Rethabile Pitso
E-COMMERCE firm, Shopa Lesotho, has opened a new facility on its website catering exclusively for locally-made goods.
Shopa Lesotho is an online company which showcases and sells products and services in Lesotho and abroad.
According to the firm’s director, Lebohang Handy, the initiative was meant to diversify their product range and promote local businesses.
“About two weeks ago, we created an inventory of products made locally with the aim of promoting local businesses. Before the launch of the facility, we showcased products that were easily available in the supermarkets and did not appeal to our customers,” he said.
“After getting feedback from our customers, we decided to change the strategy and focus on locally-made products which are not easily accessible for most people.”
Mr Handy said among the products on offer were Seshoeshoe clothing and Mokorotlo hats, with other handicrafts soon to follow.
He said Shopa Lesotho would now liaise with customers directly, unlike previously when the firm would merely provide a platform for buyers and sellers.
“Before we introduced the facility, customers directly interacted with suppliers in making the arrangements for the delivery of products.
“However, under this new system, we will showcase the suppliers’ products and also offer courier services for delivering the goods to their destinations,” said Mr Handy, adding that the new strategy was also meant to monitor transactions for record-keeping purposes.
Shopa Lesotho is among three companies that impressed adjudicators in the Bacha Entrepreneurship Project and received M159 725.40 to expand the start-up enterprise.
The Bacha Entrepreneurship Project was a collaborative effort by the Lesotho Revenue Authority, Standard Lesotho Bank and Basotho Enterprise Development Corporation to stem escalating youth unemployment by capacitating young people with entrepreneurship skills.
Mr Handy said the new initiative was in line with the training and mentorship they received during project.
“In just two weeks since the launch of the new facility, 30 transactions have already taken place. It is a record in comparison to the previous system where buyers communicated directly with suppliers,” he said.
“Plans are afoot to introduce mobile phone payment systems and the banking system to enable instant payments and reduce the logistical challenges we are currently facing.”
To buy products offered on the website, customers can pick and drop the goods on a shopping cart icon and then click the order option. Once an order has been made, the buyer then expresses their intention to make a purchase through an email to Shopa Lesotho with the payment being made upon delivery.
The standard delivery charge is M70, with the time frame spanning from two to three days once the order has been made.