The verdict in three sentences
A cosmetics manufacturer in Dakar that manages its 150 resellers through WhatsApp and spreadsheets loses orders, gets prices wrong and cannot see which channel pays. A B2B2C store combines retail sales and a reseller area with wholesale prices, minimum order and history, for a budget of 6 to 15 million FCFA. The project ships in 10 weeks and pays back mainly through a higher average reseller basket and less admin time.
What the platform must do
The principle: one catalog, two price lists. Visitors see the public price; an approved reseller sees their wholesale price after logging in, with their own terms.
| Feature | Consumer side | Approved reseller side |
|---|---|---|
| Displayed price | Public price incl. VAT | Wholesale price (30 to 45% discount) |
| Access | Open | Account approved manually (NINEA, trade register) |
| Minimum order | None | 150,000 FCFA or 24 units per item |
| Payment | Wave, Orange Money, card | Wave, Orange Money, bank transfer, 30-day terms for premium accounts |
| Delivery | Dakar 24 to 48 h, regions 2 to 4 days | Grouped shipping, diaspora by air freight |
| Documents | Simple invoice | Pro forma invoice, delivery note, monthly statement |
| Loyalty | Loyalty points | Discount tiers based on annual volume |
For the diaspora (Paris, Brussels, New York), the platform calculates freight by weight and shows prices in EUR or USD, taking cosmetics import rules into account: INCI list on the label, CPNP notification for the European Union.
2026 cost by project level
| Level | Scope | Budget (FCFA) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | Store + reseller area, 2 price lists, Wave and Orange Money | 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 | 8 weeks |
| Standard | + per-account minimum order, discount tiers, multi-currency, international freight | 9,000,000 to 12,000,000 | 10 weeks |
| Advanced | + 30-day terms, accounting integration, reseller mobile app | 13,000,000 to 15,000,000 | 12 to 14 weeks |
| Recurring | Hosting, maintenance, security | 100,000 to 250,000 per month | Ongoing |
The Standard level covers most brands already serving around a hundred resellers in Senegal and abroad.
Direct sales or resellers: comparing margins
The real strategic question is the balance between the two channels. Direct sales yield more margin per product; resellers bring volume and geographic reach.
| Indicator (shea butter 250 ml) | Direct online sale | Reseller |
|---|---|---|
| Selling price | 8,000 FCFA | 4,800 FCFA (40% discount) |
| Production cost | 2,600 FCFA | 2,600 FCFA |
| Customer acquisition cost | 2,000 FCFA | 150 FCFA (spread over the order) |
| Logistics and payment | 1,200 FCFA | 250 FCFA |
| Margin per unit | 2,200 FCFA (27%) | 1,800 FCFA (37%) |
| Typical monthly volume | 600 units | 3,000 units |
As an order of magnitude, a well-equipped reseller channel earns more in absolute terms, because it saves on acquisition and per-unit logistics.
Mini case study
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Aïssatou, founder of a natural cosmetics brand in Almadies, serves 150 resellers. Her team spends about 70 hours a month keying in WhatsApp orders and fixing price errors, and the average reseller basket is stuck at 180,000 FCFA.
- Standard project: 10,500,000 FCFA, delivered in 10 weeks.
- Minimum order and discount tiers lift the average basket to 220,000 FCFA: 40,000 FCFA more on about 200 monthly orders, i.e. 8,000,000 FCFA of extra revenue per month, about 2,900,000 FCFA of margin at 37%.
- Admin time saved: 50 hours a month, about 250,000 FCFA.
- Estimated payback: 10,500,000 / 3,150,000 = about 3.5 months.
FAQ
How much does a store with a reseller area cost in Dakar in 2026?
Between 6 and 15 million FCFA depending on scope, with a Standard level around 9 to 12 million. Then budget 100,000 to 250,000 FCFA a month for maintenance.
How do you stop consumers from seeing wholesale prices?
Wholesale prices only appear after login to an account approved manually on presentation of the NINEA or trade register. Approval usually takes less than 24 hours.
Can resellers pay with Wave and Orange Money?
Yes, with merchant fees of about 1%, plus bank transfer and, for premium accounts, 30-day terms with a credit limit.
How is shipping to the diaspora handled?
The platform calculates freight by weight, for example 6,000 to 9,000 FCFA per kilo to Paris, and shows prices in EUR. Labels must follow the INCI list.
Why 10 weeks?
2 weeks of scoping and mockups, 6 weeks of development and payment integration, 2 weeks of testing with a group of 10 pilot resellers.
Let's scope your project. Public store, reseller area with wholesale pricing and international shipping, indicative budget of 6 to 15 million FCFA (about 9,150 to 22,870 EUR) for a launch in 10 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. 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.
