Lamudi sells houses online
Ugandans have always been enterprising people and have never been terrified to start their own businesses. While starting a new business can be a terrifying decision, it is also very liberating and exciting.
Starting an online business like any other business it is bound to face a number of challenges while in the startup phase. Shakib Nsubuga, Country Manager of Lamudi in Uganda, explains that Lamudi as an online start up has faced a number of challenges in the past 2 years.
He says “It is important to accept, acknowledge and study these challenges in order to find a way around them.” This week we share with you some of the biggest challenges facing online startups in Uganda
Competition
Competition from established online and offline businesses is one of the biggest challenges online startup businesses are facing today. Ugandans in particular tend to stick to brands that have been on the market longer because they trust them to provide a product they can relate to/count on.
As a startup business it is important to study the competition before joining the market so that you are able to access the weak areas and exploit them.
Constant Growth
Everyday technology is advancing and pushing the limits. With the move to online platforms (digital era) there is constant growth in the technology sector.
By starting an online business you have committed to constant growth in order to keep up with the innovations that come with this sector. As an online start up its important to maintain growth in your startup business in order for you to keep up with your competition.
Creating a Client Base
Uganda is one of the several emerging economies currently making the shift to the digital era. In a sector like real estate where majority of the property owners are 45+ it is difficult to get them to see the advantages of e-commerce platforms.
Establishing a client base will be one of the major challenges an online business startup will face, it is therefore important to create a platform that is accessible by all ages and user friendly in order to attract more clients.
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Maintaining Adaptability
Telecoms today introduce different gadgets/phones onto the market often, as an online startup business it is a challenge cost wise to always make sure that your website is adaptable to all these gadgets.
To work around this challenge it is important to plan ahead and make sure that your website changes regularly so that it is easily adaptable in the long run. For example Lamudi ensures that it delivers an updated version every 6 months to keep up with the new gadgets on the market.
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