To sell on Shopify in Kenya: sign up, choose a plan, add products, install a third-party payment gateway that supports M-Pesa (Shopify Payments is not available in Kenya), configure shipping zones, connect a custom domain, and publish. The critical Kenyan-specific step is the payment gateway. It must support M-Pesa STK Push for your customers to pay at checkout.
What Selling on Shopify in Kenya Actually Means
Shopify is available globally, and Kenyan merchants can sign up and use it without restrictions. The key difference from markets like the UK or US is that Shopify Payments, the built-in payment processor, is not available in Kenya. This means every Kenyan Shopify merchant must integrate a third-party payment gateway to accept payments.
Beyond that, the Shopify experience for Kenyan sellers is the same as anywhere. You get a customizable online store, product management, shipping settings, discount codes, analytics, and access to the Shopify App Store for additional functionality.
Choosing and Configuring Your Payment Gateway
The payment gateway is the most important integration for a Kenyan Shopify store. Your gateway must support:
- M-Pesa STK Push: Customers should be able to pay via M-Pesa at your checkout without being redirected to a separate page. STK Push sends an approval prompt to their Safaricom line.
- KES settlement: The gateway should settle funds in Kenyan shillings to your local bank account.
- Shopify compatibility: The gateway must have a Shopify integration (plugin or API connection).
Pesapal, IntaSend, and DPO Pay all meet these criteria. Create your merchant account, complete KYC verification, and enter your API credentials in Shopify under Settings then Payments then Third-party payment providers.
Building Your Product Catalog
Product quality on Shopify is heavily influenced by your product photos and descriptions. For Kenyan customers:
- Use clear, well-lit photos against a neutral background
- Include at least one photo showing the product in context or in use
- Write descriptions that answer the questions a customer in a physical shop would ask: size, material, care instructions, what is included
- Set prices in KES if your primary market is Kenyan: seeing KES prices reduces friction compared to USD
Shopify Plus a Physical Shop
Many Kenyan merchants who sell on Shopify also sell from a physical location. The challenge is keeping inventory in sync: a product sold online should reduce stock for in-store sales and vice versa.
Shopify POS is one option, but it does not have native M-Pesa STK Push support in Kenya. WebpinnPOS integrates with Shopify and handles in-store M-Pesa while syncing inventory with your Shopify store in real time. Merchants with a physical shop often find this combination more practical for the Kenyan market. See the full Shopify POS setup guide and the Shopify POS vs WebpinnPOS comparison.
Shopify's Costs for Kenyan Merchants
Shopify plans are priced in USD: Basic at USD 29/month, Shopify at USD 79/month, Advanced at USD 299/month. The Basic plan is sufficient for most Kenyan startups. On Basic, the third-party transaction fee is 2% per transaction (on top of your gateway's fee). Paying annually instead of monthly reduces the subscription cost by approximately 25%.