An e-commerce platform in Kenya, specializing in electronics and home products like furniture, recently conducted a cleanup operation to remove 1,500 vendors out of 30,000 due to the sale of counterfeit goods. The platform denied rumors of a vendor boycott.
The company clarified that the cleanup targeted brokers and sellers of fake or substandard items, including those falsely posing as vendors. Brokers facilitate product sales but do not own the merchandise themselves.
Despite some claims of unfair removal by a few vendors, the platform stands by its decision to crack down on counterfeit goods. Additionally, several vendors ceased posting on the platform, citing issues.
Reports from customers indicated delays in receiving electronic orders from the platform, with promised refunds taking longer than expected. The company acknowledged delays in refunds, attributing them to challenges with specific merchants which have since been resolved.
The e-commerce platform boasts a 75% fulfillment rate and charges an average commission of 8%. Fulfillment rate signifies the percentage of customer orders processed and delivered on time.
In 2022, the platform was acquired by a buy-now-pay-later company for KES 250 million, marking a pivotal moment for the struggling business, which had previously announced layoffs. Despite the transition, efforts are being made to position the platform as a leading marketplace in Kenya.
As affiliated companies, customers of the platform can utilize the buy-now-pay-later services provided by the new owner to manage payments for online purchases.