By Ayo Onikoyi

Over 60 vendors are currently counting their blessings as newly launched all-inclusive digital store builder, Ushoppen, provided tech support to Vendors In Owerri (VIO) during the recently concluded three-day virtual trade fair.

The virtual trade fair concluded with resounding success, garnering  heartwarming reviews from traders who leveraged Ushoppen’s no-code e-commerce builder to create websites to sell their products.

Ushoppen, recently launched to acclaim, was founded to empower small, medium, and large enterprises with online stores for their businesses. The platform demonstrated its capabilities by seamlessly transitioning about a hundred traders and vendors to make the seamless transition from physical trade fair to a virtual trade fair recently.

Originally scheduled for August 1-3, 2024, the physical trade fair was postponed due to the #EndBadGovernance protests.

Ushoppen stepped in, utilizing its expertise to transform the event into a virtual success.

Oghoghozino Otefia, Founder/ CEO of Aggital Works (Ushoppen’s parent company), emphasized Ushoppen’s mission to empower MSMEs and overcome e-commerce challenges. He highlighted the platform’s innovative ‘Answer-and-Build System,’ which eliminates coding requirements. Vendors simply answer questions, upload products, and Ushoppen creates a fully functional website for them.

Anticipated to attract over 10,000 customers and showcase 200 SMEs, the physical trade fair held immense potential. Its postponement caused significant disappointment. However, the virtual event, powered by Ushoppen, offered unparalleled exposure and sales opportunities.

Vendors experienced substantial sales, with millions of naira generated in sales during the fair.

According to Nwadiuto Napoleon-Ekeh, the Convener, Vendors in Owerri Community, the organisers of the fair, the timely support offered by Ushoppen provided a lifeline for the vendors who had earlier thought the fair would no longer hold due to the protest.

“Ushoppen was an indispensable asset to our vendors. Their timely support was a lifeline for the Vendors in Owerri trade fair. The dedicated and competent customer service team ensured a smooth onboarding process for all vendors.

Ushoppen went above and beyond, resolving ad account issues and creating a centralized platform for customers to access all vendors. The resulting surge in sales, reaching millions of naira, and positive customer feedback are testaments to the platform’s success.

We are delighted with this partnership and eagerly anticipate future collaborations” she stated.

Similarly, another vendor, Ohuchara Mmesoma, described Ushoppen as a game changer for her business.

“Ushoppen was a game-changer for my business, ‘Dscentsfactory’, during the VIO online trade fair. We effortlessly managed orders through the website, eliminating the usual hours-long wait times for customer DMs. The platform handled an incredible 103 orders for us, providing immense relief!

The website’s interface is exceptional – smooth, clear, and crisp. Our product images looked fantastic! It’s evident that my customers enjoyed their shopping experience.

I commend the Ushoppen team for their outstanding support. They were always available to assist me.

Overall, I give the Ushoppen website a perfect 10/10 rating. I’m extremely satisfied with their service” she enthused.

Anah Brenda owner of “B-Scentsational” expressed her profound gratitude to the organizers of the fair.

“Thank you ma for partnering with Ushoppen for this tradefair. Honestly, my Ushoppen website is so easy to navigate and so stress-free, plus the tax option. So amazing. I’m stuck with them for life” she mentioned.