Complete Shopify Guide for Kenyan SMEs: Setup, Features & Running Costs
What is Shopify?
Shopify is a complete e-commerce platform that allows Kenyan businesses to create, customize, and run professional online stores. Think of it as your digital shopfront that's open 24/7 to customers across Kenya and worldwide. It handles everything from product listings and secure payments to inventory management and customer support, all without requiring technical coding skills. For Kenyan SMEs, it's the fastest and most affordable way to start selling online with professional results.
Shopify's Top Features for Kenyan Businesses
Easy Setup: Get your store running in 1-2 weeks instead of months
Mobile-Optimized: Your store works perfectly on smartphones, where 85% of Kenyans access the internet
M-Pesa Integration: Accept payments via Kenya's most popular mobile money system
Inventory Management: Automatic stock tracking with low-stock alerts
Shipping Integration: Connect with local Kenyan couriers
Analytics Dashboard: See what's selling and when to restock
Shopify's AI Features
Shopify Magic
AI generates product descriptions, email campaigns, and marketing content automatically
Smart Recommendations
Shows customers what they're most likely to buy next based on their behavior
AI Chatbots
24/7 customer support that answers common questions automatically
Predictive Analytics
Forecasts sales trends and helps you stock the right products at the right time
What CodeSavannah Does for Kenyan SMEs
We handle everything from start to finish - you focus on your business, we handle the technology:
Domains Included
We register your professional .co.ke or .com domain as part of our package
Professional Emails
Get custom email addresses (you@yourbusiness.co.ke) to build trust with customers
Complete Web Design
We design your store to match your brand and ensure it appears on Google search results
SEO & Google Business
We optimize your store for search engines and create your Google Business Profile
Assets & Photography
Don't have product photos? We can arrange professional photography or source quality images
Local Support
M-Pesa integration, local shipping setup, and ongoing support from our Nairobi-based team
Essential Apps for Kenyan Shopify Stores
Payment Gateways:
Littlepay - 1.5% + KSh 25 per transaction (Best for M-Pesa)
DPO Pay - 2.5% + KSh 30 per transaction (Cards + M-Pesa)
Marketing Apps:
Klaviyo - Email marketing (Free up to 250 contacts)
Mintt - Instagram shopping integration
Delivery Options:
Leta.ai - Delivery management (KSh 150-350 per Nairobi delivery)
Pickup Mtaani - Pickup point network (KSh 50-100 per pickup)
Speedaf - Countrywide delivery (KSh 300-1,500)
Complete Running Cost Breakdown for Kenyan Stores
COST BREAKDOWN 1: Small Store (Under 50 Products)
Online-Only Store
Monthly Fixed Costs:
| Shopify Basic Plan | KSh 2,800 |
| Littlepay (minimum fee) | KSh 1,500 |
| Klaviyo (free tier) | KSh 0 |
| Basic SEO Apps | KSh 0 |
| Fixed Monthly Total | KSh 4,300 |
Variable Costs (Per Month - 50 orders @ KSh 3,000 average):
| Transaction fees | KSh 2,250 |
| Delivery costs | KSh 10,000 |
| Optional app charges | KSh 0-2,000 |
| Variable Total | KSh 12,250 - 14,250 |
Hybrid Store (Online + Physical Shop)
Additional Hardware Costs (One-Time):
- iPad POS Stand: KSh 8,000
- Receipt Printer: KSh 12,000
- Barcode Scanner: KSh 6,000
- Card Reader (optional): KSh 15,000
- Total Hardware Investment: KSh 26,000 - 41,000
Monthly Costs (Hybrid):
| Shopify Basic Plan | KSh 2,800 |
| Littlepay (minimum) | KSh 1,500 |
| Inventory Sync App | KSh 1,000 |
| Receipt paper/ink | KSh 500 |
| Monthly Fixed Total | KSh 5,800 |
COST BREAKDOWN 2: Large Store (50+ Products)
Online-Only Store
Monthly Fixed Costs:
| Shopify Regular Plan | KSh 7,900 |
| Littlepay (estimated) | KSh 3,000 |
| Klaviyo Growth (500-1,000 contacts) | KSh 6,000 |
| Mintt Pro (Instagram) | KSh 3,500 |
| Advanced Inventory App | KSh 2,000 |
| Fixed Monthly Total | KSh 22,400 |
Variable Costs (Per Month - 200 orders @ KSh 5,000 average):
| Transaction fees | KSh 15,000 |
| Delivery costs | KSh 50,000 |
| Bulk SMS marketing | KSh 2,000 |
| Variable Total | KSh 67,000 |
Hybrid Store (Online + Physical Shop)
Hardware Package (Complete - One-Time):
- 2x iPad POS Stands: KSh 16,000
- 2x Receipt Printers: KSh 24,000
- 2x Barcode Scanners: KSh 12,000
- Card Reader System: KSh 25,000
- Inventory Scanner: KSh 8,000
- Total Hardware Investment: KSh 85,000
Monthly Costs (Hybrid):
| Shopify Regular Plan | KSh 7,900 |
| Littlepay + DPO Pay | KSh 5,000 |
| Klaviyo Premium | KSh 15,000 |
| Mintt Pro + Analytics | KSh 5,000 |
| Leta.ai + Pickup Mtaani | KSh 5,000 |
| POS maintenance | KSh 2,000 |
| Monthly Fixed Total | KSh 39,900 |
One-Time Setup Costs with CodeSavannah
Small Store Package
KSh 35,000
For stores with under 50 products
- Shopify store design & setup
- .co.ke domain (1 year)
- 5 professional emails
- M-Pesa integration
- Google Business Profile
- Basic SEO setup
- 2 hours training
- 1-month free support
Large Store Package
KSh 65,000
For stores with 50+ products
- Everything in Small Package PLUS:
- Advanced product categorization
- Bulk product upload (CSV)
- Custom collection setup
- Advanced SEO configuration
- 5 hours training
- 3-months free support
- WhatsApp integration
Additional Services:
Professional Photography:
KSh 15,000 (up to 20 products)
Social Media Setup:
KSh 10,000
Marketing Strategy:
KSh 8,000
Hardware Setup:
KSh 10,000 (installation & training)
Our Recommendations for Kenyan Businesses
For Micro Businesses (<50 products):
Start with: Basic Shopify + Littlepay + Pickup Mtaani
Monthly budget: KSh 15,000 - 20,000
Best for: Home businesses, artisans, small boutiques
For Small-Medium Businesses (50-200 products):
Start with: Shopify Plan + Littlepay + Leta.ai
Monthly budget: KSh 25,000 - 50,000
Best for: Retail shops, wholesalers, service providers
For Physical Stores Adding Online:
Essential: Shopify POS + Barcode scanner
Hardware Investment: KSh 30,000 - 85,000 (one-time)
Monthly: Add KSh 3,000 - 10,000 to online costs
Money-Saving Tips for Kenyan Businesses
Pay Annually: Save 25% on Shopify subscription
Start with Free Apps: Use free tiers until you need advanced features
Bundle Delivery: Negotiate rates with local couriers
Use M-Pesa: Lower fees than card payments
Expected ROI Timeline
Months 1-3: Setup and initial sales (recover setup costs)
Months 4-6: Growing customer base (break even on monthly costs)
Months 7-12: Profit generation (2-3x ROI on investment)
Typical Kenyan Store Results:
- 30-50% increase in sales within 3 months
- 2-3x customer reach expansion
- 40% reduction in inventory issues
- 24/7 sales capability