MallforAfrica has closed shop, if reports from users and the firm’s activities, or lack of them are anything to go by.
The company started operations many years ago.
Its business model was quite simple, and appealing to the masses; if you wanted to import a product from overseas from sites such as Amazon, you could reach out to them for processing and importation.
Also, it should be remembered that when the company launched its services, very few rivals existed.
In the same breath, we have learned that the company actually had attracted lucrative investors who pumped a lot of money to see its operations succeed.
Usually, startups receive a lot of funding especially when an idea is attractive.
And to this end, we are asking ourselves that when did this development go live, and why hasn’t the company released a media update?
A user from our forums reports that he wanted to import a laptop using the platform.
However, both the MallforAfrica browser extension failed to pick the purchase, and so did the firm’s smartphone app.
A look at the company’s socials reveals that it has been inactive for a while (more than a month), which is also a sign of an organization that has closed shop.
Many complaints have been made on social media platforms, including missing funds in user wallets, and delayed deliveries.
Emails are not addressed, and their phone numbers are also not being picked.
Furthermore, we have learned that MallforAfrica investors have since pulled out, which tells us that they did not get their value as expected, bearing in mind that the importer sold itself as one of the hottest startups in the continent with ties to Silicon Valley.
Our speculation, which we are yet to fully establish, is that the company started falling out of favour to the competition. Remember, MallforAfrica charged a premium for all imported products, and that pushed some customers away.
There are a ton of importers out here, including crafty ones that have found a way to avoid excessive levies such as VAT. These are the kinds that are actually popular, because, let’s be honest, customers are always bargain hunters.
We are still waiting for an official statement from the company that will put these issues into perspective.
For the moment, be aware that the platform is not functional, so you might need to look for other options in the meantime.
