A POS reseller signs up merchants for a cloud POS platform and earns a recurring commission on their monthly subscriptions. You act as the local sales and support contact for your merchants; the platform handles the software. It is one of the few business models in Kenya where a single sale generates income every month without re-selling.
What the POS Reseller Model Looks Like
Kenya has a large number of small and medium retail businesses, shops, restaurants, pharmacies, salons, hardware stores, that either use manual records, outdated software, or no system at all. Many of them would benefit from a cloud POS system but have not made the switch because no one has demonstrated the value and walked them through setup.
That gap is where a reseller operates. You identify merchants, show them how the software works, help them get started, and remain their first point of contact for questions and support. In return, the platform pays you a percentage of the subscription fee every month for as long as that merchant stays active.
The model is attractive because the income compounds. Your first month, you might sign up 5 merchants. Your second month, those 5 are still paying, and you add 5 more. By month 6, with consistent effort, you may have 30+ merchants generating monthly recurring commissions.
What You Actually Do as a Reseller
- Prospecting: Identifying businesses that would benefit from a POS system. Your network, your local market, and foot-canvassing in trading areas are the most productive channels.
- Demonstration: Showing the merchant how the system works. A 20-minute in-person walkthrough is usually enough to address questions and close a sign-up.
- Onboarding: Helping the merchant set up the system: adding products, configuring M-Pesa, training staff. This typically takes one to two hours on-site for a standard retail setup.
- Support: Being available when the merchant has a question. Most questions arise in the first two weeks. After that, active merchants rarely need hand-holding.
- Retention: Checking in periodically to confirm the merchant is getting value. Merchants who are actively using the system and seeing reports are far less likely to churn.
The Kenyan Market Opportunity
Kenya's retail sector is large and underpenetrated by digital POS systems outside of supermarket chains. The shift to M-Pesa as the dominant payment method has created a need for systems that can handle M-Pesa alongside cash, without requiring a bank terminal. Cloud-based POS systems that include M-Pesa STK Push built in solve a genuine problem for these merchants.
The merchants most receptive to a POS pitch are those experiencing specific pain points: stock losses they cannot explain, inability to track which staff member handled which sales, no reports for the end of month, or difficulty reconciling M-Pesa receipts with sales records. These are conversations worth having in any trading area.
How to Choose a POS Platform to Resell
The platform you resell determines what you can offer merchants and what you earn. Evaluate on these criteria:
- M-Pesa integration: Native STK Push at the point of sale is a requirement for the Kenyan market. A system that only handles cash or card is harder to sell.
- Commission rate and structure: Understand whether the commission is a flat amount or a percentage, whether it applies to all plans, and whether there is a minimum payout threshold.
- Reseller support: Does the platform provide training materials, a partner portal, and a support contact for resellers?
- Product quality: Use the system yourself before selling it. You cannot credibly support merchants on software you have not used.
WebpinnPOS is built specifically for Kenya, M-Pesa STK Push, Shopify and WooCommerce integration, booking, and multi-branch support are all included. The WebpinnPOS affiliate and reseller program is designed for partners who want recurring income.
Getting Your First Merchants
Start with businesses you already have a relationship with. A supplier, a friend's shop, a market you visit regularly. The first few sign-ups will be the hardest because you are still refining your pitch and learning the product. After your first 3–5 active merchants, you will have real case studies to use in conversations with new prospects.