Linking Chinese vendors to online consumers in Africa through Jumia

As a leading e-commerce marketplace in Africa, Jumia is aware that product variety from a global pool of vendors is an important part of its mission to provide a top-notch consumer experience. However, increasing demand for these products often presents challenges.

One timely issue, for example, is the fact that many vendors from markets like China have competitively priced and quality products that they would like to sell to African online shoppers, but they aren’t proficient in this market and do not know where to start.

Relevant issues include regulatory standards unique to different countries, varying acquisition and retention strategies for online shoppers and more. In addition, some vendors also aren’t readily aware of or able to navigate the use of established African e-commerce platforms like Jumia.

Shenzhen Global Investment Promotion Conference

Connecting Chinese sellers to the African market

Sam Wang with a Chinese local vendor

As a way to bridge the gap between Chinese sellers and online shoppers in Africa, Jumia launched a simplified registration process through which sellers could express interest in Jumia’s platform. Interested sellers would need a business license and a corporate Payoneer account to get started and nothing further.

Through Jumia’s concise web form, vendors provide basic business and identification information such as name and address. The applicants undergo a review process pertaining to product quality and other attributes. Upon qualification, the information is used to set up a Jumia Global Vendor account, which makes them eligible to sell to consumers in Africa through our platform.

Sellers can then utilize numerous formats (e.g. .csv, .xls and .xlsx) and digital tools like application programming interfaces (APIs) to deliver and maintain product information. Shoppers are also able to clearly see the country of origin, order fulfillment rate, quality score, customer rating, and any other relevant seller information.

How the Jumia Global Vendor program has performed so far

We have seen a considerable number of sellers signing up for this program. The uptake has led us to expand to nine of our key economies in Africa – Nigeria, Kenya, Côte D’Ivoire, Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Uganda, Senegal, and South Africa.

Some of the most popular product categories include electronics and fashion, with items like smartphones, earphones, and related accessories being fast movers. We are also working towards onboarding more Chinese sellers so as to have a larger assortment of products on the platform.

The advantages of this program

• Chinese vendors can easily set up accounts to tap into a wider market on the African continent, benefitting from an already established e-commerce network. This minimizes compliance risk and makes it more convenient for cross-border e-commerce companies. Furthermore, brand awareness doesn’t have to be built from scratch, visibility of customer behavior data is adequate, and the intricacies of last-mile delivery are taken care of as part of this easy new process.

• Sellers in China also receive timely support on how to use various aspects of our services through the “Raise a Claim” option. Big sellers also receive special account management features. Ultimately, the sellers enjoy a comprehensive user experience when it comes to maintaining their online stores.

• Importantly, consumers now have access to a wider range of quality products with favorable pricing. Both the consumer and the seller can rest assured that products will be delivered in the fastest time possible irrespective of the distance between them.

Jumia Team in Shenzhen

Jumia believes that e-commerce in Africa will advance through these streamlined transactions between online consumers on the continent, and sellers from across the globe including China. Our short- and long-term mission is to continue to develop solutions that bring these parties closer and simplify trade between them.

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Sam Wang

Head of Acquisition and Incubation of Jumia Global - Shenzhen

Sam joined Jumia in 2019 as a Key Account Manager, a position he held until 2021 when he was appointed Head of Acquisition and Incubation of Jumia Global (the cross-border arm of Jumia Group). With a degree in Broadcast Journalism, Sam has over 7 years of professional experience in consumer electronics, marketing and brand development. His time in Jumia as a Key Account Manager resulted in the acquisition, and growth of new sellers, which eventually became part of the top-high value sellers of Jumia Global. As the Head of Acquisition and Incubation, Sam oversees a range of activities including Public Relations, Marketing, Vendor Communication & Training, building and fostering of China - Africa relationship, Onboarding, among others.