All the smaller e-commerce guys should be thanking Jumia and Konga. And for what? Well, for all the advertising naira/dollars they’ve been spending on television recently. And yes, for getting featured on international media too.
The real market for Nigerian e-commerce isn’t online…not yet, and maybe not for a few years. However, most of them watch television right now.
Jumia and Konga are spending tons of money to reach these people, while everyone enviously looks on. But looked at from another perspective, they aren’t advertising Jumia and Konga – even if they think they are. What they are actually advertising is e-commerce itself. Just like the guy with the cheesy smile pictured above, they are taking it right into people’s living rooms.
If Jumia and Konga are spending all this money…money that the average e-commerce startup doesn’t have — to attract the attention of an offline audience…an audience that the average e-commerce startup cannot reach — some of whom might eventually wind up on your site…because they are now online – then some thanks are in order, don’t you think?
NB: This post was first published on my blog.
