Kenyans Google 'online shopping sites' thousands of times a month — and every listicle gives the same three names. Here's the actual landscape in 2026: the big marketplaces, the supermarket apps, the fashion sites, and the thousands of independent shops most guides never mention.
The big marketplaces
- Jumia Kenya — the biggest by far: electronics, fashion, groceries, appliances. Wide range, frequent sales, but marketplace sellers vary in quality and delivery can stretch outside Nairobi.
- Kilimall — similar model, often cheaper on phones and accessories; strong on flash deals.
- Jiji — classifieds, not a shop: you deal with the seller directly. Great prices, zero buyer protection — meet in public, pay on inspection.
Supermarkets and grocery apps
- Naivas Online and Carrefour Kenya — full grocery catalogues with scheduled delivery in Nairobi and major towns.
- Glovo/Bolt Food — for speed on food and convenience items rather than a big weekly shop.
- Independent grocers — shops like MAMAKADOGO SHOP on this directory sell everyday essentials online with M-PESA; often better for estates outside delivery-app zones.
Fashion
- Shopzetu — the largest dedicated fashion site: women's, men's, shoes, beauty.
- Vivo and Leorana — Kenyan fashion brands selling direct online.
- Instagram/WhatsApp boutiques — thousands of small sellers. The trade-off: no prices listed, no returns policy. Some now run proper shops — browse fashion shops in the directory for ones with real prices and checkout.
Electronics and phones
- Avechi, Phone Place, Phone Avenue, Hotpoint — established Nairobi electronics shops with proper online stores, warranties and delivery.
- CBD independents — shops like One Touch Computers and Golden Link on Luthuli Avenue sell laptops and accessories online with same-day Nairobi delivery, usually at better prices than the big sites.
The part every listicle misses: independent shops
The biggest change in Kenyan online shopping isn't a new marketplace — it's thousands of local shops getting their own online storefronts. Your neighbourhood supermarket, the LPG supplier, the salon that does deliveries, the bookshop in the CBD. They don't pay marketplace commission, so prices are often lower — and you deal with the actual owner.
127 products of groceries and household essentials, orderable online with M-PESA — one of the fullest independent shop catalogues in Kenya.
Gas refills, cylinders and appliances delivered to your door — 56 products live, WhatsApp ordering built in.
Laptops and accessories at CBD prices with online checkout — the kind of Luthuli Avenue shop that used to be cash-and-carry only.
Smart fashion with real listed prices — no 'DM for price' runaround.
Those are a handful — [browse the full directory of 29,000+ shops](/businesses) by county and category, or see the [editor's picks](/best) for the top-rated shops right now.
How to choose where to buy
- Compare total cost — marketplace price + delivery fee vs a local shop's price + boda fare often surprises you.
- Check payment options — M-PESA till/paybill is standard; card and cash on delivery depend on the shop.
- Verified matters — on this directory, verified shops have confirmed ownership; on marketplaces, check seller ratings and 'fulfilled by' tags.
- Delivery zones — big sites deliver countrywide; local shops often same-day within their town but won't ship to Lodwar.
Run a shop? This list should include you
Independent shops are the fastest-growing part of Kenyan e-commerce. [Create a free shop](/signup) or [claim your existing listing](/businesses) — add products with real prices, share your link, and show up where buyers are already looking.