Coming soon: a special Caribbean private sales website

When Gilles Gumbs, aged 28, returned to Saint-Martin with his wife and son after ten years in mainland France, he realized that ordering products on the internet for settling into his new home was expensive and complicated. He noticed that the Internet hadn’t managed to solve the problem of the high cost of living in the Caribbean, due to customs and shipping fees. "Furthermore, most websites do not deliver directly to our region. One solution is to use freight forwarders who offer to reship packages that have been ordered, but in practice the process is complex (you need to know the weight and size of the parcel, what about liability in the event of damage) and often expensive", he explained.

Backed by five years of studies in web marketing and five years of employment in a Parisian agency, he identified a need from his own personal frustration. He wondered: What model would be adequate in terms of cost and volume? "As an individual, ordering a product by myself is much more expensive than if ten people order at the same time". This was the start of his idea which, after a market study, led to the creation of Shopakaz, a private sales website dedicated to the Carribean. The concept? Like similar metropolitan and international websites, Shopakaz forms partnerships with global and local brands in order to propose their products at discounted price for a limited time only. These exceptional offers will be visible only by members. To become a member, you just need to sign up for free -- on the website. You’re then part of an identified and closed community, which reassures the brands. Some premium brands prefer that their discounts be accessible only to a closed circle.

Even though he financed the creation of the platform (site + database) with his own funds, Gilles Gumbs should be followed by Initiative Saint-Martin Active. He’s starting with the West Indies and Guyana, but in the long term, he aims to cover the entire Caribbean.

For home equipment, high-tech products, domestic appliances, fashion, beauty, travel, culture, gastronomy… Shopakaz promises up to a 70% discount. For the time being, its founder does not wish to disclose the launch date.

Apparently, we will still have to wait a few more months, until the various partnerships have been finalized.