Google Trader launched in Africa – Copycats Mobiya

Posted by on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 · Leave a Comment 

Google is launching a free online classified service driven by SMS. The new service allows Ghanaians to buy and sell products and services, as well as search for jobs or just about anything else using SMS text messaging. The service is catching on fast with traders as many of them are listing livestock and clothes using their mobile phones.

Stories in local newspapers report happy customers: “This is incredible. You mean I can really advertise my coconut selling business on the net?” says Stephen Agyapong, a coconut seller at Osu queried after he was given a handout explaining how the service works. Also amazed by the fact the service was free of charge.

According to Google, Trader can be used by anyone in Ghana, but is expected to have the biggest uptake in major towns and cities across the country. “Individuals can post short ads to buy and sell items and services, whilst businesses of any size can also use the site to reach more customers and increase their sales,” a statement read.

Google Trader is an exact copy of Mobiya. The difference with Mobiya is that it has a secure exchange of contact details between buyers and sellers, while Google publishes mobile numbers directly and isn’t interested in the privacy of people! Mobiya has also a fraud protection service using SMS authentication, which is very important in countries with high poverty and massive fraud.

Deeper in Africa, Google is also demonstrating Google SMS. Google SMS is part of an effort to reach people who don’t have Internet access at all, starting in Uganda.

The opportunity in Africa is serious. According to a report from the International Telecomunication Union, 28% of the population has basic mobile phone voice and SMS services. This seems not much, but less than 5% have Internet access. So, as an online search giant looking to make money in Africa, phones are the obvious route.

Similar to what Mobiya is doing in India, Google SMS is also a way for people to use SMS text messaging to request information like local jobs, weather, sports, etc. But, the most promising service remains Google Trader, a marketplace built around SMS. In the event that Uganda and Ghana go well, Google will seriously expand these services across the continent.

It is time for Mobiya to step up. Also Microsoft and IBM see these regions as potentially huge markets too. Mobiya has the advantage of having developed a telco-grade platform through its European operations, and is now looking to operate the service in Africa. Mobiya’s patent protected platform connects buyers and sellers via secure SMS text messaging and allows the service to be free of charge for consumers subsidised by the embedded mobile advertising service.

 

Sources:

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