The Nation Newspaper

Tag: online

  • Online stores, limelight for retailers

    It is no longer news that the internet is known to break barriers of any kind, obstructing communication, trading and all other productive activities, hence, retailers and traders have being advised to revolutionise with this trend as almost everything including the good and the bad is now done online and this can be good for business no matter the kind of good being sold.

    Trading through online platforms which include online stores, social media and the likes help retailers have a wider reach to their prospective customers both home and abroad. This is because the barrier of distance has been successfully broken by these online platforms making it possible to strike business deals, trade and shop with known and unknown persons that one could have never met.

    Also, online platforms help to create a mutual relationship between the traders and the buyers, most especially social media like Whatsapp, Facebook, Skype, Twitter, Instagram. These social media have made the buyer and seller have a first-hand relationship, most especially a one man trader unlike online stores that have customer care hotline to enable them get feedback from their customers. This feedback is what allows these stores know the minds of their customers and how their services are viewed by their customers.

    Unlike the traditional market, traders are unable to know how their customers feel about goods and services rendered because if these customers conceive it as unsatisfactory after a first visit; they decide not to patronise such trader again without such trader knowing. But with the help of online platforms, customers are free and able to voice out. Traders then use these feedbaks to improve their services and maintain a cordial relationship with their customers.

    Convenience and time saving factor is another reason why traders and retailers should move with the trend of online trading. Instead of having to shop in muddy and crowded markets, online platforms have made it possible for buyers to order for their desired goods in the comfort of their homes. Also, the fact that one does not have to force his or her way through the crowd to various stores to find one’s desired good leading to so much time being spent, the time spent is now reduced as online shopping is determined by the speed of one’s network.

    Traders who have online stores are at a higher advantage as they become easily accessible because of their activeness in the virtual society and traditional market making them accessible to all class of the people in the society.

  • Kaymu assures on online security for shoppers

    Kaymu assures on online security for shoppers

    Kaymu, at her Entrepreneurs’ club seminar which took place at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference and Exhibition Centre in Lagos, has assured shoppers of protection against online fraudsters and hackers in the process of carrying out trading activities on its website. The Managing Director of Kaymu, Mr. Sefik Bagdadioglu, made this known in a chat with The Nation Shopping.

    “We take fraud very seriously at Kaymu. What we did is that we have created processes with checkpoints. For instance, when someone wants to sell an item on Kaymu, one of the things we offer is escrow services. So the seller sells it and buyers transfer money to an escrow account and we keep that money till the good is actually delivered to the buyer and the buyer is happy with it. Only then do we release the money,” he explained.

    The seminar with the theme:  ‘Empowering the New Generation of SME’, was organised for prospective owners and existing owners of micro, small and medium enterprises to encourage and train them on how to take their businesses to the next level through online platforms.

    Most of the participants of the seminar rated the event as “brilliant and benefitting”, claiming it impacted them with the right knowledge they needed for improving on their businesses like in areas of funding and all other areas. A prospective business owner, who simply identified herself as Mrs. Tonia, said, “Even though I just want to start my business and I am yet to make use of any online platform, the event so far has being interesting and worth trying”.

    Similarly, Mr. Okechuckwu Benjamin, a staff at Mintent Group of Companies, an online based business, said the event has proven to be an eye opener for him as it has added to his knowledge. To ensure that these entrepreneurs remain constant and improve in their service quality, they were urged to join various business associations like Chambers of Commerce, Bilateral Chambers of commerce and other trade associations, where opportunities that would be good for business would be made available and to improve networking with people already in the business.

    One of the facilitators at the event, Mr. Dele Alimi, advised interested entrepreneurs to be active and not dormant. “It is not just about joining as you must be active by attending meetings, seminars, workshops. You do not just pay your dues and sit in your office. You must also be proactive,” he urged.

    The event featured three sessions spread across equipping participants with the desired knowledge in sales, finance, management, marketing, customer service and telecom. Other facilitators at the training include Mr. Femi Akinrinade, Mr. Muyiwa Afolabi, Mr. Ibikunle Bolorunduro, Mr. Olufunbi Falayi, Mr. Abiola Fabio, Mr. Ademola Adewusi and Mrs. Chioma Agha.

  • ‘Gidimall will be an online trading hub in Africa

    ‘Gidimall will be an online trading hub in Africa

    www.gidimall.com is one of Nigeria’s fastest growing Online Retail store with primary focus on customer satisfaction, genuine products. It delivers a shopping experience that a shopper would ordinarily enjoy when he goes to a shopping mall. In this interview with TONIA ‘DIYAN, the mall’s Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, Osamede Evbakhavbokun, speaks on the mall’s features and its plan to become the hub for online shopping across Africa. Excerpts:

    Gidimall.com! What is this concept all about and why have you come into the Nigerian market?

    www.gidimall.com is an e-commerce platform where a peron can shop for a wide variety of products and services. On this platform, such a person is also allowed to list his products for sale and sell to millions of Nigerians online, as well as earn an additional source of income when he joins our GTeam programme (www.gidimall.com/gteam). All he needs to do is refer a buyer and manage that relationship for constant purchases from gidimall.com and he earns an income every time he shops on gidimall.com.

    It is a platform where buyers, sellers and offline sales partners meet to offer value to each other.

    We have been in business since October 2012 and over the years have spent time evolving the platform and user experience while putting in place, structures and framework for scalable growth. What has been key for us is consistent customer experience and this has kept us in business.

    What additional values do you bring to shoppers?

    Just like any other e-commerce marketplace, we offer a platform to buy and sell. We do not just provide you with technology, we work closely with you, support you to grow your business as a seller, and ensure the best experience for every buyer.For buyers, we offer Next day delivery within selected cities or money back guarantee plus several flexible terms of delivery allowing you select that which suits you. Payment on delivery nation-wide plus flexible returns policies are also available.

    ForRetailers (B2C) & Wholesalers (B2B), we provide a robust and reliable, easy –to-use, cloud based technology platform to whoever wants to  sell via desktop and mobile channels from anywhere in Nigeria.

    What is your unique selling point that you feel will keep your clients coming back to you?

    Great offers and discounts for online shoppers. We have a very robust reward system that offers buyers unique opportunities. This include  offerring our buyers added value by making our ‘pick – up and drop – off to Service Centers’ free for all customers in Lagos.  We understand that Lagos is a busy place and not everyone can make out time to go to Service Centers if their appliances need servicing.  With the understanding of this challenge, we provide this service free to all customers who purchase any appliance under warranty from us for the first 12 months.  To enjoy this service, all a client need to do is to simply give us a call and send us his order number and we will come pick it up from anywhere in Lagos and drop it off at the Service Center for him, free! For a token fee, we will also pick up the appliance from the Service Center and deliver to your location outside Lagos.  For us, this is a key differentiation since it shows that we care for our customers and strive to maintain a relationship with them, even after they have concluded their transaction with us. For example, you get a discount voucher when they register as a customer on Gidimall.com. And when you place an order and it is fulfilled, you  get an instant discount for your next order. You also get further discount by referring friends to the site. We also encourage our customers to leave reviews for further discounts. This is true value for shoppers!

     So far, what challenges have you faced?

    We have faced challenges like that of inventory Management: This is the same with most eCommerce stores in Nigeria. The  Issue of out of stock is a recurring decimal in our e-Commerce space with sellers not sending in frequent updates on their stock position. This has been a huge challenge and we have been able to manage this through the launch of our vendor portal which sellers can use as an inventory management tool for their brick and mortar stores and also use that same channel in expanding their business to sell online to millions of Nigerians. We also now offer API integration for large organizations

    What are some of the benefits of online market places like gidimall.com?

    For most market analysts, key benefits of online marketplaces can be seen from 2 main angles – the perspective of the buyer and that of the online seller. At gidimall.com however, we see it from 3 perspectives – buyers, online sellers and offline sellers who take part in our gteam program.

    Online shoppers are no longer limited by time and space. They can shop for favourite items anytime and anywhere in Nigeria using their computers or smartphones. No long queues, less stress.

    There is a wider catalogue selection where buyers have an opportunity to browse through a wide variety of products in a few minutes. This when compared to having the task done by visiting physical stores would have been practically impossible or take them weeks to have same done. I must say online shopping is cheaper than buying in person if you are dealing with the right store like gidimall.com!

    Sellers Saves time and cost –Marketplaces have drastically reduced the time and cost it takes to set up a businesses. With our portal, sellers can list their products in minutes to have an opportunity to sell to millions of Nigerians via our portal at no set up cost.

    Fulfilment: Managing fulfilment which is a huge task is one of the main reason why most brick and mortar stores do not go online. Using our shared infrastructure and working with our logistics partners, seller have the opportunity to manage their shipping like never before. They can decide to ship items themselves, use any of our courier companies to ship nation – wide or have gidimall.com handle delivery for them (within Lagos).

    Job creation for Sales Consultants:Because we have built an ecosystem, we have offline sales consultants who help drive sales for our sellers for a commission which we manage. Engaging these sales consultants have created a massive job creation window like never before and it is open to as many sales partners as possible. Interested candidates can join our team of successful sales partners by sending their resume to gteam@gidimall.com.

    What is your vision for the next few years?

    The vision is clear. To become a global brand and an engine of trade in Africa.

    How do you help entrepreneurs sell their products on your platform?

    To help entrepreneurs sell their products on our platform, sellers must first create those products online by visitingwww.gidimall.com/sell. This is as easy as A.B.C plus we provide excellent support. Once done, they begin to receive orders. Once there is a sale, all they have to do is to have the item packaged and to drop it off at the nearest drop off location of our partner courier companies and the item is shipped. This can be done from anywhere in Nigeria and details of our partner courier companies, pricing and address can be found in our Seller Portal.

    What do you stand to gain bringing buyers and sellers together?

    We charge areferral commission for completed sales made on the platform of which a large chunk of this commission is also used to empower our sales consultants who help drive offline sales and as such drive the success of our partners. This is what we can call a win – win for all stakeholders.

    Who are the selected Nigerian businesses that are allowed to put their products for sale on your website?

    All kinds of businesses are invited. Big, small, individual sellers of products and services etc. There are almost no limits to the kind of products we list and sell. However, there are some products we do not sell. A detailed list of businesses that we do not list can be found in our terms and conditions section of our website which can also be found during seller registration. Businesses we cannot list are usually those dealing in highly regulated, items e.g.  Fire arms, drugs etc.

    How have you been able to build that trust for your kind of business?

    Simple. We deliver and we stand behind our brand. This has earned us the trust of our customers over the years. Our initial customer base were bank staff and the fact that we remain consistent and constantly surpass expectations is why we have been in business despite stiff competition.

    You stated on your site that you ‘give out great offers’, how regular are these offers/deals?

    Our discounts are all year round and this is aside discounts and campaigns organized by us in partnership with our sellers. Some of these regular discounts include:

    instant N1,000 discount voucher when you register as a customer on gidimall.com, instant discount for your next order when you complete an order and it is fulfilled satisfactorily, further discount when you refer friends and

    • After enjoying your product, you are encouraged to leave a review to get further discount.

    Is there anything else you would like to talk about?

    www.gidimall.com has just launched her Seller Portal where sellers of great products in Nigeria can grow their business by selling to millions of Nigerians every day, as well as take advantage of the unique features the portal has to offer. The platform can be used for inventory management, order and fulfilment, for both online and offline sales etc. With gidimall.com, the opportunities are endless. Start shopping and selling in minutes.

  • Evron Food launches ‘fastest delivery’ online food store

    Evron Food launches ‘fastest delivery’ online food store

    Set to reinvent the online food shopping experience for Nigerians, Evron Food Store has launched its online food store called www.evronfoodstore.com. The online store guarantees deliveries of goods within three hours of order placement and checkout. Customers who do not get their orders delivered to them three hours after placing an order automatically gets compensated with a 10 percent discount.

    The online food market offers a wide variety of food products and farm crops using a highly interactive and innovative platform that allows customers to shop for almost any food item they can think of in the food store. A customer can simply click on the ‘Afang Soup Bundle’ and all the ingredients for Afang soup will be selected, packaged and dispatched immediately upon checkout.

    According to the owners of the store, shopping via Evron Food Store guarantees that valuable time that could be spent bonding with family members, or simply resting after a hectic week, is duly enjoyed. No more need to endure the rigours of navigating dozens of stores at the conventional open market, or after hours of traffic.

    As part of its launch, Evron Food Store has also announced its #MyFirstOrder Campaign where customers can simply take a picture of their delivered food items, share, mention and follow@evronfoodstore on twitter, Instagram and Facebook. They can use the #My1stOrder #MarketCameHomefor a chance to win a free shopping voucher. Evron Food Store also has a physical walk-in store/office which is open to customers situated in Chevron Drive, Lekki Lagos.

    Speaking at the formal launch of the store, the Marketing Manager, Ijeoma Olujekun noted: “At Evron Food Store, we are committed to creating a vibrant, convenient way for people to buy food produce online and increasingly turn this into delightful and more satisfying for the customers. We understand the need for Nigerians to purchase food quickly, conveniently and have sought to simplify the process of buying food, making it just a click away”.

    In her address, the Managing Director, Funmi Farotimi noted that in seeking to ensure high quality standards for items sold at the store, Evron Food Store wishes to know and influence how the food seed are grown.

    Her words, “We are passionate about great tasting food in its purest state. That is why quality standards for food prohibit leafy vegetables grown with chemical fertilizers. We base our decisions not just on food chemistry, but also on ideology, philosophy, proper labelling and critical evaluation of the promise we’ve made to our customers, which is freshness, always. We take our responsibility seriously, knowing that our standards not only determine what goes on our shelves, but they also influence the way that food is grown and processed”.

    “Evron food store is making life easier for the everyday shopper without looting or exploiting them. Our intention is that our prices must never be higher than what can be obtained from any of the local market around.”

  • New online platform berths

    An online social enterprise that provides various products for people for free has berthed in Lagos. It is called lofelofe.com.

    From a fairly used sewing machine that will help an amateur seamstress hone skills and make a living to giving interview candidates outfits that will give them the look and confidence to get that new job, lofelofe.com is said to be the place to channel items that people no longer need to those who need them.

    It said in a statement that it was driven by the famous saying ‘the thing you take for granted, someone else is praying for’.

    Its founder, Funmi Odushola said:  “The goal for lofelofe.com is not to offer handouts but give a hand to the needy, things that encourage people have better their lifestyle and inspire them to work harder.”

    She said in this part of the world, it is important to form initiatives that values humanity and preserves our innate community spirit, adding that the reason is that there are not enough support systems in these parts and the government cannot solve every problem. “Think of the 81.5 per cent of Africans who are considered working poor; these are hard working individuals who work yet struggle to make ends meet. Think of over 90 million Nigerians, families who live on N300 per day or less. With the economic downturn, it seems more people are getting into poverty than getting out and this is evident in our various neighborhood. As such, citizen-led initiatives like this can help ease the difficulty and foster a safer environment than any government can. A helping hand can be the difference from a street child being a robber and a respectable citizen,” she said.

    The platform works with partners tagged ‘Givers’ and ‘Receivers’. Each has a significant role to play and are equally important and interchangeable.

    Lofelofe is said to have been derived from ‘lofe’ which means “free”. The organisation is encouraging everyone to give for free and receive for free.

    “Every year, many families in Nigeria perform their benevolence “duty” by giving away various items at Christmas, Ramadan, Easter. Lofelofe.com will like to make this happen everyday as the lives of people in need cannot wait until these festivities.

    “There is a void between people who receive benevolence and the people who need them. We have found orphanages that have excess clothes but what they needed is books, shoes and medical supplies. We take the excess and balance the need; society can continue to give whatever they have to give but we will make sure that it reaches the right people,” Odushola said.

    lofelofe.com is unique from the usual NGOs or nonprofit in that, it partners with existing NGOs and social organisation and does not depend on donations to continue its operations in the long term.  It promotes its partners and works with them in their niche areas to have an even bigger impact. By 2017, the platform hopes to have reached 200+ million disadvantaged Africans mostly achieved by physical presence on ground in the grassroots and through partnerships since the online space has its limitations. In addition to this, lofelofe.com runs an annual food kitchen event targeted specifically towards the destitute and people on the streets.

    The organisation is planning a food kitchen event in August 29 where communities will be given free medical screening, hot meals, drinks and love to about 3000 people in need, particularly people from the Alimosho – Agege – Ikeja axis.

    The food kitchen event inspired by similar programmes in other parts of the world brings people from different spectrum to one location. It is laudable and beautiful to see Nigerians come together like this.

    Everything for the event has been put together by benevolent citizens; from the event location (given by the Ministry of Youth & Sports) to the food, drinks and medical supplies. In addition, all the medical team, caterers, entertainers are all volunteering to give a helping hand.  Organisations will be giving their products and services for free, WeClean, a cleaning company will  clean the location at no charge. While Halogen securities will give its professional services in crowd control and event securities, SixthLab will donate medical test kits.

  • Online firm to launch TV show

    Online firm to launch TV show

    Online content provider Ndani TV has announced plan to launch its new online content bouquet ‘The Ndani Series Bouquet’ next month.

    The bouquet is being powered by GTBank Plc.  It contains four new shows: ‘Real Talk’ with Cornelia O’dwyer, ‘Skinny Girl in Transit’, ‘One Chance’ and ‘African Dream’.

    It features an all-new season two of its popular series, ‘Officer Titus’, which tells the story of a traffic law enforcement officer in  Lagos.

    Ndani TV is excited about the new series as they mark another achievement in online content, highlighting the continuous growth the brand has embarked on in the last three years in terms of promoting contemporary African culture through great online content.

    The goal of Ndani TV is not just to create great online content with spectacular visuals, but also to tell African stories to Africans in Africa, in the Diaspora and to the rest of the world.

    Ndani TV will appeal to a wide audience, as the content  covers various genres from comedy, thriller, drama to inspirational and entertainment talk shows.

    Head of Production, Ndani TV, Agnes Marquis, said: “The stories that we tell on Ndani TV are not just well crafted, but are created from the everyday realities of the average youth, the complexities of everyday living, the comedy of our lives, living in the cosmopolitan city of Lagos, which is especially reflected in the series ‘Officer Titus’.’’

    The Ndani TV is the creator of hit TV shows, Gidi Up, ‘The Juice’ and ‘The Interview’ with Frank Donga.

  • 23-year old wins Bi-Courtney’s online competition

    A 23-year old undergraduate, Miss Gbemi Shotade, has won an online competition, MMA2KIARACE, which  closed in Lagos at the weekend with an impressive ceremony at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two (MMA2).

    The instagram-driven competition was sponsored by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, operator of MMA2 and co-sponsored by Kia Motors. Supporting brands include, Pepsi, Levi’s, Microsoft, T.M. Lewin, Swatch, DANA AIR, KFC and Le Meridien.

    Over 2,000 people from different parts of the country and overseas took part in the month-long competition, which kicked-off on May 7. The top 20 participants took part in the grand finale.

    Some of the other 300 participants, who won gifts at various stages of the competition, were present to redeem their gifts.

    The finalists competed in four tasks, including aptitude test and a lucky draw and Shotade, a 200 level student of Business Administration at the University of Lagos emerged winner of the Kia Rio grand prize.

    The first and second runners-up won a getaway weekend for two in an Executive Suite and an Executive Double Room respectively at the Le Meridien Ibom Hotel, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, with free return tickets courtesy DANA AIR.

    The third and fourth runners-up won Pepsi-branded fridges. The final 10 contestants also won a Nokia Lumia phone each, courtesy of Microsoft.

    The presentation of the grand prize was done by the Chief Executive Officer of BASL, Mr. Christophe Penninck, assisted by the Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Adebisi Awoniyi, Head of Marketing, Kia Motors, Mr. Olawale Jimoh and DANA’s brand ambassador, Mr. Bright Okpocha (aka Basket mouth).

  • Online auto market thriving

    Online auto market thriving

    Carmudi is the only vehicle marketplace which offers buyers, sellers and car dealers the ideal platform to find cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles online. In this report are the results of Carmudi quantitative surveys conducted online with car buyers and dealers, as well as in-depth interviews with industry influencers across the country. The online platform examines the current and future state of the automobile industry in the country as well as other emerging markets, TONIA DIYAN reports.

    The drastic increase in internet and mobile penetration, rising Gross Domestic Product  (GDP) , and the emergence of a middle class have succeeded in changing the global state of automobile sales and car purchasing behaviours in the country. There is a shift from offline  to online car purchase, 83 per cent of Nigerian car buyers turn to the internet, blogs, forums, and social media when researching for cars. According to majority of car dealers, up to 80per cent of their customers turn to the internet and social media for auto research.

    Globally, auto e-commerce has grown at such a staggering rate that now as many as 80per cent of new car customers and almost 100per cent of used car customers begin their car shopping experience online. With internet and mobile penetration significantly growing in emerging markets, the rate of moving the car shopping experience online is beginning to mirror that of Western markets. 83per cent of car buyers have been reported to use the Internet to conduct research on cars before making purchases.

    From findings by Carmudi, responses have proved that offline media, including newspaper classifieds and auto expos (under 10per cent) are declining as a source for buyers. Nigerian car dealers are also getting more and more digital when advertising their listings. Around 80per cent of car dealers are now primarily focused on advertising their car listings online.

    The Chief Executive Officer of Globe Motors, William Anumudu, said; “Currently, the number of people turning to the internet for car purchase has been on the increase. A lot of people use the internet to search for information, products or services. Any business that wants to excel must go digital. This is due to the fact that Nigerians like to be associated with new trends, the internet means accessibility to the world at all times and having information at the fingertips. As people embrace the internet, all businesses online will profit.”

    The study also stated that the state of ‘Global Car Sales Global automotive sales’ for 2015 are expected to reach close to $89million, a 2.4per cent growth from 2014. Emerging markets’ share of global sales will rise from 50per cent in 2012 to 60percent by 2020, while their share of global profits is also set to rise by 10per cent. When it comes to new cars, purchase intent is strongest in Asia, where 65percent of respondents say they will buy new cars in the next two years, compared with seven per cent who plan to buy used cars.

    Christian Keller, Managing Director Carmudi Nigeria said: ”2015 is the year of online car sales in Nigeria. With an unmatched growth rate in online car searches in Nigeria and a rapidly growing middle class, Carmudi´s report affirms that our investments to become the number one online car marketplace in Nigeria were worth it.”

    Nigeria has been heavily dependent on auto imports, which account for the largest share of the country’s foreign reserves each year. New vehicle assembly plants are expected, and the number of imported cars has already declined significantly from 11,563 in January to 7,400 units in February. Last month’s historic election of Muhammadu Buhari as president has generated uncertainty surrounding the autos sector. Although the party is pro-business, some industry stakeholders disagree with elements of the Autos policy, such as second-hand dealers who will lose out from the 70per cent tax on imports, or who would like to see full implementation of the policy deferred. Buhari could choose to reverse all or some sections of the automotive policy to secure more support with these stakeholders.

    The Carmudi study stated that 30percent of car dealers in Nigeria reported an increase in car sales over the past 12 months due to the changing economic climate, while 50 per cent of car dealers surveyed reported a decrease. Nigeria’s auto industry remains relatively strong, but critical policy changes, such as the National Automotive Industry Development Plan, have the potential to change the entire industry.

  • Would you rather shop online on Children’s Day?

    Shopping websites are always looking for reasons to put up sales and Children’s Day is another opportunity. Come next week, there will be excitement in the air as government and schools go into short vacation to celebrate children.

    The same way shopping malls and fun places will be wearing new look to celebrate with children this season, e-commerce websites already seems to be trying their luck with increasing number of online shoppers, particularly children. Online stores seem to have opened their Children’s Day special discounted stores on their website. On the eve of Children’s Day websites such as Jumia, Konga, Kaymu and Dealdey will not only give away discounted products but also conduct some interesting contests online for the kids to have fun to catch the attention of young shoppers.

    Online stores in an attempt to amuse young readers have tied up with one organization or the other to run ‘toy story contest’ on their websites, also on Facebook. This is aimed at encouraging children to visit their website as well as the Facebook page and answer questions or write short stories as comments. Top Contestants with best stories will receive free vouchers to win gifts items. Exciting deals across categories such as  toys, colouring pencils, music book, dictionary, children diary, vocabulary cartoon, greeting cards, story book, cartoon book, Tablet for learning, Disney mini story book library and comprehension book for children.  All these are sold for minimum of 20 per cent off their prices and some 30 per cent.

    Some other online stores are running a ‘Big Dream’ competition where they conduct a contest for kids and give them an opportunity to meet their role models. These stores want parents to write in a line about their child’s dream profession and their plans for the same, afterwards, three entries will be selected, other than that, 50 entries is aid to win discount vouchers from the site.

    Some online stores are giving away gifts based on children’s talents and abilities and as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the society, kids that are in need are given priority.

    These stores believe, childhood without fun and games is no childhood at all, they therefore, provide toys and games sections which they say will help children develop concentration and imagination from a very young age. “Be it puzzle games, plush toys or board games, toys are an integral part of the growing up years of a child. Toys and games positively impact the minds of children in learning new processes and taking up complex challenges,” said Afam Anyika, Offline Manager, Jumia.com.ng

    According to his colleague at Konga.com.ng, Tomiwa Akande, Public Relations Officer Konga, “A toy becomes a child’s most favourite companion and the two are usually inseparable. Here at Konga, children will find a wide assortment of toys and games that extend to products like a strollers and prams from popular brands.’’

    She added that parents could browse a various children items aside toys and games for their wards. She said: “Purchase products from popular brands such as Luv lap, Cuddles, Fisher-Price, among others, to give your child a happy childhood this season.”

    ‘’The huge range of toys and games, among others offer something for every child, they should be allowed this season to explore the world of toys and their games online,’’ she added.

  • Online food sale to hit $100b by 2018

    Britain is leading the way in the sale of food and groceries online and with e-commerce already accounting for some per cent of food sales, other countries, such as Nigeria, are catching up with online food store. They include Hello foods and Super mart. Experts predict that the global market will grow to $100 billion in three years.

    Big retailers have decided to invest in food selling online operations, with the hope that they can persuade consumers that they will add more profitable items such as clothes and computers to their orders of fruit, vegetables and other meals.

    According to findings, food is one of the last things to move online because complex logistics for fresh, chilled and frozen products makes it an expensive business particularly in Nigeria.

    However, most food retailers are now ramping up their online food offers to compete with foreign food online stores.

    An expert said, “It is notoriously difficult to make money selling groceries and food online. The reason people do it and need to do it have nothing to do with profit but the flare for it.”