Online retailer, MallforAfrica has partnered with delivery giant, DHL to launch an e-commerce site, MarketPlaceAfrica.com.
MarketPlaceAfrica is an e-commerce site for select African artisans to sell wares to buyers in any of DHL’s 220 delivery countries. MallforAfrica is currently vetting sellers for MarketPlace Africa online and through the Africa Made Product Standards association (AMPS), to verify made-in-Africa status and merchandise quality.
The site will prioritize fashion items — clothing, bags, jewelry, footwear and personal care — and crafts, such as pictures and carvings. MallforAfrica CEO Chris Folayan told Techcrunch that the site will start off in Nigeria and then open in Kenya, Rwanda and the rest of Africa, utilizing DHL’s massive network.
Cuurents merchants on the site include Chinwe Ezenwa showcasing designer handbags and Tasha Goodwin displaying women’s outfits.
MarketPlace Africa will utilize MallforAfrica’s e-commerce infrastructure and MallforAfrica’s payment and delivery system will serve as a digital broker and logistics manager for U.S. retailers that partner with MFA to sell their goods online to African consumers.
MallforAfrica began in 2011 and now ships to 17 countries, averages a ton a day of goods shipped to Africa, and plans to grow by 3-4 times this year over 2017.
Just last year, the company partnered with eBay to make African goods available on the global e-commerce marketplace.
