Online marketing is one of the prime merits of the internet. The fact that I can advertise my products or purchase an item in Mombasa or Guangzhou is just awesome. Here in Kenya, OLX is the most popular online marketplace. Unlike other sites like Jumuia and Cheki, OLX provides a medium to buyers and sellers to interact at no cost. And while the site has been riddled with conmen and fraudsters, a lot of sales continue to be made through this service. The site was intended to serve ordinary persons selling their old or unused stuff but established services also use the site as an advertising medium which I think is ok. I have personally purchased two items which through OLX.
However, there is a gap in the business model of OLX which could further the purpose for which the site was created and even earn more revenue for the owners of the site. This is how OLX works; say @Electronics4u is selling his android box, he takes a photo and posts it along with some details including the price. He then hopes that someone will call him or visit his shop after spotting his ad alongside other hundreds on android box sellers.
The above model works but it could be better. My argument is, there is always more buyers than sellers of an item. Therefore, OLX should configure the site to accommodate the buyer too. When you login into the site, you login as a buyer or a seller. This is how it would work, if I am looking for an Item, I just post the details of what I want with details of my budget. The sellers then go through these queries and if they match their services call me with offers, after a few calls, I can then proceed to purchase.
OLX can charge the sellers buy offering instant notifications. When @Gio 's side mirror was stolen, he could have just posted the details of the side mirror and the much he intends to spend on a new one. All the sellers of side mirrors who have turned on the notification will call him with offers. Some will even offer to deliver the mirror to him to make a sale. This would serve both the buyers and sellers well and especially small business making an entry into the market. This could also be used for market analysis e.g. if I want to start selling spare parts for Mazda, I can just login and observe which parts most people are looking for. My 2 cents.
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