Selling only on WhatsApp and Instagram vs having your own online store
Short answer: WhatsApp and Instagram are great for finding customers and chatting with them, but selling only through DMs means you answer every question, chase every payment and track every order by hand. Your own online store gives customers one place to browse, pay with MoMo or card, and order any time. With Vendar, you get both: your own store plus bots that let customers shop on WhatsApp and on your website.
What selling on WhatsApp and Instagram does well
Social selling works in Ghana for good reasons:
- Your customers are already there. No need to teach them a new app.
- Status and stories show new stock fast. A quick post can bring orders the same day.
- Chatting builds trust. Customers like to ask questions before they pay.
- It is quick to start. You can sell from your phone today.
None of this goes away when you open a store. Keep using WhatsApp and Instagram to reach people.
Where DM-only selling starts to break
As you get busier, the DM-only way gets heavy:
- The same questions again and again. "How much?" "Do you have size 40?" "Do you deliver to Kumasi?"
- Sending photo after photo so customers can see what you have.
- Manual payments. "Send to my MoMo and share the screenshot", then checking each payment yourself.
- Lost orders. Orders hide in long chats, and it is easy to forget one.
- Stock confusion. You sell the last piece twice because you lost track.
- Sales stop when you sleep. A customer who messages at night may buy elsewhere.
What your own online store adds
Your own store does the repeat work for you:
- Every product, price and size in one place, open 24 hours.
- Checkout with MoMo and cards. Vendar accepts MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash, AirtelTigo Money and cards through Paystack. The 2% processing fee is paid by the shopper, so you get the full price. See accepting Mobile Money.
- Orders marked paid automatically, linked to the right customer.
- Your own web address. Each store gets a subdomain like yourshop.vendar.online, or you can connect your own custom domain.
- One link to share in your bio, status and posts.
Learn more about the Vendar online store builder.
Side-by-side: DMs only vs your own store
| WhatsApp/Instagram DMs only | Your own Vendar store | |
|---|---|---|
| Product browsing | You send photos one by one | Customers browse your full catalogue |
| Prices | Often "DM for price" | Shown on every product |
| Payment | Manual MoMo transfer and screenshot | MoMo and card checkout via Paystack |
| Order tracking | Scattered across chats | In your merchant dashboard |
| Open hours | When you are online | Any time |
| Web address | None | A Vendar domain or your own custom domain |
You don't have to choose: Vendar's WhatsApp bot and VendarChat
Vendar is built for shops that sell through chat. The Pro plan includes two bots:
1. The Vendar WhatsApp bot. This is one general Vendar WhatsApp bot that serves each shop's customers from that shop's own catalogue. It runs on Meta's official WhatsApp Business Platform and is not your personal number. Shoppers can use it to browse and shop, and you can use it to run your shop.
2. VendarChat. This is a separate chatbot. Shoppers use it on your store's website, and you and your team admins use it inside the merchant dashboard.
Both bots let shoppers shop and let merchants run their shop. So a customer who prefers chatting can still buy from you, and your team can get work done without digging through menus.
The bots don't pass chats to a person. When a shopper needs to talk to you, the bot gives them your shop's contact number so they can reach you directly.
See the full details on our sell on WhatsApp page.
How to move from DMs to your own store
- Sign up for Vendar and name your store. No ID needed, just a mobile money name and number. Setup takes about 30 minutes.
- Add your best-selling products first, with clear photos, prices and stock.
- Set up payments so customers can pay with MoMo or card.
- Update your bios on WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok with your store link.
- Tell your regular customers they can now order and pay online, or through the Vendar WhatsApp bot.
- Keep posting on status and stories, now with links to each product.
Plans: Starter is GHS 2,000 per year and Pro is GHS 4,000 per year (Pro adds the website and WhatsApp shopping assistant and the WhatsApp operations copilot). Billing is yearly, Vendar can arrange a payment plan, and there is no commission on sales. Vendar serves all of Ghana. Call or WhatsApp +233 24 617 0089.
FAQ
Do I have to stop selling on WhatsApp and Instagram if I open a store?
No. Keep using them to reach customers, and send people to your store to browse and pay.
Does the Vendar WhatsApp bot use my own WhatsApp number?
No. It is one general Vendar WhatsApp bot, on Meta's official WhatsApp Business Platform, that serves each shop's customers from that shop's own catalogue.
What is VendarChat?
VendarChat is a separate chatbot. Shoppers use it on your store's website, and merchants and team admins use it in the merchant dashboard.
How do customers pay when they order through chat?
Payments go through Paystack with MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash, AirtelTigo Money or a card. The 2% fee is paid by the shopper.
Can I use my own domain?
Yes. Each store gets a subdomain like yourshop.vendar.online, or you can connect your own custom domain.