Frequently asked questions

A group buy (or pool) is when multiple buyers combine their orders to meet a seller's minimum quantity. This lets you access farm-gate prices that would normally only be available to bulk buyers.

Yes. All payments are processed by Paystack and held in escrow. Your money is never released to the seller until you confirm that you received your order. If a listing is cancelled or the minimum quantity is not met, you receive a full refund automatically.

Once the group buy is confirmed, you'll receive a 4-digit pickup PIN by SMS. Bring this PIN to the seller's pickup point at the scheduled time. The seller will verify your PIN in their app and release your order to you.

Some sellers offer delivery at an additional fee. During checkout, you can choose pickup or delivery (if available). For delivery orders, enter your address at checkout. The seller will mark your order as out for delivery and you confirm receipt when it arrives.

If you miss your pickup window, the seller may mark you as a no-show. You can then either accept a delivery offer (if available) or raise a dispute within 24 hours. Habitual no-shows may affect your account standing.

Raise a dispute in the app within 24 hours of the scheduled pickup. Our team reviews evidence (photos, messages) from both sides and resolves within 72 hours. Valid disputes result in a partial or full refund.

Orders can be cancelled before the listing is confirmed (i.e., before the minimum quantity is met). Once a listing is confirmed, cancellations are handled case-by-case through the dispute process.

Refunds are processed via Paystack and typically arrive in 5–10 business days, depending on your bank.

Click 'Sell on Chowpool' and complete the 4-step application: choose your seller type, upload a valid ID document, add your bank account, and sign the declaration. Applications are typically reviewed within 24–48 hours.

We accept NIN (National Identity Number), Voter's Card, Driver's License, and International Passport. Registered businesses can also upload a CAC certificate.

Yes. Your first listing is manually reviewed by our team before going live. After that, subsequent listings go live immediately upon submission.

Chowpool charges a 3.5% platform fee on the item subtotal of each completed order. There are no listing fees or monthly charges.

Payouts are triggered once all buyers on a confirmed listing have confirmed receipt (or after the automatic release window expires). Funds arrive in your registered bank account within 1–2 business days.

Yes. When creating a listing, you can enable delivery and set a delivery fee. Buyers who choose delivery will provide their address at checkout.

If the minimum quantity is not met by the deadline, the listing expires automatically. All buyers are refunded in full and no platform fee is charged.

An import pool is a community-organised group buy for imported goods — often groceries or household goods from the UK, Germany or other countries. An organiser creates the pool, sets a target quantity and estimated price, and members join to pledge their share. The organiser then sources the supplier and manages payment collection and distribution.

Pools move through phases: Recruiting → Sourcing → Payment collection → In transit → Ready for distribution → Completed. The organiser advances each phase and members are notified at each stage.

Pool organisers must have a verified seller account. Members should review the organiser's rating and completed pool history before joining.

Yes. Listings are available nationwide. Use the state filter on the browse page to find listings near you.

We accept debit/credit cards, bank transfers, and USSD payments via Paystack. All major Nigerian banks are supported.

For disputes, use the in-app dispute flow. For other queries, email us at support@chowpool.com.