As the world goes digital, online stores becomes no. 1 place for direct retail shopping with its 24 hours availability, a global reach, the ability to interact and easy customer support information.
Beginning from world’s most popular online store, Amazon in 1994 to EBay to Wallmart; online stores are rapidly becoming a multibillion dollar source of revenue for the world’s business. In develop countries of the world; online stores are the mainstay of direct retail shopping. Nigeria, still a developing country have joined the trend with rest of the world as many indigenous Nigeria online stores flood the internet and are now competing among themselves for recognition in web.
Are you sure we (Nigerians) are ripe for this? Are you sure we (Nigerians) can make it like the rest of the developed countries? Can we have true indigenous online stores that can excellently deliver products and services to their customer in Nigeria and other countries across the globe like Amazon.com, EBay etc? Let the Nigeria online store companies answer these questions.
If you want to shop online in Nigeria; and you don’t know where to start or you were hurt in your last online shopping by one of these claimed Nigeria online stores, this is the right place for you to begin.
I have strictly and objectively selected 7 top online stores in Nigeria who’s online shopping platform are now widely accepted nationwide. The criteria for the selection include but not limited to;
- Popularity- measured by the number fans and followers in social media communities and number of visitors (or customers) to the site daily.
- Professional website design and easy-customer usability (easy site navigation).
- Customers’ products/services reviews and comments.
- Products varieties.
- Easy accessibility of the online stores on mobile phones/tablets and availability of site mobile app. for download.
NB. All sites that are not strictly on buying and selling of customer products online are not considered in this list. Example is OXL.com.ng which is the big G free classified ad site.
Let’s begin the listing from the descending order;
- Buyright.biz
buyright.biz website online store
Buyright is retail online shopping platform offering unique customer products. Website design is not as impressive as other sites in this list. They have a relatively low number of fans (facebook fans- 9559) compare to others in this list. They made position 7 on this list because of their good customer delivery and the array of products (inverters, batteries, voltage stabilizers and prot, computer peripherals and accessories, USB, driver/memory cards, personal electronics, energy saving and solar light) they offer.
READ: How to begin profitable small business in Nigeria
6. Mystore.com.ng
mystore.com.ng website online store
Mystore is not a conventional online store in Nigeria. They serve intermediary job in online shopping. They help to bridge the gap between quality offline stores and online shopping customers. Merchants and brands register on mystore to sell their products to over 100 million Nigeria nationwide. The registration of merchant is quick and a simple one, products registered go live within 48 hours after approval. Mystore grab the 6th position on this list because of their good customer protection program, wide varieties products (clearance sale, phones and tablets sale, fashion stores, home appliance sale, home and decoration sale, kitchen store, computer store, kids store) they deal on and they reasonably number of fans on social media community (facebook fans – 51, 867 compare to 9559 facebook fans of buyright, twitter followers – 166) and daily site visitors of 4, 673 (according to the site informer.com)
5. Buyam.com.ng
buyam.com.ng.online store
Buyam, a product of Morpheus Online Business Services Limited just like mystore serve different products from best Nigeria merchants. They are not direct retail shopping site. The products they sell are from customers’ favourite offline stores.
Buyam.com.ng still struggle with popularity and general acceptance spend largely on advertisement campaign. They jumped to position 5 on this list because of their good impression on social media community ( facebook fans – 59,898, twitter followers-784), and daily visitor to the site of 13, 271 (according to netvaluator) compare to 51,867 facebook fans, twitter follower 166 and daily site visitors 4, 673 of mystore. They also have wide quality products display.
4. Slotlimited.com.ng
slotlimited.com website online store
A well known offline Nigeria store before its online store inception 5years ago. Slotlimited online store began in a bid to follow the trends. They deal on phones and tablets, computer and computer accessories. Most of their offline products are not online display products.
They slightly took position 4 on this list because of their numerous already existing offline customers who trust their products and service and are ready to become online customers. The site records daily visitors of 18,228 (according to site the informer.com), 1,018 twitter followers and 31,181 facebook fans. The website design and usability are considerably good.
3. Taafoo.com.ng
taafoo.com.ng website online store
Just like slotlimited does not have all their products on online store, some of their products are on offline store. They are the most well known online fashion product store selling in Nigeria with their fast time delivery of the purchased products; no wonder they were credited with 3rd position on this list. They are more popular on facebook 111,519 compare to 31, 181 of slot, twitter 5,819 compare to 1,018 of slot and 22,598 daily visitors (according to informer.com) against 18, 228 of slot.
Unfortunately, reviews all over the web blacklist taafoo as fake branded product sellers. The website design requires some professional touches.
2. Jumia.com.ng
jumia.com.ng website online store
Jumia has been selected as 2nd best online store in Nigeria considering the quality of website design, easy site usability, wide product varieties for sale, multi- million Nigeria advertising campaign, 293,728 facebook fans, 28,051 twitter follower and 176, 934 daily visitors to the site(according to informer.com). The site ranks 19 in Alexa ranking and appear no.1 on Google search for the phrase, “online shopping in Nigeria”. This I know will add tons of returns in their search engine marketing. To the website SEO Engineer, kudos! With jumia mobile app. downloaded on your android phone, you can access and buy jumia products using your phone. What a plus!
However, jumia.com.ng recorded poor customer reviews. Reviewers claim inadequacies in fast delivery of jumia purchased products. The delivery of products technically last for about 2weeks. Reviewers also claim pricy-products, selling products a bit expensive compare to other online Nigeria stores.
Wait a bit! Should I say this now?
This February 2014, jumia.com Nigeria was sold to foreign investors by the co-founder. I wonder what will be the fate of jumia in next five years
- Konga.com.ng
konga.com website online store
Konga is on top of the list of online store in Nigeria with its quality professional website design look and easy site usability, quality images of the products on display, quality services and fast delivery of online purchased products of less than 24hours. Konga.com tops the list on social media community (facebook fans – 771,573, twitter follower 65,163). The site ranks 17 in Alexa ranking. Konga mobile app. can be download in Nokia phones such Nokia asha 501, Nokia lumina etc. When downloaded on mobile phone, Konga online store can easily be access right with the Nokia phone
Konga is popularly known to offer reasonably low price on products compare to jumia. They also spend largely on Nigeria advertisement campaign. Konga is known for their branding and good customer reviews as, “the way for online shopping in Nigeria” and I can comfortably join these customers to say the same based on my above findings.