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.
According to Moulaye Taboure Co-Founder and CEO of Afrikrea while commenting 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.”
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-co
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.”
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