Regional e-commerce giant Jumia is gearing up for its ‘biggest ever’ Black Friday as it seeks to support local businesses to grow traffic and sales while empowering consumers to access millions of products at discounted prices.
According to chief executive Juan Seco, the New York-listed company has opened a new warehouse on Mombasa Road to increase storage capacity for its vendors during and after the month-long Black Friday campaign.
“We urge our vendors to explore storage options with our new integrated warehouse which will provide increased storage capacity for businesses and offer better warehouse operations,” Mr Seco said during the company’s vendor conference in Nairobi on Friday.
The event which hosted more than 200 vendors was aimed at recognizing the
sellers and guiding them on how to leverage the Annual Jumia Black Friday to grow their businesses.
The campaign runs from November 3 to November 30.
During the annual event, retailers offer price cuts to spur shoppers’ interest in items such as smartphones, laptops, smart TVs, and other electronic gadgets.
Jumia Consumers enjoy FREE Delivery this Black Friday
Jumia tipped its vendors to double down on beauty and fashion products whose demand was skyrocketing following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions – which has allowed people to dress up and attend social and religious events.
The two categories were severely hit as the first wave of the pandemic swept across the country in March 2020, forcing people to change their lifestyles.
The work-from-home model, prohibition of social gatherings, and the mandatory wearing of facemasks resulted in a sharp decline in demand for cosmetics and clothing as people remained indoors.
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But as life returns to normal, consumers are trooping back online to shop for beauty and skincare products for use at the workplace and outdoors.
“The demand for beauty products and clothing has grown significantly as people go out again to socialize,” Jumia chief commercial officer Kenneth Oyolla said.
“We urge you as vendors to make Black Friday a success through strategic pricing and taking advantage of our Marketing and Advertising collaborations to boost your businesses,” he added.
Meanwhile, e-commerce businesses with a stronger focus on electronic products have seen decreasing demand post-Covid-19 – as supply is tighter and customers spend less on electronics and more on everyday essentials.
The demand for smart TVs is, however, expected to grow significantly in the coming weeks ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup that kicks off on November 20.
