5 Things Every Sierra Leonean Vendor Needs to Know Before Selling Online

1. Know Your Delivery Zones Before You Set Up Shop

One of the first choices you'll make in your vendor dashboard is whether you deliver yourself or use OrderGo's platform delivery partners.

Platform delivery handles the logistics for you: we calculate the fee based on the customer's address, and the delivery agent picks up from your location. Self-delivery means you handle the drop-off, which works well if you're based in central Freetown and have reliable transport.

Tip: Set your delivery preferences before you go live. Incomplete delivery info slows down orders and confuses buyers.

2. Stock What Sells - Not Just What You Like

It's tempting to list everything you think is cool. (You can absolutely list everything you think is cool) . The market has different ideas.

Look at what's already trending on OrderGo, social media and in your community. Categories that move consistently include:

• Groceries and household essentials
• Fashion accessories and footwear
• Electronics accessories (chargers, earphones)
• Beauty and personal care
• Home and kitchen items

Start with a focused catalog (8–15 quality listings), not 50 random items. You can always expand once you see what your customers actually buy.

3. Product Photos Make or Break a Sale

You don't need a professional studio. You need three things:

• Good light - natural daylight near a window is the cheapest studio you'll find
• A clean background - a plain bedsheet or wall works
• Clear angles - front view, close-up detail, and a shot of the product in use if possible
• Also, while stock photos are perfectly fine to use, make sure you also take actual photos of your real product - this builds trust with buyers and shows them exactly what they'll receive..

Blurry or dark photos are the number one reason customers skip a listing. Take the extra 10 minutes. It matters

4. OrderGo Takes Care of the Hard Parts

When an order comes in, OrderGo handles:

• Payment collection - customers pay via Orange Money, AfriMoney, Q-Money or bank transfer.
• Order routing - the right customer gets matched with their items across vendors
• Delivery assignment - platform agents handle pickup and drop-off (when you use platform delivery)
• 24-hour buyer protection - your earnings are held briefly to protect both sides

Your job is to pack the order, mark it ready, and keep your customers updated. That's it.

5. Getting Paid Has Two Steps (And That's a Good Thing)

When an item is delivered, your earnings move to a pending status. After 24 hours (the buyer protection window), they're promoted to confirmed - and that's when you can request a payout.

Why two steps? Because it gives customers time to raise an issue if something arrived wrong. Once the window passes, your money is yours - and you can withdraw anytime through your Mobile Money account.

To automate your first payout, just set up your KYC verification and add a Payout PIN in your vendor settings. That's it; the system handles the rest.

Ready to List Your First Product?

The best time to start is today - the market is active, customers are buying, and vendors who start now will be ahead of the curve next quarter.