Some people think that this practice is for developed countries only that it is not possible in Rwanda but it’s not the case. As Rwanda develops in all different areas, this technology was not left behind.

In 2021, it was reported that since the start of the measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the number of IT business services providers had increased by 20%.

The figures showed that food sales on online marketplaces were up 50%, baked goods were up 25%, and cleaning supplies were up 12%.

62% of the orders were worth between Rwf20,000 and Rwf50,000, while the rest were less than Rwf10,000.

Murukali is a good example of online marketplaces based in Rwanda.

Over the past seven years, it has worked with more than 650 merchants to increase online shopping.

Products include food, clothing, and various other items that a person can buy from anywhere using the internet, and, this company will deliver whatever was bought in a short time.

The CEO of Murukali Online, Yvette Uwimpaye has said said that apart from the fact that different people swear on this website without leaving their homes, they also help students by giving them knowledge about business done on the internet.

"They come and see how it is done and they understand the pathways. Until now we are happy that we benefit many people in one way or another, whether they are individuals or certain companies," she revealed.

Uwimpaye further explained that the uniqueness of this website is that they have about three international certificates in terms of technology and providing good services and one from Rwanda that confirms it as an official website for shopping.

“We welcome clients from all over the world. We have a lot of products on the platform and help the traders market groceries on the site,"

For the seller who wants to put his products on the website, he pays Rwf50,000 as a membership fee per year and pays 10% of the sales, which is used to pay for services that include payment methods for advertising and customer support.

To improve the level of internet trading, the CEO of Murukali said that they have invested in this website where they currently have an American team that is monitoring its affairs, and they are also putting effort into providing better services to their customers.

She vows that in the next five years, they want to be the first solution for anyone who wants to shop in Rwanda without leaving their home, wherever they are located in the world, and what they want will reach them in a short time.

They intend to help people who do different jobs in business but lack a place to display their products, and it is done by developing Murukali so that it becomes an opportunity for everyone with small and large capital, which will also help to reduce poverty in the country.

It’s just that until now the companies that help people to deliver the goods bought to the customers (Logistic Companies) in Rwanda still have problems because they don’t provide the desired services that are suitable for online shopping, and with the price of 4% they say is high that the traders can’t understand.

Uwimpaye said that despite the situation, things are getting better because they have started providing unauthorized services in Rwanda where people did not know it was possible but now it is known and it has started to be used.

In the case of merchants who have not yet risen to the use of the method, they should know that today their customers are kings. It means that the merchant will have to provide the customer with information about the services they provide through all possible means and the internet sales are not left.

Uwimpaye says that their commitment and keeping up with the latest trends and innovation is what makes them one of the leading companies that helps online shoppers get the best service.

When Rwanda was undergoing difficult times of Covid-19, Murukali leveraged its technology to supply to different customers. Its platform is designed in a way that a customer gets automatic discount after shopping items worth more than Rwf1 million.

It also has a feature that reminds customers that what was previously in storage is back and so on.

E-commerce is one of Rwanda’s most important aspects in the development of technology because statistics show that Rwandans are increasingly embracing it even though it has not yet reached a satisfactory level.

The latest report of the Central Bank of Rwanda shows that the number of people using phones to make regular payments has increased by 9 percent, from 5,079,232 in June 2021 to 5,528,109 in June 2022, while the number of people using cards has increased from 4,635 to 5,263.

E-commerce businesses have been facilitating delivery of goods particularly during COVID-19 pandemic.