Splashmarketja.com was launched in Jamaica on the biggest shopping day of the year – Black Friday, November 26, 2021. The company is an online marketplace offering a variety of items. But there’s also a physical location which General Manager David Boothe said “offers an innovative hybrid shopping experience.”

“The hybrid concept that we offer of a physical showroom, as well as an online platform has changed the face of online shopping in Jamaica. And consumers really love that, because in less than a month of opening, business is really going well,” said Boothe.

He explained that the decision to go with a hybrid business model was completely driven by what the consumers wanted.

“Customers have repeatedly told us that they really love the idea of having the option to shop online on our website or walk into the store and pick up what they need. And the fact that we offer so many products from trusted brands make it even better.”

In addition to the hybrid e-commerce shopping concept, splashmarketja.com is pioneering the personal shopper experience with virtual shopping. Customers will be able to scan products to their cart while in store, cash out and collect immediately, without pushing physical shopping carts around and standing in long lines while a cashier scans each product.

“The virtual shopping cart is just one of the innovative features we are introducing to our clients and this will serve to enhance the already amazing customer service experience that splashmarketja.com offers,” noted Boothe.

The novel coronavirus pandemic has caused a boom in online shopping, but it has also impacted the global supply chain; as a result, persons are not getting their goods in a timely manner and often not getting what they ordered. At the same time, the impact has been even greater during the traditionally busy holiday season.

However, Boothe said his company has eliminated that worry by having all their goods already in Jamaica. “So customers are guaranteed that they will receive exactly what they ordered and on time. Or they can just pop into the store and pick up their item.”

Meanwhile, he admitted that this started because of a gap in the local e-commerce marketplace which needed to be filled.

“Jamaicans are turning more and more to online shopping. This is evidenced by the growing number of local courier companies. However, there has been a lag in the growth of local e-commerce companies. This is most likely due to trust issues and a limited range of products carried by most local e-commerce sites,” Boothe noted.

“With splashmarketja.com, you can physically inspect the products at our showroom, purchase on spot, or buy online. This way, customers can see the wide range of goods we offer from the top brands, be assured of top quality products and that they are getting exactly what they ordered. We also deliver islandwide within 72 hours, which, of course, means no hassle with shipping or customs,” he continued

The company’s showroom is located at 4 Ripon Road in St Andrew.