Kaymu.PK – Rocket Internet’s arm in Pakistan – was lately found to have pirated software, video games and other dubious products enlisted on its website. First spotted by by Segment Next, it is now clear that Kaymu.PK has fair number of pirated products available on its website in the open for customers in Pakistan to freely buy them online.
Anyone can go to Kaymu.PK to order these pirated products with ease.
Kaymu, when asked by ProPakistani, said that they have SOPs in place to tackle such sellers who would enlist pirated software on the website. Kaymu said that it has blocked over 60 such sellers in September 2014 only, while they consistently clean-up their website of such sellers who either sell bad things or otherwise if they don’t comply with rest of applicable terms and conditions.
Kaymu said that it has over 70,000 products on its website from thousands of sellers. While a strict scrutiny policy is always in place for each and every seller and product, Kaymu admitted that some products might have slipped from their eyes but they are removed from their website as soon as they are reported by users.
We would have had admitted to what Kaymu has said, but interestingly Kaymu is marketing such pirated software through Google display network, hinting that they endorse such pirated products and that Kaymu is almost directly responsible for illegally selling pirated products in Pakistan.
Check below Kaymu’s Adword AD displayed on a website:
An independent analysts while commenting on Kaymu’s practices said that online shopping in Pakistan is a relatively new idea. He said that online marketplaces are usually in process of impressing the customers by offering ultra-low priced products, which are usually replicas or pirated in nature. Such practices (while they may attract customers) from a vendor of international repute are defiantly illegal and must be stopped immediately.
He said the original developer of software and games can sue Kaymu or Rocket Internet and we may only end-up with ugly results.
For those who don’t know Kaymu.PK is Rocket Internet’s investment in Pakistan through which they help sellers meet their potential buyers. Simply put, if you are a seller and want to reach an audience then Kaymu gives you a platform to get yourself registered on their website and enlist your products there to find customers.
Rocket Internet (one of world’s largest e-commerce focused venture capital firms and startup incubators) has similar online marketplaces in around 40 markets world over, meaning that they have all the proven expertise and vision to build a successful and performing online marketplace in different countries.
Selling illegal software by a company of such repute raises many questions. We also have to note that Pakistan is fast becoming a paradise for internet pirates. Even legitimate companies are now exploiting the benefits of not having proper internet regulations in the country.
