Integrating Africa’s Offline and Online Retail Channels

E-commerce is fast growing in Africa. COVID-19 forced brick and mortar  outlets across several sectors to embrace e-commerce. However, businesses and consumers  have experienced mixed results. Some offline retail corporations and sales channels have  successfully used e-commerce platforms to boost sales and profitability. Others have had  their fingers burnt and have reverted to offline channels. Informal retailing dominates over  90% of retailing activity on the continent, and some fully digital brands are now embracing  brick and mortar retailing. 

On the flip side, e-commerce retailers based in Sub-Saharan Africa battle with low margins,  shoppers’ distrust, product or service mix decisions, and logistics problems. A more  significant concern for the retailers is that shoppers in Africa find it more comfortable to  shop on Amazon or Alibaba than local e-commerce platforms1. Businesses that successfully  integrate offline and online channels stand a chance to win on the continent but achieving  this integration is a daunting task. 

There is an urgent need for Africa’s stakeholders in the e-commerce and retail ecosystem to  share their thoughts on successfully integrating online and offline retail channels within the  continent. The forthcoming mini-conference will bring together stakeholders, academics,  public sector officials, and practitioners to present tips for successful integration. Speakers  at the conference will include CEOs across the continent and seasoned scholars. 

Some relevant questions the mini-conference will address include 

• What is the future of Africa’s e-commerce as consumer behaviour evolves? • What does success look like when integrating offline and online retail channels? • How can consumer insights facilitate sustainable integration?
• How can retail businesses effectively engage customers online in a continent with connectivity challenges?

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