Rocket Internet-backed Lamudi is under fire today, after it was found out copying and pasting it’s competitors property listings in Kenya, just days after the firm was sighted doing the same from another competitor in Nigeria.
This morning content managers of property site BuyRentKenya realized Lamudi’s tricks and thought it was just one property listing copied but a further perusal into the Lamudi site was a shocking trip, they said.
Speaking to TechMoran Jamie Pujara, CEO of BuyRentKenya said, “Rocket Internet’s Lamudi is doing a copy and paste of our properties. Our content managers spend time and money to get the properties on the site, we create relationships with property agents and owners, but Lamudi is simply copying our listings plus even our reference numbers and spelling mistakes.”
Ready with evidence, a property listed on BuyRentKenya here, had been replicated on Lamudi here and while the agent’s website had the same property here, its BuyRentKenya that went to the client and had it on its portal first. Now BuyRentKenya is asking where Lamudi got the property details word for word, even with spelling mistakes and BuyRentKenya’s property reference number BRKSPRENT9 which stand for BuyRentKenya, House for rent. (object ID being BRKSPRENT09- BRK being us, SP –being Stop Properties (the agency), RENT being the type of property followed by the number.)
And though two wrongs dont make a right, Lamudi further watermarks the images to show some credibility but Jamie knows where they come from.
5 bed ALL ENSUITE town house in secure compund of only 4. Beautiful fully Fitted kitchen with attached breakfast area,large living room opening up into garden area, roomy master bedroom with jacuzi and balcony overlooking garden.En suite staff quarters ,generator, mature & functional garden.