The challenge
A Nairobi pharmacy had a loyal customer base and a wide product range. They were already selling some products via WhatsApp — sending photos, negotiating prices, and collecting M-Pesa payments manually. It worked, but it was slow, unscalable, and created an inventory problem: products sold online weren't always deducted from the physical stock, leading to overselling and embarrassing out-of-stock situations.
They wanted a real online store but didn't want a separate system that would create more reconciliation work.
How they use Maamul
One inventory, two channels
Every product sold online and every product dispensed in-store pulls from the same inventory record. When a customer buys online, the stock count updates immediately — the same way it does when a prescription is dispensed at the counter. Overselling is impossible.
Full e-commerce without a developer
Product pages, categories, cart, and M-Pesa checkout were set up without any custom development. The pharmacy team manages product listings the same way they manage in-store items — one screen, one system.
Affiliate programme built in
The pharmacy runs an affiliate programme for health influencers and community health workers who refer customers online. Referral tracking, commission calculation, and payouts are all handled within the same system.
“Before, online sales created more work than they were worth — chasing payments, updating stock manually, apologising for out-of-stocks. Now online and in-store feel like the same channel because they are.”
Online Pharmacy · Nairobi, Kenya