Grace Ashiru
It is a known fact that logistics is one of the critical issues that Nigeria’s retail sector is now confronting.
It is difficult for merchants to buy items and quickly transfer them to their stores because proximity to the markets, inadequate transit system, and restricted infrastructure all contribute to this difficulty.
Innovative Business – to – business platforms in the country, such as Alerzo, have recognized this infrastructure gap and are utilizing technology to shift the delivery scenario for sellers of predominantly fast-moving consumer goods.
The owners of retail businesses can interface with producers and recognized distributors. They have access to a wide variety of products, which they can quickly order and have delivered for free, thanks to technological advancements.
Since the beginning of 2019, Alerzo has provided its clients with delivery at no additional cost. Because it is less time-consuming and dangerous to buy on e-commerce platforms, it is now possible for microbusinesses to avoid the stress of purchasing inventory and the dangers of doing so while travelling. Regarding this topic, the Chief Executive Officer of Alerzo, Adewale Opaleye, stated: “We’ve made the refilling process much easier by making them accessible via basic channels such as WhatsApp and USSD codes.”More crucially, we are also teaching local merchants in remote regions how to use our app to place orders for items, which is a vital step. Increased internet accessibility is also helpful, and the fact that several of them have cellphones requires relatively little direction and instruction.
It’s interesting to note that Business – to – business eCommerce platforms offer solutions for fulfilment and warehousing to the companies that supply goods.
Opaleye elaborated that this was by the company’s mission to service thousands of shops on its platform, which would, in turn, support retail Business throughout the nation. More than 500 vehicles and forty warehouses are utilized to supply fast-moving consumer goods directly to retailers from genuine distributors and producers.
These shops can improve their earnings by channeling the money they would have spent on transporting items to and from the open markets into purchasing additional inventory.
Ultimately, due to their innovative logistics systems, Nigerian retailers are getting better business experiences from eCommerce platforms.
