How to sell online in Kenya: start an online shop with delivery and M-Pesa
ShelfWise ·
Most Kenyan businesses already sell online, on WhatsApp: photos in the status, orders in the chat, M-Pesa codes checked by hand. It works until it gets busy. Here's how to move to a proper online shop without losing what already works.
1. Decide what to sell online
Start with items that travel well and that customers reorder: groceries, drinks, cosmetics, hardware, food from your menu. You don't have to list everything. A smaller list with good photos and correct prices sells better than a full catalogue that's out of date.
2. Keep stock and prices in one place
The biggest risk online is selling something you no longer have. If your online shop reads stock from the same system as your counter, an item that sells out at the counter disappears online too.
3. Set delivery areas and fees
- List the areas you deliver to, each with its own fee.
- Offer pickup for customers who are nearby.
- Consider free delivery above an order amount, to raise the average order.
- Ask customers to drop a pin, so riders find the exact gate, not just the estate.
4. Get paid before you send
Cash on delivery leads to riders coming back with goods nobody paid for. Asking for M-Pesa before the order goes in means every order you pack is already paid, and the payment is matched to the order automatically.
5. Deliver with your own riders
Your own boda rider or delivery person knows the area and your customers. Give them each order with the customer's pin and phone, and let the customer see where the rider is, so you get fewer “where is my order?” calls.
6. Bring customers to your shop page
- Put the link in your WhatsApp status and business profile.
- Print a poster with a QR code for the counter and the door.
- Add the link to your Google Business Profile, Instagram and Facebook.
- Tell regulars: “next time, order here and we'll bring it.”
7. Answer fast
Online customers wait minutes, not hours. Accept each order quickly, tell the customer when it's on the way, and deliver when you said you would.
Common questions
How can I start selling online in Kenya?
Choose the items to list, set delivery areas and fees, take M-Pesa before you send, and share your shop link on WhatsApp, Google and social media. A shop page that reads your real stock avoids selling what you don't have.
Should I offer cash on delivery?
It brings more failed deliveries. Many small businesses ask for M-Pesa when the order is placed instead.
Do I need my own delivery riders?
You can use your own riders, a boda you trust, or pickup only. With ShelfWise, your own riders get the orders and directions in the Rider app.
Read next
- M-Pesa Till vs Paybill: which one should your business use?Buy Goods Till or Paybill for your business in Kenya? How each works, who each suits, how customers pay, and how both connect to a POS through Daraja.Read
- How to reorder stock for your duka: never run out of fast moversA simple way for dukas, minimarts and hardware shops in Kenya to decide what to order, how much and when, so best sellers never run out and cash isn't stuck in slow stock.Read