How to Sell on Shopi: The Complete Guide for Kenyan Sellers

Step 1 — Set up a seller profile that builds trust

Your profile is your storefront. Buyers scan it in under three seconds before deciding whether to message you. A strong seller profile on Shopi includes a clear face photo (not a logo — people buy from people), your real location, and a one-line description of what you sell.

Learning how to sell on Shopi starts here, and it takes minutes: create your account, tag your location so the feed can surface you to buyers nearby, and post your first product. There is no fee to join and nothing to pay to start selling.

• Use a real face photo — not a logo or stock image
• Add your exact neighbourhood (e.g. 'Gikomba, Nairobi')
• Tag your location so nearby buyers discover you first
• Write your bio in both English and Kiswahili to maximise reach

Step 2 — Choose how to create your listing

When you tap create, Shopi gives you more than one way to get a product in front of buyers, and the right one depends on what you already have.

If you have a product in front of you and no time to write, use Shopi Agent. Take or upload a photo and the guided setup drafts the title, description, category and specifications for you. Nothing is published until you have checked it, so treat the draft as a strong first version: correct anything the photo cannot prove, such as condition, storage size or what is included in the box.

If you prefer full control, create the listing manually and fill in each field yourself. And if you already sell on TikTok, you do not need to film everything again — import your existing TikTok videos and turn them into Shopi posts that local buyers can message you about.

• Shopi Agent — upload a photo and review the listing it drafts
• Manual — full control over every field from the start
• Import from TikTok — reuse videos you have already made
• Photos, a short clip or a text post — pick the format that shows the item best

Step 3 — Write a title and details buyers can find

Buyers on Shopi search with the words they would say out loud to a shopkeeper: 'Samsung A15 used', 'three-seater sofa Ruiru', 'Toyota Vitz 2014'. Your title should contain those words. Lead with the item, then the brand and model, then the detail that decides the sale — size, capacity, year or condition. Clever or vague titles such as 'Amazing deal!!' tell a buyer nothing and never match a search.

Then complete the rest of the listing properly. Pick the most specific category and subcategory, because buyers browsing a category never see a listing filed in the wrong place. Add specifications where Shopi offers them. Enter the price in KES and switch on 'negotiable' only if you genuinely are, so buyers know where they stand before the first message. Set your location accurately, and check that the post's audience is set to Everyone — a post limited to friends or to yourself will not reach new buyers.

• Title: item, brand and model, then the detail that decides the sale
• The most specific category and subcategory available
• Specifications buyers compare on — size, storage, year, condition
• Price in KES, marked negotiable only if it really is
• Accurate location, and the audience set to Everyone

Step 4 — Create video posts that actually sell

The best-performing videos on Shopi follow a simple formula: show the product in use in the first two seconds, reveal the price before the five-second mark, and end with a direct call to action ('DM me to order'). You do not need a ring light or a studio. Natural light from a window, a clean background, and steady hands are enough.

Film in portrait mode. Keep videos between 15 and 45 seconds. Post at peak hours: 7–9 AM, 12–1 PM, and 7–9 PM East Africa Time.

• Show the product in use within the first 2 seconds
• Display price clearly — Kenyan buyers respond to transparent pricing
• Speak naturally — scripted videos underperform authentic ones
• Add location and category tags for maximum discoverability

Step 5 — Price and communicate clearly

Ambiguous pricing kills sales. State your price in the video and in the caption. Offer clear delivery or pickup options so buyers know what to expect. On Shopi you and the buyer agree everything between yourselves — Shopi does not handle payment, take a commission, or hold your money.

When a buyer messages you, reply quickly. Response speed is one of the strongest predictors of whether a chat turns into a sale. Treating every message like a real customer standing in front of you is the simplest way to win deals.

Step 6 — Close the deal safely

Because Shopi does not sit in the middle of the transaction, the last step is yours to manage, and a few habits protect you on every sale. Agree the price, the payment method and the handover in chat before anyone travels, so there are no surprises on the day and you have a written record of what was agreed.

For collection in person, meet somewhere public and busy during daylight. For delivery, agree who pays the courier or boda and when. Whatever the method, confirm the money has actually arrived in your M-PESA or bank account before the item leaves your hands. A screenshot or a forwarded SMS is not payment — check your own balance or statement. Be cautious of buyers who offer more than your asking price, insist on a courier you did not choose, or rush to move the conversation away from Shopi before you have agreed anything.

• Agree price, payment and handover in writing before meeting
• Meet in a public, busy place during daylight
• Check your own M-PESA or bank balance — never trust a screenshot
• Walk away from overpayments and unusual courier requests

Step 7 — Build repeat customers, not just transactions

One-time buyers are expensive to acquire. Repeat customers cost nothing extra. After every successful sale, send the buyer a follow-up message a day later asking if they are happy with the product. This simple step generates more referrals and more repeat business than any ad spend.

Keep posting consistently so your followers see your new stock in their feed. The buyers who already trust you are your easiest next sale.

Common mistakes new Shopi sellers make

The most common reasons new sellers stall are: posting infrequently (less than three times a week), using only product photos instead of video, writing captions without prices, and being slow to respond to messages. Fix these four things and your first deals will follow.

One more mistake is worth calling out because it is invisible to the seller: publishing a Shopi Agent draft without reading it. The draft is usually a good start, but only you know the real condition of the item, what is included, and whether the price is firm. A listing that promises something the product cannot deliver wins a message and loses the sale.

• Posting fewer than 3 times per week — consistent sellers stay visible in the feed
• Hiding the price — always lead with the number
• Ignoring questions in chat — every reply is a chance to close a deal
• Not using location tags — local discovery is your biggest edge
• Publishing an AI draft unchecked — correct condition, extras and price first

Further reading