When markets grow, we as consumers’ benefits. When the online market grows, the consumer gains more since this is the digital world where buying and selling goods has become much easier. OLX has redefined our ways of purchasing and selling goods and services. The platform can be described as an easy ‘barter trade’ system except that the exchange of money is involved. the system allows you to buy what you are looking for at an affordable price or even sell what you do not need at a worthwhile price and not necessarily a take away price.
At an event hosted by BAKE in collaboration with OLX Kenya, the online community was invited to discuss their views on online trading in Kenya.
Priscilla Muhia the Business Development Head of East Africa and Central Africa at OLX highlighted how safe it is to buy cars through the OLX platform, either through their mobile application or website. The platform has OLX Champ services to make buying goods under the category of vehicles a stress free task. So how does this service work!
A champ is a designated person from OLX who acquires the vehicle on your behalf. The champ is able to check out the car and verify that is in good condition as specified in the description. The champ also ensures that the seller is not swindling the buyer on a fake deal. The champ is also responsible, under OLX, to take the vehicle for proper services to verify the quality of the car. Once the champ clarifies everything, then it is a go ahead and the transaction can occur. Transactions of such mannerism are done through Pesalink. This makes this particular service secure and stress free for the buyer as well as the genuine seller who is not over shadowed by impostors. This service was launched in May and has seen more than 100 cars being sold.
The online trading world has revolutionized as almost everyone is looking for a place to sell or buy goods at the comfort of their homes without much hustle. During the election period, it is said the platform received more than 25 listings of helicopters which were the trendy use of transport for politicians.
The OLX champ service is set to roll out soon in the real estate sector which will focus more on demand and ease the stress that comes when consumers are looking for rentals or houses online.
Other than being a platform that offers goods and services such as clothing, vehicles and electronics, OLX also has an agricultural category. Here you can get goods ranging from cereals to cattle to vegetables and even fish such as omena. During the Kenyan quail craze, the product was in high demand on the platform where prices shot up all at once and went down without notice. The downfall was easily predicted by the OLX team as the quail businesses came tumbling down one at a time in a span of less than a year as people counted their losses. Other than this downfall, we can consider OLX’s agricultural category as one way of eliminating middle men for small scale farmers and is therefore a category that could grow with time.
Therefore, whether you have something you want to sell or need to but something, OLX is a platform you should consider. Being a family friendly brand, you can view the site with the whole family as you search or post items on the platform. One is also assured of safety when using the platform. The incidences where you would be deceived into selling or buying a fake product can be reverted specifically through consumer insights where they are advised on what to do when transacting with another person online and what to do when you meet them face to face.
Unquestionably, there are always some loopholes in a business enterprise. Challenges that OLX faces include verification for certain products especially for pets and cattle where consumers may think they are buying a good pet or livestock only to find out that the animal is sickly or has been abused. Suggestions were brought forward such as attaching updated veterinarian certificates for the animals to ensure the well-being of the animal is protected and the consumer is not misled on what they are buying into. Other challenges include sellers posting way too many advertisements per day which could limit viewed access to other sellers. Wholesale sellers and retailers are therefore advised to have licenses and permits to be able to submit their products on the platform.
Image Credit: Kenyan Story