Will The Cheaper Sasai Bundle Save The Messaging App?

Sasai

Sasai recently got a discounted bundle introduced by Econet in what seems like an effort to boost usage of the flailing Instant Messaging application.

The new Sasai bundles will be priced as follows:

Daily Sasai bundles;

  • $1.25 – 20MB
  • $4 – 45MB

50% discount compared to the WhatsApp+Pinterest+Sasai bundle.

Weekly Sasai Bundles

  • $5 – 65MB
  • $10 – 140MB

44-47% discount compared to the WhatsApp+Pinterest+Sasai bundle.

Monthly Sasai Bundles

  • $18 – 220MB
  • $28 – 450MB

47% discount compared to the WhatsApp+Pinterest+Sasai bundle.

Still not convinced

The Sasai marketing team seems to believe if you don’t jump on this deal you might be a fool but I’m not sure if I’m convinced:

Whilst all the Sasai bundles seem discounted the fact that the current WhatsApp bundles also gives you access to Sasai and Pinterest in addition, makes the discount far less compelling than it sounds on paper.

Considering that Econet and Cassava Smartech have the relationship that they have it might have been better for Econet to 0 rates Sasai if user engagement is the number one priority for Sasai.

0 rating seems to be a better strategy because it allows subscribers like myself to communicate on the platform in the event that I have left the house and I don’t have a WhatsApp bundle – something that happens to me and a number of people I’m sure.

Once I get accustomed to using the platform, then MAYBE I start using the payment features integrated in the app (i.e sending money, paying bills etc) and Cassava starts making money from Sasai through these services.

Obviously it’s not as simple as I’ve put it there but it seems like a better option than a discounted Sasai bundle. It’s also fair to keep in mind that Econet has statistics that we aren’t privy to regarding how much people are buying bundles and maybe the WhatsApp bundle is becoming too expensive and this new Sasai bundle is meant to undercut it but ultimately, I’m not convinced this bundle is what will bring life to Sasai.

8 comments

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  1. WeZhira

    Can you evaluate the Sasai application in depth?

  2. Juno

    I doubt that any strategy will break Zimbabweans love affair with WhatsApp

    1. KG

      It can easily be broken and the author was on the right path. Zero rating is the way. Allow people to get used to it and keep cranking up the WhatsApp bundle price while you’re at it. There is neither need, urgency nor advantage to using Sasai as things stand.

      1. tinm@n

        Yeah, greed blinds them. They are rather dumb on that front.

  3. DwayntTino

    Just like binu. They should let Sasai be free on Econet lines for some months. A lot of people will go to it, and make the people get used to it and also add stories, and some more better features than whatsapp, features more relatable to the African man. That’s the only way they can topple whatsapp

  4. Imi Vanhu Musadaro

    Zero rating doesn’t guarantee anything. People will use it when it’s free, but the moment you have to pay, they will go back to WhatsApp. Zero rating is not a silver bullet.

    It’s also extremely insulting to say “Usabvume Kupusiswa” to customers, when you are same person selling me the product allegedly making me a fool.

  5. Gandanga

    Zero rating is long overdue but its true it’s not a silver bullet.

    1. My last 3 attempts at sending messages on sasi have ended in undelivered messages to 3 different contacts and I had data!
    2. The platform doesn’t even send notification messgaes from teh sasai wallet team when you make a payment of send money using the app like it used to do???

    ….it needs to be a combination of fixing/improving the app and making it cheaper to use than the rest…..

    1. Farai Mudzingwa

      Yeah the issues with Sasai aren’t bundle related. It’s more to do with the fact that the application is just terrible

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