Online shopping comes to Gaborone

Pauline Dikuelo | Monday June 30, 2014 06:59

The enterprise called ‘Shop 360ADS’, which started its operations three months ago, was established with the intention to make it easier for customers to fit shopping into their daily busy schedules.

“We decided to create a platform that allows anyone to buy anything anywhere, either in their offices, at work, on the move and even at night. Shoppers can visit the online catalogue and select the items they need which will then be delivered in 36 minutes around Gaborone”, said Mookisa, who runs the enterprise.

For convenience, Maokisa noted that to beat the traffic jam they are using motorcycles to freely deliver within Gaborone for goods worth not less than P1,000. For  areas surrounding Gaborone P45 is charged while a  flat fee of P80 is charged for the rest of Botswana.

When quizzed about the possibility of slow internet connectivity hindering their operations, Maokisa admitted that it does affect their business however they are hoping that Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet) will respond to that quickly as its something beyond their control.

“The main challenge we have so far is that people have not been receptive due to scams that have recently hit the Internet. Its not easy but we are doing our best to regain customers trust and working on some strategies to employ this”.

In their endeavour to overcome their challenges, Maokisa noted that they are working hard on beefing up their advertising as they plan to have many events like fashion shows and do some adverts on social networks as well as launch a radio campaign beginning of August.

Shop 360ADS currently has six affiliates, five in Gaborone and one in Jwaneng. They further want to expand their wings to Lobatse, Francistown, Maun, Gantsi, Orapa and Letlhakane. They operate with 12 people whose ages range between 18 and 22 years, four in management, two who deal with the media and six affiliates. 

Their clientele target the youth and adults mostly the urban dwellers who have access to the Internet. Their products are mostly from local suppliers like Mafia Soul Clothing Store and one in China. They have electronic devices like cellphones, clothing as well as sunglasses.

“In two years to come we want to penetrate the South African market and Zimbabwe. Currently our Marketing Manager is on a business trip in Mauritius exploring the market because we want to sell the local brands to the international market”.