A buyer who messages you is interested right now. An hour later they may be cooking, sleeping, or chatting to another seller. This post is about one habit that quietly decides many sales: answering quickly.
What real orders show
Our data from about 5,000 cash-on-delivery orders from Sri Lankan online shops shows:
- About half of enquiries became orders.
- 3 in 4 of those orders came within a day of the first message.
- Almost no one ordered after 3 days.
- Enquiries peak between 7 and 11 pm, with 9 pm the busiest hour, and Sunday brings about 50% more.
Put simply: interest fades fast. The sale is usually won or lost on the same evening the person asks. We don't have a magic number of minutes, but "within an hour" is a good, realistic goal for most people.
Why speed matters so much
- The question is fresh. They just saw your Status or post and they're holding the phone.
- They may be asking others too. Whoever answers clearly first often gets the order.
- A quick reply feels trustworthy. It tells the buyer that someone real is there, and will be there if something goes wrong.
- Late replies feel like "not available". A reply the next afternoon often gets no answer at all.
You don't need to be online all day
You probably have a job, studies or a family too. You don't need to watch your phone every minute. You need to be there at the right times.
- Guard 8 to 10 pm. That is when most messages arrive. If you can only be available for two hours a day, choose these.
- Turn on notifications for WhatsApp, and for your Facebook Page and Instagram messages, so you notice new enquiries.
- Check at fixed times during the day, for example at lunch and on the bus home. Two minutes is enough.
- Do one last check before sleeping so no evening message waits until tomorrow.
See selling with one hour a day for a full routine.
The holding message: when you can't answer properly
Sometimes you're at work or with family and can't look up the details. A short reply still keeps the buyer warm. Send this, then come back with the full answer as soon as you can.
English: Hi! Thanks for your message. I'm a bit busy right now, I'll send you the full price and details within the hour.
සිංහල: හායි! මැසේජ් එකට ස්තූතියි. මම දැන් පොඩ්ඩක් බිසී, පැයක් ඇතුළත මුළු ගානයි විස්තරයි එවන්නම්.
தமிழ்: வணக்கம்! மெசேஜுக்கு நன்றி. இப்போ கொஞ்சம் பிஸி, ஒரு மணி நேரத்துக்குள் முழு விலையும் விபரமும் அனுப்புகிறேன்.
Then keep your promise. A holding message followed by silence is worse than nothing.
Make fast replies easy
- Keep your answers ready. Save short replies for the common questions: price with delivery, how to pay, how long delivery takes. Ready-made scripts are in messages that get replies.
- Use one inbox. In the MyKade app you can connect your Facebook Page and Instagram and answer messages in one place, instead of jumping between apps. AI can suggest a reply; read it and check the price before sending.
- Know the basics by heart. Customers pay MyKade, by cash on delivery or a secure payment link. Delivery is usually around Rs 450, paid by the customer. Order to door takes about 3 days on average.
- Share fewer products. If you focus on one or two products, you know them well and can answer without searching. See why one hero product beats fifty.
Fast, but not careless
Speed should never mean guessing. If you're not sure about a size, a colour or a delivery area, say "Let me check and tell you in a few minutes", then check in the app. A quick wrong answer leads to a parcel that comes back.
And once the buyer says yes, slow down for one important step: confirm the order before you place it.
A simple goal for this week
For seven days, try this: every enquiry gets at least a holding message within an hour, and a full answer the same evening. Write down how many enquiries you got and how many ordered. It's the simplest way to see the difference speed makes for you.
Ready to be the seller who answers first? Download the MyKade app, connect your inbox, and turn on your notifications tonight.