How e-Commerce is reshaping shopping in Kenya

On a busy afternoon in Nairobi’s Eastleigh, Gikomba or other markets, shoppers weave through crowded stalls, haggling for bargains in the traditional way. Yet just a few kilometers away, a different kind of marketplace is taking shape — one without noise, traffic, or queues. It lives on the internet, where entrepreneurs like Abdimalik Mohamed Issack, director of LiveMall, are betting that Kenyans will increasingly choose the click of a button over the bustle of the street.

For Abdimalik, e-commerce is more than a business idea; it is a response to the growing demand for convenience among Kenya’s expanding digital generation.

“People want choice, speed, and trust,” he said in an interview, adding, “That is what platforms like LiveMall are trying to provide. We are creating a marketplace where a student in Mombasa or a mother in Kisumu can access the same products without traveling to Nairobi.”

Kenya has witnessed a steady growth in online business, driven by internet penetration, mobile money adoption, and shifting consumer behavior.

According to the Communications Authority, nearly 30 million Kenyans are active internet users, creating fertile ground for digital commerce.

Platforms like Jumia, Kilimall, and now smaller players such as LiveMall have tapped into this demand with consumers admitting that the advantages are undeniable.

“For me, online shopping saves time. I can order shoes or books late at night and have them delivered in two days. It also allows me to compare prices quickly, which I cannot do when walking around shops,” said Mercy Wambui, a university student in Nakuru.

Trust issues

But not all experiences are smooth. Trust remains a major hurdle.

“I once bought a phone online that turned out to be a counterfeit,” said James Mwangi, a boda boda rider in Nairobi. “You send money before delivery and sometimes the seller disappears. It makes people afraid to try again.”

Abdimalik acknowledges these concerns and says they are exactly the problems entrepreneurs in e-commerce must solve. “There have been cases of fraud and disappointment, and I cannot deny that,” he said. “That is why platforms must invest in verification of sellers, secure payment methods, and customer service. We have to rebuild confidence one transaction at a time.”

For Abdimalik, this is both a challenge and an opportunity.

“Every negative story you hear about online shopping is a reminder that we have to do better. We are putting mechanisms in place from reliable delivery partners to return policies — because we know that once trust is restored, people will never go back to traditional shopping in the same way,” he said.

The shift toward digital commerce also has wider implications for employment and entrepreneurship.

Online platforms are opening up opportunities for small-scale sellers who might never afford physical shops.

“We have vendors from small towns uploading products and reaching customers nationwide. That is empowering young people and women especially, who are able to run businesses from their homes,” said Abdimalik.

He concedes that logistics are a headache with delivery still being expensive across the country.

“But we are working with courier companies to bring costs down. As more people shop online, volumes will increase, and that will help reduce the price burden,” he said.

Yet, even with these obstacles, the growth of online shopping appears unstoppable. Kenya’s youthful population, high mobile penetration, and expanding fintech ecosystem are combining to make digital transactions part of daily life.

Mobile money, in particular, has provided the backbone for secure payments that many other countries still struggle with.

Abdimalik sees this as a moment of transformation.

“We are at the beginning of something big. Just like mobile money revolutionised payments, e-commerce will revolutionise trade. In the next five years, you will see more people shopping online than in malls,” he said.

The ICT community echoes this view with Dr Esther Chepkemoi, a lecturer in information systems at a Nairobi university saying the success of e-commerce in Kenya depends heavily on addressing trust and infrastructure gaps.

“Consumers need assurance that they will get value for money, while businesses need secure systems to handle payments and data,” she explained,” adding, “Without strong safeguards, the growth of the sector will remain limited to those who can afford to take the risk.”

Experts agree that e-commerce can be a powerful equalizer.

Dr Chepkemoi said with the right support, online business can democratize access to markets making the e-commerce a powerful equalizer.

“A farmer selling honey in Turkana or a tailor in Kisii can find buyers in Nairobi or even abroad. But for this to work, we need better logistics, stronger consumer protection laws, and more awareness campaigns,” she said.

Despite the promise, logistics remain a major bottleneck. Deliveries can take longer in rural areas, and infrastructure challenges mean costs are often passed on to the buyer.

Consumers like Wambui say they are sometimes forced to pay high delivery fees for a small item to cater for transport charges.

Wambui’s sentiments are echoed by Mwangi who says although caution always lingers, he is optimistic that the tide is changing.

“I may have had a bad experience, but I also know people who order food, clothes, and even electronics every week without problems. Maybe I was unlucky, but I will try again if platforms become more trustworthy,” he said.

As Kenya navigates this digital marketplace, one thing is clear: the days when shopping meant only walking into a shop are fading.

Whether through large platforms or emerging ones like LiveMall, the future of commerce is increasingly virtual, a blend of convenience, risk, and opportunity that will shape how Kenyans buy and sell for years to come.