The Real State of Online Marketplaces in Kenya (2026 Guide)

Where Kenyans Really Buy & Sell – And How sanaLIST Helps You Win

Quick Summary (for busy readers)

• Kenyans search massively for platforms like “Jiji Kenya”, “OLX Kenya”, “PigiaMe Kenya”, “Jumia Kenya”, “Facebook Marketplace Kenya”, and generic phrases like “online marketplace Kenya”, “used items in Kenya”, “cheap phones in Nairobi”, “land for sale in Kenya”, etc.
• Traditional names (OLX, Jiji, PigiaMe, Facebook groups) still get searches – but many users now prefer safer, structured and local-first platforms like sanaLIST for better categorisation, more serious sellers and less scam risk.
• There is booming demand for used phones, laptops, TVs, fridges, furniture, clothes, cars, land and houses – especially in Nairobi and major towns.
• If you sell anything (products, property, vehicles, services, jobs, or even “I’m looking for” requests), you should be posting ads on sanaLIST to get free visibility from all those searchers.
• This guide compares the main marketplaces, shows real user intent behind those high-volume keywords, and gives you step‑by‑step tactics to sell faster on sanaLIST using smart titles, photos, pricing, trust signals and local SEO.

1. Why “Online Marketplace Kenya” Searches Are Exploding

Every month, Kenyans type things like:

• “Jiji Kenya” (~150k)

  

• “OLX Kenya” (~120k)
• “PigiaMe Kenya” (~80k)
• “Facebook Marketplace Kenya” (~60k)
• “Online marketplace Kenya” (~50k)
• “Used items in Kenya” (~40k)
• “Second hand items in Kenya” (~30k)

These aren’t casual searches – they’re high-intent. People are:

• Moving houses and need home furniture or office furniture.
• Joining campus or starting businesses and looking for used laptops in Kenya, “ex-UK laptops in Kenya”, cheap laptops in Nairobi.
• Trying to stretch their budgets with cheap phones in Kenya, refurbished phones in Kenya and cheap TVs in Kenya.
• Building wealth and searching for land for sale in Kenya, houses for sale in Kenya.

That’s millions of visits flowing each month into marketplaces. If you’re not on a strong classifieds platform, you’re invisible to this demand.

2. Where Do These Buyers Actually Go?

Let’s map the “big names” users type into Google, and what they really mean in 2026.

2.1 Jiji Kenya & OLX Kenya

• Jiji Kenya took over OLX Kenya operations.
• Many people still search “OLX Kenya” out of habit – but they land on Jiji or other platforms.
• Jiji has scale, but:
  • It’s crowded; your free ad can vanish quickly down the list.
  • Not fully tailored around Kenyan-style category depth like “I’m looking for a job / service / product” that sanaLIST offers.

2.2 PigiaMe Kenya

• PigiaMe Kenya remains a known brand for classifieds.
• Strong presence in electronics and property, but less flexible in new “service & gig” style categories compared to more modern verticals on sanaLIST like:
  • Home Help Services
  • Professional & Business Services
  • Jobs Near Me

2.3 Facebook Marketplace & Social Groups

• Many people type “Facebook Marketplace Kenya” or just search inside Facebook.
• Pros: it feels casual and local.
• Cons:
  • No structured categories, poor search filters.
  • Hard to filter by county, condition, price range reliably.
  • Very weak scam protection; many accounts are anonymous or fake.

2.4 Jumia & Other e‑Commerce Sites

• Jumia Kenya and Kilimall Kenya are great for brand-new retail goods (phones, fashion, appliances).
• But if you want to:
  • Sell your used items
  • List land and property
  • Post a job vacancy
  • Offer services (plumbing, cleaning, IT, catering, etc.)

…you need a classifieds marketplace, not a closed-stock e‑commerce store.

That’s where sanaLIST is positioned.

3. Why sanaLIST Is Built for Kenyan Classifieds (Not Just Retail)

sanaLIST is designed as a full-spectrum online marketplace in Kenya:

• Products: from mobile phones & tablets to computers & laptops, electronics & appliances, fashion & shoes, home & living, cars and other products.
• Property: full real estate categories for houses for sale, houses for rent, apartments, land & plots for sale, commercial properties, etc.
• Jobs & Gigs:
  • Jobs Near Me for employers.
  • I’m Looking for a Job (Job Seeker Ads) where candidates market themselves (“hire me as a driver”, “house help”, etc.).
• Services:
  • Professional & Business Services – from legal to IT & Tech support, construction, medical, insurance services and more.
  • Home Help Services – maids, nannies, cooks, cleaners, etc.
• Requests & Wanted:
  • Requests & Wanted (I’m Looking For) – buyers post what they want and sellers respond.
  • I’m Looking for a Product (Wanted Products) and I’m Looking for a Service micro-categories (plumber, electrician, mechanic, etc.).

Put simply: sanaLIST is not just for “things in stock” – it’s for real Kenyan life: second-hand, new, services, gigs, requests, everything.

4. What Kenyans Are Actually Buying & Selling (With Examples)

Let’s go through the main high-volume keyword groups and map them to sanaLIST categories.

4.1 Used & Second-Hand Electronics

Keywords like:

• “used electronics in Kenya” (~20k)
• “used phones in Kenya” (~25k)
• “refurbished phones in Kenya” (~8k)
• “cheap phones in Nairobi” (~10k)
• “ex UK phones in Kenya” (~8k)

On sanaLIST:

• Phones & Tablets:

  • Smartphones (Samsung, Apple, Tecno, Infinix, etc.).
  • Refurbished & Certified Pre-owned Phones – perfect for “refurbished phones in Kenya” and “ex-UK phones” searches.
  • Phone Repairs & Services.

• Laptops & Computers:

  • Laptops & brand subcategories like HP Laptops, Dell Laptops, Apple MacBook.
  • Refurbished & Used Laptops – aligns perfectly with “used laptops in Kenya”, “ex UK laptops in Kenya”, “cheap laptops in Nairobi”.

If you sell phones or laptops, every month thousands of people are essentially asking “where can I buy used phones / laptops in Kenya?” – your answer should be “Check my listing on sanaLIST”.

4.2 Home Appliances & Furniture

High-intent queries:

• “used fridge in Kenya” (~5k)
• “used TV for sale in Kenya” (~5k)
• “cheap TVs in Kenya” (~10k)
• “used furniture in Kenya” (~10k)
• “second hand furniture in Nairobi” (~8k)
• “used clothes in Kenya” (~12k)

On sanaLIST:

• Electronics & Appliances:

  • TVs, Audio & Video
  • Home Appliances

• Furniture & Home:

  • Home Furniture
  • Office Furniture

• Fashion & Clothes:

  • Women’s Clothing
  • Men’s Clothing
  • Kids & Baby Clothing
  • Bags & Handbags

If you run a mitumba shop in Gikomba, Toi, or any estate, posting products on sanaLIST lets you tap into the “used clothes in Kenya” crowd searching online.

4.3 Cars, Bikes & Vehicles

Common keywords:

• “cars for sale in Kenya”, “cheap cars in Kenya”, “Toyota for sale in Kenya”, “Subaru for sale in Kenya”, etc.

On sanaLIST:

• Motor Vehicles:
  • Cars with popular brands like Toyota, Nissan, Subaru.
  • Motorcycles.
  • Pickups, SUVs & Off-road Vehicles, Heavy Machinery, Car Hire / Vehicle Rental.

Dealers in Mombasa, Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret can list ex-Japan stock here – like this example of a Subaru Forester X-Break in Mombasa – and capture serious leads.

4.4 Land & Real Estate

Very big search clusters:

• “land for sale in Kenya” (~50k)
• “houses for sale in Kenya” (~50k)
• City-specific searches like “apartments for rent in Nairobi”, etc.

On sanaLIST, the Real Estate section lets you list:

• Houses for Sale
• Houses for Rent
• Apartments for Rent
• Apartments for Sale
• Land & Plots for Sale
• Commercial Properties

Agents and developers can showcase high-end projects, e.g. Luxury 5-Bedroom Villas in Lavington.

5. sanaLIST vs Legacy Classifieds: What You Actually Feel as a User

Instead of just comparing features, think about what everyday Kenyans experience when they try to buy or sell.

5.1 Category Depth & Local Fit

• Old model: Generic “for sale”, “services”, “jobs” – you scroll endlessly.
• sanaLIST model: Very granular, Kenya-specific verticals like:
  • “I’m Looking for a Plumber”
  • “I’m Looking for a House Girl / House Help”
  • “Hire Me as a Driver”
  • “Online Marketplace Kenya”

So the buyer can type or click exactly what they mean – increasing conversion.

5.2 Modern UX & Mobile Experience

sanaLIST is built mobile-first:

• Fast search bar for “products, categories or brands”.
• Clean filters by location, price, condition.
• Responsive design for both phone and laptop users.

That matters because many high-volume keywords like “cheap phones in Nairobi”, “jobs near me”, “laptops for sale in Kenya” are typed from a smartphone.

5.3 Safety & Trust

While no platform is 100% scam-proof, sanaLIST increases trust by:

• Structured seller profiles – you can see more items from the same seller (e.g. Galway Computers, Car Bonanza).
• Clear ad moderation and categorisation.
• Emphasis on local contacts, location filters and realistic photos (not random Google images).

Combine this with basic digital safety tips from resources like Google Safety Center and Consumer Advice from the U.S. FTC, and you have a much safer experience than raw social media groups.

6. How to Sell Faster on sanaLIST (Practical Tactics)

Here’s the part that will directly help your business or side hustle.

6.1 Step 1: Choose the Right Category

Go to sanaLIST and click Sell / Post Ad (after registering or logging in).

Pick the most accurate category so that Google + internal search both understand your listing.

Examples:

• Selling a used iPhone in Westlands?

  • Category: Smartphones → brand subcategory (Apple).

• Renting out a 2-bedroom apartment in Syokimau?

  • Category: Apartments for Rent.

• Offering plumbing services in Nakuru?

  • Category: Professional & Business Services → Construction, Engineering & Technical Services or I’m Looking for a Service / I’m Looking for a Plumber (for request side).

• Advertising a job vacancy for a driver in Mombasa?

  • Category: Jobs Near Me → Driving & Rider Jobs.

The more specific and relevant the category, the more targeted traffic you get.

6.2 Step 2: Write a Keyword-Rich But Honest Title

Align your title with what people actually search. Use phrases like:

• “Used iPhone 12 128GB for Sale in Nairobi – Very Clean, Original”
• “Ex-UK HP EliteBook 830 G8 Core i7 32GB RAM – Nairobi CBD”
• “Cheap Bedsitter to Let in Roysambu – All Inclusive”
• “Land for Sale in Kitengela – 1/8 Acre, Ready Title”

For inspiration, see real examples on sanaLIST:

• HP EliteBook 830 G8 Core i7 32GB RAM 512GB SSD – Galway Computers
• Subaru Forester X-Break for Sale in Mombasa – Ex-Japan SUV

Avoid clickbait. Honest titles build trust and reduce time-wasters.

6.3 Step 3: Use High-Quality Photos

Users on all platforms are visual. On sanaLIST:

• Upload clear, well-lit photos from different angles.
• Avoid blurry screenshots or stock images.
• Show any defects honestly – it saves both you and the buyer time.

Look at these listings:

• Lenovo X1 Yoga 2-in-1 Laptop – multiple angles, clear condition.
• Luxury Men’s Gold Watch – zoomed product shots that show value.

Good photos can increase your enquiry rate by 2x or more, according to marketplace case studies (see eBay photo performance tips for external guidance).

6.4 Step 4: Price Smartly

You can research other listings in your category:

• Search for similar products within Computers & Laptops or Mobile Phones.
• If you want quick sale, price slightly below the average market range.
• If your item is premium (like ex-UK, high spec, or with warranty), explain that in your description to justify a higher price.

6.5 Step 5: Write a Clear, Honest Description

Cover:

• Condition: new, used, refurbished, ex-UK, etc.
• Key specs: RAM, storage, screen size, year, mileage, location, plot size, etc.
• Payment & viewing terms: cash, bank transfer, meet-up locations.
• Reason for sale (optional but builds trust).

Avoid false claims – they increase returns, complaints and poor word-of-mouth.

6.6 Step 6: Respond Fast

When buyers contact you via sanaLIST:

• Reply quickly via call or chat.
• Be polite and helpful.
• Arrange safe meet-up points or delivery.

Every fast response increases your chance of closing the deal before the buyer browses another seller.

7. Table: Comparing Marketplaces from a Kenyan Seller’s View

8. Safety & Best Practices When Using Any Marketplace

Even with a good platform, you should protect yourself. Combine sanaLIST with basic online safety habits:

Safety Checklist When Buying/Selling Online in Kenya

• Meet in safe, public locations (malls, petrol stations, co-working spaces).
• Avoid sending money to strangers in advance unless you’re using a trusted escrow or known business.
• Verify documents for vehicles and land: logbooks, title deeds, searches from Ministry of Lands and NTSA TIMS.
• For phones & laptops, check IMEI on IMEI.info or GSMA IMEI checker to avoid stolen devices.
• Use strong passwords and be cautious of links – see Google Account Security Tips.

sanaLIST gives you visibility and structure; staying street-smart gives you safety.

9. Why You Should Start Posting Ads on sanaLIST Today

Given:

• Huge search volumes for “Jiji Kenya”, “PigiaMe”, “used items in Kenya”, “cheap phones in Nairobi”, “land for sale in Kenya”, etc.

  

• The need for a Kenyan-centric platform that understands jobs, gigs, services, home help and buyer requests.
• sanaLIST’s clean UX, category depth and local focus.

…it’s smart to use sanaLIST as your primary or additional selling channel.

Examples of who should be posting:

• Electronics shops & ex-UK dealers – in Computers & Laptops, Electronics & Appliances, Mobile Phones.
• Land brokers & real estate agents – in Real Estate.
• Small businesses & freelancers – in Professional & Business Services.
• Job seekers & employers – via Jobs Near Me and Job Seeker Ads.
• Households decluttering – posting used furniture, home appliances, kids’ clothes, etc.

10. Final Call to Action

If you’ve read this far, you probably:

• Sell something already (or want to).
• Have items lying at home you could turn into cash.
• Need better visibility for your property, vehicles or services.

Next steps:

1. Go to sanaLIST.co.ke.
2. Click Register, create your account.
3. Hit “Sell / Post Ad” and:
   • Choose the right category.
   • Add a powerful, keyword-aware title.
   • Upload clear photos.
   • Set a fair price.
   • Write a truthful, detailed description.

Then share your sanaLIST link on WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram so your existing network plus millions of searchers can find you.

Don’t wait for buyers to stumble upon you. Put your products, property, jobs and services where Kenyans are actively searching – on sanaLIST.