A first-year farmer's experience selling online
One smallholder's honest account of trying a digital marketplace for the first time — what worked, what didn't, and what they'd do differently.
When I first listed my broilers online, I honestly did not think it would work. I had sold through a local trader for years and the price was always the same, no matter what.
Creating the listing took me about 30 minutes the first time. I had to find decent photos — that was the hardest part. My phone camera was fine but the birds were in low light and the first few shots were terrible.
Within two days I had three enquiries. One buyer was from a city I had never traded with. He asked good questions about my vaccination schedule and the weight of the birds. I answered everything and he placed an offer the next day.
The offer was 12% higher than what my local trader usually paid. I almost did not believe it. I accepted, we agreed on transport logistics, and the payment cleared the day the birds were collected.
What I would do differently: take photos earlier in the morning when the light is good. Write more detail in the description about vaccination and feed type. And respond faster — I missed one serious buyer because I was in the field and did not check messages until evening.
