The hype of the online marketplace, started by eBay, has become an ultimate market venue for small businesses. The perks of marketplaces have grown all over the world, including Africa. The infrastructure of internet access is getting better, so more Africans have better access to go online. The internet makes it easier for people in Africa to buy things or services from the marketplace. Even though the growth of the marketplace in Africa is not as big as in other countries, but it shows a significant difference from time to time.
With the growing rate of the marketplace in Africa, it is getting hard to get standout in the online https://165.22.99.18 crowd. If you aim to sell things or services in the African marketplace, here are some good tips to start and make your store stand out in the crowd.
Choose the right marketplace
With easier access to the internet, the marketplace becomes another sector that also grows significantly. There are lots of marketplaces that dominate African online retail. You will find different marketplaces in different countries all over Africa with various goods and services to sell. To start selling in Africa, you need to choose the right marketplace where your goods or services will be listed on the site. Each marketplace has a different target market, so make sure you have understood your target market and customers before entering a marketplace.
Know your products
Assuming that you already have the right products or services to offer in the marketplace, and then you need to identify the target customers. This includes the region (such as East Africa, West Africa, South Africa) and also the country. You will need to understand the consumption pattern, buying behavior, competitive pressure, and also standard prices in each region and country. If needed, you can also start selling with the help of the local community who have a strong local presence to help market your products.
Make the products standout
With the rising of the marketplace in Africa, it can be a little bit difficult to stand in the crowd. If you want to have a better online presence, you will need to take great and unique photos of the products. Find your aesthetic photography style to make your product appear unique and different from others.
To help build your brand, you also need to share a story about why you start the online business, the owner’s inspiration, and also brand values. This may not need for all products, but if you are selling vintage goods, antiques and fine arts, and so on.
Know and get involved in the community
To increase recognisability and popularity, it is important to get to know and involve in the community. You need to build an online community in the marketplace, reply to comments, and also interact with customers and other sellers. Some marketplace offers a feature to build an online community, but you can also use social media. Engage with people who use your products on social media to show.
