As the Black Friday sales season rolls on, East African e-commerce platform Kilimall has seen a remarkable surge in sales, with numbers skyrocketing during this year’s promotional period.
From November 1st to 30th, the platform launched a series of enticing deals, including consumer subsidies and Flash Sales on high-value items, which have contributed to the substantial increase in demand.
Daniel Waweru, a satisfied customer, shared his experience after purchasing a new TECNO smartphone via Kilimall’s website. “Super product, keep it up Kilimall and TECNO.
The camera is very clear, the speakers are very powerful, and the connectivity is incredibly fast,” Waweru wrote in a review on November 10th.
On the first day of the Black Friday event, Kilimall reported a staggering 150% increase in product sales compared to last year, while the number of orders placed jumped by over 100%, according to company data.
Founded in 2014, Kilimall holds the distinction of being the first Chinese e-commerce platform to establish a warehouse in Africa.
Over the years, it has evolved into the top-ranked e-commerce application in East Africa.
The company has played a significant role in bridging the gap between China and Africa, creating nearly 10,000 local jobs along the way.
The name “Kilimall” is derived from Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, reflecting the company’s aspirations to reach the pinnacle of e-commerce on the continent.
“We wanted to create a local business and brand, and we hope to reach the heights of e-commerce in Africa,” explained Yang Tao, the company’s founder and CEO.
Kilimall’s success can be attributed to its robust supply chain and innovative business model.
“Our biggest advantage is the enormous supply chain from China,” said Xie Bin, co-founder and vice president of Kilimall.
The platform was designed to offer Chinese-made goods to African consumers at competitive prices, facilitating better access to everyday products.
In an effort to reduce costs and improve efficiency, Kilimall has adopted a unique “foreign warehouse model.”
Under this system, Chinese merchants send their products to warehouses in African countries, allowing local consumers to place orders and receive goods faster than ever before.
The rapid expansion of Kilimall underscores the deepening digital and commercial cooperation between China and Africa.
In 2019, Yang Tao moved the company’s headquarters from Nairobi to Changsha, China, recognizing the opportunities presented by the growing African market.
At the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo later that year, Kilimall managed the “China-Africa Online Economic and Trade Expo,” providing Africa with online shopping solutions.
As Chinese e-commerce giants like SHEIN and Pinduoduo continue to expand in Africa, Kilimall’s success serves as a key example of the flourishing Sino-African trade relationship.
Liao Zhengrong, Kilimall’s brand director, emphasized that recent announcements at the Beijing Summit of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (FOCAC) will create even more opportunities for companies like Kilimall, particularly in terms of supply chain optimization and logistics efficiency.
With this strong foundation, Kilimall is poised for even greater success as it continues to solidify its presence in Africa’s rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape.
