Kasuwa, an online shopping solution in Nigeria where you can purchase all your electronics, books, DVDs and more online and have them shipped directly to you, mean business. During the interview I conducted with Niels, the head of marketing, I asked about their mobile website and he told me that work was going on, on it.
I like gadgets and you will often catch me visiting different stores online that offer them for sale. Since I had Kasuwa on my radar, I visited the site and opened an account. I observed that they really mean business. One of the things I first saw was the speed with which their website loaded. They know this business, I reasoned.
During the interview I did with Niels, the head of marketing, he told me that Kasuwa is funded by Rocket Internet, an Internet incubator that has a global presence in about 40 countries with 300 plus companies world-wide and about 15,000 employees. Rocket Internet has been running similar Amazon kind of business in other market, they are just coming to Nigeria to come and replicate same.
After observing that their website was very fast, I proceeded to my mobile phone and try to see if they have designed a unique feel and a unique mobile experience. I was disappointed to find that the same experience on the desktop web is what I was greeted with on the mobile web, which to me is a major fail.
I was searching for some gadgets early this morning and I looked up Kasuwa on my iPod Touch to see what their offering are and the cost. Guess what? I was greeted with this.
Safari Browser on iPod Touch
They had completely changed the look of their website on mobile. It’s not just the look, but I also noticed that it is very fast and responsive too. It is not a mere adaptation of their desktop version to mobile.
I also checked on the Samsung Galaxy Pocket and Nokia N8 using Opera mini. I got same clean and fast design.
Samsung Galaxy Pocket Browser
Opera Mini on the Nokia N8
Kasuwa has been filling its arsenal with the right weapon to tackle the ecommerce in Nigeria. Will they succeed or bite the dust like those that have come before them? What has been the experience of some of their first time users? Since they just launched, we’d need to give them some time to proof their worth and that they can deliver like they have delivered in other countries where they have operation.
