Online retail firm eyes bigger slice of Kenyan market

Kilimall, one of the largest online retail firms in Kenya, plans to enlarge its footprint in the East African nation known for its vibrant e-commerce, the company said Tuesday.

Victor Ma, Managing Director of Kilimall Kenya, said his company intends to expand operations in rural parts of the country while diversifying products sold on its online platforms in order to stay afloat amid fierce competition.

"We are positioning ourselves to reap from the gains of a rapidly expanding online retail market in Kenya by diversifying products range and geographical reach," Ma said at a media briefing in Nairobi.

Kilimall has provided an online market place for electronic goods, home appliances and clothes since its launch in Kenya two and a half years ago.

Ma said the company intends to focus on locally made products in future while expanding its presence in rural towns, where internet connectivity has improved.

Kenya has one of the most vibrant e-commerce sector in sub-Saharan Africa thanks to friendly regulations and higher internet connectivity.

An internal survey conducted by Kilimall between September to November 2016 indicated that 37 percent of Nairobi residents purchased goods through online platforms.

Ma however said that frequent power outages and erratic internet connection in small towns have inhibited growth of Kenya's e-commerce sector.

Meanwhile, Kilimall said it had put in place deterrent measures to curb proliferation of counterfeit products on its online platforms.

Gladys Liu, Marketing Manager at Kilimall Kenya, said the company had been coordinating directly with products' manufacturers to detect and weed out sub-standard goods. Endit