Jumia Kenya Goes After Offline Retailers | Launches Initiative To Help Them Run Physical Shops

In a move that will help online retailer Jumia Kenya  to reach more customers offline, the firm has launched this week its salesforce team to give the opportunity to talented entrepreneurs to sell just about anything.

Benjamin Bavuz, Jumia Kenya’s Business Developing Manager told TechMoran that Jumia  is launching its sales force team which will see ordinary retailers in Kenya running physical Jumia retail points to help them reach more clients and businesses.

Not to be confused with sales agents, Jumia is looking for real entrepreneurs who are willing to grow fast and aiming at running their own physical shop with their own teams. The retailers start as J-Force Entrepreneurs, then progress every time they realize a certain amount of commission.

“As you are growing from the probation stage to the platinum level, your commission increases,” said Bavuz, “Are you a gold Entrepreneur ? We provide you with a tablet and unlimited Inernet!”

“After being a great J-Force Entreprenuer, one can become a J-Captain once they have proven they have an entrepreneurship spirit and are able to efficiently manage a big network. Once you stay at the Platinum Level for 3 weeks in a row, you will be ready to progress to J-Captain. We provide you with an amazing support system to make sure that you are as efficient as possible,” Bavuz added.

Being a J-Force Entreprenuer earns one money from the products they personnally sell. while being a J-Captain earns one 10% of the commission made by their own team, and 2% of the commission of the split network. The J-Captain will even receive a fixed income of KSH 10,000 every month.

Jumia  will either deliver the physical products to one’s location or they can pick them from their warehouses. Jumia will also help with custoemr care services and entreprenuers can also attend training sessions and workshops to improve their skills and become the best JForce member they can be. Other materials supplied aasone grows include flyers, material for a pop-up store, a personal Customer care agent.

Starters are required to pay an entrance fee of Ksh 500 which includes a Jumia T-shirt and printed copies of the catalogues.

“At the start of the program we provide entreprenuers with a catalogue of products to sell at thier leisure earning a commission with every sale, as their sales increase we invest more by providing them with tools to help push sales such as tablets, a personal buy good number, business registration and finally we assist in the establishment of a fulltime physical store, said Bavuz.

“By training the entreprenuers through different stages of the retail business from sales to management our program ensures that those we invest in have the right tools to succeed.”

The retailers pick goods from Jumia at wholesale prices, have a payment service set up for them , have their businesses registered by Jumia and also get assistance in establishing a physical shop.