eCommerce
Techpoint Africa covers African eCommerce startups and their journey, headlining their struggles, successes and breakthroughs.
Top stories
Alerzo, a Nigerian eCommerce startup, reportedly announced another round of layoffs in February 2024, the third in 13 months, affecting approximately 600 employees.
Jumia’s revenue increased by $48.9 million in Q1 2024, and its gross profit was $31.2 million. It also reported an operating loss of $8.3 million, down 71% from 28.4 million in Q1 2023.
After several postponements, Amazon has finally launched its online marketplace in South Africa, with customers receiving free delivery on their first order.
Weeks after closing its operation in Zanzibar and pausing business in Uganda and Zambia, Wasoko, a Kenya eCommerce platform, reportedly denies exiting Rwanda and discloses that it’s hiring to fill up positions across its Kenyan, Rwandan, and Tanzania markets.
Techstars-backed Jump n Pass has signed a deal with Justrite Superstore to activate its mobile self-checkout services at all Justrite outlets in Nigeria. The startup enables customers skip queues by scanning items with a smartphone and paying online.
Orders on Jumia dropped by 22% in 2023. The eCommerce company blamed Inflation and currency depreciation, which continue to reduce customer purchasing power. It will now focus on reducing advertising spend and building small and agile teams.
Naspers, Africa’s largest company by market value, is increasing its investment in Takealot, a South African online retail platform as Amazon plans to enter the country.
eCommerce startups — MaxAB and Wasoko — have signed preliminary merger terms to serve over 65 million consumers in eight African countries.
Jumia Food to cease operations in Nigeria and six other African countries by Dec 2023, amid profitability challenges. This follows Bolt Food’s exit and contrasts with Chowdeck’s Glovo’s recent expansions
TUNL, a South African eCommerce startup, has raised $1 million in pre-seed funding to break into emerging markets. Several investors participated in the round, including Founders Factory Africa, Digital Africa Ventures, E4E Africa, and Jozi Angels.
About 100 employees at Alerzo have lost their jobs to warehouse automation. The company said it has invested in an end-to-end warehouse management system that has improved process automation.
After announcing it could become profitable within 12 months, Eden Life has launched Eden Marketplace, an eCommerce platform, to compete with Jumia and Konga in Nigeria.
After postponing its launch until the end of the year, 2023, Amazon has revealed plans to open its marketplace in South Africa in 2024.
eCommerce company, Jumia Kenya, has lost KSh 21.2 million ($150,000) to fraud. The company said one of its employees stole the funds by manipulating vendor payment records.
Higher fuel prices have caused some delivery companies to raise prices, but Glovo Nigeria’s country manager expects a continued increase in on-demand delivery.
The warehouse and logistics network facility will transform Jumia’s logistics operations by increasing storage capacity for warehouse expansion and providing converged services.
Amazon’s expansion project into Africa, dubbed Project Fela, has been confirmed as the eCommerce giant now has Amazon.com.ng and Amazon.co.za domain names in its customer support menu.
Find out how this thrift clothes vendor is gaming Instagram’s algorithm to make over a million naira a month in this week’s #EverydayPeople article.
B2B eCommerce startup, TradeDepot, has raised $110 million in a Series B round. @chigo_nwokoma explores what it means for Africa’s struggling eCommerce sector.
Nigerian eCommerce platform, MallforAfrica, has shut down operations in Africa, and a possible rebranding could be on the way. Following a trail of customers complaining of lost funds and rumours of investor discontent, @eruskkii digs deep into the story of MallforAfrica’s hiatus.