Mozambique: Inhambane women traders move online to weather the crisis

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Mozambique: Inhambane women traders move online to weather the crisis

8:50 CAT | 28 Jul 2021

Image: DW

Online sales in Mozambique have boomed during the coronavirus pandemic, despite fears of scams and the government’s inability to levy sales taxes on online transactions.

Women traders in Inhambane province are resorting to the internet to reverse the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Business closures in recent months have increased the number of unemployed, and many female workers have been looking at online services for alternative ways to generate income and new business.

Olinda Samuel is one example. She lost her job and embraced internet commerce to sell items such as shoes and clothing for men and women. Samuel regrets that demand is still low, but blames this on general lack of money.

According to the Samuel, “not everyone is prepared to pay a 50% deposit to order the product” – this being a usual way of inspiring confidence in transactions.

Inhambanefp.dw_ — *Unemployment increased in Inhambane during the pandemic*

Hudaifa Ismael’s situation is the same. If full payment is not made at the time of ordering, 50% is paid up-front, and the balance when order is picked up. She bakes cakes for birthday parties and has been trying to expand the reach of her business by advertising on social media. “I’ve been advertising on WhatsApp and on Facebook,” she says.

Customers also benefit from online sales, even via social networks. Sandra da Costa is used to shopping on the internet and believes the idea of the ” boutique virtual” is opportune.

She explains that the online store lists its items on WhatsApp and, if the customer is interested, she gets in touch to order the piece, paying half the price. The rest is paid upon collection.

Fear of online scams

Online business does however bring with it an element of risk – to buyers and sellers alike.

Lucas Vilankulo, who has an online store selling various products, has already suffered several defaults. He has some advice. “In order not to be cheated,” he says, “you can’t be greedy. You have to understand how the person wants to buy, where the person is and what the means of payment is.”

Internet commerce is not controlled by the government, except in cases of imports, so there is little hard data on the size of the sector in the region.

Provincial Director of Industry and Commerce in Inhambane, Benilde Macuamule, tells DW that many of those who trade on social media do not have a license, but that the situation may soon change, through retraining and the imposition of charges by the authorities.

Source: Deutsche Welle