Black Friday: How prepared are the Nigerian ecommerce platforms

Black Friday is here again and there has been a lot of buzz and excitement coming from all over the world. It is a day set out in the year where retailers offer huge promotional sales on almost all their product categories from home and kitchen equipment to fashion, electronics, mobile phones etc.

What makes this exciting is the fact that buyers get huge discounts promises up to 80% on some products put for sale on black Friday. Online retailers in Nigeria like Konga, Jumia are not left out as they have been flashing massive price slash for this special shopping event. Interestingly, the shopping experience of Black Friday is not restricted to online retailers alone, products can also be bought at some select offline retail stores.

As shoppers prepare for this day by creating their almost endless shopping list (that depends on your pocket size), it is pertinent to know whether the retailers are also ready to deliver on their discount pricing promises. However while the primary business of the customer is to shop to satisfaction, there seems to be more worries for the retailers.

Over the years online retailers have recorded tremendous traffic more than their platforms can handle, resulting into website crashes few hours after the big sales was declared open. This often times leaves intending shoppers disappointed and perhaps a massive reduction in expected revenue for the retailers.

While many of the retailers have braced up for this expected traffic, one questionable aspect is logistics which is arguably the most important element of ecommerce. As far as Nigerians shoppers are concerned, many of us should be prepared to experience very poor delivery services from these ecommerce platforms. First of all, a customer is most happy when you do not have issues such as an oversized Jeans or Canvass which invariably results in a return. This is what you won’t pray to experience because it will take extra days and frequent calls to the customer service centres before you get finally get it sorted….. that is if you don’t give up after series of frustration. Konga and Jumia are the biggest culprits as far this return issue is concerned and It will almost seem like they do not care about your complain: at least payment has been made (if you make instant payments). I hope they are well prepared to handle these after sales issues and complains.

One other trouble shoppers may experience is the ‘fragmented product delivery’, this is Black Friday and it is expected that shoppers will buy more than one product. Many customers have experienced product delivery on different days and this seem to be the most annoying of all, for example you buy a shoe and a bag and then both items are delivered on separate days. Jumia my eyes are on you, following my terrible experience of visiting one of the pickup centres about 5 times to pick up items bought at once and another occasion where two items were delivered on separate dates.

What shoppers need to know:

Adopt the Pay on Delivery option. This payment option has always been my best choice, this puts you at a vantage position as well as allow you return whatever products you are not satisfied with while you are yet to part with your cash. However having your cash with you is a form of consolation but getting the item you so want at that particular time is a better gratification.

Don’t risk buying a combination of items for an urgent event: Imagine when you shop for that nice peplum gown and a nice pair of heels just to grace the red carpet event with your friends……. You are home waiting on the delivery guy who eventually shows up with the shoe and then tells you the dress will arrive two days later. That’s a situation better imagined than experiencing.

The key question to ask is: How prepared are the ecommerce and retail platforms in Nigeria? Sounds like a trivia……………

Anyway the aforementioned points should not take away the fun of buying all those goodies that will be up for grabs on Black Friday, they are just meant to keep you in the loop so draw your list, look out for your choice platforms where you can get the best deals and Vrooooooooom!!!!!