Kenyans can now use shilling on Amazon

Business
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Kenyans can now use shilling on Amazon
Move expected to provide greater access to online goods for customers previously excluded.

An Amazon distribution centre in Dortmund. PHOTO | DPA | AFP

By BUSINESS DAILY

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IN SUMMARY

Western Union and US tech giant Amazon have entered into a partnership that will allow Kenyans to use local currency to pay for products sold on the e-commerce platform.
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Cross-border currency movement company Western Union and US tech giant Amazon have entered into a partnership that will allow Kenyans to use local currency to pay for products sold on the e-commerce platform.

The deal is aimed at widening Amazon’s customer base in the country by bringing on board clients who were locked out by hitches on the payment platform, which do not allow transactions in local currencies.

Similar partnerships are already working in nine other countries across the globe including in Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand.

The e-commerce firm, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, recently launched a cross-border payment option dubbed ‘PayCode’ that processes complex foreign exchange, settlement and money movement requirements for international transactions.

After selecting PayCode on Amazon.com checkout page, online shoppers are sent a code with instructions on how to pay in person at a Western Union agent.

The move is expected to provide greater access to online goods for customers who were previously excluded from e-commerce due to lack of accepted payment methods.

“We’re helping to unlock access to Amazon.com for customers who need and want items that can only be found online,” said Khalid Fellahi, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Western Union Digital.

The two companies said they intend to avail more convenience and choice in a world where cross-border buyers and sellers are often located on different continents and in completely different financial ecosystems.

“Amazon is committed to enabling customers shop on our platform, and a big part of that is to allow customers to pay for their cross-border online purchases in a way that is most convenient for them”, said Mani Sundaram, Amazon’s Emerging Payments General Manager.

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we use embesha

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The best thing they can do to help us is to set up a pick up point in kenya

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You’ll be fucked on the exchange rate

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Western Union is a no-no. Tena you have to pay in person!

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Hapo Kwa pay in person…kwani tuko 1990

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Haiya …it has been happening since 1963.

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Shipping to Kenya iis the only problem they could have fixed. Payment and payment methods have never been a big problem.

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This one is actually 5 bob+

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useless

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SHIDA NI SHIPPING HII INGINE NI KELELE TUU

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I have always had a choice to use KES in Amazon. or what’s new?

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This is really a milestone for the global market. Transactions can now be made easily when purchasing online.

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Thank you for sharing the info

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Kenyans, under normal circumstances, for obvious reasons, would choose Amazon over any other online market. But they hardly buy there. Because almost all sellers on Amazon don’t ship to Kenya. You have to engage a 3rd party like the ones you are citing here. By engaging the 3rd party, the cost of the items goes up. And even if it doesn’t go up, there is that feeling that you are buying from a broker, a manamba. And you know how Kenyans relate with brokers. And if per adventure you should find a seller on Amazon who ships to Kenya, you will have to contend with the custom duty! Actually, Amazon wenyewe ndio wanaokota hio duty on behalf of Caesar!

Now, introducing AliExpress, my darling! Wachinku are always game players! They ship your items to wherever you are. Not only that, they will help you evade those customs guys, even sometimes without a request, by declaring a lower price than what you paid, or by declaring the item as a free sample or gift!

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ile deal ya Posta na Amazon iliendaje ? Last time I checked they wanted to ink a deal where Posta would be shipping on behalf of Amazon . Anyone with updates ?

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For as long as ive used them, Amazon barely loses. Whenthey make a decision they’ve thoroughly thought it through… hii hapa ni a business psych move and with time, it will work. They’ve tested it out na wakaona guys will chew this up in some months to come.

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I would buy from Amazon on condition that they should stop demanding for customs duty deposit. They oughta send my merchandise and leave it for me to deal with the kra myself.

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yea. by the way. I had bought some shoes from ali express at 2k. but huko posta city square niliona value imeandikwa $6. sasa huyo customs officer kuniuliza the value nikamwambia ile price nilinunua from ali express akasema nimuonyeshe hio link. but sikuwa na experience. I should have just told him “BOSS! si unaona value ishaandikwa hapa!”

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Happened to me twice! Natoka hapo nikijiita kubaff mara tano. Ilioniuma sana ni Xiaomi Mi Max nilionunua around 18000/-. Niliulizwa nikasema hio hio bei. Mama Akaniambia nimpe tenga tano pekee nikashindwa aiii? Kutoka hapo nikiangalia naona package imeandikwa 'Free Sample. Not for sale!