Mahambi is an online peer to peer thrift marketplace where Kenyans can open ‘digital shops’ in minutes and sell their clothing items from anywhere, anytime. Launched in Kenya on 5th September 2020. Mahambi Market seeks to promote a waste-free, reuse, reduce and recycle culture in fashion by providing a platform for one to sell their least-worn clothing items.
For this generation of bedroom entrepreneurs, social apps and platforms are not a choice, but simply the basis and source of all their online engagement. Mahambi Market seeks to open up a platform that taps on the need for online engagement and the sense of trust and security that this generation receives from referral and or recommendation from their peers.
The platform came at the right time as the world is also moving digitally and Kenyans are now embracing online shopping. There has been an upsurge of e-commerce users as the majority of Kenyans decided to buy most of their needs online. Mahambi Market also gives a platform for thrift sellers to move digital with a trusted website for both buyer and seller. The website focuses on clothing items for both men and women which includes fashion accessories and select home décor products.
Sanjeev Jandu, Mahambi Market CEO says, “There are so many individuals out there with more clothes than they do wear and would love a space to creatively showcase this wardrobe and potentially sell these items, there is even a larger population eager to browse through and shop thrift items without the hassle of leaving their homes.”
How Mahambi Market works?
All a vendor has to do to get started is sign up on the Mahambi Marketplace Website, snap pictures of their merchandise and then post them for sale. Mahambi Market is open to individuals, wherever they are in Kenya, who would like to sell their used fashion items online. To ensure security for both vendor and buyer, the products are vetted by the site and before being approved to the website. Once a sale has been done, the money remains in the Mahambi Market wallet, where the seller has been alerted a sale has been made, until the client confirms they are comfortable with the purchase then the money is given to the seller.
Mahambi Market allows buyers to browse through the various digital shops, pay online and have the items delivered to them, all from the comfort of their homes. They also assist sellers to create cool, fun and interactive profiles to receive maximum engagement with the buyers.
Since launch Mahambi Market has registered over 250 vendors and the website has over 400 products on sale ranging from clothes, accessories, beauty products and homeware. Mahambi Market seeks to create a new generation of young entrepreneurs and create a space where people can sell items from their closets to make room for more and a space that makes thrifting easy, fun and very convenient. Mahambi Market will also be associated with a charity and anything from any vendor that doesn’t get sold will be donated to a charity.
