Beating Competition

“Gundi is doing it better so why bother?”

This is sadly the reason why many of us don’t want to start doing things. Because we think the other person is doing it well or even way better than we ever could. Many of us fear to venture into business because we are afraid of the competition. We are so quick to think about the negative outcomes and leave out the positive even before even we start.

Well let me interest you for a minute…

Riham Cola, a carbonated soft drink bottled locally by Hariss International Limited, was introduced to the Ugandan market in February 2013. Most of us wondered how it would battle against Coca Cola or Pepsi products. But lo and behold! Century Bottling Company is said to have cut prices for most of her products by almost 70% in response to a new and aggressive rival in December 2013.

While Coca Cola and Pepsi increased the prices of their sodas, especially the Kamini which was brought to counter Riham Cola as a strategy, Riham Cola chose to instead reduce the quantity of their 350ml to 320ml and kept the price at 1000 shillings. Coca Cola had its Kamini price at 1200 shillings and has recently increased to 1500 shillings.

The average Ugandan would obviously want to save the 500 shillings if they had the chance to. In a price sensitive market, 200/500 shillings means a lot and the customers can reject the brand faster than you can blink your eye. Riham Cola went further and targeted the untapped market in the villages and by doing this, its market shares rose by 5%.

So maybe you thought of something that probably already exists. Truth is, there is nothing new under the sun.  That should not stop you from doing it, and doing it in a better way. Realise what makes your product different from the rest. Find that gap and exploit it. It is up to you to make a difference; to be better.

No matter how competitive the market, you can still succeed. Competition should not scare you. It should motivate you.

By Rebecca Nabejja

Intern 

Kyusa