eBay to bring African handmade goods to the US in partnership with MallforAfrica

August 23, 2017: The global e-commerce player,  eBay Inc. and MallforAfrica have announced a strategic partnership that further boosts the sale of handmade African products in the United States. The partnership expands upon an existing relationship between the two companies, which allows Africans the ability to purchase items from eBayforAfrica.com or directly through the MallforAfrica app.

MallforAfrica and eBay will now provide Africans in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, and Burundi a new platform to sell their one-of-a-kind artisan products in the US. The inventory will be surfaced on the MallforAfrica store on eBay.com, allowing sellers to expand their businesses and increase brand awareness. In the beginning, product categories will include fashion, art and collectables, jewellery, and clothing.  Expansion into other categories and additional African countries will occur in the coming months.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with extending our partnership with eBay as we empower, expose, and positively affect thousands of hardworking artisans while making it convenient for US shoppers to purchase African made products that would otherwise be unavailable to them. As someone who grew up in Africa, became an entrepreneur, and who currently does business in Africa, I know first-hand the importance of cross-border trade and having the opportunity to expand a business internationally, “said Chris Folayan, CEO of Mall for Africa.

“eBay’s vision for commerce is one that is enabled by people, powered by technology, and open to everyone,” said Sylvie De Wever, eBay’s general manager of Latin America and US Exports. “This expanded relationship with MallforAfrica will not only bring great inventory and more selection to our marketplace but will also create greater economic opportunity for African artisans looking to expand their reach.

MallforAfrica provides African consumers with a platform to purchase items directly from over 200 of the best US and UK retailers in the world. As a leader in the industry, MFA manages every step of the order process, offering its customers a simple, secure and convenient solution to online shopping.

MallforAfrica’s long-time shipping partner, DHL, will be responsible for all shipping needs. The seller simply packs the product, prints the label, and drops the package off at DHL’s nearest drop-off location.  Last February, DHL published research that indicated a significant forthcoming increase in cross-border e-commerce sales. It also asserts that in 2020, 1 out of 5 e-commerce dollars will be generated cross-border and the market is anticipated to grow at 25 percent annually—almost twice the rate of domestic e-commerce.