As I said earlier in the thread, I would get back with a response of what I found. I won't go into the details of the companies I spoke to but rather I'll give a general overview of the payment solutions. I believe you guys will get to know about the solutions via the mail lists therefore I dont want to pre-launch any of them.
I spoke to 3 companies, and all 3 seem to be at advanced stages with the payment solutions. One of the companies is not in Kenya, but is African. So basically there are 2 Kenyan companies.
In general you, the software developer/content creator, will pay an annual fee of about 20-40K, and upto 3% per transaction. You will be provided with an API to intergrate with the payment solution. One of the payment solutions will provide ready plug-ins which I think is great for the non-techie guys (content creators: Music, videos, ...). The solutions rely on the Telcos money transfer services therefore customers will be charged normal M-Pesa/Zap fees. I did mention the idea of partnering with a retailer e.g. Uchumi to sell electronic top-up cards (similar to how you would buy airtime) and thus eliminate the M-Pesa/Zap fees (The retailer gets about 6%). The idea was received well but it's not immediate in the pipeline.
Some of the issues I had in mind are whether people without IDs (teenagers) can use the system (coz of M-Pesa/Zap dependency) however the solution would be parents to do purchases on their behalf. Another issue was that transactions of < KSH. 100 are not worth it.
These payment solutions might be rolled out before the end of the year. If you're a developer and you feel the above fits you then polish up your app 8~), ready for sale.
Personally I think the solutions are good. More than that I think we're generally moving in the right direction. I hope developers and content creators make use of these services to sell products.
8~)
--- On Sun, 9/20/09, Lucy Kimani <lkimani@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: Lucy Kimani <lkimani@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] [ke-internetusers] Re: Let's build an Electronic Payment Solution!
To: "Skunkworks Forum" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke>, "wesley kirinya" <kiriinya2000@yahoo.com>
Cc: "ke-users" <ke-internetusers@bdix.net>
Date: Sunday, September 20, 2009, 3:00 PM
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All,
Even as you write your code, I thought I would share a link to one of the most trusted/successful gateway outfits here in the US, I did some biashara with them and I found them to be outstanding, so you may check out their site that has a wealth of information..
How it works,
Stuff to think about:
Document Library:
Case Studies
etc...
LK
From: wesley kirinya <kiriinya2000@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] [ke-internetusers] Re: Let's build an Electronic Payment Solution! To: "Skunkworks Forum" < skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke>
Cc: "ke-users" <ke-internetusers@bdix.net>
Date: Sunday, September 20, 2009, 7:35 AM
LOL. I thought that title was taking it abit too far. I believe it's a news article that 'baptised' him. Some journalists tend to stretch stuff... Well, so long as it doesn't hurt him...
8~D
Wesley, On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 11:41 AM, wesley kirinya < kiriinya2000@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > I know of 2 companies in that sort of business from Ghana. DreamOval, whose product is called iWallet. I've had the opportunity to work with one of their managers, Henry, and he's briefed me about their product. The other company is BSL. It seems to be founded by a Kenyan lady and a Ghanian AKA the 'Bill Gates of Ghana'. However from a lengthy article posted yesterday by a Skunker, it seems their operations are targeted at African merchants who want to sell to the diaspora.
> > o_O! Quite frankly, I found the "Bill Gates of Africa" anectode stupifying African ICT intellect and innovation aspirations. The symbolisation represents a past era "Cathedral" business model while "the
future is Open" and collaborative. I am inclined to consider those that subscribe to it as "clinging onto a past when the future beckons." What we need are incomparable, homegrown solutions successes, not
trying too hard to imitate others nor 'feel too good', if at all, when compared as such. We have the power to read and write our own code, just need do it!:~) _______________________________________________
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