Cabanga Magazine

Featured Companies FoodWorld, OK, DST, eTranzact, PayPal and CABS Online Zimbabwe eCommerce in 2007 This year has brought in some improvement on the .CO.ZW cyberspace, as a few companies are now offering Online Transactions from their websites. Food World and OK, the chain supermarkets, both have online shopping facilities. eTranzact, PayPal, and CABS Online are strong on the Backbone of Zimbabwean Online Transaction Processing Systems. Despite being over politicized, eCommerce has taken off on a good note this year, because the most popular banks now have eBanking facilities, and the Zimbabwean Consumer now has external funds stored in banks outside our borders. Food to the Zimbabwean eWorld – www.foodworldzim.com Food World Chain Supermarkets has two mirrored websites that it uses for eCommerce purposes. They have a local .CO.ZW website and the above .COM website. The .COM website is the one that is connected to PayPal.com, one of the leading Online Payment Systems in the World, whic...

The following are some of the many marketing misconceptions that I would like to address in this book: Websites are Marketing Expenses. This is false, because a website is an investment. We live in the days of the Google Economy, where you even earn US$ for just reserving a portion of your website for Google AdSense, and in the days of Advertising Synergies. Not many people use the Internet. This is false, because Zimbabwean urban consumers are very technology oriented. There are more literate consumers in urban centers now, who have equal access to Internet – through Internet Cafes. The Computer Population is Zimbabwe is growing, especially the Laptops, whose owners want Internet access as soon as they buy them. Websites are for Internet presence only, because we cannot implement eCommerce in Zimbabwe. This is false, because websites are for consumers not your company, hence can be used for more than just your business card. eCommerce in Zimbabwe is transforming, with a few hiccups th...

INTRODUCTION Since the commercial inception of many Information and Communication Technologies and various business methods in Zimbabwe, consumers have been hoping for an ever increasing Quality of Service (QoS) in Information Services. This has not been the case; due to a contribution of various factors influencing the direction of growth of this industry. There are basically seven types of Information Service Points, which this paper seeks to address the audience, to shed light upon the dealings thereof. These are Websites, Directories, CDROMs, Periodics, Mobile Phones, Kiosks, and Cafes. Closely examining these will help define this industry, and point out a way forward – that’s the aim of this paper. DEFINITION Information Services can be defined as any repetitive business concept of publishing data, in any relevant format, to inform an audience, whilst achieving profitability. Please realize that in the 21st century, there are many industries which are springing up because of the ...

Database Driven Most of them are database driven, making it difficult for each entry to be found by search engines like google.com. Most use Cold Fusion, a technology not easily accessible by Google scripts. Google uses Perl. The difference is that Perl dumps information on every query (Client Driven), yet Cold Fusion keeps everything on the server on which the query is being requested (Server Driven). What has influence these web publications • Mindsets o People only read from newspaper classifieds only. o Who would want to invest in a vibrant website? o It’s Zimbabwe anywhere! • Lack of understanding of marketing in cyberspace. • More of a presence issue, for corporate image issue. The Technologies Used Most of the websites were developed by WebDev and Design@7. WedDev is strong on Wed Development (the Database side), hence their sites have that orientation. Design@7 is strong with Graphics, hence their sites have that orientation. Some other sites were developed by small companies, ...

Technology-wise, the world has moved into the Internet Era – birthed in 1995. This has seen the birth of Electronic Commerce (eCommerce). In short Internet means ‘network of networks’, in terms of Information and Communication Technologies. eCommerce, through the Internet and other related technologies, is the bringing of Investors, Employees, Management, Consumers, Customers, Suppliers, Competitors, and Government Departments together in a virtual business environment. 1.1 Globally The Internet is now the widely viewed as the fastest growing communications phenomenon of all time. The comparative chart below places into context the dramatic pace of growth of the World Wide Web (www), a central feature of the Internet for most users. ITU, January 1999 At present the Internet user rate is at an estimate of 300 million, and is expected to reach 500 million in 2005. Revenues are currently estimated at US$1.3 trillion, which are expected to rise to about US$3 trillion by 2005. 1.2 Africa We...

There are five major aspects affecting consumers, which contribute to the success of eCommerce in Zimbabwe – namely Disposable Income, Literacy, Migration, Economic Instability and Technological Changes. 6.1 Disposable Income Most people spend their disposable income on commodities than unique experiences. Others have their disposable income locked up in liability promoting expenditures. This poses a challenge to eCommerce players to create more disposable income, and eventually employment, through their inventions. 6.2 Literacy The 35year and above age demographic group is the most Information and Communications Technologies illiterate; yet the bread winning group. This poses a huge challenge to eCommerce players in educating these income holders. There is however hope in the younger generation, as they are the most literate and also increasingly attaining employment. 6.3 Migration People are migrating to other nations with better living conditions. Our nation is losing an estimate of...

Because the Internet is not an academic priority in most Marketing Programmes in Zimbabwe, Web Marketing has been a nightmare for many marketers, seen by the inability to thrive online as they do offline. My first business mentor is one of Zimbabwe’s top Marketers, who took me up early 2003, when I quit my comfortable IT position at Zimpapers Natprint. I noticed that he was a student of online marketing ever since then, only to take up online business four years after, with a serious innovation, if I might add. I know another brilliant Marketer with more than ten world class food brands at her disposable, yet has only one website – a corporate website, that talks more about the company - Corporate Profile, than the products or its consumers. I will not mention bankers, clothing manufacturers, department stores, bookshops, car dealers, insurance institutes, asset managers, chemists, sports institutes, just to name a few. I love our marketers, but can not stand and watch them be overwhel...

Our nation is on a verge of Telecommunications expansion and diversification, as the two major mobile operators Net*One and Econet transform into the GPRS and 3G platforms. Apart from offering more lines to consumers, these technologies have more benefits to be realized as they are platforms for more than just communication. There are four things that Information and Communication Technology, especially telecommunications, addresses in our time, that are vital to the progress of any economy – Media, Entertainment, Commerce, and Communication. WHAT IS GPRS? GPRS is a non-voice, value-added service that allows information to be sent and received across a regular GSM network. To understand the speed and versatility of GPRS, imagine having the connectivity of three Dial-up Internet Accounts, above the normal Voice connectivity, with both not suffering congestion. One benefit of GPRS is that it will allow customers to answer voice calls while in the middle of sending e-mails or viewi...