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Holiday Shoppers Spend $1.2trn Online

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Salesforce Holiday Shoppers $1.2trn

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A report released by Salesforce has revealed that about $1.2 trillion was used for shopping across the globe during the just-concluded Christmas and New Year holidays.

It was stated that the United States accounted for $282 billion, with data based on an analysis of 1.5 billion shoppers and 1.6 trillion page views across the Salesforce Platform.

The report indicates that the better-than-expected holiday shopping season was powered by surges in mobile and social commerce alongside increased consumer spending after months of saving in the first half of 2024.

However, shoppers have already sent back $122 billion in merchandise, with consumers and retailers leaning into the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and agents to enhance holiday shopping experiences through product recommendations and personalised order support, influencing $229 billion – or 19 per cent – of all online orders.

“Retailers had a robust holiday season, but a 28% rise in the rate of returns compared to last year is a cause for some concern,” said Caila Schwartz, Director of Consumer Insights at Salesforce. “Retailers who have embraced AI and agents are already seeing the benefits, but these tools will be even more critical in the new year as retailers aim to minimise revenue losses on returns and reengage with shoppers.”

It was gathered that about $229 billion of global online sales were influenced by AI and agents in the form of product recommendations, targeted offers, and conversational customer service support, with 19 per cent of holiday purchases influenced by consumers engaging with AI and agents, a 6 per cent increase from 2023.

In addition, shoppers used AI- and agent-powered chat for customer service 42 per cent more than they did during the 2023 holiday season, and over $122 billion of global purchases have already been returned, up 28 per cent from last year.

It was noted that this increase is partially due to trending consumer behaviours like “try-on hauls” and bracketing (buying an extra size above and below your standard size).

Salesforce projects that retailers will likely see this number grow to $133 billion – presenting an important opportunity for brands to use agents to make the returns process easier and more tailored to specific customer needs.

Modupe Gbadeyanka is a fast-rising journalist with Business Post Nigeria. Her passion for journalism is amazing. She is willing to learn more with a view to becoming one of the best pen-pushers in Nigeria. Her role models are the duo of CNN's Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.

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Logidoo Celebrates Afridoo’s Remarkable Growth in e-Commerce Logistics

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Logidoo Afridoo

In a significant development for Africa’s digital commerce ecosystem, Logidoo continues to transform the logistics landscape with its flagship platform, Afridoo. The e-commerce logistics solution has cemented its position as a game-changer for businesses across the continent, showing exceptional traction and impressive growth metrics.

Afridoo’s seamless solutions for order management, stock control, and fulfilment have driven a remarkable 187% increase in subscriptions, clearly indicating rising market confidence in Afridoo’s capabilities. The platform has also processed 117% more orders compared to previous periods, showcasing its robust infrastructure and ability to scale with merchant demands.

Perhaps most significantly, 47% of Afridoo’s customers report successful expansion into new markets, directly attributable to Afridoo’s deployment and support services.

“Afridoo isn’t merely a logistics solution—it’s an enablement platform that empowers businesses to scale faster and reach new customers across Africa,” said Tamsir Ousmane Traore, CEO of Logidoo. “From comprehensive stock management to optimised last-mile delivery and cash-on-delivery solutions, we’ve positioned Afridoo as the essential partner for e-commerce success.”

Afridoo’s impact extends beyond simple logistics management. The platform has become instrumental in helping businesses scale operations, reach new customers, and optimize their supply chains across multiple African markets. By providing integrated solutions for the entire e-commerce fulfilment process, Afridoo is an essential partner for businesses looking to capitalize on Africa’s rapidly growing digital commerce landscape.

This success builds upon Logidoo’s broader logistics ecosystem, which includes their recently launched TexMiles service for last-mile delivery in West Africa. With Afridoo’s impressive growth trajectory, Logidoo continues to strengthen its position as the leading digital logistics provider on the continent.

The combination of Afridoo’s spectacular growth and the strategic launch of TexMiles demonstrates Logidoo’s comprehensive approach to solving Africa’s logistics challenges.

“Our vision extends beyond individual services—we’re building an interconnected logistics infrastructure that truly serves Africa’s unique market needs,” commented Tamsir Ousmane Traore.

By addressing e-commerce enablement through Afridoo, Logidoo is creating an integrated ecosystem that serves businesses across multiple touchpoints.

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Court Fines MTN Nigeria N840m Over Use of ‘WebPlus’

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Karl Toriola MTN Nigeria

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A leading telecommunications company, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, has been fined N840 million by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over an infringement case brought against it by Citilink Accesscorp Limited.

Citilink dragged MTN Nigeria before Justice Akintayo Aluko over the use of a registered trademark, WEBPLUS.

On July 17, 2024, Citilink filed a suit marked HC/L/CS/1124/2014, joining registrar of Trademarks, Patent Designs as a defendant, accusing MTN Nigeria of infringing on its trademark WEBPLUS, which was legally registered in 2001 under Class 9 and renewed in 2014.

The firm argued that the telco used MTN WEBPLUS without authorisation.

But MTN Nigeria challenged the court’s jurisdiction, arguing that a pending case at the Trademark Tribunal made the lawsuit invalid.

It also claimed that its application for MTN WEBPLUS was made in 2012, when Citilink’s trademark registration had lapsed between 2008 and 2014.

While stating that the applicant failed to prove trademark infringement, the telecommunications firm insisted that its use of WEBPLUS was an honest concurrent use, meaning it had no intention to deceive, emphasising that the applicant lacked sufficient evidence to justify its financial claims.

While ruling on the matter, Justice Aluko granted a perpetual injunction against MTN, barring it from further use of the disputed trademark.

The judge, thereafter, awarded N70 million yearly damages, covering Citilink’s loss of business and brand dilution from 2014 to 2025.

MTN was also directed to pay the applicant 15 per cent interest per annum on the judgment sum until it is fully paid.

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Group Tackles Multichoice Nigeria Over Price Reduction in South Africa

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multichoice Creative Investment

By Adedapo Adesanya

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) known as Save the Consumers has condemned the 21 per cent subscription price hike by MultiChoice Nigeria on its DStv and GOtv services in the country.

Recall that Multichoice noted that its decision to increase the tariff was to save its operations which was heavily impacted by challenges brought about by the weakening Naira.

However, in South Africa, its home country, the reduced its price by about 38 per cent, which Save the Consumers, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Mr Aliyu Ilias, said it is not happy about.

Mr Ilias said in Abuja on Sunday that the action was not only insensitive and exploitative but also discriminatory coming less than one year after the company’s May 2024 price hike in Nigeria.

The group called for the immediate reversal of the price hike while compensation be paid to subscribers affected by repeated, unjustified price increases and service deficiencies.

He also called for full compliance with the directives of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) which had asked the company to halt any price increase.

“In South Africa, MultiChoice has lowered fees on various products, added new channels, and introduced features that improve the user experience, while acknowledging the financial pressures faced by South African households.

“This double standard, lowering prices at home while increasing them in Nigeria, amounts to economic discrimination and reinforces long-standing concerns about MultiChoice’s exploitative approach toward the Nigerian market.

“It is indefensible for MultiChoice to cite inflation in Nigeria as justification for the hike while offering consumer-friendly pricing in South Africa,” he argued.

Mr Ilias noted, “This reflects a disturbing double standard, with Nigerian consumers continuing to suffer under a near-monopolistic market structure.”

The executive director alleged that while MultiChoice claimed the price hike was necessary to deliver ‘world-class content’, Nigerian subscribers still faced persistent challenges that remained unaddressed in spite repeated complaints.

He also alleged that South African subscribers benefitted from reduced pricing, such as the “Add Movies” bolt-on slashed by 38 per cent to 49 Rand, alongside additional channels and enhanced streaming features.

Mr llias called on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to take decisive steps to foster genuine competition in the pay-TV sector.

“We call on Nigerian consumers to explore alternative platforms and consider boycotting DStv and GOtv until MultiChoice demonstrates genuine respect for their rights.

“The Nigerian market deserves dignity, not exploitation, no company should be allowed to operate above the law or treat Nigerian consumers as second-class subscribers,” he said.

Recall that MultiChoice Nigeria had in a notice, notified its customers of its new price adjustment which took effect from March 1.

MultiChoice Nigeria had cited inflation and the rising costs of operations in Nigeria for a similar subscription price increase effected in May 2024.

With the hike, DStv Premium subscribers now pay N44,500 instead of N37,000 monthly, while the Compact Plus pay N30,000 monthly . The DStv Compact bouquet increased from N15,700 to N19,000 monthly.

The new price for the Confam package is N1,000 monthly, while Yanga is pegged at N6,000 as against initial price of N5,000, DStv-Padi, now cost N4,400 monthly.

Meanwhile, GOtv customers, who formally paid N3,600 now pay N3,900 monthly, while subscribers of GOtv Plus now pay N5,800 instead of the initial N4,850 monthly.

The move led the FCCPC to direct MultiChoice Nigeria to maintain its initial subscription prices until an ongoing investigation into its proposed price adjustment was concluded.

However, it proceeded with the price adjustment which made the FCCPC to institute legal charges against it and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr John Ugbe, for allegedly defying regulatory directives on subscription price adjustments.

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