Your free WhatsApp store in Ethiopia, paid by Telebirr and CBE Birr, with no commission

One link with your catalog and a cart, and complete orders in your WhatsApp. Customers pay the way they already do. Free, with no commission on sales.

Create my free store

12 shops in Ethiopia already sell with WAStore · See the shops

Get paid with what your customers already use

WAStore doesn’t process payments or take a percentage. You add your methods in Settings → Payment, and customers see them when they order.

Telebirr
Choose the “Mobile Money” type, name it Telebirr and enter your phone number or merchant code; customers pay from the Telebirr app and send the receipt on WhatsApp.
CBE Birr
Add an “Other” method called CBE Birr with your CBE Birr phone number or account: customers see it at checkout and send you the confirmation on WhatsApp.
Bank transfer (CBE, Awash, Dashen…)
Add “Bank transfer” with your bank, account number and account name; customers copy it at checkout and send you the receipt on WhatsApp.
Cash on delivery
Turn on “Cash on delivery”: nothing to set up, and the customer pays when the order arrives.

How to start your WhatsApp store in Ethiopia

1
Create your store
Enter a name, your WhatsApp number and your currency (ETB). Add products with a photo and price, or import them from a CSV or Google Sheet.
2
Add how you get paid
Add Telebirr and CBE Birr, plus any other method you use. They show at checkout with your details and, if you like, your QR code.
3
Share the link
Put it in your WhatsApp status, Instagram bio or TikTok. Every order lands in your dashboard and in your WhatsApp, ready to fulfil.

Selling on WhatsApp in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia a huge share of small selling already runs on Telegram channels and WhatsApp status: clothing, beauty, homemade food, electronics and farm produce. Customers expect to pay with Telebirr or CBE Birr, not cards. WAStore gives you a catalog with prices in birr and a cart, so each order arrives complete instead of a long chat of “how much?” and “send the account”.

In Addis Ababa many sellers deliver by Bajaj or a messenger the same day; for other cities they ship by bus parcel offices and ask for Telebirr before the parcel leaves. Set one fee for Addis and another for upcountry, or offer pickup in your kebelle.

Shops in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Hawassa and Bahir Dar, and across the country.

Delivery, registration and payments in Ethiopia

Delivery and couriers

In Addis Ababa most small sellers use a Bajaj, a motorbike messenger or apps like Deliver Addis for same-day drops. For other cities, parcels go through bus association offices (Awash, Selam, Abay) and the customer collects at the destination terminal — returned parcels are painful, so many sellers confirm Telebirr payment before the bus leaves.

Registration and tax

A trade licence from your city administration (and a TIN from the Ministry of Revenues) is what banks and Telebirr merchant upgrades eventually ask for. Many sellers start informally and formalise once volume grows; food sellers also need local health clearance for home kitchens.

How customers pay

Telebirr is the default way to pay a small seller, followed by CBE Birr and a classic transfer to a Commercial Bank of Ethiopia or Awash account. Cash on delivery still works inside Addis for first-time buyers; for upcountry orders almost everyone asks for Telebirr first.

What WAStore costs in Ethiopia

Free forever: up to 50 products, unlimited orders and 0% commission.
Pro: $7.90 a month (or $4.99 a month billed yearly) for your own domain, coupons, sale prices, delivery zones, analytics and more.
Try Pro free for 7 days, no card needed.

In ETB, Pro is ብር 1,280 a month or ብር 9,700 a year, and that is what your card is charged at checkout.

WAStore vs other options in Ethiopia

Most WhatsApp store tools no longer take a commission. What differs is how many products you get for free, whether orders are capped, and whether customers see your local payment methods (Telebirr and CBE Birr) when they order.

Platform	Free plan	Orders	Commission	Paid plan
WAStore	50 products, forever	Unlimited	0%	Pro: $7.90/month (up to 200 products)
Take App	Unlimited products	50 a month saved in the dashboard	0%	Essential: $29/month
Shopify	None (free trial only)	Unlimited	Card fees; extra fee on Starter or with outside gateways	Starter $5/month; Basic $39/month
WhatsApp Business catalog	Free, inside the app	In the chat only	0%	— (no cart or web store)

Taken from each platform’s website in October 2026 (Shopify prices are US list prices). Plans change often, so check them before you decide.

Questions about selling on WhatsApp in Ethiopia

Can I use my personal Telebirr number?

Yes for a start: put that number on a Mobile Money method named Telebirr. When you grow, upgrade to a Telebirr merchant code so business money stays separate.

How do bus parcels work with WAStore?

The order gives you the customer’s name, phone and city. You pack the parcel, book it at the bus office and send the waybill number on WhatsApp so they can collect it.

Can I charge a different delivery fee in Addis Ababa and for other cities?

Yes, on Pro: create one delivery zone in Addis Ababa and another for other cities, each with its own fee (or “to be confirmed”). The free plan has one flat delivery fee and free pickup.

Can I take Telebirr and CBE Birr?

Yes. Add both as separate methods with the numbers customers should pay to. They pick one at checkout and send you the confirmation on WhatsApp.

Is WAStore free in Ethiopia?

Yes. The free plan doesn’t expire: up to 50 products, unlimited orders and no commission on sales. Pro is optional.

Can I get paid by Telebirr and CBE Birr?

Yes. You add your payment methods in Settings → Payment and customers see them when they order. The money goes straight to you; WAStore never touches payments.

Does WAStore take a commission?

No, not on the free plan and not on Pro. Everything your customer pays is yours.

Do I need WhatsApp Business?

No. It works with regular WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business, and neither you nor your customers install anything.

Can I accept card payments?

Stripe doesn’t open accounts for sellers in Ethiopia yet, so built-in card checkout isn’t available. You can add a payment link from a local gateway as a “Payment link” method, and customers pay by card there.

Start selling today

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