Online? Shop Jamaican!

[Tuff Gong]

Online? Shop Jamaican!
published: Wednesday | June 20, 2007

Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter

With consumers increasingly shopping online, one husband-and-wife team has caught on, supplying Jamaican products to a hungry overseas markets.

Redpeppermall.com, run by 41-year-old Stephen Chin and his wife Debbie, 40, sells mainly food products, but also anything from souvenirs to books. While they do not supply Jamaican customers, since locally issued credit cards do not have adequate anti-fraud precautions, they are planning several ventures for the local market.

Make-up of customer base

Mrs. Chin said surveys of their customer base revealed 40 per cent are from a Jamaican background, including 10 per cent serving in the United States military, with bun and cheese possibly reaching as far as combat zones in Afghanistan and Iraq. The bulk of the customers remain non-Jamaican, boosted by the tourist trade which brought over three million visitors last year, many of whom develop a taste for local products, believes Mr. Chin.

"One woman bought two cases of Ting and when we rang her back, she said that she and her husband had been on holiday in St.Kitts," added Mrs. Chin. "Her husband tried Ting and loved the flavour, loved the grapefruit and so she was buying them for his birthday."

Based at the Technology Innovation Centre at the University of Technology on Old Hope Road, St. Andrew, the business began two years ago, conducting research and testing the market, and is still to begin advertising or marketing. In the United States, Mr. Chin worked in the telecommunications industry while his wife had her own Internet start-up. She believes her experience could be replicated in Jamaica.

<span style="color: #CC0000">In Jamaica, Customs can delay orders while e-readiness at the postal services is in its planning stages.</span> However, Red Pepper Mall also sends stock to North American customers via an office staffed by two employees in Atlanta, Georgia, with another location being scouted in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Milti-tasking operation

Running an online business entails more than posting information and waiting for customers, said Mrs. Chin. The site has to be continually updated, with 22-year-old Shonari Gow hired as another pair of hands in what is a multi-tasking operation.

There is also the need to keep up with global competition and make sure that when a potential customer types in keywords, such as 'Blue Mountain Coffee', their website is featured prominently in the search results.

"We want to be like the Amazon of the Caribbean!" said Mrs. Chin, setting her sights on the world's No. 1 player in the online shopping market.

[email protected]

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070620/lead/lead5.html

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

I read it this morning and felt very proud that they decided to return home and my upcoming trip to scout out stuff is not in vain. The web site has been around for a while I am glad it is Jamaican owned, more luck to them. Maybe there is more to the PIOJ immigration stats about the lowest level of immigration since 1953.

[Gen]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

I hope they can straighten out the red tape/lag with Customs cause nothing fi mek yuh lack up shap dan "unsatisfied customers". That was my main concern when considering internet based businesses based in JA offering goods overseas.


Good Luck to them though [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Geneva</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I hope they can straighten out the red tape/lag with Customs cause nothing fi mek yuh lack up shap dan "unsatisfied customers". That was my main concern when considering internet based businesses based in JA offering goods overseas.


Good Luck to them though [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img] </div></div>

My feeling is if the GOJ had fix the Postal and Custom Services for all Jamaicans, more Jamaicans would have been trading online and there would be no need to hail a well groomed and manicured incubator, (which is all this is).

One of the least well-known success stories has been of Jamaicans selling vintage vinyls online for a good many years now.
In this game both buyers and sellers must have the patience of Job, because of the many challenges posed by the GOJ agencies and the fact that there is no seamless way for the buyer to pay and the seller to get his money.

The other thing is of course high cost of Telecommunications and the restrictions play on making and receiving calls using VOIP.

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

Slight coreection this company is not the incubator rather the Technology Innovation Centre is the incubator and they have several sucessful business that came out from it.

They have gotten around the timing issues by opening a satelite office in Florida, they can get around the local credit card issue by using Paypal accounts or like the chinese have done use a third party escrow that holds the funds until the good are delivered, there are many positives from this story, if only the goverment had invested the money from the telecom licenses into more jamaican companies like this instead of Netserv.

I am very interested about this development as my current profession have entailed taking these start ups public or or having they prepared to be bought by larger companies down in the valley. I wish them success as my own tenure in the US can be cut even shorter if more companies like this are sucessful. Good luck to them. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kingston20</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Slight coreection this company is not the incubator rather the Technology Innovation Centre is the incubator and they have several sucessful business that came out from it. </div></div>

I fully overstand that I was economizing on on type.
In any case no sucessful business have left the so-called incumbator.
All the start ups are still there and have had very limited sucess when projected onto the whole of Jamaica.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">They have gotten around the timing issues by opening a satelite office in Florida, they can get around the local credit card issue by using Paypal accounts or like the chinese have done use a third party escrow that holds the funds until the good are delivered </div></div>

The idea is not to get around. Jamaica is closer than China to the USA, had very efficient Postal Services, until the Government wrecked it. You could put money in an envelope, put the sender's name one it, back it and send it wherever and it reach.
The Custom Services has been in problems for years and it just seems to get worse.
If we cannot fix @ least these two critical agencies, then no deal.

The idea is not to have one or two stand out. One or two persons in an incubator to say look what we are doing, at their level and where they are at they should be developing the high-tech methodologies that will allow all Jamaicans to trade as well as fixing the moribund postal and custom services.
As I have said before we already have persons who despite the challenges are already trading without the hype and the fanfare.

As you have observed, we have already invested all kinds on money in failed hi-tech industries and no good has come of it, so it is time to make good on what is left.

[Gen]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kingston20</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Slight coreection this company is not the incubator rather the Technology Innovation Centre is the incubator and they have several sucessful business that came out from it.

They have gotten around the timing issues by opening a satelite office in Florida, they can get around the local credit card issue by using Paypal accounts or like the chinese have done use a third party escrow that holds the funds until the good are delivered, there are many positives from this story, if only the goverment had invested the money from the telecom licenses into more jamaican companies like this instead of Netserv.

I am very interested about this development as my current profession have entailed taking these start ups public or or having they prepared to be bought by larger companies down in the valley. I wish them success as my own tenure in the US can be cut even shorter if more companies like this are sucessful. Good luck to them. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img] </div></div>


K20 I realized that they were somewhat getting around the customs lag with the overseas office, but I thought they were still shipping certain items from JA [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

If they are indeed shipping everything from Jamaica to Florida then chances are they are paying for warehouse/storage of goods in FL.

If some things are coming directly from JA then them gwine to haffi mek sure dem deliver pan time

Suh a guess dem have a US acct to accept paypal payments [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img] a suh it work [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Geneva</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kingston20</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Slight coreection this company is not the incubator rather the Technology Innovation Centre is the incubator and they have several sucessful business that came out from it.

They have gotten around the timing issues by opening a satelite office in Florida, they can get around the local credit card issue by using Paypal accounts or like the chinese have done use a third party escrow that holds the funds until the good are delivered, there are many positives from this story, if only the goverment had invested the money from the telecom licenses into more jamaican companies like this instead of Netserv.

I am very interested about this development as my current profession have entailed taking these start ups public or or having they prepared to be bought by larger companies down in the valley. I wish them success as my own tenure in the US can be cut even shorter if more companies like this are sucessful. Good luck to them. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img] </div></div>


K20 I realized that they were somewhat getting around the customs lag with the overseas office, but I thought they were still shipping certain items from JA [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

If they are indeed shipping everything from Jamaica to Florida then chances are they are paying for warehouse/storage of goods in FL.

If some things are coming directly from JA then them gwine to haffi mek sure dem deliver pan time

Suh a guess dem have a US acct to accept paypal payments [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img] a suh it work [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img] </div></div>

This is how I have seen this type of model work, the non pershisables they ship in bulk and store in Florida, you dont need a large space for candles, tshirts, coffee, and high volume (hot) items. the perishables like the bun and cheese and food items you ship from jamaica. Naw man you noh need US account fi accept Paypal, but I dont think it will be accepted widely what we have noticed in the international market is that people still deal either face to face or use a third party escrow like I described above it takes couple years to get comfortable shopping online.

Inorder for them to get to the next level they will need angel investors, govt ear marked funds or the devil themselves venture capital, which mean losing substaintial control. 99% of the companies who you see are big in the valley started small like these guys, the difference was venture capital, not sure how much pirvate equity firms and VC yard has.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kingston20</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Geneva</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kingston20</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Slight coreection this company is not the incubator rather the Technology Innovation Centre is the incubator and they have several sucessful business that came out from it.

They have gotten around the timing issues by opening a satelite office in Florida, they can get around the local credit card issue by using Paypal accounts or like the chinese have done use a third party escrow that holds the funds until the good are delivered, there are many positives from this story, if only the goverment had invested the money from the telecom licenses into more jamaican companies like this instead of Netserv.

I am very interested about this development as my current profession have entailed taking these start ups public or or having they prepared to be bought by larger companies down in the valley. I wish them success as my own tenure in the US can be cut even shorter if more companies like this are sucessful. Good luck to them. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img] </div></div>


K20 I realized that they were somewhat getting around the customs lag with the overseas office, but I thought they were still shipping certain items from JA [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

If they are indeed shipping everything from Jamaica to Florida then chances are they are paying for warehouse/storage of goods in FL.

If some things are coming directly from JA then them gwine to haffi mek sure dem deliver pan time

Suh a guess dem have a US acct to accept paypal payments [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img] a suh it work [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img] </div></div>

This is how I have seen this type of model work, the non pershisables they ship in bulk and store in Florida, you dont need a large space for candles, tshirts, coffee, and high volume (hot) items. the perishables like the bun and cheese and food items you ship from jamaica. Naw man you noh need US account fi accept Paypal, but I dont think it will be accepted widely what we have noticed in the international market is that people still deal either face to face or use a third party escrow like I described above it takes couple years to get comfortable shopping online.

Inorder for them to get to the next level they will need angel investors, govt ear marked funds or the devil themselves venture capital, which mean losing substaintial control. 99% of the companies who you see are big in the valley started small like these guys, the difference was venture capital, not sure how much pirvate equity firms and VC yard has. </div></div>
Be aware that these business people had to pay good money to get this seemingly news article published.
The part that most small business people miss is the importance of PR. You don't get very far unless you pay PR firms to plant these news type promotionals.

,,and you have a warped more of a Jamaican style venture Capitalist.
That behavior of the greedy Jamaican investors why the venture capila indusrty is all but non existent.
They usually kill the goose to get the one golden egg,insted=ad of feediung and let it give them one an day.
Normally in the US venture capitalists do not take controlling intrest.
They in many case does not take more than 10% of ownership. they do not take controll either,because they really do not usually have the skill set to be involved in every venture they invest in.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Geneva</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Suh a guess dem have a US acct to accept paypal payments a suh it work </div></div>

Unless the situation has changed recently, no Paypal to Jamaica, you have to get a work around.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Be aware that these business people had to pay good money to get this seemingly news article published.</div></div>

No they didn't.

You are right it is not a News Story, but they did not pay for it.
This week the PNP is celebrating the 15 Anniversary of MicroCredit Foundation.
The body responsible for the highly pampered Incubator Projects hosted @ UTECH.
This is supposed to be one of their success stories.

But really what are you saying that any business that fails in Jamaica it is because they did not pay for PR?
It says right there in the article that they had to find workarounds to the Custom and Postal Services. These are the impediments to business that we need to fix, if we want local business to have a chance @ success, no amount of PR is going to take care of structural deficiencies.



<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The part that most small business people miss is the importance of PR. You don't get very far unless you pay PR firms to plant these news type promotionals.

,,and you have a warped more of a Jamaican style venture Capitalist.
That behavior of the greedy Jamaican investors why the venture capila indusrty is all but non existent.
They usually kill the goose to get the one golden egg,insted=ad of feediung and let it give them one an day.
Normally in the US venture capitalists do not take controlling intrest.
They in many case does not take more than 10% of ownership. they do not take controll either,because they really do not usually have the skill set to be involved in every venture they invest in. </div></div>

You are talking nonsense.
So far I have yet to see you write anything good about Private Investors in Jamaica.
Often times they portrayed as greedy, unskilled, whatever...

The way I see it is, these folks had an opportunity, they @ least put in some work and seems to be reaping a measure of success.
Now if someone/some organization comes along to invest in their project, what is wrong with them trying to own a piece of the business?

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

So it was paid for by the governmentagency.
What do you knw about jamaican venture capital and securing funding for business in Jamaica.
I have been there as an investor and also a small business lender. I have heard the stories and been in the middle of it.
Jamaican investors does not respect the value of intellectual capital. They are always trying to get the skilled inventor to become a worker in his/her own business,because they put the majority of the funds.
they always demand control.In the US this does not happen. Indestors never ask for control. what they do is try to grow the business so that although they only have a 10 or 20% stake. In a few years theors is worth millions and you are still a multimillion than them in that business,but they are invon=lved in scores or hundreads of business.
The reason why Jamaica is on it's economic arse is because the business sector especially the attornes that lend money can't see beyond their noses.
Incidentally immidiate my relatives was and probably still involved in what they call solicitors. many like them never set foot in a court or earn a dollar as a lawyer. All the lot do is what I see as loan sharking. Issuing loans to people and only accepting intrests and sieze their properties as soon as they are dead
I know you don't like to hear the frreal truth about Jamaica, but I call it as I see it. .

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What do you knw about jamaican venture capital and securing funding for business in Jamaica.</div></div>

I would personally not a damn thing, but generally a venture Capitalist is trying to get his/her money back and more. Taking a positon is a business is one method, but how can you blanket casigate the Jamai8can Venture Capitalist without provinding any proof that all operate on the basis that control of the business is necessary for them to invest.

The other laughable aspect of you foolish argument is to use the USA Venture Capitalist as the ideal model. Ever heard of Kirk Kerkorian?

What do you really know?

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Online? Shop Jamaican!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tuff Gong</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What do you knw about jamaican venture capital and securing funding for business in Jamaica.</div></div>

I would personally not a damn thing, but generally a venture Capitalist is trying to get his/her money back and more. Taking a positon is a business is one method, but how can you blanket casigate the Jamai8can Venture Capitalist without provinding any proof that all operate on the basis that control of the business is necessary for them to invest.

The other laughable aspect of you foolish argument is to use the USA Venture Capitalist as the ideal model. Ever heard of Kirk Kerkorian?

What do you really know? </div></div>

I know of Mr Kerkorian very well. He generally does buyouts of floundering business, not venture into fledgling business as we are discussing.
he buys these businesses and try to make a quick buck which ever way he can. he has been trying to do so at GM,but does not seem to be getting the kind 9f traction he needs.
His investment strategy is not to get involved in start ups as venture capitalists does. he goes after bargains in existing but weak corporations then strip it abd sell it or turn it around and sell it,but he is a speculator not an investor.