There is no doubt that more people have access to the internet and smart devices today than any other time in our history. In fact, this number continues to grow, especially in the developing world, which includes many African countries.
The internet age has brought with it many gifts. Emailing, instant messaging, and voice and video calling, among other things, have turned tasks that would have taken days, into fleeting actions. This, many would argue, has made our lives much easier. And I agree.
One of the great gifts of the internet has been the massive surge in online shopping, especially in the first world. This has given consumers access to shops they would not have normally been able to visit, and they can now buy whatever they want. These days you can buy clothes, food, and gadgets with the click of a button.
While this kind of online shopping has become incredibly successful in Europe and other parts of the first world, it is yet to pick up in a big way in Africa. Make no mistake, there are some parts of Africa where it has taken off. But this is not enough.
I recently had experiences that reminded me exactly why online shopping will remain a pipe dream for a very long time in Africa.
This is the sad reality.
It’s simple: online shopping must be an extension of the experience one should get when in a physical store.
For example, if you walked into a shoe store, the kind of quality of service and product you received would usually be a great indicator of what service you would receive if you were behind your desk looking at these products on your computer screen.
I other words, if you can’t get great service in person, don’t expect miracles online!
So does this mean online shopping in Africa is doomed? Not at all. It just means that before we take the leap forward and ultimately “catch up” with the rest of the world, we have to (almost) perfect what we have got.
We need the necessary in-store infrastructure to “back the service” when it is represented online.
One cannot paint the whole continent with the same brush because there are some online stores that are doing great things. Fair – but they are not enough.
I’ve heard too many stories from different people who have ordered something from an online food store and received the completely wrong order. This morning alone, I dealt with three different online services where people had simply failed to “copy and paste” information.
Last week, I dealt with a food chain store that was so unhygienic, I emailed management about it. It’s seven days later, and I have yet to receive a response.
The point is not to rant about the inefficiencies of service, but to merely argue that perhaps the digital revolution will not succeed without the necessary physical infrastructure and service to back this up. It is like trying to withdraw more money from the bank than you actually have in your account. It is simply not possible.
Changing the platform where the service is provided will not improve things it if it is a bad service to begin with.
I hope the developing world can wake up to this reality.