Selling Online in Kenya Is Taking Off
Online shopping in Kenya is expanding by more than 30% a year, which makes now a good time to build an online shop. Clothes from Gikomba or electronics from Nairobi CBD: sellers on the web now reach buyers in all 47 counties without paying rent on a shopfront in each one.
Your Shopping List
- A domain name, like myshop.co.ke
- Web hosting with enough muscle, because WooCommerce is demanding
- WordPress and WooCommerce, both free
- A plugin that adds an M-Pesa payment gateway
- Photos and write-ups for each product
Why WooCommerce Suits Kenyan Sellers
WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin that adds a complete shop to any website. It handles Kenyan shillings (KES), takes M-Pesa through plugins such as WooCommerce M-Pesa by Safaricom or through third-party gateways, and supports local delivery options.
Setting Up the Shop, Step by Step
- Get SiteBoma hosting; for WooCommerce, choose the Business plan or higher
- Use the one-click installer in DirectAdmin to put WordPress in place
- Add the WooCommerce plugin from your WordPress dashboard
- List your products with photos, prices in KES and stock levels
- Add a plugin for M-Pesa payments
- Create delivery zones: Nairobi, the rest of Kenya and abroad
- Place a test order through checkout before you open the doors
Habits of Kenyan Shops That Sell Well
- Take M-Pesa, since that is how most Kenyans pay online
- Show every price clearly in KES
- Offer WhatsApp chat for questions about orders
- Let buyers in Nairobi pay cash on delivery
- Display customer reviews so new buyers feel safe