Maseru teems with all kinds of fascinating things. But few of them have captured our imagination like Shopiizy, one of the few online stores in Lesotho, of which progressive thinking has clearly been highlighted.
We had an opportunity to quiz Moses Malefane, the Co-founder of Shopiizy to talk about their initiative, their team and what the future looks like for them.
The roots of Shopiizy stem from Connaissance which was established in 2016 and focused on selling products using the Facebook platform. Later on, they streamlined and started selling wood watches which were quite unique and innovative. Just think about it, a timepiece made of wood! That is truly unique.
While they had a lot of success in sales and exposure using the Facebook platform – Connaissance being the page – they thought of a more automated way to run their business and also give clients a wide variety to choose from. They usually source from their supplier and then sell what they have to the consumers.
“We wanted the customer to have a wider choice from the supplier’s database and also be able to require customization online, hence we came up with the e-commerce site www.shopiizy.com. Here our clients are able to see our supplier’s inventory, request customization on the checkout page, place and pay for the order and also track their parcels live from the supplier to their desired destination. We also realized that a traditional e-commerce site will not suffice for our market, since just a few people have credit cards. We then had to find ways to incorporate M-pesa as a payment method, this we believe is how we will introduce the Lesotho market to online shopping,” Malefane was quick to add.
Throughout the interview, Moses mentions specific challenges of pioneering an online store and what they’re mainly focusing on at the moment. The interview transcript continues below:
What inspired you to start the business?
True I am employed, but I do not see myself employed forever. I have been inspired by the likes of Steve Harvey to take that leap and jump. I do not want to live a mediocre life, I want to create, innovate and change people’s lives. I want to bring the world to Lesotho. There is a lot out there that our market has not yet been exposed to and I want to be a pivotal pioneer of that.
Tell us about your team, or a bit about yourself if you’re running the business on your own.
I run this business with my partner – fiancée. She is the one who actually started the business and encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and strive for greatness. I am mostly involved with this part of the business whilst she is involved in another (tutoring and spelling bee). You can check out her services at www.connaissancefoundation.org
Tell us about your first paying customer and how the transition was like for them.
It really is a big transition for our customers/market to adapt to using online platforms. I think you can see from our page that we are always active in selling and have had a great deal of success in using the Facebook platform. We are currently advertising our platform a great deal and also making our clients comfortable in using the platform. Many still prefer ordering via phone/WhatsApp, but with vigorous marketing and making sure that the site is always in their face, we will achieve our target.
Why is now the time for your business to exist?
The world is shifting more and more to e-commerce and what better way than to be one of the pioneers of this shift in Lesotho. Plus it is convenient.
Where do you think your growth will be next year?
Our focus currently is driving traffic to our platform, which is the first phase. We need to at least attract the same number as our page followers. Thereafter, we will be pushing purchases using our platform, we will still use Facebook as our primary means but will offer discounts for purchases done through our site.
Did you just say discounts for those who order through the website? At the moment, how do you measure your success?
Currently we measure our success via unique visitors to our site. We want to push traffic, so sales are irrelevant at this point in time, though they are still an integral part of our business.
How’s the business climate in Lesotho favourable to your online store?
Basotho have become quite acclimatized with using social media for buying and selling, for example, the use of Lesotho online market has created a cushion which we can, as entrepreneurs, use to expand on. We are not introducing a foreign concept. We are merely expanding on it.
What’s your encouragement to budding entrepreneurs in Lesotho?
Businesses aren’t built in a day, and success isn’t achieved overnight. You have to know your target market and appeal to their need. Most entrepreneurs fail not because they weren’t addressing a need, they fail because they give up too quick. They come expecting to make a ton in the first few months, whereas in reality successful businesses take years to build. One needs to persevere. There’s one quote I learnt growing up – “Many want to succeed but are not willing to pay the price. Question is, ARE YOU??”
If you fancy treating yourself to some timepieces without turning your wallet into a post-apocalyptic wasteland, check out their range of cool watches we’ve found. Visit Shopiizy.