With the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to take significant toll on global economies as well as people from all walks of life, most Namibian vendors have had to find alternative methods to sell their products. As such, embracing the digital age and the rise of online trading has driven an unprecedented business model shift for consumer products with many vendors experiencing digital marketing as the new normal to ensure they sell their products quickly and smoothly.
Inside Business spoke to some local vendors who shifted to a newly established local online sales outlet called WindoMarket. This online alternative offers a win-win shopping environment and guarantees all customers receive what they ordered, while sellers are connected to markets most relevant to them.
Tupopila Haitula of Tupo Namfood cc sells traditional products such as marula oil, sour milk, marathon chicken, and cow butter. He said going digital nowadays is the way forward when it comes to selling products as the world is moving forward to a completely digital environment. He added that this is also a way to keep up with the advancements in technology.
“With this new site, our products are now exposed to a larger audience as it has a different target market and more visitors on the website. That means our products are being exposed not just locally, but internationally as well,” said Haitula, adding that his sales numbers have increased drastically through the site.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to sell our products on the WindoMarket website as the rates of selling has increased compared to how it was in the past,” said Haitula.
He added that the challenge of delivering these products to their customers has also been lifted.
Denzel-Jude Mwarania, the manager of Lucy Corner, located in Mutual Platz, said the company focuses on the sales of unique consumer electronics, beauty, and health, kitchen, and garden decor, as well as other accessories.
Mwarania said the Covid-19 pandemic, and last year’s lockdown, drove them to go digital. They had to sell their products on WindoMarket, which helps them reach the ever-growing e-commerce savvy shopper.
Valde Leonard, who established his African process food of VNA Native Food in 2017 intending to add value to indigenous Namibian and African foods, said WindoMarket allows him to sell his products to more customers and provide free product marketing.
He added that it also allows his products to reach more customers as they do not depend on physical foot traffic but rather look at bolstering their online presence.
Owner of WindoMarket, Martin Shigwedha, says Namibians were not as inclined to purchase online before the pandemic. However, now they are quite keen to purchase through digital options such as WindoMarket. He concluded that WindoMarket had provided a much-needed and reliable revenue stream, particularly for startups.