MallforAfrica, an online shopping platform that has more than 8.5 billion items for sale at over 150 U.K. and U.S.-based retail stores has finally opened a shop in Nairobi, Kenya.
In a press conference event held on May 26, 2017, MallforAfrica, which has attained successful launches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Caribbean as well as West Africa, has been eyeing the Kenyan market thanks to the heightened demand of items from the UK and US by local people.
The organization noted that a significant number of Kenyans have been using the platform to buy items from foreign retailers such as Amazon. Customers can also shop from B&H, eBay Barneys, Sports Direct, Carters and Fashion Fair Cosmetics, among other popular foreign retailers.
‘’A growing number of Kenyan consumers have been ordering goods through our platform and it makes sense for us to set up our second base in Nairobi,’’ noted MallforAfrica Country Manager, Kenya, Naomi Konditi-Kivuvani during the official launch of their offices in Nairobi.
According to Naomi Konditi-Kivuvani, MallforAfrica has noted that more people are embracing technology in several life aspects, including shopping. At the same time, the platform is aware of the hurdles clients jump to import legitimate products, which is why it strives to get rid of such challenges by deploying systems that encourage the locals to shop. For example, a preferable payment system such as M-Pesa alleviates purchasing constraints among people who may not be well-versed with other online payment solutions.
“More Kenyans are becoming Tech-savvy and are increasingly shopping online, however, there is still a growing challenge to get genuine international products locally, or to get a payment platform preferred by majority of Kenyans. Our platform makes it easy for one to purchase goods from a store of their choice and have it delivered to their doorstep within 15 working days. Additionally, customers can easily pay for their goods through local payment solutions including Mpesa,” adds Mrs. Konditi-Kivuvani.
Notably, e-commerce has been skyrocketing in most parts of the world thanks to its contributions to multiple industries such as tourism, hospitality and travel – industries which have a positive impact on the economies of emerging markets. The contributions manifest themselves in terms of heightened revenue returns as businesses expand their customer base, not to mention the effectiveness of faster transactions that have been made easier through mobile money solutions such as M-Pesa and online payments.
Another notable reason why Kenya is a wise market decision for MallforAfrica is that the country, together with Nigeria, is among the top performers in terms of online shopping in Sub-Saharan Africa. This assertion is backed up by a 2016 survey conducted by Geo-Poll that revealed e-commerce’s contribution to the economy. Out of the 7 sub-Saharan nations that were studied, e-commerce made up 1-3% of the GDP, and this could rise to 10% of the total retail sales in primary markets by 2025.
Placing and paying for an order is done using the MallforAfrica app or their website. Customers pay for items directly; after which they are delivered to a MallforAfrica warehouse in the U.K. or U.S.A. Shipping to Kenya is taken care of by the company. Clients can request for home delivery or pick the items from the MallforAfrica’s Centre at the Mirage in Westlands, Nairobi. The e-commerce promises to conduct all of these activities between 10 to 15 days.
