The short answer
Growth Informer Business is a cloud system that lets a wholesaler or distributor in Uganda sell one product at wholesale, retail or special-customer prices, set a credit limit for each customer and see what they owe, record purchases and supplier payments, move stock between stores, and read sales reports by customer and product.
It is our own product, used by 6,500+ businesses, with Android and iOS apps. It suits an owner-run wholesaler with one store or a few. The counter work is similar to a hardware shop POS, but price groups and customer balances sit at the centre. If you run a large fleet of sales vans with route planning, read the section on when we are not the right fit before you call us.
Who this is for, and where wholesale trade goes wrong
Wholesale is a thin-margin game. You buy in bulk, sell in cartons, bags or dozens, and half your customers want to pay next week. The money leaks in three places: prices that change with who is standing at the counter, credit that nobody tracks, and stock that sits in the wrong store.
Signs you have outgrown the notebook
- Two staff quote two different prices for the same item.
- You find out a customer owes too much only when they ask for more goods.
- You cannot say, without counting, how much of a fast-moving item is in the second store.
- Supplier payments sit in a book, a phone message or someone's memory.
- You want to know which customers and products really make your money, and it takes a weekend to find out.
If three of these are true, a proper system helps you catch unpaid credit earlier and see stock problems before a customer is turned away. Our inventory management guide covers the stock side in more detail.
Price groups and credit: the two things wholesalers lose money on
One product, the right price for each buyer
Set up selling price groups once: for example wholesale, retail and special customers. Each product holds a price per group. At the counter, the sale takes the group of the customer, so a trader buying by the carton and a walk-in buying one piece are priced correctly without anyone working it out in their head. Products can carry units and variations such as size and colour, so you sell in the units you stock.
Credit you can actually see
Add each customer once, set a credit limit, and sell on credit. Open the customer and you see what they owe and what they have paid. That is the number you need before you release more goods. A limit only works if the person at the counter checks it, so agree the rule with your team and use roles and permissions to decide who may change prices or give credit.
Quotes for big orders
Large buyers often ask for a quotation before they commit. Save the order as a quotation or draft, keep it as a draft, and turn it into a sale when they confirm.
Buying, paying suppliers and moving stock between stores
Selling is half the job. The other half is knowing what you bought, what you still owe the supplier and where the stock is.
- Purchases and suppliers: record each delivery against the supplier, so stock goes up and the amount you owe is on record.
- Supplier payments: record what you paid and what remains, instead of trusting a notebook.
- Stock per location: see how much of each product sits in each store, not just one total.
- Transfers between stores: move stock from the main store to a branch and keep both counts correct.
- Barcode labels: print labels for products that need them to speed up counter work.
If you run more than one store, the multi-branch inventory guide shows how to set up locations so the numbers stay honest.
Payments, EFRIS and reports
Customers pay by cash, card or Mobile Money. In Growth Informer Business you record the method inside the Multiple Pay window, and the Payments (MoMo) tray records confirmed payments. One honest point: the system does not send a payment prompt to the customer's phone. The customer pays you in the usual way, and you record it. Our Mobile Money POS page explains the workflow.
If your business is VAT-registered, you can switch EFRIS e-receipts on or off in the system. Check what applies to your business on the URA website, ura.go.ug, before you decide.
Reports you will use every week
- Sales by customer: who buys most, and what each one still owes.
- Sales by product: what moves, what sits.
- Stock by store: what to transfer or reorder.
- Expenses and registers: open and close the register each day and check the cash.
Growth Informer Business compared with notebooks and spreadsheets
Most wholesalers start with a book or Excel, and for a very small trade that can work. Here is where it stops working.
| What you need | Growth Informer Business | Notebook and Excel |
|---|---|---|
| Different prices for wholesale, retail and special customers | Selling price groups, chosen on the sale | Typed by hand each time, easy to get wrong |
| What each customer owes | Credit limit and balance on the customer record | Scattered pages or a sheet that is rarely up to date |
| Supplier purchases and payments | Recorded per supplier, with what remains to pay | Depends on whoever keeps the book |
| Stock in more than one store | Stock per location and transfers between stores | Separate sheets that disagree |
| Sales by customer and product | Reports on screen, any time | Hours of sorting at month end |
| Staff control | Users and roles with permissions | Anyone with the file can change anything |
| Best fit | Owner-run wholesalers with one store or a few | A very small trade with a handful of customers |
When we are not the right fit, and how to start
Be honest with yourself first
- It is a cloud system, so plan for a working internet connection where you sell.
- If you need route planning for a fleet of sales vans or very custom warehouse workflows, do not expect that built in. A larger build such as ERP software may suit you better, and we will say so on the call.
- If you only sell a few items to a few people and remember every debt, a notebook may still be enough.
How to start without disruption
Prepare four lists: your products with their units and the price for each group, your customers with what they owe today, your suppliers with what you owe them, and your stores. Do a stock count in one store, enter it, and run the system beside your book for a short time. Then add the next store. Ask for a demo on WhatsApp +256 702 946 946 or use the form, and tell us how many stores and staff you have so we can show you the right setup.
We are a US-based company with remote teams, including a team in Kampala, and a US team member joins client video calls.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell at different prices to wholesale and retail customers?
Yes. You set up selling price groups, such as wholesale, retail and special customers, and give each product a price per group. The sale uses the group of the customer you pick.
Can I see how much each customer owes me?
Yes. Customers can buy on credit, you can set a credit limit on each one, and the customer record shows what they owe. Your team still needs to check the limit before releasing goods.
Does it send a Mobile Money prompt to my customer?
No. You record Mobile Money as a payment method in the Multiple Pay window, and the Payments (MoMo) tray records confirmed payments. The customer pays you the usual way.
What does Growth Informer Business cost for a wholesaler?
It depends on your business, for example the number of stores and users. We do not publish a figure here. Message us on WhatsApp +256 702 946 946 or send the form and we will give you a quote after a short demo.
Can I move stock between my stores?
Yes. Stock is tracked per location and you can transfer it between stores, so each store shows its own count.