Overview
Before you can fill in any pricing or stock details, you need to connect your offer to the right product in the SolarMarket master catalog. This step matters because every seller offering the same product shares a single product page — so your listing quality depends entirely on matching the correct entry.
This guide covers how to use the Offer Wizard to find a product, how to handle brand- and category-restricted products, and what to do when the product you want is not in the catalog yet.
Opening the Offer Wizard
Start every new offer at the Offer Wizard: go to My Offers → + New Offer, or navigate directly to /seller/offers/wizard.
The wizard opens in Discovery Mode showing curated carousels. Once you type in the search box it switches to Search Mode.
Discovery Mode — Five Carousels
When you first open the wizard without searching, five carousels appear to help you spot opportunities:
Recently Viewed
Products from the catalog you browsed recently. Useful if you were already researching before deciding to sell.
Top Sellers
Products with the most confirmed orders across all sellers in the last 90 days. These are proven movers — worth adding to your catalog if you can source them competitively.
Movers & Shakers
Products gaining buyer interest this week compared to last week. Useful for spotting seasonal demand shifts — solar water heaters before the dry season, for example.
Hot New Releases
Products recently added to the master catalog by the SolarMarket team. These often have no sellers yet, so you can be the first to offer them.
Recommended for You
Products in your shop's active categories where you do not yet have an offer. This carousel is the most actionable: it shows you the gap between what you could be selling and what you already list.
You sell inverters but your shop is also approved for solar panels. "Recommended for You" will surface popular panel models where you have no offer, prompting you to fill those gaps without having to search manually.
Search Mode — Finding a Specific Product
Type a product name, model number, or brand into the search box at the top of the wizard. Results appear in a paginated list with a left sidebar for filtering.
Left Sidebar Filters
- Category — narrow results to a product category (e.g. Hybrid Inverters, Solar Panels, MPPT Charge Controllers)
- Brand — filter by manufacturer brand (e.g. DEYE, Felicity Solar, Victron Energy)
What Each Result Row Shows
- Product name and model number
- Brand and category
- Whether the product has any restrictions (brand-controlled or category-controlled badges)
- Number of active seller offers already on this product — useful for gauging competition
Search Tips
- Search by model number for the most precise match (e.g. "SUN-5K-SG03LP1" for a specific DEYE inverter)
- Search by brand + capacity for a broader sweep (e.g. "Felicity 200Ah" to see all matching battery models)
- If results are sparse, try removing the brand and searching by capacity alone (e.g. "5kVA hybrid")
- The catalog uses standardised product names — if your exact description doesn't match, try the generic category term (e.g. "MPPT controller" rather than your supplier's brand name for it)
If the product does not appear in search results, it is not yet in the master catalog. Scroll to the bottom of the results page and click "Submit a Catalog Request". Upload the product datasheet or a supplier's specification sheet. The SolarMarket team reviews submissions and adds approved products to the catalog, after which you can return and create your offer.
Clicking "Sell This" — The Compliance Check
When you find the right product, click the "Sell This" button on its row. SolarMarket instantly runs a compliance check on your shop for that product. This takes less than a second.
If You Are Cleared
You go directly to the offer form, pre-filled with the product. Continue to Step 3 of the Complete Guide to fill in price, stock, and delivery.
If the Product Is Brand-Restricted
The brand owner has enabled distribution controls on this product. You are taken to the Brand Authorisation Request form. You must submit proof of your supplier relationship before you can create an offer. See the Brand Approval section below.
If the Product Is Category-Restricted
The product category requires a separate platform review. An automatic category permission request is raised. There is no extra form to fill; simply wait for admin to review and approve your category access. You will receive a notification when it is done.
If "Sell This" Is Greyed Out
A greyed-out or disabled "Sell This" button means offer creation is blocked for this product on your account. Common reasons: the product is discontinued, the platform has paused offers on this item, or your shop verification is pending. Contact SolarMarket support if you believe the block is in error.
The Brand Authorisation Form
When a product is brand-restricted, you must demonstrate that you have a legitimate supply relationship before creating an offer. The form asks for the following:
Supplier Information
- Supplier Name (required) — the name of the brand owner, authorised distributor, or dealer you source from. For example: "DEYE East Africa Ltd" or "Felicity Solar Uganda".
- Supplier Phone (required) — a working contact number for the supplier. Admin may call this number to verify your relationship.
- Additional Notes (optional) — invoice reference numbers, the name of your contact person at the supplier, or any other context that helps verify your authorisation quickly.
Supporting Document
- Document Type (required) — choose either Purchase Invoice or Authorisation Letter.
- Purchase Invoice: a recent invoice from your supplier showing the product you are applying to sell. The invoice should show your business name, the product name/model, and the supplier's letterhead or stamp.
- Authorisation Letter: a formal letter from the brand owner or their authorised distributor stating that your shop is permitted to sell the brand's products on SolarMarket.
- Upload Document (required) — accepted formats: PDF, JPG, PNG, DOC, DOCX. Maximum file size: 10 MB.
You want to list a Victron MultiPlus inverter. Victron has restricted distribution on SolarMarket. You have an invoice from your local Victron distributor. Fill in: Supplier Name = "Victron Energy Uganda Ltd", Supplier Phone = "+256 700 XXXXXX", Document Type = "Purchase Invoice", and upload a photo of the invoice (PDF or clear JPG). Submit the form — admin reviews it, usually within one business day.
Submit vs. Save as Draft
At the bottom of the approval form you have two options:
- Save Draft — saves your progress without notifying admin. Return to the wizard to find the product and continue the form later.
- Submit — sends the request to admin immediately. Admin receives a notification and reviews it. Use this when your document is ready.
After Submitting
You are returned to the wizard with the product pre-selected. The product row now shows a "Request Pending" badge instead of "Sell This". You cannot create an offer until the request is approved.
Approval Timeline
Brand authorisation requests are reviewed by the SolarMarket team, usually within one business day. You receive an in-app notification when the decision is made:
- Approved: Return to the wizard, find the product, and click "Sell This". You will go directly to the offer form.
- Rejected: The notification includes the reason. Address the issue (e.g. upload a clearer document, provide an authorisation letter if an invoice was not sufficient) and resubmit.
If the Product Is Not in the Catalog
SolarMarket maintains a master catalog of solar products available in Uganda. If the product you want to sell does not appear in search results, it is not in the catalog yet.
To get it added:
- Scroll to the bottom of the wizard search results and click "Submit a Catalog Request".
- Fill in the product name, brand, category, and specifications.
- Upload a product datasheet or supplier specification sheet (PDF preferred).
- Submit the request. The SolarMarket catalog team reviews it and adds approved products, usually within 2–3 business days.
- Once added, you will be able to search for it in the wizard and create your offer.
Submissions with a clear product datasheet are processed much faster than those without one. If your supplier provides a PDF spec sheet, always include it. Products that cannot be verified against a specification are put on hold until more information is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only if the products are genuinely identical — same manufacturer, same specifications. Minor model number differences between regional variants (e.g. EU vs African version) may have significant technical differences. If unsure, submit a catalog request with your product's exact specification sheet so the team can create the correct entry.
Try refreshing the page. If it still shows Pending, log out and back in to clear any cached session state. If the issue persists, contact SolarMarket support with your request reference number.
Yes — the first time you create an offer for a restricted brand, you must submit the request with your distributor authorisation letter. Once approved, you are cleared for all products under that brand and do not need to resubmit for individual products from the same brand.
Yes. Use the invoice from your international manufacturer as the supporting document. Include details of your import arrangement in the Notes field so admin can verify the supply chain. Your customs clearance document can also help.
There is no limit. Submit as many as you need. Each request is reviewed independently. Including complete information (brand, model, full specifications, datasheet) on each request ensures faster processing.
