Japan automakers energise direct marketing in Uganda

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In the past six months, the car dealers have become more regular and aggressive in advertising in the local newspapers including the Daily Monitor, New Vision, and Red Pepper newspapers.

The firms specialise in selling used cars directly to people in Uganda at lower prices than local traders. The cars are however sold online cutting out the middle men and linking the buyers and traders by internet. Paul Harera, a Ugandan who has shipped in at least three cars from Japan said; “Shopping online is a much more efficient and affordable way although it's not easy to believe until you get your car. Dealers in Uganda just extort our money.”

But many customers in Uganda still prefer to buy cars from the auto depots in Kampala because they fear losing their money through cyber crime. To avert the fears of fraud, some online car dealers like Pick n Buy24, have resorted to partnering with freight firms in Uganda and Nairobi to handle the delivery of their customers' purchases.