SHOPAHOME …My Errand Gurus’ GLOBALLY LICENCED E- COMMERCE / TECH COMPANY.
Shopahome, by the records available to us, is the first Nigerian Global E-commerce company by structure and target operations as well as in startup activities. The E-Commerce business would be one of the new global norms. In Nigeria for instance, E- Commerce is currently estimated at $17b and this number is expected to triple and hit $75b in 2025 in revenues per annum according to Global Management Consulting Firm, McKinsey and Company. Nigeria has a population of about 200million people of which over 50% and still counting are internet users. Globally, the industry is estimated to top $6.1 trillion in 2023. Shopahome’s desire is to help increase wallet shares in the growing market with increased online sales, by encroaching into the untapped corners of developing countries like Nigeria, especially as developing countries begin to accept the new norm and the general population begin to realize the benefit of shopping from the comfort of our homes; a culture the rest of the world has adopted with attendant values. Shopahome is poised to grow as people begin to imbibe this culture, while it hopes to match and sustain International standards and best practices as well as position for global business. This will involve competing with the global giants. It’s a feat and a vision birthed by an astute Banker who has grown businesses from zero to Billions, Augusta O. Anyanwu-Egbom, though manned by Industry giant brains fetched from among the current leaders in the market. This makes the startup an interesting business to watch closely.
The E- Commerce business is operating under a trade name – Shopahome …My Errand Gurus, approved by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment in 2020. Indeed, judging by the incidents that heralded the world in 2020, there would not be a better idea whose time was ripe as shopping from the comfort of our homes globally. The uniqueness of this company is in their errand license which makes them commit to fetch for their customers anything at all even when it is not yet on display on their website. AUSTOLA INT’L LTD is the corporate owner of the Shopahome trademark. Austola Intl’ is a company incorporated in Nigeria and in the United States being one of the defining factors of any global business. The company has both Nigerian and the US Government approvals to carry on the business of general contracts, supply of all kinds of goods and services, general merchandise, procurement of all sorts of goods, export and import trading, marketing, sales and distribution of general goods and services, commission agents, manufacturer’s representatives, E-Commerce, export promotion, advertising and logistics services etc.
Explaining further on the readiness of the business to serve global customers, the Group Head and Company’s Managing Director, Jubril Ahmadu said the company is poised to use the opportunity to project vendors’ products for increased patronage and in collaboration with some institutions who do bulk purchases which could add more value to sales turnover / patronage of vendors’ products while exploring the B2B sales windows.
“Ours is a pure multi-vendor market place where customers make orders on our website, we will process, ship/ release products through our appointed courier partners (currently we have APIs with Fedex and DHL). We went live in August 2020 and already have almost all the big and known Brands in the country in our books. The rest of the work would be to keep the path of strong foundation through our Management and staff support, create publicity about us using the necessary tools. We already have Social Media / Marketing Team in place to enshrine our brands in the minds of the public as well as Call Center Agents dedicated to excellent service delivery, who follow through on our customers and prospects while building trust which is vital in the online market place”.
In the next few years Shopahome.com plans to build a strong technology base that would optimally serve their growing community in Nigeria and in Diaspora. The Head of Technology Miramon Suting, an Indian having worked with the world class companies like Chillibreeze and Zizira has provided good guide and soft base for the startup to position for this Global task. The MD said the early registered users within this quarter would form their prime customers by default. Shopahome.com is that market place calling for our watch. Visit Shopahome.com or call 01888SHOP for more.
