How to Sell on Makro: From Sign-Up to Your First Sale

For South African retailers looking to expand beyond physical stores or existing e-commerce channels, Makro Marketplace offers an opportunity to reach online shoppers without building another website.

However, knowing how to sell on Makro involves more than registering an account. You need accurate business documentation, approved product listings, a suitable fulfilment model, and prices that cover marketplace expenses.

In this guide, I'll walk through Makro seller registration, marketplace fees, product listing requirements, and daily operations. I'll also explain how to calculate product profitability before accepting your first order.

1. Getting Started: Makro Seller Registration and Account Approval

Who Can Become a Makro Marketplace Seller?

Makro provides registration options for eligible companies and sole proprietors. Applicants must meet its identity, banking, and business verification requirements.

Before applying, I recommend confirming that your products can legally be sold in South Africa. Certain restricted brands or categories may require additional approval even after your seller account is activated.

For Chinese or other international sellers, foreign company registration does not automatically guarantee eligibility. Contact Makro to confirm any applicable South African business, banking, tax, import, and fulfilment requirements before purchasing inventory.

What Documents Do You Need to Register?

Makro uses automated verification to validate seller information. If automated checks are unsuccessful, supporting documents may be requested.

I recommend preparing these records in advance. Check that your legal name and banking details match your official documents, since inconsistencies can delay manual verification.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Makro Seller Account

Begin at the official Makro Seller Portal.

1. Open the portal and start seller registration.
2. Select the applicable business or sole-proprietor registration option.
3. Enter your identity, contact, business, and banking details.
4. Complete automated verification or provide supporting documents if requested.
5. Finish your seller profile and configure your pickup location.
6. Review the onboarding instructions and applicable marketplace fees.

Your pickup address deserves special attention. For Fulfilled by Seller orders, Makro's assigned courier uses the configured collection location, which may differ from your registered business address.

How to Complete Seller Verification and Get Approved

Makro verifies the information provided during registration. Applications requiring manual checks may take longer.

If verification fails, check the exact error or document request before resubmitting information. Avoid creating multiple accounts to bypass verification issues.

Makro does not guarantee one approval timeframe for every application. Seller verification, brand authorisation, and product listing approval are separate processes.

2. Understanding Makro Seller Fees Before Listing Your First Product

Monthly Subscription Fees and Category-Based Commissions

Before choosing products, I calculate the expenses that will be deducted from each sale.

Makro's published fee structure includes the following:

The monthly platform fee applies even when an active store receives no orders. First-mile and storage concessions may be temporary, so sellers should check the latest rates rather than assume those benefits will continue.

I recommend checking the Makro official Help Centre and its Seller Fee Calculator before setting retail prices.

Fulfilled by Seller (FBS) vs. Fulfilled by Makro (FBM)

Makro offers two fulfilment models that determine where inventory is stored and who prepares customer orders.

With FBS, I would store products, prepare packages, generate the required waybills, and make orders available for courier collection.

With FBM, sellers send stock to Makro's fulfilment centre, where Makro handles picking, packing, and dispatch after receiving the inventory.

For a new product with uncertain demand, I would usually consider FBS first. This avoids committing large quantities to a fulfilment centre before sales patterns become clear.

How to Create and Publish Your First Product Listing

After onboarding, create your first listing through the Seller Portal.

1. Navigate to Listings → Add New Listings → Add Single Listing.
2. Find the correct product category, known as its vertical.
3. Select the appropriate brand and upload product photographs.
4. Complete mandatory attributes, product descriptions, and barcode information.
5. Enter your unique SKU, selling price, stock, and Pick & Pack SLA.
6. Add accurate packaged dimensions and weight, then select Send to QC.

Makro recommends product images of at least 300 × 300 pixels. Primary images generally require a plain white background.

Product titles are generated from selected attributes, so review the title preview before submission.

Quality Check can take up to three business days. If a listing fails, open the rejection details, correct the affected fields, and resubmit it.

Passing QC does not automatically make an offer purchasable. FBS listings must be active and have available stock; FBM inventory must be received at the fulfilment centre.

Calculating Your Profit After Commission, Delivery, and Other Costs

Suppose a product sells for R500. The following example illustrates how variable costs affect its contribution.

The R115 contribution is before monthly overhead, returns, and applicable tax adjustments.

These are illustrative amounts, not official Makro fee quotations. Actual commission calculations depend on category and VAT registration status, and transport charges may also have VAT implications.

Use the Makro Seller Fee Calculator with your actual category, dimensions, weight, costs, and VAT status before finalising prices.

3. From Your First Listing to Your First Sale: What Actually Matters

How to Price Your Products Competitively on Makro

I recommend comparing identical products rather than merely similar-looking alternatives. Check their specifications, pack quantities, and delivery promises.

For example, if competing offers sell at R479 but your minimum profitable price is R490, matching competitors may eliminate your margin.

Review your minimum price whenever supplier costs, commission, or shipping charges change.

Improving Product Visibility and Winning the Buybox

When multiple sellers offer the same product, Makro may present one primary purchasing offer through its Buybox.

Competitive customer pricing, stock availability, fulfilment performance, and delivery expectations are relevant factors to monitor. Makro does not guarantee Buybox placement simply because an offer is the cheapest.

I would prioritise accurate stock, reliable order preparation, and sustainable pricing rather than repeatedly reducing prices to win visibility.

Managing Inventory, Orders, and Delivery Performance

Once orders start arriving, your configured Pick & Pack SLA becomes particularly important.

My daily operating checklist would include:

• Review new orders and stock availability.
• Prepare packages within the committed SLA.
• Check waybills and courier collection details.
• Investigate cancellations and returned orders.
• Reconcile delivered orders against payment statements.

Makro generally processes payments through scheduled payment runs. Delivered orders are the basis for payment eligibility, while commissions, transport charges, returns, and outstanding platform fees can affect the final payout.

Using Revenuealot to Make Data-Driven Selling Decisions

Once your store has sales history, I recommend reviewing individual products rather than relying only on total revenue.

Revenuealot provides e-commerce analytics tools to help sellers better understand marketplace performance.

Where supported by your connected marketplace data, I would analyse revenue, units sold, returns, product performance, and pricing trends.

For example, if a product sells consistently but generates frequent returns, investigate its specifications, packaging, and actual contribution before increasing stock.

The goal is to identify products worth replenishing and avoid tying up capital in listings that appear successful but deliver poor margins.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Selling on Makro

1. Can I Sell on Makro Without a Registered Business?

Makro offers a sole-proprietor registration route. Applicants must still satisfy identification, banking, and eligibility requirements.

2. How Much Does It Cost to Start Selling on Makro?

Makro's published monthly platform fee is R230 including VAT when at least one listing is active. Commission, transport, and other applicable fees are additional. Check the current fee schedule before launching.

3. Can Chinese or International Sellers Join Makro Marketplace?

International applicants should confirm eligibility directly with Makro. Banking, tax, import compliance, and local fulfilment arrangements may need to be established before approval.

4. How Long Does Makro Seller Registration Take?

Registration timelines depend on verification requirements and any additional document checks. Product Quality Check is separate and may take up to three business days.

5. Is Makro Better Than Takealot for New Sellers?

Neither platform is universally better. I would compare category-specific demand, commission, transport expenses, competition, and inventory requirements before choosing.

Sellers may also benefit from operating on both marketplaces if they can manage stock accurately and handle the additional administrative work.

Conclusion: Your Next Steps to Start Selling on Makro

Learning how to sell on Makro starts with registration, but your first profitable order depends on accurate listings, appropriate fulfilment, and carefully calculated prices.

I recommend starting with a manageable selection of products, checking actual marketplace costs, and monitoring fulfilment performance from the beginning.

As sales develop, use operational reports and analytics solutions such as Revenuealot to make more informed decisions about pricing, stock, and future product investments.