Online shopping has redefined the way we make purchases with shopping and payment done through the internet. In most cases, the only time the customer has human interface is with the delivery agent when packages are delivered.

However, a lot of manpower and activities go behind the scene to ensure orders are properly processed and items delivered in good condition.

A tour led by Adetunji Lanase, Country Manager Jumia Nigeria into one of the biggest Jumia warehouses in Nigeria showed the process items pass through before they are delivered at the doorsteps of customers. From the entry point, it was easy to see that a Jumia warehouse is a place of organized activities.

Though divided into sections, the activities are all connected to produce quality service delivery to customers. Below is a glance through phases and activities in the packaging process:

Inbound area: This is the first section in the chain of goods packaging processing. Working with strict covid-19 guidelines which are maintained across the warehouse, this section receives items to be sold on the Jumia platform from sellers.

Staging area: Being the second phase in the process, this is the intermediate storage area for the items received from sellers. Here, the Jumia team ensures items are arranged and organized according to the warehouse number for easy pickup when orders are placed.

Outflow area: This section is the inventory location where the picker moves to pick the list of orders on queue and scans the items. The item is processed and prepared for packaging before being shipped to the next section in the chain.

Outbound hub: Items need to be protected for the transportation process. While doing this, the impact of packaging is considered by the Jumia team. Here, the team on ground inspects items approved for delivery to ensure they are in good condition. They label the items, and then create a master packaging bag to ensure the items are presented to meet the customer’s aesthetics taste.

Network Hub: The packages are brought to this section for sortation according to the region/destination of the packed items.

Verification: Here the packages are scanned and readied for dispatch. The security team on ground verifies necessary documents before loading the items into the dispatch van.

From this point, packages are handled by the dispatcher who ensures they remain intact and are delivered at the appropriate destination.