Public Relations and Communication Manager of Jumia Ghana, Bennet Otoo has given insights into how online retail business presents opportunities amid COVID-19.
Speaking on the Global Media Alliance Webinar series titled, “The New Normal: Unlocking Digital Transformation in the Retail Industry’, he noted that among other things, the online retail business allows one to run a business without setting up a physical space, aggregate niche products and build customer loyalty.
“You can start your own business and you don’t necessarily need to have an office space or you don’t necessarily need to have your employees working with you. You can actually have all your fulfilment services on one side, all your customer services on another side and your headquarters at yet another side”, he said, addressing the location independence opportunity that online retail presents.
He furthered that online retail business presents both retailers and customers the opportunity of aggregating niche products in one market.
Explaining his point, he noted, “We realize that in the past if I need to get a Nike sneaker or an Adidas sneaker or T-shirts, I need to go to the brands. Now all these things put together as fashion items can be found on online retail platforms. When you go to these platforms, you can see that all these products have been aggregated under certain categories.
Bennet added that the online retail business allows retailers to know their customers and vice versa because there will be one-on-one communication as well as chat history which can even help the retailers to observe and detect the interests of their customers.
The Communications Manager advised that as everyone is adjusting to the new normal, it will only be beneficial to business owners if they pick up these opportunities to better and build their brand loyalty.
By: Alberta Dorcas N.D. Armah