Selling beauty products, and services online is possible in Uganda and it can be a successful venture if done right says Alice Namugerwa, the CEO of Belle Beauty.

Belle Beauty is a digital marketplace that connects beauty service providers to customers. When the pandemic hit, saloon services are part of the sectors that were put under lock and key for nearly two years.

“During the pandemic, we got to understand which sectors were essential or not regardless of their profitability. We saw that the beauty sector which employs between 30,000 to 60,000 people in just the urban centers was not catered for and it left a question of what happened to all these people,” she says.

“And remember that most of the people in the beauty sector are majorly informal and didn’t have any business continuity structures.”

With this in mind, Namugerwa came up with a cost-free online platform where beauty service providers could register and get connected to clients regardless of time, place, or conditions.

In two years, she says, the platform has on-boarded over 80 service providers and served more than 1,000 clients. To ensure business sustainability online, Namugerwa tips that entrepreneurs need to prioritize excellent customer service by promptly addressing inquiries and concerns.

Namugerwa’s Belle Beauty is part of the start-up participating in the fourth edition of the 40 Days FinTechs (financial technologies) initiative under HiPipo and partners.

The 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative by HiPipo aims at helping start-up FinTechs in Uganda to develop social and technical capital through interactions with established players.

Alice Namugerwa, the CEO at Belle Beauty

“We would have more service providers but some fail our quality assurance mechanisms because they are in the informal sector. However, we don’t turn people away; we still allow them to meet clients after undergoing training. We connect them to beauty schools to get skills so that quality is assured for our customers that use the platform,” Namugerwa says.

Hillah Namulamie, a MakeUp Artist at Hillah Beauty Uganda is one among the dozens listed on the Belle Beauty application.

“I have so far worked on more than 100 clients. The App has connected me to many customers who want makeup. It has helped a lot to build my brand name and meet more people since they have a wide range of clientele including celebrities,” she says.

How the platform works

To avoid losses, customers are encouraged to pay upfront using digital payment platforms such as Mobile Money.

“When you utilize our platform, you are required to pay upfront using mobile money. Once the payment is received, the appointment is then fixed with the service provider who is paid on the same day when the work has been successfully executed.

“The service provider is also paid using mobile money. We try as much as possible to be cashless so that we can ensure that all the players in the transaction are happy and safe,” Namugerwa says.