OfferHut.lk introduces location-based online shopping to Sri Lanka
17 Sep 2015 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
OfferHut.lk, a one stop offer platform in Sri Lanka and the main product of Extrogene Software Pvt. Ltd is now active.
The website is the brainchild of University of Moratuwa graduates Ruwan Dissanayake and Thushara Rankothge who were judged the second runners up at Venture Engine 2014 and TADHack 2014. Following which the project was funded via the Lanka Angel Network.
The one-of-a-kind website is set to change Sri Lanka’s e-commerce market space by connecting merchants and their offers with potential customers based on their location.
“What’s unique about site is that it isn’t just any online shopping site. If you need to buy a couch, it will look at stores that have couches in your area so that you needn’t go far.” Not only does OfferHut.lk provide a way for people to shop from the comfort of their home, but the system is such that customers can search for products based on their locations and the products they are in search of,” said OfferHut.lk co-founder and CEO Dissanayake.
Sellers or merchants can register on OfferHut.lk by creating a merchant profile and adding the company details, including branches located island wide, followed by any special discounts, deals or offers they intend to provide along with coupon codes. These offers can even be limited to select branches, at the vendor’s will. Customers will be able to look up these offers, on the OfferHut.lk website or mobile app or by dialling #771*222# on any mobile phone, and visit the seller directly to make the purchase with the necessary online coupon.
OfferHut.lk is run on hSenid’s Mobile API and was developed using SMS, and USSD, Charging, and LBS (Location Based Services).
While initial registration is free-of-charge, a monthly fee of Rs. 250 per branch (of each company) will be required to maintain their account on OfferHut.lk along with a one percent charge of the sales price for each redeemed offer. Adding new offers to the system is free. Vendors can also promote their offers on the website which is paid to intreat the views of their offers and conduct targeted SMS campaigns where merchants will be charged based on the amount of SMSs sent.
“One of the key features of the software is that it isn’t just for people with a smart phone or an internet connection. A potential buyer can always dial #771*222# from any phone to find offers in their area and receive the offer code which makes this accessible to anybody who has a phone,” explains co-founder and CTO Rankothge. “As an added bonus, merchants registered on the site can even target their marketing and offers based on the customers’ user profiles and their location, age, likes and dislikes etc.”
The website currently has 3000+ registered customers on the website and 6000+ registered customers on the mobile app, as well as 375+ registered vendors. For more information visit www.OfferHut.lk
