Tunisia - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

UNIGROS illustrates an e-commerce marketplace platform aimed at connecting wholesale suppliers and manufacturers in Tunisia with e-commerce retailers, facilitating wholesale sales.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Our initiative, Unigros, seeks to disrupt the foundations of the e-commerce sector in Tunisia with an unprecedented wholesale platform. Our main goal is to establish ourselves as the ultimate destination for wholesale purchases. This goal will be achieved by providing a diverse range of products, state-of-the-art inventory management resources, and outstanding customer service. What truly sets Unigros apart from all other competitors in similar paths is our unwavering commitment: to send "Made in Tunisia" products cascading to neighboring markets such as Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Algeria... and even beyond to Europe. By forging this link between local Tunisian manufacturers and foreign customers, we guarantee a direct online opportunity for quality Tunisian products to find their way across global shores—an offer no one else can boast.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Our startup, Unigros, addresses a critical need in the e-commerce sector in Tunisia. Currently, e-commerce merchants and small businesses in Tunisia face significant challenges in finding reliable wholesale suppliers. In fact, we ourselves were e-commerce merchants and encountered this specific difficulty; finding winning products is a challenge due to the lack of product diversity. It was this personal experience that inspired us to create UNIGROS. Furthermore, we ensured that this service meets a genuine need by sharing surveys across various pages and communities; the survey results confirmed that this need truly exists.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

Unigros operates in a rapidly growing sector: the online wholesale market. As more businesses embrace digitalization and demand simpler logistics and procurement processes, the B2B e-commerce market is poised for significant expansion. By initially establishing itself in the Tunisian market and then expanding across the Maghreb and beyond, Unigros has the potential to capture a substantial share of this growing market. Our platform caters to the specific needs of e-commerce entrepreneurs and store owners, who seek reliable suppliers offering quality offerings at competitive prices.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

1: We aim to attract Tunisian wholesale suppliers and manufacturers, and soon those from neighboring Maghreb markets, who are looking to expand their market reach and find new opportunities for their products. 2: We target online commerce entrepreneurs in Tunisia who seek to expand their product range by accessing a broader selection of products from local and regional wholesale suppliers. 3: We also cater to physical store owners in Tunisia who want to enhance their supply chain; those interested in solutions that enable better inventory management, access to a wider variety of products at competitive prices, reduced delivery times, and minimized risks associated with stockouts. 4: Over time, our goal is to export Tunisian products to neighboring markets and integrate manufacturers from these markets into our platform, thus expanding our target market regionally and globally.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-01-10

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

1

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

0

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

Our founding team consists of myself and Haythem. We have a two-year track record of working together in the e-commerce field. Through this experience, we have developed an understanding of the industry, particularly in e-commerce, sales strategies, and marketing. Our previous collaboration has enabled us to establish an efficient and complementary working dynamic, leveraging our respective strengths to achieve our goals. Together, we bring deep expertise in e-commerce and a shared passion for innovation and entrepreneurial success, and we have known each other for 11 years, are aware of each other's potential, and have mutual trust. As former e-commerce merchants, we fully understand the challenges and opportunities in the e-commerce sector. However, we plan to bring in new partners as the project develops to strengthen our ability to manage it optimally.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

Other: e-commerce

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

With this platform, we will accelerate wholesale sales in Tunisia ,and given the objective of transforming Unigros into a global platform for exporting products from Maghreb factories, we aim not only to boost intra-regional trade but also to position Maghreb products in international markets. This expansion seeks to create synergy between the Maghreb economies, increase their global visibility, and generate shared economic growth.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

3

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

3

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

by accelerating the wholesale industry , the intra-ragional trade and exportation of made in tunisia products , this will create further supply and demand ,that leads to more consumption and production .

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

5

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

5

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

6

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

We offer a platform that connects wholesale suppliers or manufacturers with e-commerce merchants or store owners, eliminating unnecessary intermediaries and facilitating faster and more efficient transactions. In fact, we will handle logistics and delivery. Furthermore, our vision of transforming Unigros into a global export platform for Maghreb factories is unique and ambitious. By engaging manufacturers in neighboring markets and promoting exports to these markets, we are opening new growth opportunities for businesses in Tunisia and across the Maghreb region.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

At the national level, Digidis is our main current competitor. However, our study, which includes the use of social media and web traffic analysis tools such as Semrush, reveals that Digidis has limited interaction with its users on Facebook and relatively low web traffic. This presents Unigros with an opportunity to strengthen its engagement with the online community and offer a more dynamic and interactive user experience, which are essential elements in the e-commerce field today. Globally, we face giants like Alibaba, the world's largest marketplace. Indeed, Alibaba is undoubtedly a formidable player due to its massive pool of suppliers, breathtaking transaction volumes, and global presence. However, Unigros has the opportunity to deepen its activities in specific Maghreb markets; by further adapting its offerings and services to local or regional demands. In summary, although obstacles exist, we have no doubts that we have the right potential to make this happen .

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

no