Timeless Auctions
The Evolution Of E-Commerce In Zimbabwe
Mitch, Web Developer & Blogger at Timeless Auctions
16 December 2022
The digital world is evolving rapidly. Those who fail to innovate, fail to evolve! As it is for individuals, it is the same for companies, cultures, communities and nations.
Zimbabwe has its own unique circumstances that make evolving with the rapidly changing global digital environment something of a challenge. Given the unique economic, currency and financial circumstances Zimbabwe faces, traditional e-commerce platforms need to provide unique solutions to cater to unique circumstances.
With a median age of just under 20 years old and a population of around 16 million people, Zimbabwe has relatively few online payment platforms and solutions compared to what most other countries in the Southern African region have. It is perhaps a lack of trust in local financial institutions and systems by consumers and the lack of will and risk appetite by talented developers to create unique e-commerce and online payment systems that has seen Zimbabwe lag behind it’s more e-commerce advanced neighbours in the SADC region.
Nevertheless, the Zimbabwean consumer market does have an appetite for online services. Overseas providers are the main beneficiaries of an underdeveloped e-commerce industry in Zimbabwe. Take a look at this article from Newsday (read it HERE) that briefly takes a look at Zimbabwean consumers participating in overseas e-commerce platforms, with gambling being discussed in particular.
Zimbabwe has a consumer market that is hungry for online e-commerce products and services, and technology entrepreneurs willing to take the risks that come with providing such solutions could profit handsomely in the years ahead. The e-commerce growth trend can only go in one direction!
