By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
CLASSIFIEDS Dot Com Limited has been launched on the Zambian market at the cost of US$250,000.
Company managing director Philip Simbeva said $250,000 was used to set up the facility and payment for other requirements in the country.
Mr Simbeva said in an interview shortly after the launch of the company in Lusaka at the weekend.
“We have invested $250,000 to set up this project on the Zambian market, including the paying for licensing and other requirements,” Mr Simbeva said.
Classifieds is a duly Zambian registered company whose main business is to provide an online marketing platform, where buyers and sellers across all sectors meet.
The company, the first of its kind on the Zambian market was launched in Lusaka  at the weekend.
“Classifieds is an online marketing where buyers and sellers across all sectors meet, both businesses and individuals are able to advertise on this platform,” he said.
Mr Simbeva said Classifieds currently employed 10 local people but that the number was expected to increase as   the company would engage sales agents in every town.
Speaking during the Launch Mr Simbeva said internet marketing has proved to be valuable and very important because it aligns with the way consumers make purchasing decisions.
He said studies and researchers indicate that increasing numbers of consumers use social media and mobile internet to conduct preliminary product and price research before making final decisions.
“Internet marketing enables you to build relations with customers and prospects through regular, low-cost personalized communication, reflecting the move away from mass marketing,” Mr Simbeva said.
He said online marketing further enables companies to be open for business around the clock without worrying about store opening hours and overtime payments for staff.
“By marketing on our platform, you can overcome barriers of distance. You can sell goods in any part of the country without setting up local outlets, widening your target market.
“You can also build an export business without opening a network of distributors in different countries,” he said.