1 What to Prepare Before Launching a Merchant Channel? A Complete Guide to Organizing Your Information

“What materials do I need to set up a merchant channel?”

“I don't have many photos yet. Can I still launch?”

“I have many products and services. Where should I start organizing?”

“How should prices, address, and contact details be filled in?”

Many merchants already have products, services, and business experience, but have not gathered the related materials in one place. When it is time to set up an online channel, they find that photos are scattered across different phones, prices are recorded in chats, and business hours and contact details have no single unified version.

💡 Before setting up your WeiCity merchant channel, preparing a complete set of basic materials can reduce repeated revisions and help customers more quickly understand what you offer, where you operate, and how to continue contacting you.

A merchant channel functions as an ongoing online entry point for showcasing your business.

When customers enter the channel, they usually want to know:

✅ What kind of merchant is this?

✅ What products or services are offered?

✅ Who is it suitable for?

✅ Where is the merchant located?

✅ What are the business hours?

✅ How can they contact, book, or request a quote?

✅ How are prices for products or services confirmed?

✅ Is self-pickup, delivery, or on-site service available?

If this information is incomplete, customers may still not know what to do next, even if the channel is well designed.

The key to preparing materials is not to fill in as much as possible at once, but to first ensure that the most important content is accurate, clear, and can be kept up to date.

Before setting up a channel, confirm what you want it to help your business accomplish.

Common purposes include:

• ✅ Introducing the merchant and brand

• ✅ Displaying main products

• ✅ Describing service items

• ✅ Publishing articles and updates

• ✅ Showcasing works or cases

• ✅ Providing menus and Online Ordering materials

• ✅ Publishing offers and promotions

• ✅ Letting customers contact, book, or request quotes

• ✅ Sharing address and visit information

Different merchants will have different priorities.

Retail merchants may place more emphasis on product display; food and beverage merchants need to organize menus and availability times; service businesses need to clearly explain the scope of services, booking methods, and what to prepare before consulting.

💡 Determining one main goal helps merchants decide which materials must be prepared first.

It is recommended to first create a unified merchant information sheet.

The content to prepare includes:

✅ Merchant name

Enter the brand, company, or store name currently in actual use, and keep the spelling consistent across different platforms.

✅ Merchant category

Select the industry and category that best match your actual business.

✅ Merchant introduction

Use short text to describe:

• What the merchant mainly operates

• Which products or services are provided

• Which customers are mainly served

• Which area it is located in

• What features are worth customers learning more about

✅ Year Established

If it needs to be filled in, use an actual year that can be verified.

✅ Service Languages

Explain which languages customers can use when making inquiries.

📌 Do not add rankings, awards, certifications, or performance guarantees that cannot be verified.

A merchant introduction does not need to be very long, but it should let first-time visitors quickly understand the business.

You can use the following structure:

✅ First sentence: state who the merchant is

For example:

“We are a family-run bakery studio located in Selangor.”

✅ Second sentence: Explain what is offered

For example:

“We mainly offer birthday cakes, festive gift boxes, and small event desserts.”

✅ Third sentence: Explain how services are provided

For example:

“Customers can consult in advance about styles, dates, quantities, and self-pickup arrangements.”

✅ Fourth sentence: Provide the next step

For example:

“Please contact us through the channel to learn about the current menu and available booking times.”

💡 The introduction is responsible for helping customers quickly get to know the merchant; detailed product and service descriptions can be organized separately as articles.

After viewing the channel, customers need to know how to continue contacting you.

It is recommended to prepare:

✅ Main contact phone number

✅ WhatsApp or other contact methods actually in use

✅ Email address

✅ Booking or quote request method

✅ Typical reply times

✅ Whether contact is accepted for urgent matters

✅ Who is responsible for each matter

If the merchant has multiple phone numbers, explain the purpose of each number.

For example:

• General store inquiries• Product order inquiries• Service bookings• Corporate or bulk purchases

📌 Only publish contact details that the merchant is willing to make public. Do not disclose employees' private phone numbers or other unnecessary personal information.

Merchants with physical stores, offices, studios, or service locations can prepare:

• ✅ Full address

• ✅ Map location

• ✅ Building or shopping centre name

• ✅ Floor and unit number

• ✅ Nearby landmarks

• ✅ Entrance direction

• ✅ Parking arrangements

• ✅ Public transport options

• ✅ Whether advance appointments are required

• ✅ Whether walk-in visits are allowed

If the merchant does not have a public storefront, you may state:

“This merchant mainly provides services online. The actual meeting or pickup location will be provided once arrangements are confirmed.”

Merchants offering home services may state the actual service area instead of a public private address.

📌 Map locations should be tested before publishing to make sure they do not lead customers to the wrong entrance or another place.

It is recommended to prepare:

✅ Business days each week

✅ Daily opening hours

✅ Lunch break or service suspension times

✅ Public holiday arrangements

✅ Appointment service times

✅ Last order time

✅ Pickup or delivery times

✅ Online enquiry response times

If different services have different times, state them separately.

For example:

“Store hours are 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Cake order enquiries will be answered during business hours. Same-day pickup times must be confirmed separately.”

📌 When business hours change, update the basic channel information, articles and related updates at the same time.

Visual materials help customers get to know the merchant more quickly.

We recommend preparing these first:

✅ Logo or merchant avatar

Use a clear version without blurring or distortion.

✅ Channel cover

Show the merchant's main industry, products or service settings, and leave enough space for text.

✅ Storefront or work environment

Include the entrance, reception area, main service space and actual working scenes.

✅ Team photos

If needed, introduce the main person in charge or service staff.

✅ Product and service images

Show the content customers ask about most often.

✅ Visit guide images

For example, the entrance, floor, parking location or nearby landmarks.

💡 You can set up the channel without many professional photos. Start with a small number of clear, authentic images that represent the merchant, then add more over time.

📌 Obtain appropriate authorisation before using photos of customers, staff, children, partner projects or other people's work.

You do not need to upload everything at the beginning.

You may start by selecting:

• The most representative products

• Services customers ask about most often

• Items offered on an ongoing basis

• Content that is easy to explain with images

• Items that help customers understand what makes the merchant distinctive

For each product or service, you may prepare:

✅ Name

✅ A short introduction

✅ Main Use

✅ Suitable For

✅ Image

✅ Specifications or service scope

✅ Pricing or How to Request a Quote

✅ Preparation time

✅ How to buy, book or enquire

✅ Relevant notes

💡 For the first batch, you may start with five to ten items with complete information, then add more based on customer needs.

Customers usually want to know approximate costs before making contact.

✅ If the price is fixed, you may state:

• Amount

• Selling unit

• What is included

• Whether taxes are included

• Whether delivery or other fees are included

• Current effective date

✅ If the price must be calculated according to actual circumstances, you may explain the factors that affect it.

For example:

• Product specifications• Quantity• Materials• Service scope• Location• Time required• Customisation requirements

✅ You may use:

“The actual price will be confirmed based on size, materials and scope of work. When making an enquiry, please provide on-site photos, measurements and location details.”

📌 Do not use expired prices to attract customers, and do not hide fees that customers must pay before deciding to purchase.

Channel content should make clear to customers what to do next.

✅ Product merchants may explain:

1. View products
2. Confirm style and quantity
3. Contact the merchant to confirm stock
4. Confirm the price and pickup method
5. Complete the order according to the actual process

✅ Service merchants may explain:

1. Choose a service item
2. Provide basic requirements
3. Confirm location and time
4. Obtain a quote or booking arrangement
5. Confirm the service content

✅ Food and beverage merchants may explain:

1. View the menu
2. Choose dishes and quantities
3. Confirm serving times
4. Choose pickup or delivery
5. Wait for the merchant to confirm the order

📌 Submitting an enquiry or purchase intention does not necessarily mean an order has been placed. The content finally confirmed by the merchant shall prevail.

If the merchant offers related services, you may organise:

✅ Pickup address

✅ Pickup times

✅ Whether confirmation is required in advance

✅ Delivery areas

✅ How delivery fees are calculated

✅ Estimated processing time

✅ Arrangements for bulky items

✅ Home service coverage

✅ Whether remote areas are served

✅ How to handle weather or other disruptions

Do not promise delivery times that cannot be confirmed.

If delivery is provided by a third party, also state clearly how the actual arrangements work and how customers can check their status.

✅ Questions customers often ask can be organised in advance into articles or channel information.

For example:

• Is an appointment required?

• Is the product currently in stock?

• What payment methods are accepted?

• Is delivery available?

• Can the date be changed?

• Can products be returned or exchanged?

• Which areas does the service cover?

• What should be prepared in advance?

• How long does it take to complete?

• How can I confirm that an order has been placed?

💡 Identifying recurring questions from past chat records is the simplest way to prepare common questions.

When organising these, do not publish customers' names, phone numbers, orders or other private information directly.

✅ Before the channel goes live, clarify:

• Who fills in and checks the basic information

• Who prepares the text and images

• Who publishes articles and updates

• Who maintains products or the menu

• Who checks offers and promotions

• Who replies to customer enquiries

• Who handles the account and permissions

• Who updates information when details change

If the backend provides member permissions, assign them according to work needs.

📌 It is not recommended for multiple people to share one main account or to casually send passwords in chats.

Merchants need to confirm:

✅ Trademarks and brand materials may be used

✅ Images are owned by the merchant or authorised for use

✅ People have agreed to public display

✅ Parental consent has been obtained for photos of children

✅ Projects and works may be made public

✅ Images do not show identity documents or payment information

✅ Customers' names, phone numbers and addresses are not made public

✅ Product and service descriptions match actual conditions

✅ Businesses that require qualifications or permits comply with applicable regulations

📌 Even if photos are taken by the merchant, this does not automatically mean that all people and materials shown in the image may be made public.

✅ Day 1: Organize basic information

Confirm the merchant name, introduction, address, business hours, and contact details.

✅ Day 2: Organize products and services

Choose the main content to display in the first batch.

✅ Day 3: Prepare images

Organize logo, cover, environment, product, and service images.

✅ Day 4: Prepare the customer process

Clearly describe how to inquire, make appointments, purchase, pick up, or arrange delivery.

✅ Day 5: Organize frequently asked questions

Select the most common questions from past customer inquiries.

✅ Day 6: Build channel content

Complete the information and add the first batch of articles, images, or products.

✅ Day 7: Test and review

Use another phone to view the complete channel as a customer.

✅ Is the merchant name correct?

✅ Is the merchant introduction easy to understand?

✅ Does the category match the actual business?

✅ Are the address and map location accurate?

✅ Are the business hours complete?

✅ Do the contact details work properly?

✅ Have the main products and services been organized?

✅ Are the images clear and authorized?

✅ Are prices and charging methods explained?

✅ Are the purchase, appointment, or price inquiry processes clear?

✅ Are self-pickup, delivery, or service areas explained?

✅ Have common customer questions been organized?

✅ Have administrators and permissions been confirmed?

✅ Is it easy to read when browsing on a mobile phone?

✅ Do customers know what to do next?

A merchant channel does not need a large amount of content on the first day.

First organize the name, introduction, address, business hours, contact details, and main products and services, then gradually add articles, updates, Gallery, videos, or business features.

Accurate information, a clear structure, and easy contact are more important than publishing a large amount of incomplete content at once.

A channel truly works when customers can quickly understand the merchant after entering it and find their next step.

Ready to create a channel but not sure whether your information is complete?

You can first organize the basic content using the checklist in this article, then gradually add more based on your industry, scale, and business approach.

WeiCityMake your business visible and your contact easier.