Online marketplace Bidorbuy is running a national road show to inform existing and potential traders how to auction their wares online.
The Bidorbuy seminar-style road show started in Pietermaritzburg on 7 March, and will end in Johannesburg on 1 April 2006.
Content includes basic information on how to get started as a trader, how to source and list products on the site, as well as how the payment and shipping solutions work.
So far, the response has been satisfactory and about 150 people have booked into the sessions, says Bidorbuy MD, Andy Higgins.
"The response is greater in the metropolitan areas but we do have a growing interest in the rural seminars as well," he says.
Growing trust
There is a rise in higher value goods being purchased, says Higgins. "People trust our system more and more. After testing it by buying lower cost items, they move on to higher-priced goods," he says.
A trend in the South African online trade market is for items like jewellery, watches and gemstones due to the convenience of shipping such small items. IT equipment is also growing in popularity, he says, because of the reduced prices in comparison to retail store prices.
Because of the value of goods traded, security is of utmost importance, Higgins says. Bidorbuy monitors transactions through a seller rating system based on quality of service. The seller`s account is credited with R10 to verify its authenticity before Bidorbuy will allow them to sell. This is just one of the fraud checks performed during the process, says Higgins. All sellers are screened prior to posting online.
Share
