MO Marketplace brings AI to Sri Lankan commerce as the locally developed platform continues to gain traction among buyers and sellers, leveraging technology to modernize how Sri Lankans conduct everyday transactions.
MO Marketplace brings AI to Sri Lankan commerce with smarter selling tools
Launched in June 2024 by founder and CEO Anika Wijesuriya, MO Marketplace has emerged as Sri Lanka’s first dedicated mobile platform focused exclusively on buying and selling. In less than a year, the platform has attracted more than 45,000 downloads and 12,000 registered users, highlighting growing demand for structured and trusted online commerce solutions.
The rapid growth reflects broader changes taking place across Sri Lanka’s consumer landscape. As smartphone adoption continues to rise and digital connectivity becomes increasingly widespread, consumers are becoming more comfortable with online transactions. What was once primarily driven by younger, tech-savvy users is now expanding across a broader demographic, creating new opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs.
For years, much of Sri Lanka’s informal commerce has taken place through Facebook groups, WhatsApp conversations, online classifieds, and personal networks. While these channels have enabled buyers and sellers to connect, they often lack the infrastructure needed to support secure transactions, streamlined logistics, and reliable customer experiences.
MO Marketplace seeks to address these challenges by offering a dedicated digital marketplace designed specifically for local users. Available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, the platform combines product discovery, transaction management, payment processing, and delivery services within a single ecosystem.
A key differentiator for the platform is its pricing model. Small and medium-sized enterprises often face commission rates ranging from 15 percent to 30 percent on larger e-commerce platforms, creating pressure on already tight profit margins. MO Marketplace has positioned itself as a more cost-effective alternative, offering a maximum commission rate of 10 percent.
For many small businesses and independent sellers, this lower commission structure can make a significant difference in profitability while encouraging greater participation in digital commerce.
The platform’s emphasis on trust and transaction security is another factor contributing to its early success. Unlike many informal online selling channels, MO manages both payment and delivery processes, helping protect buyers and sellers throughout the transaction journey.
This integrated approach reduces uncertainty, minimizes disputes, and creates a more reliable environment for conducting business online. As consumer confidence in digital transactions grows, platforms capable of providing secure and transparent experiences are increasingly likely to gain market share.
The next phase of the company’s growth strategy will focus heavily on technology and automation. Scheduled for launch in July, new AI-powered listing tools are expected to simplify the process of creating product listings, making it easier for sellers to showcase their products effectively.
These AI-powered listing tools will help users generate more attractive and informative listings while reducing the time and effort required to prepare content. The platform is also introducing automated image enhancement capabilities designed to improve product photography, a critical factor in online purchasing decisions.
By integrating artificial intelligence into the selling process, MO Marketplace aims to make professional-quality listings accessible to all users, regardless of their technical expertise or marketing experience.
The introduction of these capabilities underscores how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape the broader digital marketplace landscape, not only in global markets but increasingly within Sri Lanka as well. Technology that was once available only to large businesses is becoming more accessible to small enterprises and individual entrepreneurs.
Founder and CEO Anika Wijesuriya’s vision appears to center on creating a platform that reflects how Sri Lankans already buy and sell while addressing long-standing gaps in infrastructure, trust, and efficiency.
Rather than changing consumer behavior, the company is building systems around existing habits, providing the tools needed to transform informal transactions into a more organized and scalable commercial ecosystem.
As smartphone penetration continues to increase and consumers become more comfortable with digital commerce, the outlook for online marketplaces remains positive. The addition of artificial intelligence capabilities could further strengthen the platform’s appeal among both buyers and sellers seeking convenience, efficiency, and reliability.
With growing adoption, a competitive pricing structure, and upcoming technology enhancements, MO Marketplace brings AI to Sri Lankan commerce at a time when the country’s digital economy is evolving rapidly. The platform’s early momentum suggests there is significant appetite for locally developed solutions capable of supporting the next phase of Sri Lanka’s e-commerce growth.