How group buying works
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Every deal on Cheaply has at least one tier. Each tier sets a target join count and the per-unit price unlocked when that count is hit.
The lifecycle of a deal
- Posted: a seller publishes a deal with tiers, photos, a description, a shipping template, and a deadline.
- Joining: buyers commit. Each joiner has the tier 1 commitment amount held in their wallet.
- Tier climbing: more joiners push the deal to lower tiers. Anyone can share the deal link to bring in more buyers.
- Locking: the deadline arrives. The deal locks at the highest tier reached. Every joiner pays that locked tier's price, not the tier they joined at.
- Fulfilment: the seller ships. Buyers see tracking on the order page.
- Settlement: after the dispute window passes with no issues, payout is released to the seller's wallet.
If the deal does not reach tier 1, no charge happens. Everyone's wallet hold is released in full.
A worked example
A deal lists 3 tiers:
- 10 joiners at N5,000
- 25 joiners at N4,500
- 50 joiners at N4,000
A buyer joins when only 8 others have joined. Their wallet holds N5,000.
By the deadline, 27 people have joined: the deal locks at tier 2. Every joiner including ours pays N4,500. The N500 difference is released back to the wallet automatically.
Group buying works best when you share the link the moment you join. Every share helps unlock the next tier.