49% of small businesses in Kenya use social media like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp only as their e-commerce channels. Yet, dedicated e-commerce features tailored for African users are still in the pipeline, awaiting release.
This informal approach to social commerce has allowed individuals and unregistered businesses to tap into online selling while fostering a sense of trust within the community.
However, challenges persist, primarily in terms of convenience and efficiency. Negotiating prices, arranging payments, and managing delivery off the platforms could be more convenient for sellers.
While mainstream social media platforms undeniably serve as powerful marketing and advertising channels, social commerce goes beyond postings
In this article, we are going to explore the impact of social commerce on small businesses and how it is shaping the way people shop online.
Table of content
What is Social Commerce?
How is Social commerce shaping online shopping in Kenya?
Moving from informal social commerce to a social commerce platform
The best Social Commerce Platforms in Kenya
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- Slyzed
- Twiva
- Wowzi
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What is Social Commerce?
Social commerce in Kenya is the use of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp for businesses to connect with customers more interactively and seamlessly.
Brands are tapping into the power of user-generated content, like product reviews and photos, to build trust and drive sales. It’s like having a virtual storefront where customers can not only browse products but also engage with the brand and fellow shoppers, creating a dynamic and immersive shopping experience that ultimately boosts sales.
Social commerce continues to gain popularity, thanks to increased internet access and smartphone usage across Africa.
According to the GSMA 2023 e-commerce report, 49% of small businesses in Kenya rely solely on social media for their online sales. Simultaneously, 13% opt for e-commerce platforms and another 13% have their websites.
But what exactly sets social commerce apart from traditional e-commerce? E-commerce is like having a digital storefront where customers come to buy while social commerce is about building relationships and trust through engaging content and interactions.
And now, there’s a new breed of social commerce platforms emerging, ones that seamlessly integrate the best of social media, e-commerce, and website selling. These platforms offer a one-stop solution for promoting and selling products through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more, all in one place.
So if you’re looking to take your online sales game to the next level, these platforms might just be your new best friend.
How is Social commerce in Kenya shaping online shopping?
Social commerce is revolutionizing online shopping in Kenya by transforming the entire shopping journey, from discovery to purchase. It allows brands to connect with shoppers in a more personal and meaningful way, fostering trust and loyalty.
Moreover, social commerce users also take advantage of social networks, allowing shoppers to receive product recommendations from their friends and family, making the shopping experience more authentic and tailored to individual preferences.
In Kenya, most social commerce platforms go beyond just selling products to integrate influencer marketing and creator commerce. This creates a personalized shopping experience driven by trusted voices and authentic content. This not only expands market reach for small businesses but also provides shoppers with access to a diverse range of products.
Additionally, creators have the opportunity to monetize their efforts, further enriching the social commerce ecosystem in Kenya. It’s a win-win-win situation where brands, shoppers, and creators all benefit from the dynamic and interactive nature of social commerce.
Moving from informal social commerce to a social commerce platform
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest dominate social commerce but their shoppable features on these platforms are unavailable within the continent. This has prompted African businesses to explore alternative strategies such as influencer marketing and affiliate marketing to drive sales.
In most social commerce shopping scenarios, you will discover a product from your feed. It can either be from someone you know, or from an ad. If you are interested, you are most likely to click and see the description and pricing.
The customer journey moves from your feed, and probably to the seller’s inbox, or even call them externally to negotiate pricing and delivery terms. However, this can be time-consuming for sellers who also have other things to do.
The outcome is mostly missed orders due to delayed response to customers, lack of time to post product updates consistently, and other tasks. For a busy enterprise, SMEs are forced to hire more people or to have an efficient social commerce pipeline.
But, what if I told you that it does not have to be like that? In Kenya, startups are finding innovative ways to seal this gap by providing platforms to streamline selling on social media.
In this article, we are going to look at the three leading social commerce platforms in Kenya and their impending impacts on the e-commerce industry;
- Slyzed
- Twiva
- Wowzi
Let’s look at each one of these platforms.
Slyzed Overview
Slyzed is an end-to-end social commerce platform that brings buyers, sellers, and affiliates (resellers) together for an exciting online shopping experience. Sellers can list their products to boost product visibility and sales.
Slyzed allows sellers (mainly wholesalers and suppliers) to choose whether to allow resellers to promote their products for a commission. Sellers also get an integrated shop and free product onboarding upon sign-up.
The growing social commerce platform goes beyond product listing and checkout for sellers and buyers respectively. You can open an account as an affiliate or reseller and start earning money by recommending other seller’s products for a commission.
Without further delay, let’s dive into how Slyzed is playing a part in the social commerce growth, as well as the platform’s features.
Slyzed Review: Key features
Slyzed is a social commerce platform powered by resellers and affiliate marketers in Kenya and was established in 2021. The platform offers a user-friendly and intuitive sign-up process.
Additionally, Slyzed offers a three-tiered account system – Buyers, Sellers, and Resellers/Affiliates. This allows each user category to access tailored functionalities and services.
Slyzed offers social and communication tools that allow you to interact with the platform. These include:
- Posting on Slyzed feeds
- Direct messaging
- Notifications capabilities
This enhances networking opportunities and facilitates the exchange of ideas and information with other like-minded users.
Additionally, Slyzed offers customizable profiles for each account type. This enables users to personalize their online presence and showcase their products or services effectively.
Slyzed sellers, resellers, and affiliates get an online shop to showcase their products and services. This feature helps users streamline the sales process from product discovery to purchasing.
The platform also offers automated back-office operations for efficient management for its users. This ranges from inventory management to order processing and commission tracking.
In the next section, we are going to test Slyzed’s features and their intended functionality.
Putting it to the test
The only way to know if a business tool is right for you is by trying it out. Slyzed is free to sign up for all users (buyers, sellers, resellers, and affiliates). You can see how to sign up on this comprehensive article or watch the video.
After signing up on Slyzed, you can browse through the product catalog and even check out the products you want. You will have a buyer account by default until you upgrade to a different account type.
As mentioned above, Slyzed offers three account types;
- Buyer account
- Seller account
- Reseller/Affiliate account
In this section, we are going to focus on the last two account types.
Slyzed for Sellers
You can upgrade your account from a buyer to a seller account by going to your profile. Slyzed’s intuitive dashboard gives you a quick review of the different tier accounts.
However, the Slyzed for Sellers account is an innovative way for wholesalers and suppliers to expand their market reach through resellers. Additionally, SMEs can use Slyzed to showcase their products without investing in an e-commerce website.
Here is a quick overview of the core features of this account:
Integrated Online Shop
Slyzed provides wholesalers and SMEs with an integrated online shop, simplifying the process of uploading bulk products. The onboarding team offers assistance to ensure a smooth setup.
Customizable Branding
Sellers can personalize their business by adding branding materials such as banners and logos, enhancing brand identity and recognition.
Flexible Margin Sharing
Sellers can choose whether to share their margins with affiliates and resellers. This flexibility allows for market expansion, as affiliates and resellers promote products in exchange for a commission.
Dual Pricing Structure
Sellers input wholesale and market prices when uploading products. The platform and affiliates share the margin between these two prices, offering transparency and clarity in pricing.
Marketing Support
Slyzed assists sellers in marketing their products through various channels, including social media platforms and email campaigns. This additional exposure helps drive sales and increase brand visibility.
Robust Reporting Tools
The platform offers a comprehensive reporting tool, empowering sellers to make data-informed decisions. Sellers can access vital information such as stock counts, order history, canceled orders, and sales generated through affiliates.
Sellers can also interact with other Slyzed users by regularly posting their products on Slyzed feeds. They can also share links to their integrated shop with their audience on the native social media channels.
Slyzed Reseller/Affiliate Account
Slyzed offers both reseller and affiliate accounts to allow individuals to start an online business without any capital investment.
Here’s a breakdown of what each account entails:
Reseller Account
- Enables individuals to start reselling any product available on Slyzed with just one click, after following the seller.
- It provides a digital store where resellers can showcase the products they choose to sell.
- Ideal for anyone who wants to start an online business
- Functions as a centralized hub for drop shipping, allowing resellers to manage orders and keep a share of the margin from each sale.
- Includes a reporting tool to streamline order management and business operations.
Affiliate Account
- Provides individuals with a digital store to showcase selected products for resale.
- Allows affiliates to generate affiliate links to share with their audience, facilitating commission-based earnings.
- Particularly beneficial for bloggers or digital content creators with a significant following.
- Enables resellers to manage orders and track business performance through comprehensive reporting tools.
Additionally, Slyzed enhances user experience by providing educational and informative resources such as blog posts, videos, and webinars. These resources aim to help users with the knowledge and skills needed to maximize their success on the platform.
Twiva Overview
Twiva is a social commerce platform that is powered by influencer marketing. Like Slyzed, Twiva is a one-stop solution for businesses looking to showcase their products online.
Businesses can upload their products onto the platform, even though it lacks the bulk upload option. In addition, as an influencer, you will also get an “e-shop” where you add the products you want to resell.
As a Twiva influencer, you can link your social media accounts to the platform. This enhances reach and engagement through promotion and sales directly through social channels.
The influencer account allows you to optimize your product listing. You can do this by editing prices, and product descriptions to suit your business.
Twiva Review: Core Features
Let’s look at the core features of Twiva:
Personalized customer journey
Twiva boasts an intuitive signup process, enabling you to choose your account type from the outset. This personalized approach sets the stage for a user-friendly journey on the platform.
Two-tier accounts
Twiva offers both Business and Influencer account options. Businesses can list their products on the integrated online shop on Twiva. Additionally, you can create and manage influencer marketing campaigns to increase your sales and online visibility.
The Influencer account allows digital creators to resell Twiva products for a commission. You can also review and participate in various campaigns for passive income.
Influencer marketing campaign management
Twiva also comes with automated tools for businesses to effectively manage influencer marketing campaigns. As an SME, you can track campaign performance while the platform streamlines the entire process.
On the other hand, influencers can select campaigns to participate in and earn passive income. I loved that Twiva requires your businesses to be upfront with their offerings.
Digital storefront
Both Business and Influencer accounts on Twiva come with a digital storefront feature. This feature allows users to showcase and promote products on the platform respectively.
Twiva empowers influencers by allowing them to select the campaigns they want to promote. This flexibility enables influencers to align their promotional efforts with their personal brand and audience preferences, leading to more authentic and impactful marketing collaborations.
In conclusion, Twiva is a compelling influencer-powered social commerce platform with a personalized customer journey that simplifies the signup process. The reporting and analytics tools provide valuable insights to help you make informed decisions.
Twiva also allows the direct hiring of influencers making it more convenient for businesses seeking influencer collaborations.
However, Twiva business users may not upload bulk catalogs, as products must be added manually, one by one. Additionally, while influencers can customize pricing, this flexibility can sometimes impact your sales. Besides, this could potentially ruin your reputation if you do not manage your pricing strategies as a business.
On the bright side, influencers can make more money by adjusting the pricing based on their target audience.
Overall, Twiva presents a promising platform for businesses and influencers alike. It offers a range of features designed to streamline operations and drive success in social commerce.
Wowzi Overview
Wowzi is a creator commerce platform facilitating influencer marketing collaborations in Kenya and across Africa.
While similar to Twiva in offering influencer marketing campaign management, Wowzi distinguishes itself by placing a stronger emphasis on influencer partnerships. However, it lacks the end-to-end e-commerce features found in Twiva.
Upon analyzing the Wowzi website, I found key resources that provide insight into the platform. I will highlight them briefly:
Campaign Management Tool
Wowzi comes with an intuitive campaign management tool designed to connect brands with digital creators. This tool offers features for identifying and selecting influencers, managing campaigns, and tracking performance metrics.
Metered Filter for Influencer Selection
One notable feature to love about Wowzi is how easy it is to search for influencers. The metered filter allows businesses to pick influencers based on specified criteria. This functionality helps you work with influencers who align closely with your target audience and campaign objectives.
Focus on African creators
Wowzi allows global companies to collaborate with African creators to promote their products or services.
The start-up’s unique focus on African creators sets it apart in the global market. As a result, international companies can tap into Africa’s diverse talent pool for authentic and impactful collaborations.
Empowering local influencers, artists, and content creators facilitates genuine connections between brands and African audiences. It also fosters economic growth and cultural exchange within our vibrant creative community.
Focus on Influencer Marketing
Unlike Twiva and Slyzed, which incorporate end-to-end e-commerce features, Wowzi appears to prioritize influencer marketing. Wowzi presents itself as a prominent player in the creator commerce space by offering businesses access to a comprehensive suite of tools for influencer marketing campaigns.
So which is the best platform for you? This depends on your goals and objectives. For instance, if you want a digital storefront, Slyzed would be an ideal platform for you. It also allows other people to start a business through reselling products and affiliate marketing.
However, if you are heavily invested in influencer marketing, Twiva and Wowzi will suit your business.