-changing market.