Most Sri Lankans check WhatsApp many times a day, and many tap through their contacts' Status updates without thinking. That makes your Status one of the easiest places to start selling. It is free, it reaches people who already know you, and it doesn't fill anyone's chat with messages they didn't ask for.
Why Status works for beginners
- The people watching know you. Friends, family, neighbours, old classmates. Trust is already there.
- It is not pushy. People choose to tap on your Status. You are not sending them a message.
- It disappears after 24 hours. You can post again tomorrow with something new, without cluttering anything.
- Known customers keep parcels. In real Sri Lankan online shops, about 96% of parcels were delivered when customers knew and reordered from the seller. With strangers, 30–37% came back.
Step 1: Make sure people can see it
Your Status is usually only seen by people who have saved your number and whom you have saved too. Before you start:
- Save the numbers of people you know.
- Check your Status privacy settings in WhatsApp so your contacts can see it.
- Ask people to save your number. A simple message works:
Hi! I've started selling some useful home and kitchen items. I'll share them on my Status. Please save my number if you'd like to see them. Thank you!
Step 2: Plan a simple daily set
You don't need to post twenty updates. Three or four good ones a day is plenty. A useful pattern:
- The product. A clear photo from the MyKade app with a short caption.
- The product in use. A short video showing what it does.
- The price, clearly. "Rs 1,950 + delivery Rs 450. Cash on delivery. Arrives in about 3 days."
- Something real. A question someone asked you and your answer, or "Another one packed and on its way" (never show a customer's name, address or phone number).
Use the photos, videos and ready-made captions from the app in Sinhala, Tamil or English. AI can also write a caption for you. Add one line in your own words so it sounds like you.
Step 3: Post at the right time
Our data from about 5,000 orders shows enquiries peak between 7 and 11 pm, and 9 pm is the busiest hour. Sunday brings about 50% more enquiries than other days.
A good habit: post your main product update around 7–8 pm, so it is fresh when people relax in the evening. Post your best content on Sunday.
Step 4: Focus on one product at a time
If your Status shows ten different products every day, nobody remembers any of them. Pick one main product for the week and show it from different angles: what it is, how it is used, who it helps, what it costs. See why one hero product beats fifty.
Step 5: Reply fast and well
When someone replies to your Status, that is an enquiry. In real shops, about half of enquiries became orders, and 3 in 4 of those ordered within a day. Almost nobody ordered after 3 days. So reply quickly, ideally within the hour.
Hi! Thanks for asking. It's Rs 1,950 and delivery is Rs 450, so Rs 2,400 in total, paid in cash when it arrives. It usually arrives in about 3 days. Shall I send one? I'll just need your name, address and phone number.
Before you place the order in the app, confirm the details and the total. Read how to confirm every order.
Things to avoid
- Don't post too much. Twenty updates a day pushes people to mute you.
- Don't use big claims. "Best in Sri Lanka!" or "100% guaranteed!" sound like spam.
- Don't post other brands' logos or names.
- Never ask anyone to pay you directly. Customers pay MyKade, by cash on delivery or by a payment link MyKade sends them.
Add your shop link
MyKade gives you your own shop link, a page with your name and prices. Put it in your WhatsApp "About" or business profile, and mention it now and then on your Status so people can browse in their own time.
Start tonight
Pick one product, save three good photos or videos, and post your first Status this evening around 8 pm. Download the MyKade app and turn your Status into your first shop window.