One of the best performing sectors in Zimbabwe in 2025 was Construction. A lot of homes were constructed last year—new shopping malls, blocks of flats, gated communities and more. Even rural areas were not spared. This led to the temporary shortages of cement and resultant price increments. Timber ran out with some resorting to imports.
You needed to be in the value chain to benefit.
And one of the areas that recorded high profits is the hardware sector. Below we share unfiltered comments from a recent discussion covered on our Facebook Group and we hope you will be able to pick out a few nuggets. For full business plans—you are free to engage and we will assist.
The question was—Is it profitable to open a hardware, and what advice would you give to those interested in venturing into it?
Takunda Victor Mudhumo: Kana usingashandimo mushop yako tsvaga POS machine. Inokubatsira pastock tracking and taking zvese. Uriko kure ikoko unotoona kuti ah panzvimbo iyi panofaya product A or B. You can make refill orders usina kuvhunza mushandi kuti chakati chapera.
Make sure kuti ukuisa margin iri reasonable ukanyanya kudhura unopa competition mukana wekuuya ichikungwangura 2 mins. Dhura but not zvekuzoda kupfuma ne1 day. Ukanyanya kuchipa futi unovhara shop. Simple maths, cover your overhead costs and wosarawo ne a healthy profit.
Display yezvinhu zvako ngaivewo standard if not top notch. Kamurongedzero kema products ako ngakavewo attractive to the eye. Kwete kuti shop inoita kunge murank apa muchinhuwa futi mazimushonga.
At first be master of everything and narrow down as the market dictates. Ukati ini ndiri weElectric hardware wozadza shop nezvima sockets nemacables ah unoshamiswa vanhu vachizvisiya vachitenga havo thinners. So first days spread your items. And be patient huh iwewe usazodawo kudriver honda Vezel nefirst year. Ah maybe after 10 years kwete 12 months, dzikama.
Harry Nyakatonje: Open everyday including Saturday and Sunday, thats when people do DIY, thats when we realise the lawn needs trimming, trees cutting, pipes sealing , fixing blown sockets etc
Wisdom Tamuka Muzambi: Consider compliance and stock management and sales system in your business planning like how you are importing, your pos and stocktracking because eish ma1. Then usaite business pafoni, be the harder worker in that business, mukira kuseni seni vanokubatsira vanofanirwa kusvika uripo on most days
Takura Agostino Chatikobo: You will never go wrong with hardware as long as dzekumusha dzisina kukutevera and go for it.
Pilot Mutsamwira: Unofanira kuita ka course as time goes by ke stock management ne accounting
Papa Ngwasuma: Siyana nazvo uise Staright win pa Man U vs Asernal mari yacho
Shepherd Junior Mudondo: MuShop hamubudiwe budiwe unobhadharira vashandi rent
Charlie Richiez: Ingovhura.Zvizhinji unofunda wavemo
Carryon Funani: Be like online deal 24 hours that way you push your name kind
Walter Munyaka: Tsvaga nzvimbo ine vanhu varikuvaka kuma new stands unotora mari
Anesu Aneldo Chinyangare: Usanete
Nancy Zisengwe: Hardware you never go wrong. Unogona kungoita zvipikori chete. Kuunza 10cbm yezvipikiri chete lol I know a guy who started this pre-covid
Munacho Davison: Kana une US$5k ndibate in 3 months inenge yava 10k
Fadzai Faffie Tawananyasha: Mari yacho inoda discipline because umwe musi sei une stock ye 8k, unoita sale ye $30, saka kana uri munhu anofarisa pamari ma1
Sharmaine Mponda: Bho zvekuti asi wotoita zvose
Macbeth Masuku: Vhura urikunonoka
Tandiwe Matimba: Unotanga somewhere nepashoma pauinapo.
Clemence Smallz Mfunda: 5k zvichiendaa ndomushongaa
1. Start today
2. Niche down
3. Pick a busy location
Shepherd Kohl Mashayamombe: US$10 000 zvichikwira starting capital
Tek Tek: You need to know the difference between stock replacement money and profit
Beloved Mufaro: If possible, mira padoor wega
Garikai Darlen: Wotera kudzimba dzevnhu uchiuraya zvawavatengesra kut vadzoke fast
Mike Mureyani: Regai vakomana
Ba Seth Synclair: Rova gango (multiple lines
Tasunungurwa Dewah: It’s gonna be HARD IWE Just like the name
Hittie Magombedze: Advertise daily
Precious Mafema: Kunyanyotengesa zvinhu zvinenge zvichidiwa panguva iyoyo eg kwatava kuenda varimi vefodya vaakuuya maseeds efodya ( Kutsaga yr plug) mafertiliser compound C nemafloat trays zvimwe zvinenge zvirimo futi usawane mukana wekuti chakati hapana iva netwese asi focus mainly nezvinenge zvichidiwa nguva iyoyo
Sandra N Baru: Inobhadara
Andrew Antonio: Profit yega yega
