Online Guyana, a new e-commerce company, has created a virtual marketplace where local businesses can sell their products.
The company, founded by Michael and Ernestine Leonard, had 60 small businesses registered just over a week ago when it was publicly launched.
Michael Leonard explained to this newspaper that with the businesses registered for the platform, consumers can now visit the website, www.online.gy, to purchase items. Registered businesses can list and sell items, such as electronics, clothing, and beauty products. The Leonards had started a delivery service, Yellow Jackets, earlier this year and while it folded, Michael Leonard said that one good thing that came from the experience was the customers they familiarised themselves with. He explained that while Yellow Jackets was up and running, they were making deliveries to a number of small businesses they previously did not even know existed. Many of these same businesses have now registered with Online Guyana.
He noted that due to the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are relying on technology to transact business and Online Guyana is hoping to bridge that connection between vendors and customers.
“I think there are hundreds of businesses in Guyana that don’t have their own social media platforms or their own websites. So we thought it was a good idea to build a platform and give them the option to get the exposure of a wider market. As a web developer, I know how difficult it is to launch your own online store. You have to pay for a lot of stuff, and you have to manage that stuff after a while. With this platform, small businesses don’t have to take the extra trouble of doing that. We will take care of all that at our end,” Leonard said.
The site allows for customers to create an account and place an order. The website also has a live chat function. Leonard said that because not many Guyanese are familiar with e-commerce, the live chat is there to help. Through the chat feature, a member of their support staff guides customers, who may be having difficulties, in the use of the site. The live chat is also for vendors who may be trying to figure out how to add products.
“I have a friend who has a small business and one of their challenges is monitoring their orders. A lot of persons take orders on WhatsApp but in doing that, you have a system where you can go to a specific account and see that this person has placed an order for an item, that shows you the person’s delivery address, their order number. Instead you have to scroll up back through your WhatsApp chat and go through a number of messages, or if not WhatsApp, you have to write their orders down in a notebook; it’s very cumbersome. What we have there is a full system where you can manage all of your orders on the site. If someone places an order, they get an email saying this order was placed and they also receive their order number,” explained Leonard. As it relates to delivery, that part of the process is done directly between the vendor and the customer as they would make arrangements for when the item can be delivered or picked up.
Vendors are allowed to register for free until June 1, 2021. In addition to this, they are allowed to sell any item until then without any fee attached. This is to allow for vendors to use the website and see how it works for them. Leonard said that after June 1 next year, there will be a small fee of $5,000 per month attached. That fee remains at $5,000 regardless of the volume of a vendor’s sales. Leonard added that the website will not be taking any commission no matter how big the sale. “We’re entrepreneurs at heart and we want to encourage other people to become entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is the way to generate jobs and grow the economy. When you have a small business, you have to hire two or three persons to help you,” he said.
Another upside to registering with Online Guyana is that vendors get their own online shop address. Customers visiting that particular address, they will be able to see all of the items that vendor has on sale. Customers browsing the website will also see next to the item, the business owner who is selling the product. Along with their online shop address, all contact information for the vendor is also included.
Customers shopping at Online Guyana can make their purchases using cash or MMG. “We’re working on debit and credit card payments. We spoke to one of the banks and they said they are working on allowing these merchant accounts. This is one of the biggest challenges with online shopping here, obviously you want to pay for your stuff online. GTT’s MMG is beneficial but not everyone uses it. I’m hoping that as early as January month end persons can shop using their credit cards,” said Leonard.
To register or purchase any of the items, persons can visit the website at www.online.gy or for more information Leonard can be reached at 601-0111.