Merchandise Uganda, a free online marketplace, is transforming the way small businesses in Uganda reach and engage with customers. By providing a user-friendly platform for sellers to showcase their products and connect with buyers, Merchandise Uganda is addressing a critical challenge faced by many small businesses: the high cost of physical retail space.
One of the main obstacles for small businesses in Uganda is the limited access to affordable and marketable retail spaces. While cheap stalls may be available, they often lack the visibility and appeal to attract customers. On the other hand, prime retail locations are often out of reach for small businesses due to high rental costs.
Merchandise Uganda is solving this problem by leveraging technology to democratize advertising and access to market information. The platform allows sellers to create their own digital storefronts, showcasing their products to a wide audience. By providing a free and easy-to-use platform, Merchandise Uganda is enabling small businesses to reach customers without the need for expensive physical retail spaces.
How Merchandise Uganda works
To get started, businesses simply visit the Merchandise Uganda website or download the mobile app. After providing some basic information, such as the business name, location, and contact details, sellers can upload high-quality photos and videos of their products. Potential customers can then search for the products they need and directly contact the sellers.
Merchandise Uganda has also partnered with courier companies to facilitate seamless delivery. When a customer places an order, the assigned logistics company is notified to pick up the product and deliver it to the customer’s doorstep.
Since its launch in 2019, Merchandise Uganda has become a hub for various sectors, including automotive, devices, agriculture, and furniture.
Suzan Awori, the General Manager of Merchandise Uganda notes that since launch, they have on-boarded tens of clients, created hundreds of jobs, and served thousands of customers.
“We have been in business for more than five years and over the years have onboarded more than 10,000 businesses and created as many jobs along the way. These businesses serve more than one million customers. We are a general business platform and some of our top sectors include automotive, devices, agriculture and furniture,” Awori said.
To further enhance the customer experience, Merchandise Uganda has recently upgraded its platform to include a secure payment system. This allows customers to shop and pay digitally, making the transaction process more convenient and secure for both buyers and sellers.
“We have since upgraded our platform and added a payment system that enables customers to shop and pay digitally. This makes it easy for customers to make payments and also for the sellers to easily and safely receive their money.”
Merchandise Uganda appeared on Day 7 of the HiPipo 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative season five.
