Redefining shopping: New ecommerce marketplace launches in Kenya

NAIROBI, KENYA: A new e-commerce site has been launched in Kenya promising established platforms such as Jumia, Olx among others a run for their money in 2018.

Africa Sokoni as it is popularly referred to bring African customers and retailers together online in a swift, hassle-free, flexible and credible shopping experience; without the restriction of distance and customers leaving the comfort zones of their homes, offices and farms.

In the words of Africa Sokoni’s CEO, Ebrima Fatty, The marketplace’s main focus is to put the power back into the hands of the African consumer. Africa Sokoni is achieving this by leveraging the power of internet and through the introduction of relevant and scalable technology solutions.

“Africa Sokoni is solving the structural gap problems between demand and supply in African markets where customers have to travel from a sector of the market with excess demand to another sector with excess supply. At Africa Sokoni, the market is one and accessible wherever the customer is.”

The unveiling of the platform will kick off intense competition in the nascent online business.

This is not only beneficial to the country’s online trading whose growth has not kept up with internet connectivity and formal retailing but also to online shoppers who stand to win big from price wars.

Although the formal retail penetration in Kenya is estimated at 30 per cent while internet connectivity at 60 per cent, the fraction of Kenyans buying products online has stuck at 0.5 per cent

Safaricom, a leading telecommunications company also recently unveiled a product dubbed Masoko seeking to tap in Kenya’s growing online shopping.

Established e-commerce enterprises such as Jumia welcomed the move saying it is positive for the growth of the industry.

When more people get online, reckons Jumia Managing Director Sam Chappatte, it is not just Masoko or anyother new entrant that will benefit, but the whole spectrum of online marketplace as shoppers traverse from one online store to the other.  

“We welcome anyone because as an industry, our main battle right now is to educate the market. We want to explain to people why they should buy online,” said Chappatte.

Benefits of selling and buying online include saving time and money. Shopping online also gives shoppers more choice and with a little effort, they can get better quality products.

Business
Premium Burdened Kenyans walk into Easter weekend broke
Business
Premium Water PS Korir put on the spot over Sh14m dam land
Business
Premium Looming crisis as top lenders stare at Sh500b in bad loans
Business
Premium Ruto's food security hopes facing storm amid fake fertiliser scam