E-commerce applications have been on the rise in Kenya and during this pandemic due to restriction of movement people have turned to them to facilitate some of their needs.
Jumia Foods, Kilimall and Copia Kenya are some of the e-commerce apps that Kenyans are familiar with and have come across and used.
Jumia Foods which was formerly known as Hello food is one of the apps that is used for food delivery. They have partnered with several restaurants to enable the person ordering to get their favorite meal. It enables you to order food from the comfort of your home, hotel or office.
It is not only restricted to cooked food but also deals with groceries with its new Supermarket service as well as drugs and medication with its Pharmacy service. The drugs and groceries are delivered to the customer within an hour of placing the order.
You can also order alcoholic drinks with Jumia Party and turn up your groove whether you are restocking your bar or fridge, having a get-together or party.
It simply works by one entering their location and finding restaurants or shops around them, browsing the meals and products from listed restaurants and shops near you then your order from wherever you are.
You can sort based on rating, budget, opening hours, delivery time, delivery fee, minimum order amount and voucher acceptance.
You will then enter your delivery address and pay either cash or online. You will then have to track your order and wait for the delivery of your product or food.
Kilimall is another e-commerce app that deals with a wide range of products from home appliances, smartphones and accessories, computers, tablets, TVs, baby stuff, beauty, and fashion products. It operates a business model that covers the customers from both the rural and urban areas.
It has cooperated with other leading logistic companies such as G4s courier, Amarex and Wells Fargo to smoothen and shorten the time customers wait for their goods besides having its own logistics department.
The payment service has also been improved with the employment of the latest technology to ensure secure, efficient and seamless online payment.
The system currently provides unlimited modes of payment with cooperation from a well-known network of banks such as Equity Bank, KCB Bank, Ecobank and Citibank. Through the advancement of Mpesa services, customers can do transactions anywhere, anytime at their convenience.
Copia Kenya is one of the e-commerce apps that deliver goods and services to middle and low-income consumers who are the vast majority. Through locally based agents who operate as ordering and delivery points, it meets their consumers where they are either online or offline.
Their customers live in areas where access to supermarkets and other formal retail is not available.
With these form of e-commerce, they help to save us transport costs and time which would have been spent to get those services and goods.
