Order fulfillment built for African ecommerce
MFT receives your cleared inventory, processes customer orders, prepares parcels, coordinates delivery, collects Cash on Delivery payments where available, manages returns, and provides the records required for reconciliation.
For local and international merchants selling into African markets.
One operating process from inventory to completed order
Ecommerce growth becomes difficult when inventory, customer confirmation, dispatch, delivery, Cash on Delivery, and returns are managed as separate activities.
MFT Fulfillment Centre brings these stages into one coordinated order fulfillment process. Merchants retain control of their products, pricing, customer proposition, and sales channels while MFT manages the agreed physical fulfillment activities in the destination market.
Whether orders originate from an ecommerce website, landing page, social-commerce campaign, marketplace, or approved order file, each order should move through a defined operational status with clear ownership and reporting.
Ecommerce fulfillment services that match the complete order journey
Inventory receiving
MFT receives inventory after goods arrive in the destination country and complete the applicable customs and import requirements. Receiving records products, SKUs, quantities, and visible discrepancies before stock becomes available for fulfillment.
Warehousing and stock control
Accepted inventory is organized for efficient order processing and monitored through agreed stock records. Warehousing may be provided without a separate storage charge for qualifying, actively moving inventory; eligibility and aging rules are confirmed in the merchant agreement.
Order processing, pick and pack
Approved orders are checked against available inventory. Correct products and quantities are picked, packed, labelled, and prepared according to the agreed packaging and dispatch requirements.
Customer order confirmation
Where required, MFT can contact customers before dispatch to verify the order, delivery details, availability, and applicable Cash on Delivery amount. Confirmation reduces avoidable dispatches but does not guarantee successful delivery.
Last-mile delivery and COD
Orders are assigned for delivery within confirmed service areas. Where Cash on Delivery is supported, the approved amount is collected through the available payment method and recorded against the delivery outcome.
Returns and reconciliation
Failed, refused, undelivered, exchanged, or returned parcels are processed under the agreed returns policy. Delivery activity, COD collections, applicable charges, and merchant balances are reconciled before settlement.
How MFT processes an ecommerce order
- 01
Operating assessment
MFT reviews the destination country, product category, SKU profile, expected order volume, parcel size, selling price, required cities, COD needs, returns policy, and target launch date.
- 02
Product and merchant eligibility
The merchant provides business, product, beneficiary, and compliance information. Regulated or sensitive categories may require additional documents and approval.
- 03
Inventory handover
The merchant or its appointed import and transport partner delivers cleared inventory to the approved MFT receiving location. MFT does not act as the merchant's freight forwarder unless expressly confirmed in writing.
- 04
Receiving and stock activation
MFT counts and records received stock, identifies visible discrepancies, maps the inventory to the agreed SKU structure, and confirms when accepted quantities are available for order processing.
- 05
Order confirmation and fulfillment
Orders enter the agreed workflow. Where included, customers are contacted before dispatch. Confirmed orders are picked, packed, labelled, and prepared for delivery.
- 06
Delivery, collection and exceptions
The delivery team attempts the order within the confirmed coverage and service window. Successful deliveries, failed attempts, refusals, rescheduling, COD collections, and other exceptions are recorded.
- 07
Reconciliation, returns and settlement
MFT reconciles delivery outcomes, COD collections, service charges, returned stock, and the merchant balance. Settlement timing and payout methods follow the applicable country and merchant agreement.
Operational note
MFT onboarding does not begin with shipping goods from the country of origin. Inventory should only be sent after product eligibility, receiving instructions, commercial terms, and the destination-country operating plan have been confirmed.
Built for sellers who need more than parcel delivery
MFT is most suitable when fulfillment requires coordination across inventory, customer contact, dispatch, delivery outcomes, payment collection, and reconciliation — not simply movement of a parcel from one address to another.
- African online retailers expanding beyond one city
- Social-commerce and performance-marketing sellers
- Cash on Delivery merchants
- International brands entering an African market
- Businesses processing repeat orders across multiple SKUs
- Merchants that need local warehousing without building an internal operation
- Brands requiring structured returns and exchange handling
- Sellers preparing for multi-country expansion
Connect the way your business currently receives orders
MFT can assess orders received through ecommerce platforms, merchant systems, approved spreadsheets, landing pages, marketplaces, and social-commerce workflows. The exact submission method, required fields, update frequency, and integration scope are agreed during onboarding.
Required order information may include:
- Merchant order number
- Customer name
- Valid telephone number
- Delivery location and directions
- Product and quantity
- Amount to collect
- Preferred delivery timing
- Customer notes
- Confirmation status
- Special handling instructions
Cash on Delivery requires financial control, not just delivery
COD order fulfillment adds operational and financial responsibilities to every order. The customer may need to be contacted, the collection amount must be correct, the delivery outcome must be evidenced, and collected funds must be reconciled before merchant settlement.
MFT's agreed COD process may include:
- Pre-dispatch customer confirmation
- Verification of delivery information
- Recording of the approved collection amount
- Proof of delivery
- Delivery-agent collection accountability
- Failed and refused delivery reporting
- Daily operational reconciliation
- Returned-stock processing
- Merchant balance reporting
- Settlement under the agreed schedule
Important
COD availability, collection methods, settlement timing, payout options, order-value limits, and eligible delivery locations vary by country and merchant. They must be confirmed in writing before launch. See our COD collection service for more detail.
PUDO support where the operating network allows
Pick-Up and Drop-Off locations can provide an alternative when customers cannot receive parcels at home, addresses are difficult to serve, or a structured return point is needed.
Where operationally available, MFT may assess PUDO for customer collection, returns, exchanges, or consolidated parcel handover. Availability is not universal and depends on the country, city, product, parcel size, collection controls, and approved operating network.
See the PUDO pickup service or the PUDO network overview for coverage context.
Fulfillment infrastructure without building everything yourself
Running fulfillment internally requires more than warehouse space. A merchant must recruit and supervise inventory staff, customer-confirmation agents, dispatch coordinators, delivery partners, finance personnel, and returns handlers. It must also control stock movements, COD collections, failed orders, reconciliations, security, and reporting.
MFT allows eligible merchants to use an established fulfillment process while preserving control of their commercial strategy and customer proposition.
Compare 3PL and DIY FulfillmentWhat MFT needs before onboarding
- Identifiable merchant or contracting business
- Lawful products eligible for storage and delivery
- Product names, SKUs, quantities, values, weights, and dimensions
- Required product or regulatory documentation
- Proof that inventory has completed applicable import procedures
- Confirmed selling prices and COD amounts
- Accurate customer-order information
- Defined returns and exchange rules
- Forecast order volumes
- Required cities and regions
- Settlement-beneficiary details
- Target launch date
- Agreed commercial terms and service scope
Regulated categories
Supplements, cosmetics, medical products, food products, batteries, liquids, high-value goods, and other regulated or sensitive items may require additional assessment.
A controlled path to launch
- Initial requirements review
- 1–3 business days
- Product and operating assessment
- 2–5 business days
- Commercial agreement and workflow setup
- 3–10 business days
- Order-file or system mapping
- Depends on technical complexity
- Inventory receiving
- After cleared goods arrive at the approved location
- Controlled pilot
- Scheduled once stock, workflow, documentation, and coverage are ready
Actual onboarding time depends on the country, product documentation, inventory readiness, integration requirements, operating scope, and speed of merchant approvals. These are indicative planning stages, not guarantees.
A fulfillment partner should make every order accountable
Operational clarity
Every agreed stage has a defined owner, status, and escalation path.
Commercial discipline
Pricing, service coverage, COD controls, returns, and settlement terms are agreed before launch.
Local execution
The operating plan reflects the actual destination country, delivery locations, customer behaviour, and payment requirements.
Scalable structure
The merchant can begin with a controlled scope and expand after the workflow has been tested and performance reviewed.
Ecommerce fulfillment services: frequently asked questions
More questions? Email info@mftfulfillmentcentre.com or business@mftfulfillmentcentre.com.
Tell us what you sell, where you deliver, and how customers pay.
MFT will review your products, order volumes, destination market, required cities, COD needs, inventory status, and target launch date before recommending the appropriate fulfillment scope.
Request a fulfillment assessment
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