Ringier’s online car marketplace Cheki.co.ke has ventured into the car importation business, eight years after the firm started out as an advertising platform for new and second hand car sellers in Kenya in a move expected to up its revenues and increase its user base as more buyers resort to car importation.
The move to import cars buyers was supposed to have started years back but for some internal reasons including the passing on of its founder and the subsequent acquisition by Ringier so the firm put off some of its plans to just survive or exist in the market. Cheki has been without competition for long especially in the Kenyan market, but the planned launch of Cars45 is rattling the 14 Riverside based company.
In the past, Cheki has been a trusted platform for both car sellers and buyers who are looking to buy/ or sell a car online. The new move to diversify its business, the company will now offer Kenyans an opportunity to shop in international car markets and get assistance from Cheki to ship and deliver cars to their homes or office without the fear of losing their hard-earned cash through online scammers.
This will see the users of the website access affordable, high quality new and used cars by trading with a company that has a local physical presence and are car experts.
Speaking about the move, Cheki Kenya CEO Michael Mureithi said, “You are leaving the business of buying cars to people who understand cars while getting a guarantee of value for your money with the peace of mind. We are a Kenyan company and we understand you, we are not an international agency, we have a physical presence in Nairobi, making us retain our ‘trusted car website’ slogan.”
Those importing cars will not only enjoy the safety aspect that comes with Cheki imports but will also be saving upwards of 10% on the purchase while getting the highest quality grades of cars in the market. Cheki will then go an extra mile to share the car inspection report with the customer and also do a minor service prior to delivery of the car.