June 29, 2020

Zeila store: a multi-store platform introduced by two young entrepreneurs

FeaturedProfessionalismCurrent Affairs

The rapid explosion of the Internet gave rise to the concept and practice of using electronic…

Avatar: Wongel Tamene
By Wongel Tamene

Editor- in -chief of Addis Zeybe, Holder of Bachelors Degree in Law and Candidate for LLM in Public International Law.

By Wongel Tamene

Digital Creator - Addis Zeybe Staffer

Zeila store: a multi-store platform introduced by two young entrepreneurs
The rapid explosion of the Internet gave rise to the concept and practice of using electronic devices for shopping, which has become a common phenomenon in the world today. Internet-based economic structures and information groups are the new business reality. Yet e-commerce is still at the embryonic level and is rarely used in Ethiopia.Many reasons can be attributed to this problem some of which can be due to the lack of IT infrastructures and even more to the absence of a legal framework to govern such businesses. Recently, the government of Ethiopia has drafted  a legislation to regulate e-commerce: when implemented. This tool is expected to boost the online market in the country.Despite being at the embryonic level, some e-commerce platforms are coming out and introducing themselves to the untouched potential of the market. Zeila store is one of those stores that recently joined the e-commerce market. Younes Sami and Mohammed Abdulaziz are the creators of the platform. Younes is a second year student at Addis Ababa School of Commerce while his partner Mohammed just graduated this year from Lincoln University.A phone conversation with Younes gave me a distinct insight into the website. Zeila store is a little different because it uses a different interface from what one sees in other ecommerce sites and gives an opportunity for other stores to feature their products on the platform as well. “Our platform is like an open market. We have more than 20 stores that are currently featuring their products on it.” says Younes. “What makes us different is that we are the ones that deliver what has been ordered online by anyone from any stores that are featured on our platform.” The platform also allows you to buy products of the store directly. “It is called Zeila prime and we sell our own products on it. Delivery of the products only takes about one day” says Younes.Joining is simple. If anyone wants their store to be featured on the platform all they need to do is contact the platform owners and talk to them. The platform takes 2.5 percent from each transaction made by the shop owners and after the agreement is complete pictures of the items to be featured will be taken by the platform owner. The payment system they use is cash upon delivery.Samia Omer is one of the shop owners that are featured on the platform. She is the owner of a make-up store and says this platform has helped her a lot in bringing customers to her shop.“I own Flormar makeup store, and ever since I started using this platform, I have gained customers and most of them tell me they saw my products on the platform.” She says. Samia says the commission they take from the shop owners is very small. “They take 2.5% from each store, which for me personally, is a small amount. Especially at a time like this being able to use this platform helps me stay afloat because most customers are staying home from fear of the coronavirus pandemic.”Yones says people aren’t used to the potential of e-commerce yet. He says the payment system is a little bit difficult in handling the operation of the platform. “It is difficult to integrate our payment system to other payment systems like Amole or Halo Cash because they are not open sourced.” he says. “Other than that, most things have been positive since we targeted the youth in launching the platform. But payment is still a problem.” Yet, Younes is hopeful, now that Ethiopia has approved the law that regulates e-commerce, he believes the market will get more recognition in the country.