When orders come in — fulfilling and getting paid

The seller side of the order — notification, preparing, dispatching, PIN handshake, payment release.

What happens when someone buys

This is the moment everything you've set up starts paying off. Someone tapped Buy, paid, and the order is now yours to fulfill. This guide walks through every step from the buyer's tap to the money landing in your wallet.

The order lifecycle from your side

A buyer's order moves through these stages from your side:

Refunded, Disputed, and Cancelled are off-path stages — they happen when something goes wrong. We cover them too, lower down.

Stage 1 — You get a notification

The moment a buyer pays, you get a push notification:

🟡 New order from @username — 1× Black Kitenge Wrap Dress — UGX 75,000

If you have the app open, the Orders tab in the Seller Hub updates immediately. There's also a small badge with the count of open orders.

Do this first:

1. Open the order.
2. Read what they ordered (item, quantity, any notes).
3. Check the delivery address.
4. Check the delivery option they picked (standard, pickup, etc.).
5. Tap Acknowledge to confirm you've seen it.

Acknowledging doesn't commit you — it just lets the buyer know you're on it.

What if the order doesn't fit (out of stock, can't ship there)?

If you can't fulfill, cancel within 24 hours. Open the order → Cancel order → pick a reason from the list:

• Out of stock.
• Can't deliver to that location.
• Buyer requested cancellation.
• Other (specify).

Cancellation refunds the buyer's money immediately (back to their MoMo or card within 24 hours). It also costs you a small dent in your shop's reliability score, so don't make a habit of it. But honest cancellation is better than failing to deliver.

Stage 2 — Prepare the item

You have a default 48 hours to dispatch the order after it's paid. The clock starts at "Paid" and ends when you mark "Dispatched."

If you don't dispatch in 48 hours, the order auto-cancels and the buyer is refunded.

You can extend the window by chatting with the buyer. Tap the WhatsApp button on the order page → message them ("Hey, I'm out of stock on this size but I'll have it by Thursday — can you wait?"). If they agree on WhatsApp, the system gives you more time before auto-cancel kicks in.

Packaging tips

• Use clean, undamaged packaging. A torn plastic bag undermines the whole shop.
• Add a branded touch if you can — a small thank-you note, a business card with your shop name. Makes buyers more likely to re-order.
• Include the invoice printed (some buyers want it for their own records).
• Don't include things they didn't order. Free samples sound nice but they can confuse buyers and trigger disputes.

Stage 3 — Dispatch (hand off to a rider or take it yourself)

When the item is on its way to the buyer:

1. Open the order.
2. Tap Mark as dispatched.
3. Add a note if useful ("Rider is Sam, +256 78x xxx xxx").
4. Tap Save.

The buyer gets a notification: "Your order is on the way."

Picking a rider

Most sellers in Uganda use:

• Their own delivery — they hand it to a boda directly.
• A third-party rider they've used before.
• A logistics service (SafeBoda, Tugende, Glovo, etc.).
• Themselves if the buyer is nearby.

KampalaSnap doesn't book the rider for you. You pick.

Tell the rider about the PIN

The buyer has a Delivery PIN — a 4-digit code that only THEY have. The rider needs to know:

• They need the PIN from the buyer when they deliver.
• The PIN goes back to you so you can mark the order as confirmed (or the buyer can enter it themselves directly in the app).

A good rider message:

"Order for buyer at [address]. Cost UGX 75k, prepaid. Ask buyer for the Delivery PIN when you hand over. SMS the PIN back to me."

If you're using a rider service, the PIN flow may be built into their app — but if not, just SMS / call the rider.

Stage 4 — The PIN handshake

This is the moment the escrow opens.

When the buyer gets the item:

1. They look at it.
2. If everything is correct, they give the rider the 4-digit PIN (or enter it directly in the app themselves).
3. The order status flips to Delivered.

You then have two paths:

Path A — Buyer entered the PIN themselves in the app

Nothing for you to do. The order shows "Completed" on your side within seconds. Your wallet shows the earnings as pending payout.

Path B — The rider passed the PIN back to you

Open the order → tap Enter PIN → type the 4 digits → tap Confirm.

If you type wrong, you have 5 attempts before the PIN locks for a few minutes.

The order flips to "Completed." Same result.

What if the buyer won't give the PIN?

Three reasons this happens:

1. The item is not what they ordered. They're correctly using the PIN to protect themselves. You need to fix the problem (offer a refund, send a replacement, etc.).
2. They forgot it / can't find it. Tap the WhatsApp button and message them — they can look in WhatsApp messages from KampalaSnap, or open the order in the app to see it.
3. They're trying to game you — get the item, refuse the PIN, and try to keep the goods + refund. This is rare but happens. If you have proof of delivery (rider signature, a photo of them accepting), open a dispute on your side once the dispute window opens.

Don't pressure or threaten the buyer. The PIN is theirs, by design. Solve the underlying problem and the PIN comes naturally.

Stage 5 — Money in your wallet

After the PIN is entered, there's a short dispute window (default 48 hours) where the buyer can still open a dispute. During this window, the order shows "Completed" but the money is pending in your wallet, not yet withdrawable.

After 48 hours pass without a dispute, the money moves to your withdrawable balance. You can then request a withdrawal.

Withdrawals happen Tuesdays and Fridays only. See The path to verification for why withdrawals are gated and how the schedule works.

Where to see your earnings

Seller Hub → Insights tab → Earnings section. You'll see:

• Pending — money from orders still in the dispute window.
• Withdrawable — money you can request a withdrawal for.
• Withdrawn — total you've taken out over time.

Off-path stages

When the buyer opens a dispute

If something went wrong, the buyer can open a dispute. The order status flips to Disputed. Money stays frozen.

You'll get a notification: "Buyer opened a dispute on order #X." Open the dispute thread inside the order and reply with your side.

You have 48 hours to respond. If you don't, the case escalates to an admin who decides without your input.

In the dispute thread:

• Stay polite, even if you disagree.
• Attach evidence — delivery photos, chat screenshots, photos of the item before dispatch.
• Offer a fix if a fix makes sense (refund, replacement).

If you and the buyer can agree (e.g. partial refund), the buyer can close the dispute and the order resolves.

If you can't agree, an admin reviews and decides. They take 2-3 business days for most cases.

When you cancel an order

If you have to cancel after acknowledging:

1. Open the order.
2. Tap Cancel order.
3. Pick a reason and add a note.

The buyer is refunded automatically. The order doesn't count toward your reliability metrics if the reason is legitimate (out of stock, honest mistake). If you cancel many times in a short period, your account flags for review.

When the buyer cancels before dispatch

The buyer can cancel any order that's still in Paid state (before you mark it Dispatched). You get a notification; the order moves to Cancelled; money is refunded to the buyer. Nothing you need to do.

If they cancel after you marked Dispatched, the cancel request goes into a dispute flow — you can accept the cancellation (refund) or contest it (deliver as planned, ask buyer to receive).

Vacation / pause mode

Going out of town, sick, supply chain hiccup? Pause your shop instead of letting orders pile up.

Seller Hub → Edit → Pause shop → pick how long (1-30 days) → add a reason.

While paused:

• Your shop page shows "On break — back on [date]" to buyers.
• They can still see your products but the Buy buttons are disabled.
• Existing orders continue normally (they don't pause).
• Your videos stay in the feed.

Resume manually any time before the date, or it auto-resumes on the date you set.

Common questions

What if a buyer messages me on WhatsApp asking for a discount AFTER paying?

Up to you. Most sellers don't. The price they paid is the price. "Hi, the price you saw was the price. I can include a small bonus item with the order if you'd like."

If you do give a discount, refund the difference through Pesapal, NOT through MoMo directly. Open the order → message us via support asking for a partial refund, and we'll process it through the correct path.

A buyer gave me the PIN but I haven't shipped yet. Should I enter it?

No, never. The PIN is for after delivery. Entering it without delivering is exactly the scam the system is designed to prevent.

If a buyer offers the PIN early ("I trust you, just go ahead and enter it"), the polite answer is "Thank you, I'll enter it the moment the item is in your hands."

How long do I have to enter the PIN?

Indefinitely — there's no hard timeout. But the order stays in "Delivered" status until either you enter the PIN or the buyer does. If neither of you ever enters it, the order eventually auto-completes after a long timeout (typically 7-14 days, depending on penalty tier). You're paid then, just slower.

Why is my withdrawable balance lower than my completed sales?

Three reasons:

1. Platform fee — about 5% per sale is taken before the money lands in your wallet.
2. Recent orders in the dispute window — sales from the last 48 hours show in pending, not withdrawable.
3. Past withdrawals already taken — the withdrawable balance is what's left after past withdrawals.

Check the Insights tab for a breakdown.

A buyer paid but the order is "stuck" in Paid for hours. What do I do?

The buyer paid; you got the notification. From their side it shows Paid; from your side it shows Paid. The order is yours to fulfill. The clock is running on your 48-hour dispatch window.

Acknowledge the order, prepare the item, mark Dispatched when you hand it over. Don't wait for the order to "advance" automatically — the advance is on you.

Do I have to use Pesapal? Can I just take MoMo directly?

No. KampalaSnap's escrow exists because direct MoMo creates two problems: buyers have no protection if you don't deliver, and you have no protection if they claim they paid but didn't. Pesapal escrow protects both sides.

Sellers who try to redirect buyers to direct MoMo (text them on WhatsApp saying "send to this number instead") violate our community guidelines and get suspended on first complaint.

What's next

• Setting up delivery — get the delivery options dialed in.
• The path to verification — unlock the affiliate program, withdrawals, and verified perks.