I have covered extensively the rising importance of eCommerce in Zimbabwe. The need for a startup or business to have an active online is now non-negotiable. This is interwoven with the eCommerce aspect and this should not come as a surprise. Being online as an enterprise enables you to tap into and attract prospective customers online. This then means you cannot just end there – you must allow them to buy online as well. In Zimbabwe, there is steady growth in the eCommerce space though there is still work to be done. One of the Zimbabwean startups that have demonstrated (and still do) excellence in this space is Fresh In A Box.
How Fresh In A Box Came To Be
Fresh In A Box is a startup that was started in 2018 (24 October to be exact) by Kudakwashe Musasiwa and Rufaro Dhliwayo. Delivering fresh vegetables in a box to customers was their basic idea. Their modus operandi was to strike strategic partnerships with farmers to always source fresh farm produce quickly at any given time. The way their business grew was astounding because deliveries moved from 10 boxes a day to a limit of 150 boxes a day in just a week. They started with just fresh farm produce but they have diversified into other fast-moving consumer goods. Other product sets that are now included are groceries, alcohol, beauty items, plus more.
How It Works
Fresh In A Box uses a very simple web application through which customers can place orders. They serve two clusters of customers namely, locals and diasporans. Diasporans can purchase for their loved ones back here and deliveries are made. They receive orders from at least 12 countries globally. Alternatively, customers can order using their WhatsApp platform. They just have to send a WhatsApp message to +263 774 162 442 and they are given steps on how to order. Fresh In A Box once mentioned that over 60 per cent of their orders come through WhatsApp. They also have a mobile app that you can download here.
Fresh In A Box’s Latest Ecommerce Service For Other Business
Fresh In A Box recently announced that it is offering eCommerce for other Zimbabwean businesses or startups. They stated their online platforms as follows:
We have been working with loads of local businesses (large and small) helping them sell online using our award-winning tech. Online shopping is now here to stay and from as little as US$99 per month, anyone can now sign up and get a beautiful store that is built locally and address unique Zimbabwean challenges:
Multiple Currencies
Delivery
SMS or WhatsApp Notifications
ZIPIT Payments
Instant EcoCash
Cash On Delivery
Credit Or Debit Card Payments
PayPal
VISA/MasterCard/American Express
iOS/Android Apps and lots more!
You get all the great features that have helped us deliver 100’s and 1000’s of orders over the last 3 years and whenever we upgrade, so do you!
To get more information on how you can sign up for this service, kindly engage with them via their social media platforms. Some of the Zimbabwean enterprises already using this service are Pool Plaza, Lamasat, Zimspice, Steel Centre, and more. If you check out their online stores you will see that they are designed just like Fresh In A Box’s. I highly recommend anyone in entrepreneurship or business to take up this great service.