The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN e-commerce company is set to launch its online store next month, a company executive telling Tribune Business yesterday that it had attracted nearly 18,000 customers to its electronic and mobile commerce market so far.

Valentino McKenzie, assistant vice-president of communications at the Bahamas E-Commerce Company, told Tribune Business the firm already has 67 businesses signed up with its online store.

"What these businesses would be able to do in the coming weeks is upload their products online. People can come on from in the Bahamas or anywhere in the world and purchase products from stores locally," Mr McKenzie said, adding that the online store is expected to be up in July.

"The online store will be our biggest step,"he confirmed.

Regarding the company's retail outlets, Mr McKenzie said: "So far we have about 15 retail outlets. We are trying to now restock them with cards. What is happening is we are running out of cards too quick. Response to the offering has been overwhelming. Everyone in the company is quite pleased."

The P-94 Universal Phone Cards, which are in denominations of $1, $3, $5, $7, $10, $14, $20, $50 and $100, allow customers to enjoy benefits such as free texting, airtime recharge and credit transfers, bill payment and online shopping without the use of a credit or debit card, employing mobile cash transfers. These and other services can all be done via cellular phone, over the phone, online, via Facebook or by visiting a P-94 MSP outlet.

Mr McKenzie added: "The Jamaican market has been strong for us. Persons use the card to send funds to family and friends in Jamaica. Those sales translate to about 15 per cent of our business. We are now forming linkages with Jamaican restaurants and other businesses so that we will be able to get a bigger share of that market."

Mr McKenzie said that the company was seeing 250-400 customers on the P-94 account daily, and had well over 17,000 customers signed up for a P-94 account.