WHY NOBODY IS BUYING AND IT’S NOT YOUR PRODUCT

You’ve created something amazing, but no one’s buying and it’s not because your product isn’t good. This honest, relatable piece breaks down the real reasons sales are slow and what you can do to fix it without doubting yourself.

Let’s be real for a moment. You wake up every morning with a small hope tucked in your chest, maybe today someone will finally place that big order. Maybe today you’ll open your phone and see that sweet credit alert that tells you all your late nights and early mornings were worth it. But instead, your notifications are quiet. Or you just get “likes” and “Nice product!” comments but nobody is pulling out their wallet. It can be one of the most frustrating experiences for any business owner or seller. You have put in your time, your sweat, your money, and your prayers, yet nothing seems to be moving. You see other people selling the same thing you’re selling. Some of them are not even doing it as well as you. Their pictures are blurry, they don’t reply fast, yet they’re getting sales and you’re not. It makes you wonder: “Is there something wrong with me? Or my product?”

It feels heavy, doesn’t it? You start asking yourself so many questions. “Is my price too high? Is my packaging not good enough? Should I do a promo? Maybe I should close the business?”

But I’m here to tell you a hard but comforting truth: many times, it’s not your product. In fact, your product might be perfect, but the way you’re presenting it, selling it, and talking about it is what’s chasing people away or not pulling them close enough.

Let’s talk about these things one by one, in a way you can understand and apply immediately.

1. People Do Not Understand What You Are Selling

You know your product inside out, but the people you want to buy from you do not know it like you do. 

Let's take for instance Joy. Joy makes beautiful handmade soaps. She spends hours in her small kitchen, melting, mixing, and moulding soaps with natural oils and sweet scents. She posts pictures on her Instagram page: nice, colourful photos of round soaps, square soaps, heart-shaped soaps. But that’s all she does (post pictures).

Her captions say things like “Available now. DM to order.” She doesn’t explain what’s special about her soaps. She doesn’t say whether they’re good for sensitive skin or if they help with dry skin or if they’re safe for babies. She doesn’t tell you the ingredients or why her soap is better than the supermarket bar you’re already using.

So when someone sees Joy’s page, they admire the pretty colours but scroll past because they don’t understand why they should change what they’re already using. Joy’s soaps might be amazing, they might soothe skin irritation or be great for uneven skin tone. But she never says it. She assumes people know but people don’t know.

Your audience is not inside your head. They don’t know what you know about your product. If you don’t explain it in clear, simple words, you will keep losing sales to confusion, not competition.

2. You’re Whispering To The Wrong Crowd

Let’s imagine someone trying to sell luxury gold plated cutlery in a student hostel. Or trying to sell kids’ lunchboxes at a party for single young adults who don’t even have kids yet.

You can have the best product in the world but if you’re standing in the wrong room, talking to the wrong people, it won’t move.

I see this a lot with small businesses that just post for everybody and anybody. You have to be clear: who is your product really for? Where are they hanging out? What pages do they follow? What groups are they in?

If you sell baby clothes, maybe your audience is young mothers on Facebook groups or in parenting WhatsApp groups. If you sell fancy cakes, maybe you should be connecting with event planners and wedding vendors, not just random people who may never plan an event.

No matter how good your product is, if the people who see your posts and adverts are not your target customers, they will scroll past, and it will feel like nobody is buying.

The moment you know exactly who should be listening to you, you’ll stop wasting your energy on people who will never buy and you’ll start getting real interest from those who actually need what you’re selling.

3. You Show Up Today, Disappear Tomorrow

You know that saying “Out of sight, out of mind”? It’s painfully true in business.

Let me paint you a picture. Imagine you pass a roadside akara seller every day on your way to work. She waves at you every morning. She greets you with, “Good morning, oga! How market today!” One day, you decide to stop and buy akara from her because she’s familiar. You trust her akara are fresh because she’s always there.

Now imagine there’s another akara seller who shows up once this week, then you don’t see her again for two weeks. Even if her akara tastes better and cheaper, you won’t even remember her when you need akara.

Your online presence is exactly like that. If you post once, then disappear for a week, your audience forgets you. Not because they hate you but they’re just busy. Life is noisy. You have to remind them you exist every single day. Show up in their faces in a way that doesn’t feel like you’re begging them instead, share value, stories, and tips that keep you on their mind.

4. Your Brand Presence is Not Building Trust

Another truth: people don’t buy from strangers anyhow. They buy from people they trust.

If your page is all about “promo ends tonight, buy now,” people might feel suspicious. “Who is this person? Where is their shop? Are they real? Will they deliver? Will they scam me?”

If you are constantly posting, “Buy now, buy now,” without showing results, customer feedback, behind-the-scenes of your business, or your own face, people will find it hard to trust you enough to buy.

Let’s be honest: would you buy from a random website that looks half done or a social media page that hasn’t posted in weeks? Probably not. People are cautious, especially in this era of online scams and fake vendors .

Even if your product is legit, if people feel unsure about you, they’ll hold back. That’s human nature. Trust isn’t built through one post or one ad. It’s built through consistency, storytelling, visuals, and interactions.

Do you respond to comments?

Is your brand message consistent across platforms?

Do you show your face sometimes or share behind-the-scenes moments?

People don’t just want products, they want connection. They want to feel like they know the person behind the brand. That emotional familiarity turns followers into buyers.

When you show your face sometimes, share your story, tell people why you started, show your workspace, share your packaging process, or even go live and talk to people, they start feeling like they know you. They see the human being behind the brand.

5. Your Presentation Is Not Attractive Enough

Have you ever walked into a shop that was poorly arranged with dusty shelves and products scattered everywhere? Did you feel comfortable buying from that shop? Likely not. The same thing happens online. If your pictures are dark and blurry, your captions are full of spelling errors, or your page looks scattered and inconsistent, people will not feel confident enough to buy from you.

People want to feel safe and assured before spending their money, especially online where scams are everywhere. Invest in clean, clear pictures of your products, use simple and attractive designs, and ensure your page looks organized and professional. You don’t need a professional camera; a clean phone camera and good natural light can change everything.

6. You Are Not Communicating Value, Only Price

Many business owners are focused on saying, “It’s affordable, it’s cheap, it’s discounted,” thinking that low price will automatically bring customers. But people don’t just buy because something is cheap; they buy because they see value in it.

Instead of always shouting about how affordable your product is, focus on showing people what they will gain by using your product. If you sell a weight loss tea, talk about how it helps them fit into their clothes comfortably and improve their health. if you sell skincare products, don’t just say it’s N2,000. Talk about how it helps them glow naturally, feel more confident in their skin, reduce breakouts, and enjoy a simple self-care routine. Don’t just say “cheap tote bag.” Say: this tote carries everything; your books, errands, and daily hustle without tearing or messing with your outfit. It’s cute, durable, and makes your busy life feel a little more put together. When people see the value in your product, the price becomes secondary.

7. You Are Not Consistent Enough

Many small business owners post about their products once in a while, and when they don’t get sales, they stop posting. Consistency builds visibility and trust. Just because you posted today does not mean everyone saw it. People are busy, their feeds are crowded, and they need to see your product multiple times before they even consider buying.

Imagine you saw an advert for a new toothpaste once, and never saw it again. Would you buy it immediately? Probably not. But if you see it over and over again, you will eventually pay attention, especially when you need a new toothpaste. The same applies to your product.

8. You Are Not Asking People To Buy

It might sound simple, but many people are shy about selling. You are scared of appearing too salesy, so you just post your product and say, “New in stock,” without telling people what to do next. People need to be told what to do.

Instead of just posting a picture, you can add, “Send a DM to order,” or “Click the link in bio to get yours,” or “Comment ‘interested’ and I will message you with details.” This small step makes a big difference in moving people from just looking to actually buying.

9. You Don’t Have A Clear Buying Process

If people find it difficult or confusing to buy from you, they will leave. For example, if you sell on Instagram, but you don’t reply to your DMs on time, or your payment methods are stressful, people will move to another seller who makes it easier for them.

Some people will see your page, like your product, but when they message you for price, you reply after two days. Or you tell them, “Check my highlights.” Or you give them half answers and expect them to beg you to take their money.

People are impatient. If you make it hard, they will move on. Put your prices clearly where people can see them. If you can, get a small website or a simple order form. Use WhatsApp links so people can chat you with one click. Respond fast and be polite. Make paying easy, show them payment options.

Make your buying process as smooth as possible. Clearly state how people can place their orders, how payments are made, and how delivery will work. Reply to your messages promptly or use automated replies to acknowledge people immediately. The easier it is to buy from you, the more likely people will buy.

10. You’re Not Showing Proof (No Evidence)

Talk is cheap. Everybody says, “Best in the market!” But where is your proof?

Before and after photos, short videos of how your product works, customer reviews, screenshots of satisfied buyers thanking you. all these things make people believe you’re not just sweet talking them.

If you’re just starting and don’t have reviews yet, use yourself. Be your own testimony. If it’s skincare, show your own face. If it’s fitness coaching, show your own transformation. If it’s food, show yourself eating it. Let people see you stand by what you sell

11. You Are Not Listening To Feedback

Sometimes, people are interested in your product, but there is something stopping them, and you are not listening to find out what it is. Are people saying your delivery fee is too high? Are they saying they want payment on delivery? Are they confused about how to use the product?

Instead of getting angry or defensive, take this feedback and find ways to improve your process, your product descriptions, or your delivery options so that more people can comfortably buy from you.

12. You Expect Overnight Miracles

This is the hardest one to swallow. A lot of people want instant results. You open shop today, and you expect ten orders tomorrow.

But trust and community take time to build. Some of your audience are watching quietly. They want to see if you’re consistent. They want to see if you disappear after two months or if you’re serious about this thing. They want to see other people buy first so they can feel safe too.

Stay patient. Keep improving how you show up. Keep learning about marketing and branding. Keep asking for feedback. Most big brand you admire today once had days when nobody was buying.

So next time you’re tempted to cry and say, “Nobody wants my product,” pause. Look at the bigger picture. Maybe it’s not your product. Maybe it’s how you’re talking about it, who you’re showing it to, or how you’re showing up.

Fix those parts, and slowly you’ll see people start to buy, not just once, but over and over again. They’ll tell their friends. They’ll come back for more. But only if you keep showing up and doing the work that others are too lazy to do.

So wipe your tears, roll up your sleeves, and get back out there. Because your product deserves to be seen, loved, and bought again and again.

Thank you so much for reading!

If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments or send me a DM.