How to Shop Online on Alibaba in Kenya

Alibaba is a China-based e-commerce platform, and one of the largest in the world. It was founded in 1999 by Jack Ma, who is currently among the top richest men in the world. The platform sells a wide variety of products including fashion, electronics, auto parts, beauty & personal care, etc. 

Alibaba operates on a B2B model, meaning it sells goods in bulk to other businesses. Aliexpress which is also an e-commerce platform under the Alibaba Group operates on the B2C model. Therefore, if you want to buy goods in wholesale for resale, buy from Alibaba. But if you only need a few items, then Aliexpress is the best option.

To shop on Alibaba, you will first need to create an account on their website. Here is the complete step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Set up your Alibaba account

 Visit the Alibaba website and click “Join for free” in the top right corner of the home page. You will need to provide basic information like your name, email address, country, mobile number, etc. Select your trade role as “buyer” and proceed with the registration process. Follow subsequent prompts to verify your account.

Step 2: Search for products

Once you have successfully registered your buyer account on Alibaba, search for the products you would like to buy. You can use the search bar at the top or scroll through the categories listed on the left sidebar.

Step 3: Contact Alibaba supplier

Once you’ve found your product and viewed its price and description, click on the “Contact the Supplier” button on the product’s page to contact the product’s supplier. This allows you to ask questions regarding the product, as well as get a better understanding of the shipping and payment process. You can also build a business relationship with them. 

One thing to note here is that Alibaba is only a platform where suppliers list their products; it is not the actual supplier. 

Step 4: Order and pay for the products

After contacting the supplier, now place your order. You may complete your deal with the supplier outside of Alibaba, but you won’t qualify for Trade assurance protection. Trade Assurance protects both the buyer and the seller if something goes wrong.

The payment methods available include Credit cards, Wire transfers, Debit cards, Online bank payment (eChecking), and Western Union.

Conclusion

After completing the above process, wait for your products to arrive in Kenya. Typically, it takes about 2 to 4 weeks. 

Alibaba doesn’t accept M-Pesa as a mode of payment but its sister company, Aliexpress, does. So if you prefer to shop using M-Pesa, then you can shop on Aliexpress instead.