Shopping

Online shopping in Ethiopia is still young, so for most things the easiest option is a mall or a shop. For online orders, the safest choice is Zemen Gebeya inside the telebirr app, run by state-owned Ethio Telecom. Classified sites like Jiji work too, but never pay before you have the item in your hands.

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  Zemen Gebeya (in telebirr)Ethio Telecom

  Ethio Telecom's marketplace inside the telebirr app. You pay into an escrow account and the seller is only paid after you confirm delivery. Next-day delivery in Addis.

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  Jiji EthiopiaWalie Holdings

  Classified ads for almost anything, new and used. You deal with the seller directly: meet somewhere busy and pay only when you have the item.

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  Facebook Marketplace and groupsMeta

  Lots of local sellers post on Facebook and in Telegram channels. Same rule: see the item first, then pay.

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  KioskKiosk

  A newer Ethiopian online store and marketplace app.

• Morning Star Mall Bole MedhanialemClothes, phones and cafés near Bole Medhanialem church; fixed prices.
• Dembel City Center Bole RoadOne of the city's oldest malls, with clothes, phones and electronics.
• Friendship Mall BoleSupermarket, fashion and household goods.
• Century Mall Gurd SholaModern mall with branded stores.
• Merkato Addis KetemaOne of Africa's biggest open-air markets: everything from spices to electronics. Bargain, and watch your pockets.
• Shiro Meda market Shiro MedaHandwoven scarves, dresses and traditional cloth. Bargain.

• Haggling is part of the culture in markets like Merkato and Shiro Meda, at small shops and in the countryside. Start lower and settle with a smile.
• Where a price is written as fixed, in supermarkets, malls and most shops around Bole, don't haggle.
• Never pay in advance for something you haven't received, whether on Jiji, Facebook or Telegram. Payment screenshots can be faked, and "send money first" is the most common scam.
• On Zemen Gebeya your money is held by Ethio Telecom until you confirm delivery, so it's the safest way to pay online.
• Keep receipts for anything valuable, and see What to bring for export limits on antiques, coffee and animal products.