3AL: at the intersection of social networking and eCommerce

Among a slew of innocuous, copycat startups, 3AL, the Nigerian social networking and eCommerce amalgamate, is taking a road decidedly less traveled.

You can think of 3AL as Facebook for businesses or Etsy — if it went beyond arts and crafts. It connects businesses and creates a direct line between buyer and seller.

It doesn’t feel as if 3AL is trying to be a generalised social network aimed at subverting Facebook’s reign. In fact, when you first visit the site, your eyes are met with a big blue “Sign in with Facebook” button. That’s a smart move.

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