Run your shop on WhatsApp Business in Kenya
Most Kenyan buyers already chat before they buy. Set up WhatsApp Business properly, share one clear link, and reply fast even when you are on the road.
- "Bei gani?"
- "Do you deliver to Westlands?"
- "Still available?"
Your buyers are already on WhatsApp
Furniture shops, fashion boutiques, and delivery businesses in Nairobi and beyond close sales in chat. The hard part is not finding customers — it is replying to every "bei gani?" message while you are driving, packing, or serving someone in the shop. Kenyan buyers compare three sellers before they pay. If you reply two hours later, they already bought elsewhere. A fast first reply with clear prices builds trust before the buyer even asks for photos.
One number, one link
Keep your existing WhatsApp Business line. Put your WhatsApp link from Feed on Instagram, posters, and statuses. Buyers land in your inbox, not a random third-party number. You do not need a website — Instagram, WhatsApp Status, and a WhatsApp link are enough for most Kenyan SMEs.
Answers in the language buyers use
Timi replies in English, Swahili, and Sheng based on how the customer writes. You paste your products, prices, and FAQs once. Timi handles repeat questions so you can focus on stock and deliveries. Buyers mix languages in one message — "Corner sofa ni how much na delivery?" — and Timi matches that tone instead of sounding like a foreign call centre script.
You take over when it matters
When someone is ready to buy, Timi stops auto-replying and emails you. You can also pause Timi on any chat from your dashboard and reply yourself. Negotiation, custom orders, and complaints still need your eye. Timi filters tyre-kickers and hands off when someone wants to pay a deposit or book delivery.
Setup in about 5 minutes
Create your account, connect WhatsApp Business through Meta in Settings, paste what you sell, and copy your WhatsApp link from Feed. Subscribe when you are ready for AI replies to go live. Test from a real phone using your public link before you share it on Instagram or posters. Most sellers finish the first working version in one sitting and refine weekly as real chats reveal gaps.
Where to put your chat link
Your link works anywhere buyers can tap a URL. Put it in your Instagram bio, WhatsApp Status, Facebook page, business cards, and delivery receipts. One link everywhere means you always know which inbox to check. For Meta ads, use Click-to-WhatsApp as the destination — Timi tracks those conversations separately.
Example: evening buyer in Kilimani
Imagine a buyer sends a message at 8:30pm asking if delivery is possible to Kilimani the same day. A strong setup replies instantly with delivery window, fee guidance, and the next action. If the buyer confirms budget and urgency, the conversation is marked as high intent and handed to you for closure. Without this workflow, the buyer waits, asks another shop, and you lose the sale before you open the next morning.
Common setup mistakes
Most WhatsApp Business setups fail quietly — not because buyers stop messaging, but because small gaps in the first week compound into lost sales.
- Hiding key details like price range or delivery terms until too late in chat.
- Sending long generic replies that do not answer the buyer's immediate question.
- Using one script for every customer instead of adapting to intent signals.
- Failing to define handoff rules, which causes buyer confusion when you join the chat.
- Measuring only chat volume instead of qualified leads and paid outcomes.