Jumia Uganda has reported that it hit a new record of online sales during the just concluded Black Friday, saying the volumes exceeded their expectations. The shopping festival that run from the 8th to the 29th of November (the sixth of its kind since Jumia introduced the concept to Uganda in 2014); attracted large volumes of shoppers, surpassing the 2018 numbers by over 50%.
With exclusive deals of up to 80% off on electronics, home appliances and fashion, plus support from partners like MeWe electronics, Xiaomi, NTV and Liberty Insurance, a spike in sales was expected. Keeping with the Jumia promise, the sale offered buyers cash on delivery payment, delivery across the country and a free 7 day return policy on their orders.
“We have seen an increase in upcountry deliveries. This year, we delivered Black Friday packages as far as Kabale in the Western region, Busia in the Eastern region and even to Kalangala – one of the biggest islands in the country,” noted Kenneth Nyanzi the logistics manager for Jumia.
Notably, grocery products such as sugar and detergent created a huge interest among Ugandans shopping on Jumia, generating a record number of sales. The mobile phones category was also popular among buyers with the category being the most visited product category on the Jumia platform during the Black Friday sale.
However it wasn’t just buyers that reaped big. The Jumia Black Friday also impacted young people like Alex Isooba, helping them create an income avenue of their own through the sales program known as JForce. This sales consultant scheme allows anyone that registers to build their entrepreneurial skills by selling items supplied by Jumia and earning money on a commission basis from each sale.
“The Black Friday Sale was a winning experience for me as a Jumia sales person. My customer base increased and I signed up new buyers and friends as well. I expect that my extended network will benefit me in the future. My commission expectations also doubled and I believe they will sufficiently cover my budget for construction of my house back home in Jinja“, says Alex.
Small vendors and business owners selling on Jumia also reaped big. Rubanda Mayonza, a local fashion designer who started selling on Jumia in 2017 says the Black Friday Sale is his best time of the year. “Every year I look forward to Black Friday because of the sales it brings for me. This year I got 3x the orders I predicted and I already can’t wait for next year’s sale.”
For those not familiar with the concept, ‘Black Friday’ originated from the U.S. and is known as the biggest shopping day of the year. Stores offer major discounts and customers get to shop for deals they would otherwise not find on a regular day. Today, ‘Black Friday’ is a global movement, and takes place every last Friday of November in a number of countries.
Although the concept was first introduced to Ugandans exclusively by Jumia, it has since been adopted by other retailers in Uganda, including local supermarkets. Images of congested scenes and lines at offline supermarkets flooded social media, a stark contrast to the hassle free shopping experience of shopping online further highlighting the convenience of online shopping today.
Ugandans will be happy to know that they can certainly expect another Black Friday sale from the leading online shopping platform for years to come.
