By Aloysious Kasoma
DHL Express, the world’s international express service provider, has urged Ugandan entrepreneurs to increase their share of the trillion-dollar global e-commerce market.
During a workshop held at DHL Headquarters in Kololo on Thursday, Fatma Abubakar, Country Manager DHL Express Uganda said Ugandans businessmen and women should enhance their international e-commerce shipping capabilities and target internet-savvy buyers like the youths – 68% of whom are likely to choose a retailer based on delivery options offered.
The company also launched an e-commerce workshop.
“International e-commerce is growing at a remarkable pace and we want our customers to grab their share of the market – that means adding value to their e-commerce proposition,” Fatmah said.
“Our customers’ success is closely tied to their buyers’ satisfaction with the delivery experience and the delivery options offered. DHL has developed services that both enhance the customer experience and that support web merchants as they access new markets. The workshop will showcase those services, from flexible delivery options for buyers to intelligent website analyses tailored to merchants,” she added
Morgan Uloko, the Regional Manager for East and Southern Africa said that last year, DHL commissioned a research in the market to look at how the market and e-commerce were growing.
“A lot of people find international market challenging but E-Commerce is growing and retailers go to regional markets by 25% – 30%. Across the world, Asia, America and Europe trading online has grown to 60%,” he said.
Uloko noted that SMEs will be the engine for African economies, where the trend is expected to hit 1.6 billion shoppers online and $900 billion is estimated to be spent on cross border purchases by 2020.
For companies looking to build flexibility into their networks and to take advantage of the overseas demand that arises – sometimes unexpectedly – with the launch of an e-commerce offering, international express logistics companies can provide global networks that make door-to-door access to overseas markets and a premium service offering possible.
They also provide indirect benefits to e-commerce companies by providing additional brand credibility and trust, streamlining their logistics processes, and minimising financial risks by reducing the time spent by inventory in transit and ensuring full visibility on orders.
