Sydney-based online marketplace company Siuhuu has launched its services in Fiji, with plans for expansion to Vanuatu and Samoa soon, reports Islands Business.
The online marketplace currently hosts around 200 businesses that sell food, beverages, handicrafts, jewellery, and more to customers in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Siuhuu was founded by Akanesi Kaufusi, a Tongan entrepreneur with a background in business theology, who began the venture two years ago after completing a web development course.
Kaufusi explained that her motivation for creating the platform stemmed from personal experience. While living in Wellington, New Zealand, and later in Sydney, Australia, she faced challenges in finding Pacific Island products and services nearby. Reflecting on this, she envisioned a marketplace dedicated to Pacific Islanders and took on the challenge of developing the platform herself. Kaufusi sees Siuhuu as a valuable solution for Pacific MSMEs, allowing small businesses without significant resources to access a wider market without the high costs of creating and marketing their own websites.
Having attended the recent Women’s Forum at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, Kaufusi also highlighted logistical challenges facing Pacific MSMEs. She pointed out that, at times, the cost of delivery exceeds the product’s value, a hurdle the company aims to address once payment gateway issues are sorted.
Siuhuu has partnered with Vodafone Fiji, which offers its online payment method, M-Paisa, to facilitate transactions for regional vendors and customers. At Siuhuu’s recent soft launch in Suva, Vodafone Fiji’s Head of eCommerce & Digital Financial Services, Shailendra Prasad, observed that Siuhuu’s entry into Fiji aligns well with recent technological integrations between commercial banks and mobile wallets. He noted that customers in remote locations, such as Koro Island, could transfer funds from bank accounts into M-Paisa to make purchases through Siuhuu. Prasad added that the M-Paisa platform is already accessible in multiple Pacific nations, including Kiribati, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu, and Samoa, with Papua New Guinea soon to join.
Fijian entrepreneur Noeleene Billings, who has experience in project management and freshwater pearl jewellery sales, shared her perspective on the benefits of e-commerce platforms. She advised entrepreneurs to establish their online presence early to build reputation and visibility.
Main picture: (L-R) Siuhuu founder Akanesi Kaufusi, Vodafone Fiji’s Shailendra Prasad, MSME Council Chairperson Watesoni Nata Jr. Picture courtesy: Islands Business.
