Most people start selling on MyKade as a side income: an hour in the evening, a few orders a week, a little extra in the wallet. For many, that is exactly right. But some find they enjoy it, get good at it, and start to wonder whether it could become something bigger. This post is for them.
A word of honesty first: there is no guaranteed path from side income to full-time business, and no fixed amount you will earn. Growth comes from habits, patience and good decisions. Please don't leave a job or borrow money on the hope of it.
Signs you're ready to grow
Look for these before you push harder:
- Most of your parcels are delivered. If many still come back, fix that first; growing a leaky business only grows the leak.
- You have customers who come back. Repeat customers are the base of every real business.
- You have a routine you can keep up on busy weeks, not just good ones.
- You know your numbers, not roughly but actually. See five numbers every seller should watch.
Habits that turn selling into a business
Treat your time like working hours
Decide when you sell, and stick to it. Our data from about 5,000 orders shows enquiries peak 7–11 pm, busiest at 9 pm, and Sunday brings about 50% more enquiries than other days. Plan your working hours around when customers are actually there.
Build around customers, not just products
When customers know and reorder from the seller, about 96% of parcels were delivered, compared with 30–37% of parcels coming back when selling to strangers. A business grows on the people who trust it. Keep a simple list of your customers, what they bought and when, and follow up kindly. The message after delivery is a good place to start.
Choose products people use up
Buyers of everyday items they use up (packaging, cleaning, beauty) reordered about four times as often as gadget buyers in our data: about 11% against 3% within two months. A shop with some everyday items gets more repeat orders.
Keep records
Write down what you withdraw from your wallet each month, and what you spend (data, ads, any printing). A side income can live in your head; a business needs a notebook or a spreadsheet.
Tools to add, one at a time
MyKade has tools for each stage. Don't switch them all on at once; add one, learn it, then add the next.
- One inbox. Connect your Facebook Page and Instagram and answer messages in one place. AI can suggest replies, which helps when messages pile up at 9 pm.
- Your own address. A website or domain like yourshop.lk gives your shop a name people can remember. See your own website and domain.
- A second shop window. Sell through your own Daraz store to reach people who are searching. See taking your shop to Daraz.
- A team. Invite people who will sell well and earn 10% of their commission on delivered orders for 6 months. See invite and earn.
- Ads, carefully. One-tap Facebook ads, paid from your own ad account, start from Rs 300 a day. Be realistic: in real Sri Lankan online shops, ads cost about Rs 1,200 per delivered order, close to 40% of the item price. Only use them when you know your profit can carry that. Read when (and when not) to pay for Facebook ads.
If you start making your own products
Some sellers discover they want to sell their own goods: something they make, or stock they buy themselves. That's a different kind of business. MyKade is preparing a monthly plan for own-product sellers, with their own online shop, orders, couriers and payment links. It's opening soon. See already make or stock products?
Grow at your own pace
A real business is built one good habit at a time. Fix your returns, look after your regulars, learn your numbers, then add tools as you need them. If you haven't started yet, download the MyKade app and take the first step.