Lagos is big enough that “nearby” means something different depending on exactly where you are — which is precisely the problem vendor's local-first design is built to solve. Here's how to actually get the most out of it as a first-timer in this city. For the broader pitch on why vendor fits Lagos specifically, see vendor in Lagos.
Get your search radius right for where you actually are
vendor defaults to showing you what's within 5km, but that's adjustable — anywhere from 1km up to 50km.
• Dense areas like Yaba or Computer Village: a tight 1–3km radius already surfaces plenty nearby.
• Further out — parts of Lekki, or toward the mainland edges: widening to 10km or more often makes sense.
• Genuinely spread-out searches — looking city-wide for something specific and rare: 25–50km opens it up fully.
What to expect chatting with a nearby seller
This isn't a warehouse shipping in from somewhere else — it's someone actually operating near you, the same way buying from a stall you can walk to has always worked. Ask directly about pickup timing, or whether they're near a landmark you'd recognize. Most sellers on vendor are used to exactly this kind of direct, practical back-and-forth before a sale.
Pickup vs. delivery, in a city like this
Lagos traffic makes this a genuinely real decision, not a minor preference. For something small and close by, pickup is often just faster. For anything across the city, or when the timing doesn't line up, requesting delivery — with a real quote from the seller before you commit to anything — is often the better call. The full mechanics of how that works are covered in Can't Make It to the Shop? How Delivery Requests Work.
Selling into a market this size
Because vendor shows buyers what's genuinely nearby first, a seller in, say, Surulere is competing primarily with other nearby sellers, not the entire city at once. Clear photos and an honest condition tag matter even more here — with this many active buyers and sellers close together, listings that are specific and accurate are the ones that actually move.
Quick tips for first-timers
• Set your radius before you start browsing, not after scrolling through results that feel too far away.
• Follow a shop you like — their new listings then show up in your own Following tab, separate from the general feed.
• If you're unsure about traffic timing, ask about delivery before you assume pickup is the only option.
The protection doesn't change by neighborhood
Buying from someone across Lagos Island or three streets away from you works exactly the same way: payment held until you confirm receipt, chat available before you commit to anything, and a real dispute process if something doesn't go as expected. Distance changes the logistics. It doesn't change how protected the transaction is.