The verdict in three sentences
Delivery platforms take 20 to 35 % commission on every order and keep your customers' contact details to themselves. A direct ordering channel (WhatsApp, site, QR on packaging) with mobile money payment gives you back up to 25 margin points and the customer relationship. The right 2026 strategy is hybrid: use the platforms' visibility while pushing your best customers toward direct.
Third-party platform versus direct ordering
The platform brings visibility and a courier, but at a high cost and a heavy consequence: it owns the customer. You don't know who ordered, you can't build loyalty, and you depend on its algorithm. The direct channel flips the balance of power.
| Criterion | Third-party platform | Direct ordering |
|---|---|---|
| Commission taken | 20 to 35 % | 0 (per-trip courier) |
| Margin kept | Reduced | +25 points |
| Customer data | Held by platform | Yours |
| Loyalty | Impossible | Direct (WhatsApp) |
| Delivery cost | Included in commission | 1,000-2,500 FCFA / trip |
| Payment | Via the platform | Mobile money direct |
| Dependence | High | Low |
Building a profitable direct channel
Direct doesn't mean doing it all alone: you keep a per-trip courier or a small pool, take the order on WhatsApp or a lightweight site, and get paid via mobile money. A QR printed on the packaging brings the customer from the platform to your direct channel for their next order.
| Direct lever | Concrete effect | 2026 order of magnitude |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp + site ordering | 0 commission | Margin +25 pts |
| Mobile money payment | Immediate collection | 0 unpaid |
| Per-trip courier | Controlled cost | 1,000-2,500 FCFA |
| QR on packaging | Recover the customer | +direct conversions |
| Loyalty program | Repeat orders | +lifetime basket |
| Hybrid strategy | Visibility + margin | Best of both |
The goal isn't to quit platforms overnight, but to gradually migrate your regular customers to a channel where you keep all the margin.
Mini case study
Sipho, a restaurateur in Johannesburg, does 200 delivery orders a month at an average basket of 7,000 FCFA, or 1,400,000 FCFA going through a platform at 30 % commission. He therefore pays 420,000 FCFA in commission per month. By shifting half of those orders to a direct channel (with a per-trip courier at 1,500 FCFA), he saves the commission on 700,000 FCFA — 210,000 FCFA — minus about 150,000 FCFA in direct delivery costs: a net gain of about 60,000 FCFA per month from the first shift, plus recovering the data of 100 customers.
FAQ
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Should I leave the platforms entirely?
No, the winning strategy is hybrid. Platforms bring customers you wouldn't have had; the goal is to convert your regulars to direct to recover the margin on repeat orders.
How do I bring a customer from the platform to direct?
A QR or flyer in the packaging, with a small incentive (free delivery, a drink) for the first direct order. Once the customer is on your WhatsApp, you build loyalty with no middleman.
How much does a per-trip courier cost?
Between 1,000 and 2,500 FCFA per trip depending on distance in 2026. That's far less than 20 to 35 % commission on a 7,000 FCFA average basket, especially on high-value orders.
How do I handle direct payments?
Via mobile money: the customer pays at ordering through a link, avoiding unpaid orders and cash handling by the courier. Reconciliation is immediate and traced.
Does the direct channel need a big website?
No, a lightweight ordering site or even a WhatsApp catalog with mobile money payment is enough to start. What matters is simplicity: order in three clicks and pay via mobile money.
Let's talk about your project. We build your direct ordering channel with WhatsApp, mobile money payment and QR on packaging. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.