The "Lipa Pole Pole" (Pay Slowly) Option: How Offering a 50% Deposit with STK Push Doubled Order Completion for a Furniture Seller

The High-Ticket Paralysis

A customer wants your handcrafted dining table. It's KSh 45,000—a significant investment. They hesitate at the checkout. Paying KSh 45,000 upfront, for a product they haven't seen in person, from an online store they may not fully trust, feels too risky. They abandon the cart.

One furniture seller in Nairobi solved this with a simple innovation: a 50% deposit option via STK Push, with the balance due upon delivery. His order completion rate doubled. Here's how to offer "Lipa Pole Pole" (Pay Slowly) on your site.

Why High-Ticket Items Need Payment Flexibility

Trust is the biggest barrier to online purchases above KSh 20,000 in Kenya. A full upfront payment puts all the risk on the buyer. By splitting the payment, you share the risk and signal confidence in your product and delivery. It's a psychological "risk reversal."

How to Implement the 50% Deposit Model

Step 1: The Checkout Option

On your product page and checkout, offer two clear options:

• "Pay in Full – KSh 45,000" (with STK Push)
• "Pay 50% Deposit – KSh 22,500 now, KSh 22,500 on delivery" (STK Push for deposit, balance via M-Pesa or cash on delivery)

Step 2: The Automated Deposit Flow

If the customer selects "50% Deposit," the STK Push is generated for KSh 22,500. Upon successful payment, the order is marked as "Deposit Paid." Your dashboard prints a delivery note with the outstanding balance clearly indicated.

Step 3: The Delivery & Balance Collection

Your rider delivers the table. The customer inspects it. They then pay the remaining KSh 22,500—either via M-Pesa to your Till (with the rider witnessing) or cash. The rider updates the dashboard: "Delivered & Balance Collected." The order is complete.

Step 4: The Deposit Protection

What if the customer refuses delivery? Your terms should state: "The 50% deposit is non-refundable if you cancel after the item has been dispatched. If the item arrives damaged or not as described, we will fully refund your deposit." This protects you while reassuring the customer.

The Results

The furniture seller who implemented this model saw:

• Order completion rate increase from 35% to 72%.
• Average order value increase (customers were more willing to buy higher-ticket items).
• Increased customer trust and word-of-mouth referrals.

For high-ticket items, don't force an all-or-nothing payment. Offer "Lipa Pole Pole" and watch your conversions climb.

Set Up Deposit Payments on My Store →