Made in Egypt: EGems, the Newest Online Shopping Hub Focusing Exclusively on Homegrown Brands
Did you ever go to a fair, buy some really good products, and never get the chance to reach the same vendor again? Did you stumble upon a skilled crafter on social media, and when you make the decision to buy you find out that you lost their page?
Almost all of us experience this, and although it might sound like it’s not a big deal, it really is for micro and small businesses in Egypt. They usually lose their current and prospective customers by not being able to reach out to them on a regular basis, and most of them don’t have a clear marketing strategy.
The lack of proper marketing and the strong competition those businesses face against famous brands inspired three software engineers, Tasnim Fouad, Mai ElShahawy, and Yara Yasser, to launch an online bazaar only products made in Egypt.
It took them a year to launch EGems.co, officially launching early March, and the website features the products of around 25 vendors ranging from accessories, leather, and textile products to fashion and farmed goods. “We finished the website in December 2019, and we have postponed our launch until we found a good number of skilled vendors and crafters to support,” said Mai ElShahawy, co-founder of EGems.com.
The website is now delivering only in Cairo, but in a few days, it will be able to deliver products to any place in Egypt. They also provide after-sale services, and if you explore EGems these days you’ll get the chance to benefit from their opening sales. They are also working on their mobile application which will allow you to have an even better buying experience.