“A whole new and revolutionary way of trading is just beyond the horizon,” says Tawanda Dengu Kenya Office Manager, for Bidorbuy.co.ke. His sentiments echo the trend of online business in the greater Africa. “In my opinion Kenyans are embracing e-commerce,” he exudes.
Since the unveiling of eBay, one of the biggest online commerce sites in the world, buying products online has become the norm in most developed countries. Africa has largely not embraced the idea but it is quickly catching up in modern cities.
Bidorbuy.co.ke models its business systems with America’s eBay online stores, where one can sell or auction almost anything under the sun. Tawanda states that Bidorbuy is an online market place which serves as a platform that brings both buyers and sellers together. The site consists of Auctions, Buy-Nows and Classifieds. Users can place goods that they are selling and either offers them for an auction or they can place fixed price on them.
Kenya’s Uzanunua.com and Dealfish.co.ke offer one aspect or more aspects of e-commerce. Dealfish for example is more tilted towards a classifieds selection. Uzanunua offers simple bidding and classifieds for its goods and services. What sets BidorBuy apart from the rest is that it firmly offers users to set up shop, and sell goods to potential clients. Bidorbuy also lets customers order from the site, a matter which other sites do not offer.
With an active membership of 18,000 buyers and sellers, Tawanda says that an average of 40 sellers set up shop in the site daily. This is impressive considering that most people are still skeptical of online trading. “Some of the most obvious challenges we’ve faced include user skepticism about general purchases online. A number of people are still not entirely familiar with the concept and hence are not as trusting,” Tawanda explains. “We have had to bridge that gap by ensuring we engage the right kind of sellers that will deliver on their promises.”
Bidorbuy offers more than just a place where goods are bought and sold. Members have an active forum where they discuss issues and network. Buyers and sellers can also rate each other. “We make use of Customer feedback which allows users to rate each other after they transact with each other. This is a way of ensuring that trust as well as complete transparency is built between users,” Tawanda says.Bidorbuy.co.ke is an East African version of the South Africa owned Bidorbuy.co.za. With almost 10,000 fans on its Facebook page, Bidorbuy is in Kenya to take advantage of the growing ICT sector. “It is definitely the right time to be in the industry if you have a long term view of success in this market. As more users transact online, on secure platforms, they will become more comfortable and more trusting of the process,” Tawanda concludes.
