Small businesses think online selling is complex. It doesn't have to be. Start simple, iterate as you grow.
Start with what you have
- Salons: List services (haircut, braids, manicure) with prices and duration.
- Boutiques: Start with your best 10–20 items, not your entire inventory.
- Food sellers: Offer delivery zones and clear prep times.
- Service providers: Describe what the customer gets and the timeline.
Keep payments simple
- Start with manual payments — Till, PayBill, cash on delivery.
- Upgrade to automatic M-PESA when you're handling 5+ orders a day.
- Add card payments only if you have international customers.
Delivery that works
- For small areas: Flat rate (KSh 150) within your zone.
- For city-wide: Zone-based pricing (CBD, Westlands, etc.).
- Always offer pickup — it costs you nothing.
- Be clear about dispatch time ('ships in 24 hours').
Marketing on a budget
- WhatsApp Status is free — post daily, share your link.
- Ask your first 20 customers to share your shop to their contacts.
- Join local WhatsApp/Facebook groups and answer questions helpfully.
- Offer a discount for referrals: 'KSh 200 off when a friend buys'.
When to upgrade
Move to a paid plan when: (1) you're hitting the free plan limits, (2) manual payment verification is taking too much time, or (3) you need features like custom domain or SEO tools. The KSh 299/month for Starter pays for itself in saved time alone.
