Online shopping websites in Uganda have been on the rise for the past 10years. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic where thousands of businesses were forced to close, tens of ecommerce businesses sprung up, forcing many Ugandans to adopt the culture of purchasing stuff online as it had become the new normal.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, online shopping in Uganda has been growing at an unbelievably fast rate, which has seen an increase in the number of Ugandans who prefer buying products online from the comfort of their homes.

Without going into the advantages of buying products online in Uganda, you will agree with me that ordering groceries with just a tap of a button on your phone and have them delivered at your doorstep is more convenient than walking into a traditional market to buy the same.

In this article, I present to you a list of top 100 online shopping sites in Uganda that will help you fulfill your shopping needs. To simplify your choice, I have organized these sites according to the categories of products they sell.

List of top 100 online shopping websites in Uganda

In this internet age, when you want to buy something, all you need to do is simply to a website that sells what you want, make a click on your smartphone and you will receive your order at your door step. Ready to go shopping? Below is a list of top 100 ecommerce sites in Uganda:

B2C Marketplaces in Uganda

B2C stands for Business to Consumer. B2C websites are online shopping platforms or call them online markets that connect retail sellers and final consumers. These usually allow all types of sellers to list their items on their platforms. Below are the most popular B2C ecommerce marketplaces in Uganda.

B2B Marketplaces in Uganda

B2B stands for Business to Business. B2B platforms host a database of businesses (manufactures) that sell goods to other businesses (wholesalers/retailers). B2B sites do not sell goods directly to final consumers and their Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) is always high since they target businesses that buy in bulk. These kind of shopping sites are popular in Uganda, but we have a handful of them that are trying. Some of the B2B platforms we have in Uganda include;

Classifieds websites in Uganda

Classified sites are ecommerce sites that allow individuals or businesses to advertise their products and services. On these sites, the business is between you and the seller not with classified site. The sellers are solely responsible for the quality of products and services they advertise through the platform. Classified sites also don’t accept online payments. A seller meets a buyer and they exchange a product with cash.

You must however exercise maximum caution when buying from a classified since there is no guarantee to quality.

Classfied sites also habour too many scammers, and for this case you must never accept to pay a buyer online, not even sending them delivery fees. Ensure that you meet the seller in a public place, see and test the product before paying.

Below is a list of top online classified sites in Uganda:

Electronic shopping websites in Uganda

These sites sell various electronic equipment such as gadgets, appliances, smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices.

Fashion shopping websites in Uganda

These online websites deal mostly if not exclusively in fashion accessories. Instead of battling the Kampala traffic to find your favourite shoe or attire, why not check these top online fashion websites in Uganda?

Kids’ Shopping websites in Uganda

Grocery shopping websites in Uganda

You nolonger have to walk to crowded markets just to get fresh vegetables or beans. Whether you’re craving for sea foods, chicken, matooke, potatoes, carrots or cashew nuts, you can order whatever you want from grocery websites. All it takes is a visit to one of these Ugandan grocery sites and you will your order delivered to your doorstep.

Food delivery websites in Uganda

These are restaurants and food establishments that offer online food delivery services. The most online food delivery websites/platforms include;

Online Pharmacy websites in Uganda

Online pharmacies allow you order medicine online, medical supplies and various medical devices via their website or app. You have the option to pick up the items yourself or have it delivered to your home at a cost or for a fee.

Real estate shopping sites in Uganda

Most of these websites act as middle-man between people looking to buy or rent commercial property such a house, condo, apartment or commercial unit and a broker or developer. The websites collate data from various sources so clients can browse and look up different real estate offerings. The most real estate websites in Uganda include;

Car shopping websites in Uganda

You want to buy a car? New or used? Here are some of the online car sites in Uganda that you can visit for a great deal on your next car purchase.

Hardware shopping websites in Uganda

Kitchen appliances shopping websites in Uganda

Looking to buy kitchen appliances in Uganda? Check out these websites below:

Music stores in Uganda

You will find all Ugandan music on these websites. Majority of them give music for free while a few of them sell.

Online bill payment websites in Uganda

These website serve as gateways to make paying bills and executing several financial transactions easier. They enable you make bill payments, deposits, withdraw and transfer money from your smartphone or computer.

Online Book Stores in Uganda

Times have changed. Back in the days, going to a bookstore, reading books and sharing ideas with friends was a hobby to many people. Today, when one wants to read a particular book, they just visit any online book store, make an order and the book would be delivered to their address. Below is a list of top online book stores in Uganda that you visit to order your favorite books and they will delivered straight to your office or home.

Gift shopping websites in Uganda

These are best websites to visit if you’re looking for the perfect gift for your loved one. Apart from selling the gift items themselves, they also offer gift wrap and delivery service.

General shopping websites in Uganda

Facebook Marketplace

Facebook is not just for socializing, it is a ready marketplace for people to sell or buy goods. With more than 3.5M Facebook users in Uganda, Facebook Marketplace remains one of the most popular platforms to buy and sell all sorts of products. Facebook Marketplace is free to use.

Besides Facebook Marketplace, there are also Facebook groups that are set up specifically to sell goods and service. Some of the most popular buy and sell facebook groups in Uganda include;

  • Liquidation Uganda
  • Tunda Gula Uganda
  • Uganda Fashion Market
  • Uganda Electronics Market
  • Condala – Online Shopping in Uganda

Buy from abroad, receive in Uganda services

These sites as intermediaries with those who want to buy products from UK, USA, China and Dubai websites. All you need is approach them, tell them product you want from any of the countries they operate, they will buy it for you and ship it to Uganda. You would pick the item from their office or have it to delivered to your doorstep in a special arrangement with them.

International online shopping websites in Uganda

These are global shopping sites, most of which are located in China, USA and UK. The sell everything and very competitive prices and deliver to Uganda. If you are looking to buy personal products or import goods in bulk for your business, check out these global sites:

Pros and Cons of Shopping Online in Uganda

Shopping online in Uganda has its own benefits and drawbacks. Below are the pros and cons of online shopping in Uganda:

Pros of online shopping in Uganda

Hassle-free.

Shop with at a tap of a button on your smartphone, tablet or computer. No need to go through horrible traffic, bad weather or long queues just to get what you want.

Better prices.

Since there thousands of sellers online, and all of them are fighting for your shopping money, prices tend to be lower. Online sellers are able to sell goods at a much lower prices because of low operational costs (they don’t pay rent).

Cheaper overall.

Since you don’t want to physically visit the store, you ideally won’t experience bad traffic and the inevitable hunger that strikes after walking for long distances. If you have a ride, you will also save on your fuel.

More choices to choose from.

A simple search for a headsets (which I did earlier) will yield you tens if not hundreds of results—and that is just from one store. The choices are endless when it comes to online shopping in Uganda.

Easy price-shopping

It takes you just a simple click or swipe to move from one store to another. You can literally price shop from several websites in under a minute. Can you do that in a shopping mall? No, I don’t believe so!

Discounts and vouchers

The best thing about shopping online in Uganda is endless discounts and promotional offers from different shopping platforms – all geared at enticing you to buy from their stores. These websites also regularly run flash sales where prices of certain products are slashed down below the ordinary.

Say goodbye to long queues

I had to squeeze this point here because I personally hate those long queues at the cashier counter in shopping malls. I’m a very impatient person, and I feel that waiting for 10 minutes to pay for a single item is a total waste of my time. With online shopping, queues and long waits are elimated as payments are made instantly.

Shop anytime, anywhere 24/7

I have a friend whose favorite pastime is “Window Shopping” on eBay. She always end buying something. This means you can literally shop online anytime, anywhere. All you need is a smartphone or Laptop with an active internet connection.

Customer reviews

Another good thing about these online shopping sites is that customers usually leave feedback when they buy a certain product. You can read reviews of people who purchased the same item in the past. If reviews are bad, then chances are the item is bad or its seller is not trusted.

No pressure shopping

When I go to downtown Kampala searching for something to buy, I usually get nagged buy street or market sellers who pull me to their stalls and then put on me pressure to buy their products in case I show some interest. I don’t want to be “pressured” by anyone to buy anything. Sometimes I just want to take a look.

Discreet

Sometimes, you may want to buy something that can be a bit intimidating to ask from a physical store or mall. With online shopping, you can easily anything privately without breaking a sweat

Cons of online shopping in Uganda

Can’t try stuff on

This is very tricky especially when buying clothes. Although some sites display size charts for reference, they are not usually accurate.

Delivery takes days (depends on the courier and location)

Many sites don’t deliver orders immediately due to seller location and logistic challenges. Sometimes, it’s faster to buy stuff from physical stores. Especially if you need the item ASAP.

After-sales support is usually unsatisfactory

Most owners of Uganda of Ugandan online shopping websites only care making sales but don’t care about customers after. Most after-sales support from Uganda online stores are just plain terrible. Just take a look at some of the comments/feedbacks online and their social media handles and you will understand what I mean

Hard to determine actual size, material and color of the item

The inability to touch or see the items makes it difficult to determine its actual make. I have seen plenty of feedback online where customers say the color/material of the item they recieved is different from the photo or description that was displayed on the store.

Counterfeit goods

Counterfeit and substandard goods are perfect description of almost all Ugandan shopping platforms.

8 Tips for Safe Online Shopping in Uganda

1. Shop at secure sites only

The “S” you see in “HTTPS” and the lock icon besides it (on your browser address bar) is an indicator that a site follows Google’s protocols for a secure website.

However note that, this does not in any way mean a site is secure as long as it has both these—it is just a quick way of gauging if a website is legit and safe.

2. Use strong passwords

I can’t recommend this enough. Many people fall into the trap of using the same password across several websites. While this makes logging in for your easier, you also make it easier for hackers to crack your password. Your password should be strong and not easily guessable and you should not use the same password on other sites.

3. Update your software (OS)

This is a never-ending chase between hackers and software makers. Not updating you device software e.g Windows can potentially expose you to nasty backdoor programs that can easily scan your device and steal your personal info. Same should apply to smartphones. Stay safe, update your device as needed especially if it is a security update.

4. Be wary of scams

If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Phishing (where someone sends you an email or link to a website that looks legit to get your information) is rampant these days. Don’t click any links from unknown users sent to your mail box. If you are looking for discounts for example, check that from within the site itself.

5. Be careful when connecting to public Wifi hotspots

What most people don’t know is how easy it is for hackers to set up a public WiFi Hotspot so they can steal your private information when you login and use it. When not shopping online, be mindful of those free public WiFi connections.

6. Beware of sites asking for too much personal information

Is the asking you to provide unusual personal information such as your NIN, driving license or something similar? Be wary of that. If a site requires you to input more than the usual amount of info, be doubtful.

7. Use legit/official versions of apps (and update them often)

Same with your smartphone or computer’s operating system, apps get too updated often. It is recommended that you update to the latest version of the app to ensure the security of your transactions.

8. Use passcodes/passwords to secure your device

A huge chunk of online shoppers in Uganda shop via their mobile phones.  For security purposes, make sure you set up some sort of password protection should you (unfortunately) lose your phone–this would help prevent the thief from shopping on your behalf.

In Conclusion…

It does not matter whether whether you buy from an B2C marketplace, B2B marketplace, singular store, free classifieds ad site or facebook group, only buy from a reliable seller. Online shopping websites in Uganda that do not have clear warrant and return information should be avoided. Similary, avoid any on a classified site or facebook that wants you to them money before they can deliver the product. Let me know your experience with any of the Uganda online shopping sites listed above by commenting below.

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