When Ademoye Michael joined Jumia as one of the first employees at the early startup that was looking…
When Ademoye Michael joined Jumia as one of the first employees at the early startup that was looking to build an e-commerce business in Africa, he was working in the Content Quality Control team department, drawing on his background in studio photography.
Today, he heads the entire Catalog Management division at the company. “This was not an easy transition,” he said of the experience. It was his first time in the Catalog Management division at Jumia, and he also had to lead the team.
He quickly realised that he was responsible for building trust with their customers. “Good data cataloguing practices enable companies to build trust with their customers.”
In an interview with Technext, he spoke about how he started his career, what he has learnt, and what makes a good catalogue management system.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
First of all, what does it mean to be the central head of content cataloguing at a company like Jumia?
My role is crucial to ensuring that our e-commerce platform functions optimally by maintaining accurate and up-to-date product information for our customers. I oversee a team of content cataloguers and provide technical support and guidance to ensure that all products are correctly categorised, described, and displayed on our website.
One of the most critical aspects of my role at Jumia is staying up-to-date on changes and
developments in cataloguing backend configurations and understanding the unique
market ideologies of each country we operate in. This helps me to set up content-related
systems that suit each market, making the job more interesting and challenging.
developments in cataloguing backend configurations and understanding the unique
market ideologies of each country we operate in. This helps me to set up content-related
systems that suit each market, making the job more interesting and challenging.
What is your day-to-day like?
It involves overseeing the product creation output and catalogue management across all the countries we operate in. This means ensuring that our standard operating procedures and timelines are respected and that our content team has the technical support they need to manage our product catalogue effectively.
I also organise and attend tech discussions and brainstorming sessions with our product and data science teams. This allows us to collaborate on delivering our plan roadmaps, including improving our systems and processes.
You started in the photography department, and now you are running Jumia’s
entire data cataloguing operation. How did that happen?
While I had a strong background in studio photography, I also had a keen interest in data management. When I joined the Content Quality Control team, I was able to expand my experience beyond photography and took on more projects. I excelled in my role and caught the attention of my HOD, who mentored me and helped me sharpen my analytical skills.
When an opportunity to join the catalogue team came up, I was nominated to fill the
vacant post. This was not an easy transition, as I was immediately thrust into a
leadership role as a team lead, with the biggest campaign of the year (Black Friday)
looming on the horizon. I had to work hard and learn quickly to become the go-to person
for support and queries.
vacant post. This was not an easy transition, as I was immediately thrust into a
leadership role as a team lead, with the biggest campaign of the year (Black Friday)
looming on the horizon. I had to work hard and learn quickly to become the go-to person
for support and queries.
You have been at Jumia since its founding. How has e-commerce evolved, and what role has data played in that evolution?
I have seen how e-commerce has evolved in Africa over the years. Initially, many people were sceptical about the sustainability of e-commerce in Africa, but now it has become a force to be reckoned with, and Jumia has been at the forefront of setting the pace and structure.
Data has played a crucial role in this evolution. Catalogue data management, in particular, has overseen creating and editing product structures, conveying necessary product information to targeted customers. Data management has enabled efficient performance tracking based on successful orders and customer experience. It has also enabled the implementation of automation, further improving operational efficiency.
Why is it important to catalogue data in a modern e-commerce company like Jumia?
It ensures that products are accurately and consistently presented to customers. This makes it easier for customers to find what they are looking for and make informed purchase decisions. It
also enables the creation of targeted marketing campaigns, providing insights into customer behaviour and preferences.
also enables the creation of targeted marketing campaigns, providing insights into customer behaviour and preferences.
Good data cataloguing practices enable companies to build trust with their customers. When customers see that products are accurately described and presented, they are more likely to make repeat purchases and recommend the platform to others.
How has data cataloguing evolved over the years, and what trends do you see in the future?
Data cataloguing has significantly evolved over the years, particularly in terms of the
amount of data that can be collected and analysed. Previously, cataloguing data was
mostly manual and limited to basic product information such as name, description, and
price.
amount of data that can be collected and analysed. Previously, cataloguing data was
mostly manual and limited to basic product information such as name, description, and
price.
However, with the advancement of technology, data collection and analysis have
become more automated, allowing for the collection of more extensive and detailed
product information such as product attributes, images, videos, and reviews. In the future, we can expect to see even more use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in data
cataloguing.
become more automated, allowing for the collection of more extensive and detailed
product information such as product attributes, images, videos, and reviews. In the future, we can expect to see even more use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in data
cataloguing.
Companies will continue to leverage AI and machine learning to better
understand customer needs and preferences and deliver more personalised
experiences.
understand customer needs and preferences and deliver more personalised
experiences.
How will you describe the end product of a good data cataloguing process?
A good data cataloguing process will result in a well-organised and easily accessible product database with accurate and up-to-date information on each product. This will improve the customer’s shopping experience by providing detailed and relevant product information that helps them make informed decisions.
A good data cataloguing process will also improve operational efficiency by reducing errors and inconsistencies, thereby reducing the cost and time required for manual corrections. In addition, it will provide the business with actionable insights and analytics, allowing them to make data-driven decisions and improve their overall performance.
In what ways does data cataloguing help Jumia better understand its customers and their preferences, and how does this translate into a better consumer experience?
It helps Jumia to understand new product categories that are increasing in demand and eventually pay attention to optimising target product information for better visibility. By doing this, the customer easily finds these products with various price options from different vendors during navigation on the website. This leads to a better customer experience, as customers are presented with products and offers that are more relevant to their interests and needs.
Does good cataloguing play any critical role in Jumia’s operations? How so?
It helps to streamline the product information management process, reduce errors, and improve the overall efficiency of our e-commerce platform. By ensuring that product information is properly organised and easily accessible to customers, customer experience and satisfaction is improved, leading to increased sales for the company.
Good cataloguing helps Jumia to understand its customers’ preferences and behaviour better, enabling the company to make informed decisions regarding product offerings, marketing strategies, and customer engagement.
Where do you hope to see the team in the next five years?
The entire field is becoming more relevant by the day as e-commerce continues to
expand globally, with catalogue management playing a significant role in the success of
e-commerce businesses. In the next five years, the team’s expertise will be in high
demand. I hope they will play a role in shaping the industry standards for data
cataloguing and management.
expand globally, with catalogue management playing a significant role in the success of
e-commerce businesses. In the next five years, the team’s expertise will be in high
demand. I hope they will play a role in shaping the industry standards for data
cataloguing and management.