Increased online orders from rural consumers has seen Jumia Kenya expand the number of its sales agents countrywide to 25,000 according to Chief Executive Officer Charles Ballard.
Ballard said the e-commerce firm is committed to expand operations in peri-urban and rural areas in Kenya in order to drive economic growth through the internet.
“We are proud to bring a modern and convenient shopping experience to customers located in small Kenyan towns and to give them access to millions of products that are not available locally,” said Ballard.
The agents dubbed JForce are independent sales people who form part of the firms distribution network earning commissions based on sales.
The high internet penetration in the country has seen online order rise in recent years a factor Jumia Kenya Head of Logistics, Chris Nyaga said has also contributed to drop in delivery costs.
“E-commerce enables all consumers to buy products at the same price whether they live in Nairobi, Meru, or Lodwar. Delivery costs have also decreased over the years, the average delivery cost to rural areas is now around Ksh 300 depending on the item’s size. Pick-Up station has helped reduce prices and minimize environmental impact,” said Chris Nyaga, Head of Logistics, Jumia Kenya.
The firms has identified Eldoret, Nakuru, Kakamega, Kitale, and Kisumu as areas showing the most promising consumer demand.
Additionally, Jumia says it has added more than 350 rural pick-up points and collaborated with more than 45 local logistics partners for last mile delivery of orders to rural consumers.
