JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – A global commerce leader and the continent’s leading e-commerce platform have partnered to boost the sale of handmade African products into the United States.
eBay Inc and Mall for Africa (MFA) respectively have announced the partnership.
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.
Mall for Africa 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 into the US.
The inventory will be surfaced on the Mall for Africa store on eBay.com, allowing sellers to expand their businesses and increase brand awareness.
Chris Folayan, Chief Executive Officer of MFA, said the extension of the partnership with eBay would 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.
“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,” Folayan said.
Founded in 2011, MFA is an award-winning global e-commerce company which enables Africans to purchase products from more than 200 US and UK retailers.
Sylvie De Wever, eBay’s General Manager of Latin America and US Exports, said eBay’s vision for commerce was one enabling people, powered by technology, and open to everyone.
Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay is one of the world’s largest and most vibrant marketplaces.
“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,” De Wever said.
– CAJ News