Getting Started Selling Merch

A quick walk-through of what you need before you apply to sell merchandise on Vwaza, and what happens after you submit your application.

Before you apply

Selling merch on Vwaza is open to approved Malawian creators. To keep the store trustworthy for buyers and to comply with anti-money-laundering rules, every seller goes through a short Know-Your-Customer (KYC) check before their first product can go live.

Eligibility checklist

You can apply to sell if all of the following are true:

Eligibility requirements

  • You have a Vwaza Creator account (Solo Creator or a Group Member of a creator group such as a label or collective).
  • You have at least one published audio release on Vwaza Music. Drafts and unpublished tracks do not count.
  • You have a valid Malawian National ID.
  • You have an active mobile money account (Airtel Money or TNM Mpamba) or a Malawian bank account in your name.
  • You can ship orders yourself, or you have someone helping you fulfil them.

Why we ask for a published track

The Vwaza Merch Store is for active Vwaza creators selling to their fan base. Requiring at least one published release keeps the store focused and prevents drop-shipping abuse.

What you will need

Have these on hand before you start the application. It takes about 10 minutes:

Documents and details

  • A clear photo of your Malawian National ID (front, in colour, not blurry).
  • A selfie holding the same ID (optional but speeds up review).
  • Your full legal name as it appears on your ID.
  • Your date of birth.
  • Your mobile money number, or your bank account number, branch, and account holder name.
  • A short store description for your fans.
  • A flat shipping fee (in USD) you want to charge per order.
  • A list of countries you can ship to.

The application process

1

Sign in to Vwaza Studio

Open studio.vwaza.com and sign in. Open the Store section in the left sidebar.

2

Start your KYC submission

Click Apply to sell. You will be guided through ID upload, banking details, and a quick store profile.

3

Upload your ID and (optional) selfie

We use server-issued upload links so your documents are uploaded directly and securely. We do not show your ID to the public.

4

Add your payout details

Pick mobile money or bank account, and enter the account number plus the account-holder name exactly as it appears with your bank or provider.

5

Submit

You will see a Pending status. We will review and either approve you or come back with what to fix.

Timeline and approval

Most applications are reviewed within 2 to 5 business days. You will receive an email when a decision is made. If approved, the Store section in Studio unlocks the visibility toggle on every merchandise item, so you can publish products to store.vwaza.com.

If your application is rejected

You can re-apply once you have addressed the feedback we send. Common reasons include blurry ID photos, a name mismatch between your ID and your payout account, or no published audio release on Vwaza Music yet.

After approval

Once you are approved, head to Uploading products to list your first item. You will also want to set your shipping countries and flat fee and read Fees and payouts to understand how and when you get paid.