"Let’s also be honest here. Jumia didn’t succeed because it was “African”. Jumia owes part of its success to a marketplace that doesn’t believe in domestic brands. It’s heavy lifting to build a successful local brand, because you’re viewed suspiciously."

I live in Ghana, and I don't shop on Jumia[1] because i don't believe in domestic brands. It's a ridiculous claim. This[2] is a local brand that has made 10,000+ successful sales via Jumia. The major challenge of doing E-commerce in Africa is that excluding some affluent parts, many towns and cities don't have functioning address grids. It's a complete mess and one requires the use of landmarks and long descriptions to locate places.

Jumia representatives always call to ask for directions to your location. If they get lost, you could have them give the phone to anyone nearby who is familiar with the neighborhood. You can then have the stranger direct them(Jumia delivery reps) to your location. It may be unconventional, but works.

I and millions of people who shop on Jumia do so cause it's convenient and provides a needed service. Until a few days ago, I had no idea it's a German company and its founders are french. Calling it an African company when it's not may be deceptive, but please don't say it's successful because Africans don't love local brands.

[1] - https://www.jumia.com.gh/ [2] - https://www.jumia.com.gh/white-label-woven-kente-fabric-6-ya...