Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1

Is there a free trial?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your first 60 days are completely free, no credit card required, no commitment. Sign up, set up your shop, list your dishes, and start taking orders. If it works for you, great. If you decide it's not the right fit, you can walk away. No awkward conversations.

Question 2

What can I sell on Ownmades?

Accepted Answer

Home-cooked meals, baked goods, kueh and desserts, homemade beverages, snacks, and meal kits. If you made it in your kitchen and you're proud of it, it probably belongs here. All listings are reviewed before going live to ensure they meet our platform guidelines and applicable food safety standards. If you're unsure whether your food qualifies, talk to us before you sign up and we'll tell you straight.

Question 3

Do I need a food licence or SFA registration to sell on Ownmades?

Accepted Answer

In Singapore, home-based food businesses are governed by guidelines set by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). Depending on what you sell and the scale of your operation, certain registrations or permits may apply. We strongly recommend checking the SFA's current guidelines for home-based food businesses before you list. It's not as complicated as it sounds; many home cooks are already compliant without realising it, but it's important to know where you stand. Ownmades does not provide legal or regulatory advice, but we'll do our best to point you in the right direction. When in doubt, check with SFA directly or talk to us and we'll share what we know.

Question 4

How do I set my prices?

Accepted Answer

Entirely up to you. You set the price for every dish on your menu. Ownmades doesn't dictate what you charge. Price your food to reflect the effort, the ingredients, and the value of what you're making. If you're not sure where to start, look at what similar dishes sell for at local food stalls and price from there. Your time and skill are worth something. Don't undersell yourself.

Question 5

Can I take a break or pause my shop?

Accepted Answer

Yes, completely. You control your own schedule: when you're taking orders, when you're not, and when you need a break. You can pause your shop at any time from the merchant dashboard, and reactivate it whenever you're ready. Ownmades works around your life. Not the other way around.

Question 6

How do I manage my menu and account?

Accepted Answer

Everything is managed through your merchant dashboard at merchant.ownmades.com. From there you can add and edit listings, update photos, set your availability, adjust pricing, and manage your account details. If something's not working as expected, reach out to us through the app or via the Contact page and we'll sort it out.

Question 7

What happens when I get my first order?

Accepted Answer

You'll receive a notification in the app. From there, confirm the order to let the customer know you've seen it and you're on it. The customer will have already selected a preferred collection date and time; if it works for you, accept it. If you need to adjust, you can message them directly through the app. Cook and prepare the order. When it's ready and the customer arrives, take their payment, then give them their unique numerical collection code. They enter it in their app, and the transaction is marked as complete on the platform. That's the whole process.

Question 8

How does the collection and handover process work?

Accepted Answer

Here's the end-to-end flow. An order comes in and you get a notification; confirm it in the app. The customer sets a collection time during checkout and you'll see it on your end. You cook and prepare the order, ready by the agreed time. When the customer arrives, they pay you directly (cash, PayNow, or however you've agreed). You then give them the collection code; every order has a unique numerical code, so hand it over once payment is received. They enter it in their app, which confirms the handover and closes the order on the platform. No delivery, no third-party courier, just you and your customer face to face.

Question 9

What if a customer doesn't show up to collect?

Accepted Answer

It's an unfortunate but real possibility in any peer-to-peer model. A few things that help: confirm orders only when you're confident you can fulfil them, and use the in-app messaging to stay in contact with customers if something feels uncertain. If a customer is a no-show, contact our support team through the app. We'll review the situation and help you figure out the next step. Over time, the review system also helps; chefs and customers who've proven reliable build a track record that everyone can see.

Question 10

How do I receive payment from customers?

Accepted Answer

Directly. Payment is between you and the customer; Ownmades is not in the middle of the transaction. When a customer comes to collect, they pay you in whatever way you've agreed to accept: cash, PayNow, bank transfer, or anything else you're comfortable with. Once payment is made, you give them the collection code, they confirm it in the app, and the order is closed. Your money goes to you, not to a platform that passes it on later minus a cut.

Question 11

What happens after my free trial ends?

Accepted Answer

When your 60-day trial is up, you'll be able to choose a plan to continue. We'll be transparent about what each plan costs and what it includes: no hidden fees, no nasty surprises. Check the Pricing page for the current options, or talk to us if you want to figure out what makes sense for the volume you're doing.

Question 12

Can I cancel at any time?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can cancel your plan whenever you need to. If you've paid in advance for a period you haven't used, reach out to us and we'll sort out a fair arrangement. We're not in the business of holding people to things that no longer work for them.

Question 13

Is there a community or space where home chefs can connect?

Accepted Answer

We're building toward this. For now, the best way to stay connected is to follow Ownmades on our social channels; we share chef stories, tips, and platform updates there regularly. If you have ideas for how we can build more community into the platform, tell us. We're genuinely listening, and the people who join early have the most influence over what this becomes.

Question 14

What if I run into a problem with an order, a customer, or the platform?

Accepted Answer

Contact us through the merchant app or via the Contact page. We're a small team, which means when you reach out, an actual person reads it and responds. We're not perfect, but we're genuinely trying to make this work for every chef on the platform. The faster you tell us something's wrong, the faster we can help fix it.

Question 15

Something went wrong. What do I do?

Accepted Answer

Contact us via email. We're a dedicated team and you'll reach a real person, not a ticket queue. The faster you reach out, the faster we can help.

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