West African tech startup launches SaaS solution for African micro retailers

Côte D’Ivoire -based eCommerce tech startup Afrikrea has launched an all-in-one SaaS solution to provide a seamless eCommerce, payments, and global shipping online service for thousands of micro retailers and businesses in Africa. 

 ANKA is the first of its kind global eCommerce aggregator services for African micro retailers

Titled ANKA, which means ‘Ours’ in Bambara and Djoula, the platform aims to empower micro retailers in Africa to have their products distributed across the globe and increase their overall revenue and sales output. This innovative platform will function as an omnichannel for African micro retailers to sell their products and services globally. 

Moulaye Taboure Co-Founder and CEO of Afrikrea comments on the launch of ANKA.  

“We see Afrikrea as the bridge between Africa and the world, empowering thousands of micro retailers and their clients globally. Those entrepreneurs currently lose time and energy managing multiple channels of sales, and also lose money through the multiple intermediaries needed to ship their orders or get access to their funds. ANKA enables them to sell anywhere as well as get paid – seamlessly, from one place.”

ANKA

Afrikrea claims that its new platform ANKA is the first of its kind global eCommerce aggregator services for African micro retailers. 

ANKA has been developed to reduce the friction of the global sales process for the 7,000+ sellers on the Afrikrea platform, as well as open new routes to market for sellers.

ANKA will enable merchants to do the following: 

• Sell via a customised online storefront, social media platforms, or via links such as those on Gumroad and the Afrikrea marketplace. This process is conducted via an omnichannel dashboard with a single inventory that enables order and message management. 
• Merchants will be able to offer international shipping as ANKA has partnered with DHL to offer suitable rates for shipping goods.
• The platform will enable merchants to facilitate and centralise payments, both locally and globally, via a secure online wallet. In addition, it will enable merchants to receive payouts according to their personal
• Afrikrea has partnered with VISA to provide an Afrikrea VISA card for merchants as a payout method.

The costs for utilising ANKA are approximately $12 a month. In addition, the platform connects with  MPesa, Orange, and MTN, enabling consumers to pay merchants via mobile money, mobile banking, PayPal, and several international payment cards.

Merchants will be able to transfer funds secured from their wallets in various methods such as the physical VISA card. 

In an official press statement, Afrikrea explains that ANKA is a running success. 

“In a bid to power and support the entire sales life cycle, from point of sale to receipt of goods, Afrikrea partnered with leading global logistics partner, DHL in 2019 to ensure world-class delivery service for its vendors. Since then, ANKA has become the largest e-commerce exporter on the continent, with over 10 tons of cargo shipped every month out of Africa. Using the ANKA service, vendors can search for competitive shipping rates; this is not limited to sales on the Afrikrea platform. Dropshippers looking to create jobs produce goods, and ship from the continent will also have the opportunity to manage their flow of business and get paid globally using the platform.”

Afrikrea

Founded in 2016, the eCommerce tech startup is a marketplace for the sale and purchase of African-inspired clothing, accessories along with arts and crafts. 

According to the tech startup, since launching it has increased its transactions to over $15-million in 170 countries worldwide with sellers from 47 out of 54 African countries. The platform claims to have the majority of customers located in Europe and North America, with over 500 000 monthly website visits. 

 “In much the same way that international technology companies like Shopify and Alibaba have been central to inspiring and powering a new wave of global online retailers, and have created wealth for thousands of entrepreneurs via access to amazing eCommerce software, our plan is to achieve much the same, but for the growing and dynamic African market. By handling a safe and seamless process for our vendors – sales, payments, shipping – we expect to grow with them and power commerce for thousands more online marketplaces and sellers who have a passion for Africa,” concludes Taboure

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Featured image: (From left to right) Afrikrea Executive Team, Luc Perussault-Diallo CTO, Moulaye Taboure CEO, Guillaume Darnaudet CFO, Kadry Diallo CMO, (Supplied)