₦airaland Forum

https://pheegoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ecom-1200x640.jpeg

The internet impacts every area of our lives. We use it for socializing, entertainment, working, and research. We also use it to shop. E-Commerce websites facilitate online transactions of goods and services through means of the transfer of information and funds over the Internet (just like Jumia, Konga and co). In the early days, e-commerce was done partially through emails and phone calls. Now, with a single website, anything and everything that a transaction needs, can be executed online.

There’s now a generation of adults who have only known a world where the internet exists, and as they, and the generations that follow, spend more money, ecommerce will continue to grow.

https://pheegoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Screenshot-2022-04-11-at-2.18.43-AM.png
Data showing number of internet users in Nigeria from 2017 to 2026(in millions)



https://pheegoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Screenshot-2022-04-11-at-2.18.19-AM.png
Data showing the number of active customers of Jumia Technologies as of 4th quarter 2020 (in millions)



How E-Commerce websites work
E-Commerce websites function just like a physical retail store. The only difference is that the brick-and-mortar store is being replaced with an online “process”. On an e-commerce website, a call-to-action button is placed near each product for the convenience of the customers. If they feel like buying a product, they can simply click on the button and make the payment. Customers will be required to place their orders by filling a form which contains details relevant to the successful delivery of the product purchased. Then they can either pay through direct bank transfer or a payment gateway such as Paypal, Paystack, flutterwave etc. You may also enable the option of COD (Cash on Delivery) to particular locations as you wish.

Ecommerce sites helps your business to reach new markets and gain resilience by selling if you’re just starting and you don’t have an office/shop, or if your brick-and-mortar stores have to close down. An ecommerce site can give you a worldwide market and brand recognition before you even open a physical store.

Starting a dedicated ecommerce website gives you the ability to control every aspect of your customer experience, from branding to shipping and customer service. You can choose to build it yourself or go with a developer, but either way, knowing about the process can help you make informed choices, so you get a website that’s optimized for selling your products.

Why Do you need an Ecommerce Website Though?
You simply need an e-commerce website for the following reasons:

It strengthens your brand. Your customers will remember your brand (unlike when you’re selling on a marketplace like Jumia, Konga or Jiji)
Acquire new markets/audience that you can’t reach with your shop/office
Create a unique shopping experience. You’re able to add testimonials, introduce live chat for customer support, offer related services, and even build a community of loyal customers.
How to Build an Ecommerce Website Step-by-Step
Building an ecommerce website is now super easy. There are now ecommerce solutions that do most of the work for you, but you still need to understand what’s offered and what your site needs. If you do enough research, you can make decisions that lead to a magnificent site that grows and evolves with you in the years to come.

1.Select your perfect ecommerce platform.
2.Purchase a domain name.
3. Find a developer.
4. Pick your ecommerce theme.
5. Customize your ecommerce template.
6. Add your products.
7. Set up payment options.
8. Sort out your shipping settings.
9. Preview, test… and publish your online store.


Building Your Ecommerce Website The Easy Way
If you're looking to skip the hassles because you don’t have the luxury of time to follow the above list, ecommerce solutions such as Storexy.com is your best bet in building an ecommerce website. Everything you need has been pre-coded so all you need to do is replace the demo data with yours. They hava a FAQ page https://storexy.com/contact.php#faq that answers most questions.

https://pheegoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ecom-1200x640.jpeg

The internet impacts every area of our lives. We use it for socializing, entertainment, working, and research. We also use it to shop. E-Commerce websites facilitate online transactions of goods and services through means of the transfer of information and funds over the Internet (just like Jumia, Konga and co). In the early days, e-commerce was done partially through emails and phone calls. Now, with a single website, anything and everything that a transaction needs, can be executed online.

There’s now a generation of adults who have only known a world where the internet exists, and as they, and the generations that follow, spend more money, ecommerce will continue to grow.

https://pheegoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Screenshot-2022-04-11-at-2.18.43-AM.png
Data showing number of internet users in Nigeria from 2017 to 2026(in millions)



https://pheegoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Screenshot-2022-04-11-at-2.18.19-AM.png
Data showing the number of active customers of Jumia Technologies as of 4th quarter 2020 (in millions)



How E-Commerce websites work
E-Commerce websites function just like a physical retail store. The only difference is that the brick-and-mortar store is being replaced with an online “process”. On an e-commerce website, a call-to-action button is placed near each product for the convenience of the customers. If they feel like buying a product, they can simply click on the button and make the payment. Customers will be required to place their orders by filling a form which contains details relevant to the successful delivery of the product purchased. Then they can either pay through direct bank transfer or a payment gateway such as Paypal, Paystack, flutterwave etc. You may also enable the option of COD (Cash on Delivery) to particular locations as you wish.

Ecommerce sites helps your business to reach new markets and gain resilience by selling if you’re just starting and you don’t have an office/shop, or if your brick-and-mortar stores have to close down. An ecommerce site can give you a worldwide market and brand recognition before you even open a physical store.

Starting a dedicated ecommerce website gives you the ability to control every aspect of your customer experience, from branding to shipping and customer service. You can choose to build it yourself or go with a developer, but either way, knowing about the process can help you make informed choices, so you get a website that’s optimized for selling your products.

Why Do you need an Ecommerce Website Though?
You simply need an e-commerce website for the following reasons:

It strengthens your brand. Your customers will remember your brand (unlike when you’re selling on a marketplace like Jumia, Konga or Jiji)
Acquire new markets/audience that you can’t reach with your shop/office
Create a unique shopping experience. You’re able to add testimonials, introduce live chat for customer support, offer related services, and even build a community of loyal customers.
How to Build an Ecommerce Website Step-by-Step
Building an ecommerce website is now super easy. There are now ecommerce solutions that do most of the work for you, but you still need to understand what’s offered and what your site needs. If you do enough research, you can make decisions that lead to a magnificent site that grows and evolves with you in the years to come.

1.Select your perfect ecommerce platform.
2.Purchase a domain name.
3. Find a developer.
4. Pick your ecommerce theme.
5. Customize your ecommerce template.
6. Add your products.
7. Set up payment options.
8. Sort out your shipping settings.
9. Preview, test… and publish your online store.


Building Your Ecommerce Website The Easy Way
If you're looking to skip the hassles because you don’t have the luxury of time to follow the above list, ecommerce solutions such as Storexy.com is your best bet in building an ecommerce website. Everything you need has been pre-coded so all you need to do is replace the demo data with yours. They hava a FAQ page https://storexy.com/contact.php#faq that answers most questions.

Try Storexy.com You can simply just deploy it directly from there

The development of blockchain technology and its recent advancements for global use have seen the entrance of newbies into the cryptocurrency world.

Experience and verifiable opinion samples on crypto trading platforms have shown that the number of aspiring traders is even more than those at the trading level already.

"How do I become a cryptocurrency buyer and seller?" is a question that many people ask. Before answering this, though, it is first crucial to define what cryptocurrency (crypto) is.

What is cryptocurrency?

A cryptocurrency is a decentralized digital currency stored in a digital wallet system operated by the owner and is used as a store of value or medium of exchange for goods and services.

A cryptocurrency has no central authority regulating it and is not stored in physical form (like paper and coin money). It is stored in the form of a digital ledger using blockchain technology.

A 2021 Statista report observed that there are more than 6000 types of digital currencies in operation today. This is not only a massive boost from what used to be a handful of them as of 2013 but also a testimony to the assumption that at least a coin is launched daily.

Examples of the most renowned coins in the cryptocurrency market today include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance BNB, and Ripple XRP.

How to become a cryptocurrency trader

As with other ventures, trading cryptocurrency involves in-depth study. Hence the 7 steps below to give you a direction on how to study to become a cryptocurrency trader.

Understand the nature of the bitcoin market

First, your focus should be on studying the decentralization policy, the market forces, as well as the volatility of the market.

Identify the best performing currencies (coins) to trade in

Next is to identify the best performing coins in the market in terms of value and demand.

The essence of this is to help you identify the real coins from the fake, and those with long-term prospects from those with short-term prospects.

Study the operation of the selected coins

Operation of a coin involves trend analysis and an objective forecast of coin performance to know the best time to buy and sell.

Get the right platform to buy and sell

Knowing the right platform to buy and sell your coins is important so as to avoid online scams and fake purchases.

Open your digital wallet on your chosen platform

Next is to create your digital wallet on the platform you have chosen. The essence of the wallet is to deposit and store your coins after buying.

Secure your wallet

Securing your wallet ensures that your coins have added protection. You can secure your wallet with the use of a strong password, or by activating the double authentication option.

Hold until the price peaks

Holding on to your coins until the price goes up is crucial because this is where your profit will be determined and gotten.

Global payment technology has witnessed a tremendous boost in recent times. One of these is the gradual replacement of what used to be a promissory note of the past decades with what is now known as instant payment cards at the fore of which are gift cards.

While the Gift Card market in Nigeria has witnessed tremendous growth, especially between 2015 to 2020, the prospect of the industry, as observed by experts, is expected to be around 13.3% over the next 4 years.

Gift Cards are now the new gold in town, but knowing the best gift cards to sell is the problem most budding gift card sellers are currently confronting.

Below are best gift cardsto consider for sale in Nigeria:

iTunes / Apple Gift Cards

The use of Apple phones, laptops, wristwatches, and other premium devices has permeated the Nigerian market space in recent times. The demand for its complementary gift cards to ease the use of these devices is one example.

This factor has, however, created a surge in demand for iTunes / Apple gift cards in the market, and has also created the best market value for it.

iTunes / Apple gift cards have the most exchange value in Nigeria today, and therefore, are less stressful to sell.

Amazon Gift Cards

That Amazon is one of the largest online marketplace today is not a subject of contention.

While millions of transactions often take place on this platform daily, there are some services to which special payment structures are requested. Hence, essential to Amazon kindle, digital music and video content downloads, is the use of Amazon gift cards.

This does not only suggest why Amazon gift cards are in high market demand, but also why such exchanges are at a relatively higher rate compared to other gift card items.

Google Play Store Gift Card

An iTunes gift card is for the purchase and use of Apple products, applications and software, while a Google Play Store gift card is used by an android user seeking the best applications from Google Play Store.

A 2021 Statista data on the share of the OS market in Nigeria between 2018 - 2021 has it that Google Android is the most used mobile OS in Africa, with Nigeria experiencing a massive boost from what used to be 68.6% in January 2018 to a whopping 85.6% in June 2021.

This perhaps explains the reason for the high demand for Google Play Store gift cards in Nigeria. When you have this card, you are guaranteed not only fast and immediate sales, but also the best possible exchange value.

Steam Gift Cards

Steam is an online gaming platform, and its gift cards offer a wide range of purchasing options, especially for one who possesses a steam wallet for its redemption.

Based on its software and other online applications purchase capability to complement its gaming purchases, Steam Gift Cards has transformed to become among the most sought after in the Nigerian gift card market, and also offers good value on sale.

Due to the ongoing pandemic crisis and imposed restrictions, The Legends' Concert - an evening of live music performance by legendary artists has been postponed to 25th of September, 2020. All purchased tickets remain valid.
Visit our website https://thelegendsconcertnigeria.com for more information.

Stay safe. Be concious

Are you one of those business owners who spend time scrolling through hundreds of photos just to show your customer a particular product?
... or you rely solely on whatsapp status and Instagram for marketing your goods and services?

Don't be stuck in your bubble. 97 percent of consumers search for products and services online. Not having a website means you're not being found by nearly 2 billion digital customers worldwide. Your customers are online, you should be too. Many business owners have the misconception that being online and being on social media are the same thing. Social media is only a small fraction of the pie. A very large amount of your prospective customers don't spend that much time on social media. - Big businesses that will likely patronize you in bulk will often times go to google instead and type "XYZ dealer in Lagos" or "XYZ makers near me". The question is, Will they find you?

If you need to buy a cream that will cure pimples for example, you'll agree with me that you would have at some point typed "creams for pimples" or "how to cure pimples fast" on google. The phrase "creams for pimples" has 1,350 average monthly searches on google. That's 1,350 chances you just lost - on only just one your products. Now imagine how many chances you've lost on your entire shop lol.

Amongst many other advantages, having your own website helps you to actually retain and profile your customers, improves visibility to YOUR brand, increases convenience, credibility, accessibility and creates a sense of connection between you and your customer (Those that shop from Zara know what i mean )

https://i.imgur.com/C8pWMTQ.png

There's a very affordable way to achieve this . Storexy helps you create and manage your e-commerce website without maintenance headaches or surprise costs with these features and more:

*Free .com domain (1 yr)
*Free SSL Certificate (HTTPS)
*Connect existing domain
*Secure Cloud Hosting
*SEO Optimization
*Receive Payment Online
*Custom Email Accounts
*Unlimited Products
*Create Coupons
*Multicurrency feature
*Create Credit Slips
*API Integration
*Admin CMS
*24/7 Customer Support
*Free Homepage Sliders & Banners

Visit [url]Storexy.com[/url] to start now. If you're having trouble setting up, the online chat support is great and they can help with it. I hope this helps someone out there.

Are you one of those business owners who spend time scrolling through hundreds of photos just to show your customer a particular product?
... or you rely solely on whatsapp status and Instagram for marketing your goods and services?

Don't be stuck in your bubble. 97 percent of consumers search for products and services online. Not having a website means you're not being found by nearly 2 billion digital customers worldwide. Your customers are online, you should be too. Many business owners have the misconception that being online and being on social media are the same thing. Social media is only a small fraction of the pie. A very large amount of your prospective customers don't spend that much time on social media. - Big businesses that will likely patronize you in bulk will often times go to google instead and type "XYZ dealer in Lagos" or "XYZ makers near me". The question is, Will they find you?

If you need to buy a cream that will cure pimples for example, you'll agree with me that you would have at some point typed "creams for pimples" or "how to cure pimples fast" on google. The phrase "creams for pimples" has 1,350 average monthly searches on google. That's 1,350 chances you just lost - on only just one your products. Now imagine how many chances you've lost on your entire shop lol.

Amongst many other advantages, having your own website helps you to actually retain and profile your customers, improves visibility to YOUR brand, increases convenience, credibility, accessibility and creates a sense of connection between you and your customer (Those that shop from Zara know what i mean )

https://i.imgur.com/C8pWMTQ.png

There's a very affordable way to achieve this . Storexy helps you create and manage your e-commerce website without maintenance headaches or surprise costs with these features and more:

*Free .com domain (1 yr)
*Free SSL Certificate (HTTPS)
*Connect existing domain
*Secure Cloud Hosting
*SEO Optimization
*Receive Payment Online
*Custom Email Accounts
*Unlimited Products
*Create Coupons
*Multicurrency feature
*Create Credit Slips
*API Integration
*Admin CMS
*24/7 Customer Support
*Free Homepage Sliders & Banners

Visit [url]Storexy.com[/url] to start now. If you're having trouble setting up, the online chat support is great and they can help with it. I hope this helps someone out there.

Are you one of those business owners who spend time scrolling through hundreds of photos just to show your customer a particular product?
... or you rely solely on whatsapp status and Instagram for marketing your goods and services?

Don't be stuck in your bubble. 97 percent of consumers search for products and services online. Not having a website means you're not being found by nearly 2 billion digital customers worldwide. Your customers are online, you should be too. Many business owners have the misconception that being online and being on social media are the same thing. Social media is only a small fraction of the pie. A very large amount of your prospective customers don't spend that much time on social media. - Big businesses that will likely patronize you in bulk will often times go to google instead and type "XYZ dealer in Lagos" or "XYZ makers near me". The question is, Will they find you?

If you need to buy a cream that will cure pimples for example, you'll agree with me that you would have at some point typed "creams for pimples" or "how to cure pimples fast" on google. The phrase "creams for pimples" has 1,350 average monthly searches on google. That's 1,350 chances you just lost - on only just one your products. Now imagine how many chances you've lost on your entire shop lol.

Amongst many other advantages, having your own website helps you to actually retain and profile your customers, improves visibility to YOUR brand, increases convenience, credibility, accessibility and creates a sense of connection between you and your customer (Those that shop from Zara know what i mean )

https://i.imgur.com/C8pWMTQ.png

There's a very affordable way to achieve this . Storexy helps you create and manage your e-commerce website without maintenance headaches or surprise costs with these features and more:

*Free .com domain (1 yr)
*Free SSL Certificate (HTTPS)
*Connect existing domain
*Secure Cloud Hosting
*SEO Optimization
*Receive Payment Online
*Custom Email Accounts
*Unlimited Products
*Create Coupons
*Multicurrency feature
*Create Credit Slips
*API Integration
*Admin CMS
*24/7 Customer Support
*Free Homepage Sliders & Banners

Visit Storexy.com to start now. If you're having trouble setting up, the online chat support is great and they can help with it. I hope this helps someone out there.

Searching for a reliable online store builder for your e-commerce website? Does the cost of hiring a developer scare you? I`ve saved you the trouble by gathering some ideal, trusted and verified service providers for your e-commerce website and you won’t have to break the bank.

Getting straight to it, below is my compiled list of the best online store builders out there. If there are others, kindly share and tell us why you use/love them.

1. SHOPIFY

Shopify is one of the most popular online store builders out there. While some page editors are generic and target a wider audience, Shopify focuses on building eCommerce sites. Its got lots of features to help you build a very professional online shop such as a large pool of templates, integrated payments, free SSL certificates and lots more.

Pricing:
The lowest plan on shopify costs $29 (about N10,600) which could be on the high side for many upcoming business owners in Nigeria. For this same plan, they charge 2.9% + 30¢ for transaction fees (if you’re using their payment processor) or an additional 2% transaction fee if you’re using another payment processor.
Visit [url]shopify.com[/url]


2. STOREXY

Storexy is an online store builder that also leads the gap for others to follow. What I like about it is the personal feel you get from building a site with storexy. The templates can be modified however you want, with a pretty straightforward administrative panel for you to update your store. No serious technical knowledge is needed. The plans come with free domain & SSL and even banners for you when you subscribe, so you’re not left all alone to figure it out. Upon checkout you can select if you want them to also design your logo and business cards. In a nutshell, it’s being operated much like hiring a developer to build you an ecommerce site - only cheaper and faster.

Pricing:
Storexy plans are all-inclusive. The plans are only differentiated by how long you wish to subscribe for. N6,000 monthly (with a one-time N4,000 setup fee), or N22,000 quarterly, or N50,000 annually. As per transaction fees, no fee is involved as you are allowed to embed your own payment processors (They currently allow Paystack and Paypal; They can help you set both up). If you need more features added to your site, you can always send them a request from your admin panel.
They don’t offer free plans but you can preview their templates to get a feel of what your store will look like.
Visit [url]storexy.com[/url]


3. WIX

Wix is also a great site with all the material you need to build an amazing web shop. They have separate packages for basic websites and ecommerce with about a hundred templates to choose from.
Wix offers 3 different user mode:
-Artificial design intelligence, Editor mode and Code
The Artificial design intelligence mode is the quickest and requires no professional knowledge to use - especially if you just want to pick a template and go.

Pricing:
$17 per month for the lowest ecommerce plan
Visit [url]wix.com[/url]


4. Book mark

Bookmark is a modern, comfortable and easy to use site editor. It doesn`t matter if you are into ecommerce or you just want a professional or blog website, bookmark has got your back as it has an entire program dedicated to online stores. They also offer free domain and SSL

Pricing:
The professoinal and Business plan cost $15 and $30 respectively. The free plan however does not allow you to have a personalized domain name.
Visit [url]bookmark.com[/url]


5. Squarespace

Either for a simple website or for an advanced eCommerce platform, Squarespace offers everything required with top notch support . You don’t need to be a tech expert to set up your store on Squarespace. The templates are very minimalist and may not look like your regular ecommerce website though.

Pricing:
The lowest plan with ecommerce features cost $26 per month and charges 3% transaction fees.
Visit [url]squarespace.com[/url]


I guess by now you would have had your choice platform in mind. Feel free to visit these sites and compare their plans.

This write-up is based on the consideration that you are looking to create an ecommerce website with your own domain name (I.e yourbusinessname.com) and your own personalized email ,so I ignored their free plans which may either feature ads or not have domain names included.
If you’re looking for something pretty straightforward and light with no ‘plenty features’ you don’t understand, go for Storexy. It’s particularly made for the Nigerian market and the pricing is way cheaper for the same amount of service the others are offering.
Have you used any of these services? Kindly share your experience.

Online shopping is the new cool and trust me, I will rather sit at home on the bed filling my cart and browsing through different stuffs online than having to drive to an actual store to get the same thing I can get online at my own convenience. However, the one thing I love is African inspired Stuff. It could be an Ankara bag, an Ankara bow tie, an Ankara sandal or Ankara slippers - anything to make the girls winking at you at an owambe party (The yoruba demons here know what I mean lol).
Trust me. It’s not that hard and expensive to pull off.

A lot of people have been asking me where and how I get my Ankara Inspired African products and I thought it would be a good Idea to make a list of 5 Certified Online Stores to buy contemporary African inspired products. So, here goes:

1.[url]Fabrigifts.com[/url]: Fabrigifts is an online store that offers contemporary products that are mixed with a touch of the African tradition. They have lovely designs of Ankara slippers for men and women, Ankara sandals, ankara bags, Ankara wristwatches, Ankara earrings and bangles, beautiful interior décor artwork and many more African inspired items that can also be presented as a gift. You can even make bulk/customized orders and they ship worldwide. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that their online store is very easy to navigate and their checkout process is so short and precise. If you’re a 40seconds person that doesn’t like to waste time anywhere at all, then this is for you.

2.[url]AfricanTings.org[/url]: African things as the name indicates, is also an online store that sells African inspired products online. If you are very passionate about ankara backpacks, then you should visit their site because they have amazing backpacks that comes in different sizes and colors. They also sell their products in bulk orders for those that want to re-sell. Their online store is also easy to shop through.

3.[url]Ankara.com.ng[/url]: Ankara.com.ng offers Ankara fabrics with unbeatable market prices anywhere in Nigeria. They have over 2,000 Unique Ankara Designs for you to choose from. I had a hard time choosing Ankara designs because they were all so lovely. They also offer wholesale prices and you can get at wholesale to resell. They pride themselves to be the biggest wholesale fabric online store in Nigeria. To be one of their wholesalers, you need to register to get the wholesale price.

4.[url]Fabricsphere.com[/url]: This is another amazing online store for African Inspired Fabrics. The good thing is that aside Ankara fabrics, they also have different materials like Senators wears fabrics, Silk, Chiffon and other kinds of fabrics to choose from. At the end of the day, there`s no difference from being in a physical store. Like why bother yourself when you can easily shop through Fabricsphere online?

5.[url]DNSFabricshub.com[/url]: DNS Fabrics hub offers convenient shopping by providing you the comfort to also shop from your home at the cheapest prices. They also offer different materials like Ankara fabrics, Lace materials, Atiku, Head ties and much more.

Having shared my list of certified places to get your contemporary African Inspired or Ankara products, you can go check them up. I have tried them, and I can say they are verified places you can trust. If you’ve bought from some of these guys, please share your experiences.

NdiaraIGBO:
I support everything you have said here BUT you African ladies also have to stop the mumu multiple birth (more than 2 children) that you are having all over the place knowing fully well that most those children will grow up into poor adults because our tiny national economy cannot sustain our ever ballooning population! Bringing a man doing well down financially!

Are they impregnating themselves? Shop [b]here [/b]for brains

NdiaraIGBO:
You kill them all with your stupid multiple births (having more than 1 or 2 children in this day and age).
And you are good at ambushing the weak souls with s..x

what is this one saying?

oshaosha2014:
Your husband is not a man. All you have in your house is a fellow woman.

I'll rather be a 'fellow woman' in a happy home than become an egoistic cunt in the name of "man of the house"

kevin25:
D Man has warn her to stop calling him by his name stil no change d man has never called the wife by her name...

Were they having this issue before they got married or after he got a job?
What has name got to do with anything?. Sigh.

African men die in their 50s because of their stupid ego.

kevin25:
not matter of marry my girlfrd wont try such talkles of my own wife i dnt enter kitchen talkes Of dishing out food wen my gf is around my dear some women lack respect no matter what a man is a man

I know your type. You enjoy dating foolish girls that have no future that you will just put in one shop. All they'll be doing is "issok like that" to any of your decisions.

kevin25:
Imagine if your friends came around and u instruct your wife to go and bring food for U and ur frd then she told you to go and do by urself how wil u feel? My girlfrd wont try dat talkles of wife

Did you just say "instruct" ? That's why he won't get any respect.
If you treat your wife with respect, she will respect you in return. There's nothing wrong with dishing his food for himself and his friend.... in fact, with the permission of his wife.

Marriage is a partnership. Your kind has made it a master-slave relationship. The fact that you're even confident enough to bring it up here claiming right is very disturbing.

Online shopping is the new cool and trust me, I will rather sit at home on the bed filling my cart and browsing through different stuffs online than having to drive to an actual store to get the same thing I can get online at my own convenience. However, the one thing I love is African inspired Stuff. It could be an Ankara bag, an Ankara bow tie, an Ankara sandal or Ankara slippers - anything to make the girls winking at you at an owambe party (The yoruba demons here know what I mean lol).
Trust me. It’s not that hard and expensive to pull off.

A lot of people have been asking me where and how I get my Ankara Inspired African products and I thought it would be a good Idea to make a list of 5 Certified Online Stores to buy contemporary African inspired products. So, here goes:

1.[url]Fabrigifts.com[/url]: Fabrigifts is an online store that offers contemporary products that are mixed with a touch of the African tradition. They have lovely designs of Ankara slippers for men and women, Ankara sandals, ankara bags, Ankara wristwatches, Ankara earrings and bangles, beautiful interior décor artwork and many more African inspired items that can also be presented as a gift. You can even make bulk/customized orders and they ship worldwide. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that their online store is very easy to navigate and their checkout process is so short and precise. If you’re a 40seconds person that doesn’t like to waste time anywhere at all, then this is for you.

2.[url]AfricanTings.org[/url]: African things as the name indicates, is also an online store that sells African inspired products online. If you are very passionate about ankara backpacks, then you should visit their site because they have amazing backpacks that comes in different sizes and colors. They also sell their products in bulk orders for those that want to re-sell. Their online store is also easy to shop through.

3.[url]Ankara.com.ng[/url]: Ankara.com.ng offers Ankara fabrics with unbeatable market prices anywhere in Nigeria. They have over 2,000 Unique Ankara Designs for you to choose from. I had a hard time choosing Ankara designs because they were all so lovely. They also offer wholesale prices and you can get at wholesale to resell. They pride themselves to be the biggest wholesale fabric online store in Nigeria. To be one of their wholesalers, you need to register to get the wholesale price.

4.[url]Fabricsphere.com[/url]: This is another amazing online store for African Inspired Fabrics. The good thing is that aside Ankara fabrics, they also have different materials like Senators wears fabrics, Silk, Chiffon and other kinds of fabrics to choose from. At the end of the day, there`s no difference from being in a physical store. Like why bother yourself when you can easily shop through Fabricsphere online?

5.[url]DNSFabricshub.com[/url]: DNS Fabrics hub offers convenient shopping by providing you the comfort to also shop from your home at the cheapest prices. They also offer different materials like Ankara fabrics, Lace materials, Atiku, Head ties and much more.

Having shared my list of certified places to get your contemporary African Inspired or Ankara products, you can go check them up. I have tried them, and I can say they are verified places you can trust. If you’ve bought from some of these guys, please share your experiences.

Are you relocating or simply looking for a van or truck hire service for business? We have an impressive selection of vans and trucks for you to choose from. With a commitment to keeping prices low, we’re here to ensure you maintain a realistic budget for your next truck rental.

Our services are available for residential, commercial and out of town/interstate trips from anywhere in Nigeria.

Visit https://www.shipusnow.com/moving-services to get a quote.

Are you relocating or simply looking for a van or truck hire service for business? We have an impressive selection of vans and trucks for you to choose from. With a commitment to keeping prices low, we’re here to ensure you maintain a realistic budget for your next truck rental.

Our services are available for residential, commercial and out of town/interstate trips from anywhere in Nigeria.

Visit https://www.shipusnow.com/moving-services to get a quote.

Social media is a very powerful marketing tool that can be used to reach potential customers and increase brand awareness. Knowing this, many small business owners have been led to believe that having a social media presence is enough to successfully market their business online. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Although social media can be seen as relatively easy and low-cost, but for it to produce any tangible results, it must be used as part of a larger marketing strategy. When used alone, it isn`t enough to market your company. You will need a professionally designed website if you really want to be online and experience success online.
That being said, here are 3 reasons why relying solely on social media won`t get your business very far.

1.Social Media is a rented space that doesn`t truly belong to you
One of the most obvious dangers of depending on social media alone for promoting your business is that you have no control over it. Sure, you can customize your profile and create your own posts, but ultimately you are using someone else`s platform to build your business, which means the fate of your company rests in their hands. In other words, you do not own your social media account. Rules and regulations on social media changes every time with little regards to how this affect your marketing plans and strategies. Social media itself is a business, not a free service

A few weeks ago, Instagram stopped loading feeds for about 20 minutes and some businesses panicked because ideally, it`s like being locked out of your rented apartment with all your properties still in it. With your own website, you have total control. If social media is rented digital space, your website is your permanent digital home. You have full ownership of your content, can dictate how you communicate with your target audience, boost your credibility and reputation as a credible company because having your own professional website shows that you are willing to invest in your business and that you take it seriously, which will encourage your customers to take you seriously too.

2.Social media serves as a bridge between your customers and your company
If the measure of your online success is in turning your target audience into paying customers, then social media is only part of the journey, not the destination. This is because, social media should be used as a lead generator, with the ultimate goal of sending visitors to your website. Your website needs to be the home of all your content and the center of all your online marketing efforts. When social media users visit your website, it will give them the opportunity to see everything you offer, know more about it, and eventually convert them to customers. Your website is the end point of your customer`s journey, as it is there that they will buy products or services, call you directly or sign up for further communication.

One of the most effective ways to experience online success is by adapting a content-orientated approach. As the foundation of your online presence, your website needs to feature keyword-rich content that has been written with your target audience in mind. Original SEO content will help your business to be searchable online.

3.Social media is offering a lower return on investment year on year
Unless your business is a household name, it can be difficult to gain much traction on social media, and it takes time and effort to be accepted.

To make any sort of impact on social media, you`ll have to be posting multiple times a day, especially when you consider the short lifespan of contents. From just 18 minutes to a couple of hours, your posts won`t hang around for long in the timelines of your followers giving you small window to promote your business.
Social media marketing is growing more competitive and as a result of this, many networks are evolving into paid marketing platforms in an effort to capitalize.

So, by using social media alongside a professional website, SEO, blogging, Email and other marketing tactics that applies to your business, you stand your best chance of succeeding on the web. This way, you`ll have your own personal space on the internet acting as your 24/7 sales and marketing team, and you`ll be able to reach a wide range of people regardless of whether or not they have signed up to a social network. With so many ways to communicate with your potential customers, there�s no need to restrict yourself to just one means of conversion.

Visit www.pheegoh.com or call/whatsapp 08055531737 for your website, SEO and digital marketing.

I suddenly heard a loud shout from a distance a bit far away from my office that afternoon, and for the life of me I thought it was Barca playing Man United. But how wouldn’t someone like me (who’s an ardent Barca supporter) know my beloved team was playing? So I quickly peeped through the window of my office. I didn’t quite see anything, so out of concern for my life and those of others in the same building with me, I quickly rushed downstairs almost without thinking twice.

And guess what I saw from afar when I got out of the building?

A music band beating big round drums hung around their necks was approaching from the distance, with some blowing trumpets, while a few were carrying what looked like a local xylophone made of dark brown bristle wood. Then behind them was a huge crowd trooping after what looked like a long convoy of black vehicles. The crowd looked like a battalion of soldiers marching into an enemy’s territory. Only that this particular crowd which was made up of humans without uniforms seemed to be rented for what looked like, well, you already know- a political rally. They were predominantly women and children chanting different indistinct political slogans. Then I began to hear very loud wails of siren amidst high-rising brown dust and papers or what looked like posters
flying around. Seeing all these I became even more curious as I continued moving towards the crowd. The excitement that greeted me will never be forgotten in a hurry.

Whoever staged this particular rally must be a Nigerian with a difference; a Nigerian with a strong taste for good things. I mean, when I saw the packages every party faithful was given, I started
wondering if I was still in Nigeria or I was experiencing the Rio festival. Seeing beautiful Ankara backpacks all over the place in the hands of kids, I couldn’t help asking myself if it was Christmas
again. The women also got all sorts of Ankara-made accessories like hairbands and necklaces and bangles. And when I almost started wishing I was a woman myself, someone just brushed me by the side with an Ankara-laced laptop bag. O my! It was so beautiful!! You should have seen how I grabbed the man that brushed me. I wanted to ask where I could get mine too. On that bag was a square logo that had “African Things” crested on it. Ohh, I nearly lost my home training that day as I threw all caution to the wind as I joined others to chant the praise of the presidential candidate. I shouted so much till I lost my voice- all in the hope that somebody would notice me and throw me one of
those bags. Boy was I glad when someone pointed at me from inside one of the coaster buses in the presidential candidate’s convoy and asked the woman seated beside him to throw me my long-desired laptop bag. Immediately I caught it, the next thing I saw was www.africanthings.org written on a paper I found as I opened the bag. On getting back to the office and showing off my bag, all my colleagues went green with envy. They were wowed! Who would have thought there’s a Nigerian company making Africa proud with quality African-themed products? African Things is the real deal please!

I suddenly heard a loud shout from a distance a bit far away from my office that afternoon, and for the life of me I thought it was Barca playing Man United. But how wouldn’t someone like me (who’s an ardent Barca supporter) know my beloved team was playing? So I quickly peeped through the window of my office. I didn’t quite see anything, so out of concern for my life and those of others in the same building with me, I quickly rushed downstairs almost without thinking twice.

And guess what I saw from afar when I got out of the building?

A music band beating big round drums hung around their necks was approaching from the distance, with some blowing trumpets, while a few were carrying what looked like a local xylophone made of dark brown bristle wood. Then behind them was a huge crowd trooping after what looked like a long convoy of black vehicles. The crowd looked like a battalion of soldiers marching into an enemy’s territory. Only that this particular crowd which was made up of humans without uniforms seemed to be rented for what looked like, well, you already know- a political rally. They were predominantly women and children chanting different indistinct political slogans. Then I began to hear very loud wails of siren amidst high-rising brown dust and papers or what looked like posters
flying around. Seeing all these I became even more curious as I continued moving towards the crowd. The excitement that greeted me will never be forgotten in a hurry.

Whoever staged this particular rally must be a Nigerian with a difference; a Nigerian with a strong taste for good things. I mean, when I saw the packages every party faithful was given, I started
wondering if I was still in Nigeria or I was experiencing the Rio festival. Seeing beautiful Ankara backpacks all over the place in the hands of kids, I couldn’t help asking myself if it was Christmas
again. The women also got all sorts of Ankara-made accessories like hairbands and necklaces and bangles. And when I almost started wishing I was a woman myself, someone just brushed me by the side with an Ankara-laced laptop bag. O my! It was so beautiful!! You should have seen how I grabbed the man that brushed me. I wanted to ask where I could get mine too. On that bag was a square logo that had “African Things” crested on it. Ohh, I nearly lost my home training that day as I threw all caution to the wind as I joined others to chant the praise of the presidential candidate. I shouted so much till I lost my voice- all in the hope that somebody would notice me and throw me one of
those bags. Boy was I glad when someone pointed at me from inside one of the coaster buses in the presidential candidate’s convoy and asked the woman seated beside him to throw me my long-desired laptop bag. Immediately I caught it, the next thing I saw was www.africanthings.org written on a paper I found as I opened the bag. On getting back to the office and showing off my bag, all my colleagues went green with envy. They were wowed! Who would have thought there’s a Nigerian company making Africa proud with quality African-themed products? African Things is the real deal please!

The year 2019 is an especial benchmark for African history. It marks the 400th anniversary of the landing of the first recorded slaves from the continent at Jameson, Virginia in the United States of America. In the immediate half century following this arrival, slavery had not only become legalised in the Southern districts of the US but it had also grown to become the driving force of the plantation economies that flourished along that axis. More and more slaves were acquired by those who had become insatiably determined to keep these economies flourishing. This insatiateness will be at the very foundation of the refusal of many slave owners to give up their rights to own slaves when the abolitionists rose to confront slavery in America.

To commemorate such an auspicious year 2019, African thought leaders have enumerated some concerts, a carnival and an investment summit, as well as history, youth, cultural and Pan Africanism programmes under the banner of "The Back to Africa Movement" whose objective is to urge Africans in the diaspora to return home to the African continent. Ghanaian President who pronounced this under the aegis of the Ghanaian THE YEAR OF RETURN, TYOR, on the sidelines of the 73rd UN General Assembly, invited the global African family to a birth-right journey home to the countries of their origins. He thus provided fresh impetus to the quest to unite Africans on the continent with their brothers and sisters in the diaspora.

This is necessary for many reasons. Africa has so much to gain from her children in the Diaspora. Those who come back can begin to reverse the losses that the continent suffered when ancestors were removed from the continent as slaves. Advances some have made in areas like science, education, finance, tech, engineering, law and medicine can be put to immediate use. Those who have also managed to amass small and great fortunes through careers and investments abroad can return to invest in and help make Africa great, whilst also helping to replace some of the vitality that’s been pilfered from Africa for too long.

Not all of us Africans are in the Diaspora and also only few can take active roles in such big scale. That does not mean we don't have responsibilities to play in our own ways to bring about rebirth of African culture, deepening of African traditions and protecting of our African heritage fast being eroded by overindulgence in Western ways.

By incorporating into our lifestyles distinct African-ness, we can inculcate in ourselves, our children and our circle of influence a pan-African sense of living. We can begin with the stylings of everyday assessories that ladies use to glam up their looks and bags that we carry around daily. Adding an African touch as https://africanthings.org has been doing with panache can seem little. But this goes a long way in our dream of awakening in the consciousness of the 21st century African, the richness of the African tradition, culture and heritage.

Knowing how the Nigerian system is with thousands of graduates roaming the streets without jobs, I wanted my case to be different. So all through my years in the university as an undergrad I was a novice who never had a girlfriend. I honestly envied my friends who had all the fine girls flocking around them. They were big time players- lover boys, if you would. But sincerely, I wanted to concentrate on my studies, graduate with a good grade and hopefully get a type of job my ancestors would never have dreamt of in their wildest imagination. My life was boring, strict and my routine was fixed- if it wasn’t classes, it would be library or fellowship. I was a classic example of the “good guy.” But deep down within me I had a taste for classic chicks but there was just no time for flexing around. Then one day something happened.

I got a call from one of my siblings who was on vacation in America. By now I had finally graduated with good grades and gotten the job of my dreams in a world class marketing consulting firm in Lagos. So after enduring a very socially awkward life as an entry level staff, I started thinking of how to free myself and blend in. That call I got was all it took to switch things up for me. My big sister had found a good girl for me; an ideal girl in fact.

[img]https://i.redd.it/j3apnkjyeec21.jpg[/img]

Then my fears started to eat me up from inside. All through school I was just a loner who was so lost in my own world in my quest for achieving a better life that I never bothered to get into relationships. But I was shocked when I started talking with the girl. Anabel is the type of girl your MCM will do anything to go out with. She’s cute, of average height, fair with very dark and long hair, and has a very strong American accent. Although she’s of African descent, she’s not Nigerian. And to my surprise she loved me even more when she heard I was a rookie relationship-wise. She said being with me was like starting afresh for her after having suffered uncountable heartbreaks. Our love started growing and soon not a day ever passed by without us chatting or speaking on the phone. We often laughed a lot and talked about our future together until she started making unimaginable requests. Yes, even sometimes unexpected! 

She first started by asking me to send her Kilishi. The first one I sent was ordered freshly from Abuja; she loved the peppery/sugary taste, shared it with her white friends and colleagues who ate it all the same day it landed in the States. Then she wouldn’t let me rest as she started pestering me to send her Ankara stuffs and other cool fashion accessories made from African print fabrics. 

Ankara? African print fabrics? America? I just wouldn’t stop wondering. In fact, she even went ahead to send me pictures of her favourite celebs proudly adorned in Ankara tops, carrying Ankara bags, wearing Ankara-laced earrings and all that. All of them- from Rihana to Beyonce- had made her and those around her in Atlanta fall so much in love with everything African. 

Quickly, I asked a female colleague (who I was already warming up to before getting hooked up with my American girl) about what to do. I mean where would I get these things in the best fashion possible with designs that stun and turn heads even in yanky? That was how she mentioned African Things - and they not only saved the day, they also saved my relationship. They’ve kept my girl’s passion in Africa alive and even turned her to an evangelist of African designs and print- especially through her accessories which I always get from them for her after choosing by herself on www.africanthings.org They in fact helped ship it right to her doorstep. 

The relationship is on fire and everything is now set for our traditional wedding. When she eventually comes to Naija, we’ll be visiting all African Things’ stores in different parts of Lagos to make sure she gets to shop by herself this time around. Guess where our first stop would be at? - The Ikeja City Mall! 

In short, love is sweet!