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Getting Started

Quick Start

Create your account and share your first catalog link in about 10 minutes.

This page walks you through sign-up and the setup wizard, screen by screen. At the end you will have a live catalog link with your first products, ready to paste into WhatsApp.

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Sign up and sign in from a computer or laptop. The seller panel does not open in mobile browsers. Your buyers can open catalog links on any phone.

Before you begin

Keep these ready. You can finish the whole setup in one sitting.

  • A computer or laptop with a modern browser.
  • Your business name and the WhatsApp number buyers should contact.
  • Photos and prices of at least 2 products. Clear phone photos are fine.
  • A name for your first category, such as "Shirts", "Bangles" or "Tablets".

Your logo, GST details and full address are not needed now. You can add them later in Settings.

Create your account

  1. Go to showcato.in and click Create your free catalog.
  2. Enter Your Name, Email Address, Password (at least 8 characters) and Confirm Password.
  3. Click Create Free Account. You are signed in straight away.

You can also click Sign up with Google.

Every new account starts free with 1 GB of storage. No credit card is asked for.

If sign-up does not work

  • "This email is already registered." You already have an account. Sign in instead, or use Forgot password?.
  • Passwords do not match. Type the same password in Password and Confirm Password.
  • You are sent back to the home page. You are probably on a phone. Open showcato.in on a computer.

Finish the setup wizard

The first time you sign in, a 4-step wizard sets up your business.

The top of the wizard shows your progress, for example 2 / 4 completed. Steps open in order, so you cannot skip ahead. Use Previous to look back at a finished step.

Your work is saved after each step. If you close the browser halfway, the wizard opens at the first unfinished step when you sign in again.

Step 1: Business Profile

Enter your Business Name, WhatsApp No (shown to buyers), Industry, Country and Currency. Click Save & Continue.

  • Business Name appears on your catalog and quotations. Use the name your buyers know, for example "Shree Ganesh Textiles".
  • WhatsApp No is shown to buyers on catalog and enquiry pages. Use a number someone checks every day.
  • Industry sets example text in your forms and the extra columns in your bulk upload file. See Industries.
  • Currency only changes the symbol shown. Prices are not converted.

The wizard sets your business up as a Product Catalog. If you sell services or packages, change it later in Settings. See Business Types.

Step 2: Setup Categories

Type your first Category Name, for example "Shirts", and click Create Category.

A category is the main shelf a product sits on. Pick a broad name for now. You can add more categories, subcategories and price types later from Categories.

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Name categories the way your buyers ask for products. A pharma distributor might use "Tablets" and "Syrups". A jeweller might use "Necklaces" and "Bangles".

Step 3: Add Products

Add at least 2 products with a name, MRP and photos. Click Save Product after each one.

The form asks for Product Name, an optional Description, the MRP and Product Photos. Photos can be JPG, PNG or WEBP, up to 5 MB each. A counter shows how many you have added, for example Products added: 1 / 2.

Products added here are saved as active, with a fixed price, in the category you just created. Later you can add SKU codes, variants, GST rates and more from Products.

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Use your two best-selling products here. Your first link will show them, so make the photos and names look good.

Step 4: Catalog Link

ShowCato creates your first catalog link with all your products, valid for 7 days. Click Copy Link and share it on WhatsApp.

When you click Copy Link, ShowCato asks Copy catalog link?. Click Yes, copy link. The link is copied, setup is completed and your dashboard opens. You can also click Finish to complete setup without copying.

This first link is an All Buyers link. Anyone you send it to can open it after entering their name and a mobile number or email. It shows all your active products with prices, lets buyers enter quantities and has no discount.

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The first link stops working after 7 days. Products you add later are not added to it. You can find it later in Shared Catalog, where you can also extend it or create new links.

Your first day after setup

Once the wizard is done, the dashboard opens. Here is a simple plan for your first day.

  1. Test your link. Open it on your own phone and enter your details. Select a product and tap Get Quotation to see what your buyers will see.
  2. Check Enquiries. Your test quotation appears in Enquiries. This is where buyer orders will land.
  3. Add more products. Add the rest of your range, or upload many at once from Excel.
  4. Add your buyers. Save your regular buyers so you can create a private link for each one.
  5. Add your logo and GST. Open Settings so your quotations carry your branding and tax details.

Signing in later

  • Use your email and password, or Sign in with Google.
  • After 5 wrong passwords the account is locked for 30 minutes.
  • Forgot your password? Click Forgot password?. The reset link works for 60 minutes.

If your account is locked, wait 30 minutes and try again, or reset your password. Use a password you do not use on other sites.

Common mistakes

  • Signing up on a phone. The seller panel only opens on a computer.
  • Using a personal number nobody checks. Buyers will contact the WhatsApp No you enter in Step 1.
  • Choosing the wrong currency. Prices are not converted. If you sell in rupees, keep INR.
  • Forgetting the 7-day expiry. Buyers who open the first link after 7 days see an expired page. Create a fresh link for them.

Next steps