Who’s fault Trinis spent US $500M shopping online last year?

Local business association leaders from Chaguanas and San Fernando have lamented the fact that Trinis have spent as much as US $500 million in online shopping in the last year in a C News Live television report aired on December 7.

Of course they weren’t lamenting that Trinis spent that much money but that it wasn’t spent locally both online and off, which means that local businesses are losing money as a result.

I doubt the figure is that high though as there are only 400,000 Trinis online, which works out to each spending at least US $1 million. But that’s neither here nor there, we all know that it’s a huge figure.

I watched the news clip (see it below) with amusement and I was not surprised at the sheer ignorance coupled with the usual lip service on the causes and remedies for this troubling scenario.

One such remedy is to turn Chaguanas, into a ‘tech-savvy’ city within the next year, whatever that means. Apparently, according to President of the Chaguanas Chamber of Commerce Rishi Sookhai, the answer is free Wi Fi in Chaguanas so “businesses can post banners and sales and specials” so when shoppers enter the ‘zone’ they’ll have the information and know where to go. Go to the head of the class sir!

Wake up! That’s not the reason why they’re shopping online at US stores.

Apparently the cheap Chinese knock-offs Trini ‘businesses’ sell at real thing prices are not turning people away. Nor the stink customer service so low it also probably dug through to China by now (seems we can’t get away from China), sheesh! Talk about can’t see the forest for the trees.

Another theory was that local businesses are not online, which is true. But what are these association leaders doing to bring their membership current? Do they even have online stores themselves to set an example? Instead, TT Post’s ability to deliver orders efficiently was called into question.

The above clearly indicates the ignorance from the top which leaves me without any hope for the bottom.

The flaws in their ‘analysis’

Local businesses should look inward not outward

TT Post and free Wi Fi are not the solutions. Online and offline advertising in Trinidad & Tobago is perfectly healthy and there is no shortage of information. Don’t tell me that Trinis don’t know where sales are. And don’t tell me you haven’t been getting your mail via TT Post for years.

After decades of existence the local business marketplace has remained mired in medieval methodology without an ounce of sophistication. Not only business-wise referring to the mentality of the owners, but at the governmental level responsible for developing the marketplace.

Technology is not the answer

The thinking that technology will magically transform the marketplace and encourage Trinis to shop locally is naive on so many levels it ain’t funny. Imagine business owners have to get ‘current’ almost twenty years after Amazon was launched. This ‘revolution’ has been going on for decades and seemingly still ‘revoluting’ as we speak.

It’s ‘adopt’ NOT ‘adapt’

You adapt when something is newly introduced. When it’s been around forever you have to adopt, for heaven’s sake use the damn thing. We don’t have to ‘adapt’ any more than we have to adapt to the computer and cell phone.

The real reasons why Trinis are online shopping abroad

1. No online stores locally with same service

And it’s not because we lack the infrastructure in Trinidad & Tobago. We have the ability to build the websites, a TTD payment gateway supported by local banks, mail and courier services. What we don’t have is confidence in these online stores.

However, this lack of confidence is hurting genuine online stores as they have to work harder to earn Trinis’ trust.

2. Higher quality products

Trini businesses are notorious for passing cheap Chinese knock-offs for the real thing or sourcing non-US versions of brand names at exorbitant mark-ups.

3. Disgusting customer service

The tales of Trini ‘customer service’ are legendary, and we are in a class by ourselves. Business owners treat their dogs better than their customers. It’s an UNDISPUTED FACT that Trini customer service is the lowest of the low and that local business owners take advantage with impunity. These are the same owners you’ll deal with in an online store. What would you expect to be different?

4. Owners don’t want to invest in online

For sure they’re dreaming of the truckloads of money to be had by opening up their market to all on T&T, but only for as cheap as possible. Few are willing to invest the time and money to do it right.

There is still a silver lining for ‘online-ing’

I make no apologies for what I said above because every word is true. But there is a very small subset of individuals and companies in Trinidad & Tobago willing to to do online right. However they are stymied for a few reasons:

1. Small budgets and limited financial resources

I’m referring to the availability of funding. Though there is excess liquidity in the financial sector, i.e. banks have the funds to lend, my observations are that it’s hard to get funding, especially for start-ups.

Notwithstanding our government’s much touted incentives to small business, I have no faith in their corrupt systems.

SILVER LINING: Opportunity to be a big fish in a small pond.

2. Lack of online knowledge

I have many clients who have the will but unable to grasp the workings of the online world and can only view it through their offline lens. It’s no fault of theirs because that’s their only point of reference and it’s hard for them to break away.

SILVER LINING: You have Forward Multimedia but you have to listen to me.

3. Lack of online experts

I’m not only referring to online marketing but web designers in general. Many local web designers are taking advantage of business owners’ lack of knowledge about websites and ripping them off with outrageous pricing without delivering.

SILVER LINING: I don’t nickel and dime my clients (though some try to nickel and dime me)

Conclusion

The market is still untapped and at your fingertips but pay no attention to those who know not and know not they know not. Just focus on starting small, doing the right things and staying the course and your online store will make it.