I am always excited when it comes to talking about witty startups emerging out of Zimbabwe. It is my solemn desire that such stories inspire more innovative enterprises to come onto the scene. If you have always followed my articles you will know how passionate I am about e-commerce. From 2018 I have always been underscoring the importance of e-commerce in Zimbabwe. Little did we know the pandemic was coming and ironically for those who did not my call then, now it is imperative to sell online. Anyways, in this article, I shall be looking at a startup called HeyZoom.
Who Is HeyZoom?
HeyZoom is a proudly Zimbabwean e-commerce platform based in Harare being managed by a young, fun and dynamic team. They officially launched on the 11th of October 2020. Their product range and promotions are aimed at providing a convenient online shopping experience. They sell a variety of items on their website including groceries, toys, games, gifts, pool supplies, cleaning supplies and more! They recommend that you follow their social media pages to stay up to date on their new additions and promotions! I will share the links towards the end of the article.
They offer great US dollar cash discounts, monthly promotions and delivery within 20 kilometres of their office. There is also a collection option from their office at 41 Churchill Avenue, Alex Park. Their delivery prices are very competitive – product prices are well laid out on the website. They offer many different forms of payment to make it as easy as possible for their customers. These are US dollar cash on delivery, swipe on delivery, ZIPIT in advance and EcoCash or bank transfer in advance as well. Their goal is for HeyZoom to become a household name and become their consumers’ favourite and most trusted online shopping platform.
Long Term Vision
Their long term vision is encapsulated in 3 core focuses. One, to become the premier national online shop for Zimbabwe. Two, to provide an extensive range to fulfil almost every consumer need. Three, to become the first choice for companies wanting to offer their product or service ranges online.
How The HeyZoom Idea Came About
While online shopping had been an idea for a while, the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020 made this a necessity for most Zimbabweans. After doing some research, they found that the majority of online shopping platforms in Zimbabwe were for individual businesses focusing on their own products. They took advantage of this gap in the market to offer a more extensive product or service range on one website, and they embraced their team’s supplier relationships to create HeyZoom.
The HeyZoom Team And Operating Framework
Their core team is currently small and consists of three dedicated people – a Sales Manager, a Delivery Driver, and a Web Developer. They outsource their accounting functions and have access to an experienced team of managers for any advice and support they might need. (I love how they are leveraging on outsourcing!). HeyZoom receives the majority of their stock on consignment from their various suppliers which eliminate warehousing needs.
One way they are using in managing their costs closely is by sharing office space and minimizing their overheads. Due to COVID-19, their supplier’s stock can sometimes be a bit erratic, which can affect their ability to fulfil customer orders. Additionally, finding small denomination USD change (e.g. US$1, US$2) in Zimbabwe at the moment is challenging, and can be frustrating for consumers who expect their change in full or in decent notes.
More Publicity Will Take Them Farther
Any advertising that might assist them in growing their supplier and customer base would definitely be greatly appreciated. They are constantly looking at expanding their product offering to help them in attracting new customers. Thus I am encouraging you all out there to spread the word that HeyZoom is now here for all your online shopping needs in Zimbabwe.
How To Get In Touch With HeyZoom
HeyZoom’s website is adapting and changing regularly, so if you cannot find what you are looking for elsewhere please contact them. Their team is committed to providing you with the best possible service and will respond and react quickly. You can check out their website here. You can visit their Facebook page here. Their email address is sales@heyzoom.net.You can contact them on +263 783 297 100 or you can contact their Customer Relations Manager, Ilana Lapham on +263 774 186 395.