1. The Agreement
This Seller Agreement ("Agreement") is between Shop Africa USA, operated by [Company entity name] ("Shop Africa USA," "we," "us"), and the seller identified on the seller application ("Seller," "you"). By submitting a seller application, listing products, or accepting payouts through Shop Africa USA, you agree to be bound by this Agreement, the Terms & Conditions, and the Privacy Policy.
2. Seller Onboarding
You must complete the seller application, provide a valid government-issued ID, business registration (if applicable), and other documentation we reasonably request. Shop Africa USA reserves the right to approve, decline, or revoke seller status at its sole discretion. Decisions are typically communicated within 48 hours.
3. Product Listings
3.1 Submission process
You submit products through the Seller Portal. Each product must include a title, description, category, price, SKU, inventory quantity, at least one image, and weight (if shippable). All submissions are reviewed by Shop Africa USA before being published to the storefront.
3.2 Accuracy
You warrant that every listing is accurate, complete, and not misleading; that all photos are of the actual product you will ship; and that all claims (e.g., "organic," "halal," "fair-trade") are substantiated.
3.3 Editing & republishing
You may edit a product at any time before approval. After approval, edits are queued for re-review. Material changes to price, weight, or composition after a customer has ordered must be handled as a refund and re-list.
3.4 Prohibited products
You may not list any product prohibited under our Terms & Conditions or under U.S. federal, state, or local law in the jurisdiction of shipping.
4. Pricing, Commission & Payouts
4.1 Pricing
You set the listed price. Shop Africa USA may set platform-wide minimums (e.g., free-shipping thresholds) but will not change your listed price without consent.
4.2 Commission
Shop Africa USA charges a commission of ten percent (10%) on the gross sale price of each completed order, calculated before sales tax and shipping. Commission is deducted before payout.
4.3 Payout schedule
- Payouts run twice monthly: the 1st and 15th, unless otherwise agreed.
- Minimum payout threshold: $50.00 USD. Balances below this roll into the next cycle.
- A hold period of seven (7) days after order delivery applies to allow time for returns and disputes.
- Payouts are issued by bank transfer, PayPal, or any method Shop Africa USA supports. Cross-border payouts may incur third-party fees.
4.4 Refunds & chargebacks
If a buyer is refunded after payout, the refunded amount (including the platform's share of commission, prorated) is recovered from your next payout. Chargebacks fees are the responsibility of the Seller, unless the chargeback resulted from a Shop Africa USA error.
5. Fulfillment, Shipping & Returns
You are responsible for packaging, shipping, and tracking each order. Standard expectations:
- Ship within 2 business days of order confirmation;
- Provide a valid tracking number;
- Accept returns of unopened, non-perishable items within 14 days of delivery, or honor a written equivalent published in the seller's storefront page.
Repeated late shipments, missing tracking, or refused returns may result in suspension.
6. Seller Standards
Your performance is monitored against the following minimum standards:
- On-time shipping rate ≥ 95%;
- Order cancellation rate ≤ 2%;
- Customer rating ≥ 4.0 stars (after 10 reviews);
- Response time to admin messages ≤ 48 hours.
Falling below standards for two consecutive months may result in a written warning; persistent failure may result in suspension or termination.
7. Authenticity & Intellectual Property
You represent that you own or have the right to sell every product you list. You will not list counterfeit, unauthorized, or stolen merchandise. You will respect third-party trademarks, copyrights, and patents. Repeat IP violations will result in immediate termination and forfeiture of any pending payout.
8. Taxes
You are responsible for your own income and business taxes. If sales tax must be collected for your jurisdiction, Shop Africa USA may collect and remit it through Shopify's tax engine on your behalf, in which case you authorize us to do so. We may also issue IRS Form 1099-K where required.
9. Data & Customer Information
Customer shipping data is provided solely to fulfill orders. You may not contact customers outside the order-fulfillment context, send marketing to them without their explicit consent, or sell customer data to third parties.
10. Communications
You agree to receive transactional emails about your account, products, orders, and payouts. You may opt out of non-essential marketing.
11. Suspension & Termination
We may suspend or terminate your seller account for: violation of this Agreement; repeated quality issues; complaints from buyers; legal request; or at our sole discretion with reasonable notice. On termination:
- Pending orders must be fulfilled;
- Listings are removed from the storefront;
- Final payout, less any refunds or chargebacks, will be released after the standard hold period;
- You may export your own product data on request.
12. Indemnification
You will indemnify and hold Shop Africa USA harmless from any claim, loss, or expense arising from (a) your products, (b) your fulfillment, (c) your representations in listings, or (d) your breach of this Agreement.
13. Modifications
We may update this Agreement with 30 days' notice. Continued listing or payout acceptance constitutes acceptance of the updated Agreement.
14. Governing Law
Governed by the laws of New Jersey, USA. Disputes are resolved in the courts of [County], NJ, per Section 16 of the Terms & Conditions.
15. Signature
By checking the "I agree" box on the seller application or by clicking "Submit for review" on a product, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to this Agreement.
Got questions before signing? Email sellers@shopafricausa.com or submit a question. We'll respond within 1 business day.