What Is Ho/Store Number in M-Pesa When Applying for a Business Till?

M-PESA users have been inquiring about the purpose of a store number they have to input when making withdrawals from an agent. The store number has been in use for some time now, even though most customers are still unfamiliar with it. So, what is ho/store number in M-Pesa?

Although there is a Hakikisha system to avoid erroneous transactions, Safaricom customers still send money to the wrong numbers. Safaricom recently developed a way for customers to easily transact through the introduction of store numberS.

This service prevents customers from entering the wrong agent number from the one intended when making a transaction. But how much do you know about it?

What is ho/store number in M-Pesa?

This is a unique number added to the agent withdrawal process. The store number is input right after keying in the agent number. For the withdrawal process to be completed, the store number and agent numbers must match; otherwise, the withdrawal process will not be successful.

The new feature aims at solving the rampant problem of Safaricom customers entering the wrong agent number resulting in M-Pesa withdrawal being reflected in a different outlet, hence risking a loss of cash.

Before introducing the store number, customers had to contact Safaricom customer care to reverse money withdrawn erroneously from the wrong agent number. The process was extremely time-consuming and not ideal during emergencies.

The store number is literally an enhancement of the existing Hakikisha service that gives M-Pesa users a 15-second window to confirm the name of the intended withdrawal agent through a pop-up on their mobile phones.

How to get your ho/store number

Immediately you are assigned a Lipa Na M-Pesa SIM Card, which is available through various application processes; you are assigned a Safaricom Till number and store number.

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to find your M-PESA store number on your agent's phone.

1. Dial *234#. Press OK
2. Select option 3 (M-Pesa agent service), then press OK.
3. Next, select "What is my store NO". Press OK to get your store number.

It is worth noting that one Safaricom store number can only be mapped to one till number. Therefore, when applying for a till number, you should also request the store number.