The willpower to succeed in times of economic struggle is what has driven local fashion designers to sell online. JUMIA, Kenya’s leading online retailer has become the most preferred website for local designers to showcase their fashion brands gathering emerging and established designs into one single platform in what is a Kenya’s first.
Dozens of local brands such as Afro Shoes, RIRI African Designs, Johari Designs, Kazuri Beadsand House of Hadassah have added their names to the over 100 brands.
Afro Shoes
Afro Shoes
“Exposure to an enormous regular shopping crowd, warehousing, marketing, handling of customer queries and delivery is all done for you,” Said Priscila Muigai one of the designers selling online, “and With Jumia taking a 25% commission on sales, the profit margins are high and the experience stress free.”
RIRI African Designs
RIRI African Designs
Designers selling on the platform do so on consignment, Jumia stores the products for you to allow for the shortest time between click and delivery. Buyers have an array of payment options including cash on delivery, mobile money transfer and credit card, they also get to enjoy a free return and exchange policy of 7 days.
Nicolas Saints, Head of Fashion Jumia, notes that the platform has introduced new brands to customers that were not known before, “Every day we get contacted by new designers who want to list on our website, we are introducing new brands every day.”
The e-commerce company also promotes the brands across their social media accounts to close to 1 Million of its own followers.
Robinson Murage Marketing Coordinator said, “Through our social media accounts and with our other online partners we help to raise awareness of the brands. This boosts their sales.”
He also notes thatthe website has been ranked among the most visited in Kenya giving designers without funds to run their own stores a place to sell and build a huge following with fashion accounting for at least 30% of the company’s sales.
Murage adds that the number of women fashion designers selling on the platform is outpacing that of menswear designs.
“Online sales cuts many costs. You don’t have the rent, the electricity, the water, the fire or theft risks, the goodwill and the insurances. You can make your designs at home and sell from home” Sofia Zab Marketplace Manager said.
For designers, being paid regularly and taking 75% of the sales contrary to the 50% proceeds from the brick and mortal stores is the new cash cow.
The platform has also attracted household name companies like BATA, S Divayne, and Nairobi sportshouse among other retail industry players.
