eBay Inc. and Mall for Africa have announced a strategic partnership today that further boosts the sale of handmade African products into 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 Mall for Africa app.
The two global e-commerce giants will now provide Africans starting with Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, and Rwanda a new platform to sell their one-of-a-kind artisan products into the U.S. The inventory will be surfaced on the Mall for Africa store on eBay.com, allowing sellers to expand their businesses and increase brand awareness. To start, product categories will include fashion, art & collectibles, jewelry, and clothing. Expansion into other categories and additional African countries will occur in the upcoming months.
To ensure the most unique and highest quality products that can only be found in Africa are offered and are 100% African made, the Africa Made Product Standards (AMPS) was created. It provides consumers with the assurance that products meet an international standard in quality. All artisans are meticulously handpicked and all products are crafted with the utmost care by an African artisan.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with extending our partnership with eBay as we empower, expose, and positively affect thousands of hard-working artisans while making it convenient for US shoppers to purchase African made products that would otherwise be unavailable to them,“ said Chris Folayan, CEO of Mall for Africa.
Mall for Africa’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% annually—almost twice the rate of domestic e-commerce.
“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 Mall for Africa 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.”
Mall for Africa provides African consumers 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.
