Consumables dominate NYSE-listed E-Commerce Platform Jumia As Shoppers Changed Habits During Lockdown

NYSE-listed e-commerce platform Jumia experienced a drastic change in shopping habits across its markets in Africa last year, as more shoppers bought everyday products as opposed to electronics.

According to a newly released Jumia Africa E-commerce Index 2021 report – consumables were in demand across the African continent during the series of lockdown.

Shopping for essentials such as foodstuff, fashion, and beauty products saw Jumia’s total sales value of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods grow by 13 percentage points last year, from 44% in 2019, the report said.

The report also added that the shift to stay-at-home restrictions fueled the need for online shopping as well as the increase in smartphones and internet use across the continent.

Smartphones contributed 75% of the traffic to the e-commerce site.

“By providing consumers with access to essential food and services, we have seen a shift to essential related products from phones and electronics.

“This goes to show how Covid-19 also reinforced the relevance of e-commerce in the communities we serve,” Jumia Group’s head of communication and public relations, Abdesslam Benzitouni told TechCrunch.

As a result, the Jumia report said that more sellers signed up to Jumia Mall — a platform for official brands within the main site — increasing the shopping options and providing a wide variety of products.

“The brands (on Jumia Mall) know e-commerce is the future. Having them on Jumia means that consumers have access to their products and that brands are within their reach.

“Different sellers on the platform also mean that we create transparency and competition between brands,” Benzitouni added.