Most beginners don't fail because they picked the wrong product. They fail because of small habits that are easy to fix once you see them. Here are ten to avoid from day one.
1. Placing orders without confirming
Someone says "I'll take one" in a comment, and you place the order straight away. Then the courier calls and nobody answers. In real Sri Lankan online shops, 42% of returns were "no answer".
Fix: before every order, confirm the name, full address, a phone number they will answer, and the total. A short call works best. See how to confirm every order.
2. Hiding the delivery charge
The customer thinks the price is Rs 1,950. At the door they are asked for about Rs 2,400. Some will refuse. Refusals were 19% of returns.
Fix: always say the full total, including delivery (usually around Rs 450), before you place the order.
3. Replying late
You see a message at lunch and plan to answer "later". About 3 in 4 people who ordered did so within a day of asking, and almost nobody ordered after 3 days.
Fix: reply the same day, even if it's just "Yes, available! Let me send you the details." Read reply within an hour.
4. Sharing fifty products at once
Posting everything makes your Status look like a catalogue nobody reads. People can't tell what you are really recommending.
Fix: share one or two products a day that you can explain well. See why one hero product beats fifty.
5. Spamming groups and strangers
Posting the same thing in twenty groups, or messaging people who never asked, gets you removed and blocked. It also brings orders from strangers, who return far more parcels.
Fix: start with people who know you. When customers knew the seller and reordered, about 96% of parcels were delivered. Follow each group's rules.
6. Pricing at the maximum
Every product has a maximum selling price. Setting yours right at the top can make your total, with delivery, look expensive next to the same item elsewhere.
Fix: start near the suggested selling price. A smaller profit on an order that is delivered beats a bigger profit on one that comes back.
7. Exaggerating, or using other brands
"Original!", "Best in Sri Lanka!", or a famous brand's logo on a photo. When the parcel arrives and doesn't match, it comes back, and you lose the customer's trust.
Fix: describe the product exactly as it is. Use MyKade's photos and captions. Never use other brands' names or logos.
8. Paying for ads too early
Ads feel like a shortcut. In real Sri Lankan online shops, Facebook ads cost about Rs 1,200 per delivered order, close to 40% of the item price. For a beginner, that can wipe out the profit completely.
Fix: sell for free first, through WhatsApp, your shop link and your own posts. Learn which product people ask about. Read when (and when not) to pay for Facebook ads.
9. Taking money from customers
A friend offers to send you the money by bank transfer. It feels harmless. It isn't: if something goes wrong, you are holding their money.
Fix: customers always pay MyKade, by cash on delivery or a payment link MyKade texts them. Never take money yourself.
10. Giving up in the first week
You shared for three days and nobody bought. That is normal. Most people need time before friends notice you are selling and remember you when they need something.
Fix: give it at least a few weeks of steady, small effort. Use the "first 10 customers" mission in MyKade Academy to track progress, and ask the AI selling coach when you are stuck.
A quick checklist before every order
- Did I confirm the name, address and phone number?
- Did I tell them the full total, including delivery?
- Did I tell them roughly when it will arrive?
- Are they paying MyKade, not me?
Start with good habits
Every one of these mistakes is easier to avoid than to fix later. Download the MyKade app, and make your first order a confirmed one.