Seller Compliance Requirements 

Last Revised October 2024 | Version 1.3.25

Introduction

takealot.com’s mission is to be the most customer-centric shopping destination in Africa. Our company is built around the simple concept that the customer comes first. Our success is based on our ability to delight customers with amazing service and a one-stop destination where they can find any product they can think of.

To ensure we live up to this promise, we have certain rules and regulations in place. These are covered in this guide along with our Service Level Agreement which outlines the minimum performance levels we require our sellers to meet.  

Our Seller Compliance Team actively monitors the performance of our sellers in accordance with these performance levels to ensure a safe, fair and compliant Marketplace platform for all sellers.

Why is this important?

Failure to comply with any of our standards or policies will be communicated in the form of a warning. Depending on the seriousness of an offense and the amount or warnings received, Takealot may have your product display pages disabled, funds frozen and suspend or terminate your seller account at our discretion.  An appeal is possible where we will review your case and communicate the outcome of our findings that can result in no change to your account status or the reversal of the unfavourable action.

Index

Introduction

Why is this important?

Quick Start Compliance Checklist

1 : What You Cannot Sell

1.1 Counterfeit Products & Our Zero Tolerance Policy

1.2 Products Requiring Express Consent and/or Declaration of Sale

1.2.1 Parallel imports or grey goods

1.2.2 Large Appliances (“White Goods”) & Refurbished Electronics

1.2.3 Cannabidiol ("CBD" Oil ) Products

1.2.4 Medical Devices & Products

1.2.5 “Foodstuff”

1.2.6 Labelling of “Foodstuffs”

1.3 The leadtime-only list

1.4 The Prohibited Items List

1.5 Prohibited Content

1.6 Intellectual Property Violations

2: What You Will be Measured On

2 .1 Takealot Marketplace Service Level Agreement (“SLA Guide”)

3: What You Cannot Do as a Seller

3.1 Prohibited Seller Activities

4: The Takealot Returns Policy

4.1 An Item Was Returned By A Customer, What Happens Next?

4.2 Return Disputes

4.3 Non-Returnable Products

5: Fulfilment By Takealot

5.1 Inbound Shipping

5.2 Outbound Shipping

5.3 Access to Stock Stored at a Takealot Distribution Centre

5.4 Stock Discrepancy Disputes

6: Catalogue & Product Information

6.1 Product Display Pages and Offers

7: Payments & Disbursements

7 .1 Requirements to Receive Payments

7.2 Your Takealot Marketplace Account and Transfer of Funds

7.3 Penalties

7 .4 VAT & Other Related Taxes

8 : Correspondence with Takealot

8.1 Rules for Correspondence

8.2 Warning against Phishing emails

Quick Start Compliance Checklist

The checklist is intended to assist in covering the most basic requirements in maintaining a healthy account

1: My products are…

𝥷 genuine, branded products sourced from authorised distributors - Takealot has a zero tolerance policy towards counterfeit products

𝥷 ICASA Type Approved with a valid certification from ICASA where required e.g. all products that use a radio frequency, excluding FM Radios

𝥷 authorised by way of a Letter of Authority from the NRCS where required e.g. baby car seats, 220v powered products, motorcycle helmets etc.

𝥷  licensed where required and I can provide the documentation where requested e.g. popular brands such as Disney are often questioned for validity by customers

2: My product offers…

𝥷 are correct and truthful with no misleading or prohibited content

𝥷 do NOT contain duplicate product display pages of existing products on takealot.com, to the best of my knowledge

𝥷 reflect the correct Recommended Retail Price (RRP) as per the manufacturer or supplier

3: My business operations…

𝥷 are equipped to respond to customer invoices within 2 business days

𝥷 are prepared to deliver to all Takealot Distribution Centres on time and within the leadtime set

𝥷 can update Stock On Hand frequently to avoid customer cancellations

1 : What You Cannot Sell

1.1 Counterfeit Products & Our Zero Tolerance Policy

Takealot adopts a zero tolerance approach to any counterfeit, unlicensed or stolen products being listed on our website. The onus is on you to ensure that you have the legal authority to sell all products listed under your account and that they are legitimately sourced.

Definition of Counterfeit Goods: unlicensed or unauthentic products including products that have been fraudulently/illegally replicated, reproduced or manufactured

Please note that you may be required by the Seller Compliance team to provide proof that your products are legitimately sourced by supplying one of the below documents:

• The original licence or trademark certificate
• A letter from the rights holder or distributor confirming your relationship
• A supplier invoice to determine the source of the products

In the event of a Seller being found guilty of selling counterfeit, unlicensed or stolen goods:

• The seller account will be terminated immediately
• The case will be reported to the rights holder/ authorized distributor for further action
• Any funds in the seller account will be frozen for up to 180 days
• Affected stock at our warehouse may be handed to the relevant authority for further investigation

Ensure the products you are selling complies with all local laws, including but not limited to:

• ICASA (https://www.icasa.org.za/)
• NRCS (https://www.nrcs.org.za/)
• CPA (Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008)

1.2 Products Requiring Express Consent and/or Declaration of Sale

1.2.1 Parallel imports or grey goods 

These products  are currently curated by takealot.com and may only be sold with express consent. There is no application process for the sale of these goods at this time. These are branded goods that are imported and sold in South Africa, without the consent of the owner of the trademark or the authorised distributor. These goods are often offered to our customers at considerably cheaper prices than the prices it would be offered if the goods had been sourced through authorised or approved distributors.  However, due to the fact that these goods are not authorised, the manufacturers’ warranties and after-sales support are not applicable. Our customers have a right to be informed that manufacturers’ warranties do not apply to these goods. If such information is withheld when our customers buy such goods, they will be misled and the practice of selling these goods would be unfair. We are a customer-centric organisation and wish to provide products to our customers at the cheapest prices, whilst keeping them fully informed. Product display pages must include the terms “Parallel Import” in the product title.  

1.2.2 Large Appliances (“White Goods”) & Refurbished Electronics

These categories are currently curated by takealot.com and may only be sold with express consent. There is no application process for the sale of these goods at this time. Your account will be approached by a Takealot Representative for the sale of these products should your business be identified as a suitable vendor. All accounts selling these goods without the express consent will have their products removed from the site and/or our distribution centres at the cost of the Seller.  

1.2.3 Cannabidiol ("CBD" Oil ) Products

Takealot’s written approval is required for any Seller to market and sell products containing CBD on the Website. The CBD Policy application form can be found on our Terms of Service page. Any seller listing without this approval will have those products immediately disabled.

All products containing CBD listed for sale on the Website must be processed, manufactured, marketed and sold in compliance with the Department of Health’s Notice (Regulation 756, 23 May 2019) as follows:

• all products containing CBD, including complementary medicines, must be no more than 600mg per sales pack  and must contain a maximum daily dose of 20mg of CBD.
• all products containing CBD can only make statements of (i) general health enhancement without any reference to specific diseases (ii) health maintenance, or (iii) relief of minor symptoms (not related to a disease or disorder); OR
• consist of processed products made from cannabis raw plant material and processed products, where only the naturally occurring quality of cannabinoids found in the source material are contained in the products, and which contain no more than 0.001 % of tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) and not more than 0.0075 % of total CBD.

In addition to the above, all products containing CBD must comply with the follow product description requirements:

• confirmation that products containing CBD contain the correct maximum dose of CBD as described above.

• confirmation that products containing CBD do not have a hallucinogenic (“high”) effect.
• confirmation that products containing CBD do not contain information suggesting or referring to the treatment or cure of any medical condition.
• the inclusion of the following disclaimer, "Please note that it is important that you seek the advice of a qualified medical professional who is well versed in the therapeutic use of CBD prior to using this product for yourself or your pet."
• all products containing CBD that are listed for sale on the Website must meet the Catalogue image requirements as set out here. all products containing CBD that are listed for sale on the Website and are for human consumption, must have the requisite food certification (i.e. ISO 22000 Certificate, Certificate of Acceptability (COA) R638, HACCP Certificate and/or FSSC22000 Certificate) to be submitted via your Seller account in the newly introduced Catalogue Compliance Control feature. 

In addition to the above, Takealot will not permit the listing for sale,  products containing full spectrum CBD.

1.2.4 Medical Devices & Products

Product disclaimer that must be added to the description

PLEASE NOTE: This product is not intended to compensate for diagnosis, treatment, cure, or mitigation of medical conditions. If you or a family member are experiencing any health-related problem, you should obtain medical advice from a certified health professional as this device may be harmful to your health. You are therefore advised to use this product with caution.

Hearing Aids - Product Titles

The product titles/description on the website may not refer to hearing aids but  “personal sound amplifier” products instead.

SAHPRA Certification
The following products require SAHPRA Certification to be sold on takealot.com:  

• Medical Thermometers, Pulse Oximeters, Nebulizers, Oxygen Concentrators, Blood Pressure monitors and devices
• Mask Certification: N95, KF94 and KN95

SAHPRA/NRCS Certification Combinations

Products which fall within the classification definition of a medical device according to the Guidelines for Classification of Medical Devices and IVDs; and are intended for medical use or professional use.

These products may only be listed if they are classified as a Class A or B device, with the exception of condoms which fall within Class C but are exempt from the rule. Devices classified as Class C and above may not be listed on takealot.com.All products which are classified as a medical device, and are allowed for listing on takealot.com must be accompanied by a valid medical device licence issued by SAHPRA

1.2.5 “Foodstuff”

As per Foodstuffs, cosmetics and disinfectant act, 1972 ( Act no. 54 of 1972) NO. 638 any entity that trades in Food and/or Baby Food require certification as proof of compliance with South African Regulations. This type of certification ensures that the premises at which food and baby food is stored, handled, distributed etc. is registered and considered safe in accordance with health regulations.

The following Certification is required to sell “foodstuffs” on takealot.com:

• Food - R638 certificate

Sellers can use the Compliance Tab under the Account page on the Seller Portal to upload their Food - R638 certificate and stay compliant. Click here to learn more about submitting your certificate via the Seller Portal.

1.2.6 Labelling of “Foodstuffs”

Regulations relating to the Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuffs in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972 (FDA and FDA Regs), require products listed on takealot.com, as well as those delivered to the DCs, to comply with the following minimum requirements:

 All food labelling must be in English, and where possible, one other SA language.

1. All labels must be affixed to the product in a manner that cannot be separated from the product or product container.
2. All products must clearly identify the name/description of the foodstuff - this must be accurate and inform consumers of exactly what is in the packaging.
3. All labels must clearly contain the:

• Name and address of the manufacturer, importer, retailer or seller, whichever is applicable.
• Instructions of use of the food or foodstuffs.
• Storage instructions.
• Country of origin.
• Allergens.
• Batch number.
• Date marking (“best before”, “use by”, “sell by”).

4. All food labels must be attached to the product in a manner that cannot be separated from the product or product container. Digital images of product labelling will be allowed provided the label matches the physical product or product container. PDF images of product labelling will not be allowed.
5. All foodstuffs labelling must contain the following minimum mandatory nutritional information:

It is your responsibility as the merchant to ensure that you adhere to all legislative requirements. Where your listings do not adhere to the above minimum requirements, they will be disabled until you have adhered to the necessary labelling requirements. This will require you as a merchant to send in the necessary images that demonstrate that your product complies with the labelling requirements set out above. Submit an Edit Request to update your listings accordingly which will be approved if compliant with the requirements set out above.

1.3 The leadtime-only list

The following products may be sold on leadtime only. Attempts to stock our DC with these products will result in rejections at the inbound receiving door.

• Mattresses
• Beds
• Headboards
• White goods

1.4 The Prohibited Items List

The following products are prohibited from being sold on takealot.com:

• Products that are sensitive to temperature fluctuations or necessitate refrigeration throughout their storage and transportation.
• Flammable items: Lighters, Candle lighters, Matches and Fire Lighters.
• HIV Test Kits or HIV Self-Test Kits
• Products sold as multi-piece items are not eligible for sale. For example, if a toaster and microwave is sold as a bundle, this requires a single product display page to showcase the bundle, a single offer, a single box in which both items are stored and shipped, a single Marketplace barcode on the outside of the bundled deal. Bundles or multi-piece items which arrive in separate or individual packages will be rejected i.e. if you deliver the microwave in a separate box to the toaster for a bundled order, these will be rejected. Remember to consult the Shipping & Receiving Guideline for additional rules that may apply e.g. Maximum weight allowed into the DC for any set is 70kg with a maximum allowed length of 3m.
• Products with Selling Prices greater than (or equal to) R100 000 are not permitted for sale. Even if set on the Seller Portal, such offers will be blocked from displaying on takealot.com.
• Mattress and base/bed sets cannot be sold as a bundle or strapped together. Mattresses and bases must be packaged either in cardboard casing/box or 2 layers of thick plastic.
• COVID-19 rapid diagnostic tests: the Department of Health's Guidelines prohibits the sale of COVID-19 testing kits. COVID-19 testing and diagnosis can only be conducted by suitably qualified and trained health professionals only and  cannot be sold directly to customers.
• Rodent Glue and Live Capture Traps
• Hand Sanitisers that contain Acetone, Methanol and Methylated spirits.
• The sale of any coins or notes that are deemed to be legal tender is not permitted. This includes limited edition notes or coins issued by the SARB
• Batteries containing water or acid that can be leaked; or that have to be shipped upright; or not packaged in a double corrugated box
• Post-paid mobile phones linked to a specific mobile network operator for a predetermined period of time
• Generic or “Inspired by” Fragrances no fragrances imitating branded and/or designer perfumes and fragrances
• Large Appliances & Refurbished Electronics these categories are currently curated by takealot.com and may only be sold with express consent. There is no application process for the sale of these goods at this time. Your account will be approached by a Takealot Representative for the sale of these products should your business be identified as a suitable vendor. All accounts selling these goods without the express consent will have their products removed from the site and/or our distribution centres at the cost of the Seller.
• Bulky Items (exceeding 70kg) and/or 4m in packaged width, height or length may not be sold without the express authorisation of Takealot. Please note that this restriction does not apply to White Goods, though White Good Sellers need to be authorized by Takealot.
• Services, including but not limited to, extended service warranties, money-back guarantees, replacement plans, service contracts, buy-back guarantee programs, investment services, subscriptions, event tickets.
• Cigars, cigarettes, tobacco or other products containing tobacco
• Firearms, air-guns, air-rifles,  or any other similar device manufactured or designed to propel or discharge a bullet or any other projectile (including self-defence guns) of a calibre of 5.6mm (.22 calibre) and higher at a muzzle energy of more than 8 joules (6ft-lbs), and all associated gun parts, ammunition and kits. This would include spearguns, black powder, and all explosives, and offensive weapons as defined by the government of the Republic of South Africa.
• Blank guns/Prop guns: a device which is not at the time capable of discharging any bullet or projectile but which can readily be altered to be a firearm. This includes blank guns and all associated parts, ammunition (including blank bullets) and kits.
• Fireworks and other pyrotechnics
• Hazmat items, Flammables and oil based paints
• Medicines and veterinary medicines, medicinal feeds, medicinal products and remedies of any type which are sold by a seller who does not possess the necessary licenses, authorisations and/or professional qualifications to sell and list such products or has such licenses, authorisations or professional qualifications but has not been approved to sell this category of products by takealot.com
• As an online retailer, Takealot inclusive of the marketplace platform is only permitted to sell Unscheduled, Schedule 0 substances and complementary medicines. Broadly speaking Unscheduled, Schedule 0 and/or complementary medicines in this instance are any substances which has been excluded from the other Scheduled substance lists and/or requires a prescription from a "doctor", "optician" or other “health care provider" as a prerequisite for purchase or would require an application or fitting by a doctor, optician or other health care professional.For the avoidance of doubt, refer to the SAHPRA's Consolidated Schedules 24 March 2023
• Any prohibited drug including any product which contains the human growth hormone
• Elements which contain or consist of human body and medical implants
• Any live animals
• Products made of or containing any or part of any plant or animal will have the sale, storage, import or export of which is prohibited or regulated. This would include examples such as endangered species, elephant ivory, sea turtle shells, coral and most reptile skins
• Any product that contains any other ingredients that are prohibited, restricted or regulated under applicable law are not to be offered.
• Any compressed gas/cylinders may only be sold without gas.
• Media Products except to the extent where we make available for functionality to offer such products are prohibited.
• "Sex and sensuality" products.
• Products containing prohibited images of children and any other violent, offensive, obscene or sexual content that is unlawful in the Republic of South Africa
• Loose gemstone or semi-precious stones products.
• Any product for which you either are not an "authorised reseller" (as designated by the product  manufacturer or distributor), or do not provide to customers the manufacturer’s standard warranty therefore
• Any product that is subject to export licenses, declaration or authorisation when shipped to the Republic of South Africa
• Products that cannot be lawfully shipped to or sold in the Republic of South Africa
• Gift certificates, gift cards and other stored value instruments
• Any product that is subject to a product recall
• DVDs or Games that are not supported in the Republic of South Africa
• Any other types of products that in our discretion are not supported for sale in the Republic of South Africa
• Products that do not comply with any agreement between takealot.com and the seller
• Colour blindness correcting Lenses and Contact Lenses.

1.5 Prohibited Content

• Undesirable Terms and Claims in Health Products

• Below is a list of terms and claims (including wording of similar meaning) that may not be used in association with the development of any claim. The list is not exhaustive and will be updated from time to time.
• Magical
• Miracle/Miraculous
• The only product to use
• World’s Best
• 100% Safe
• No side effects
• Guaranteed
• Other drugs or products cannot compare with it
• Sensational relief
• The number 1 (unless substantiated)
• Efficacious/Effective
• Perpetual Youth
• Reference to the cure, treatment or diagnosis of any disease unless specifically provided for

• Use of "whitening/lightening/bleacher" on skin products used for discolorations, dark spots, etc. within product titles, descriptions, and images prohibited. The term "brightening" may be used to replace those words.
• Use of “replica” or “copy” in title & descriptions:  Titles may refer to being compatible with other brands. Titles may not include a claim to be a replica or copy of a competitor brand. If the product is a generic or unbranded product,  it should be clear that the product is not the branded version in the brand field or title.
• Illegal and potentially illegal products: All Products sold on the takealot.com site must adhere to all applicable laws. Our sellers are therefore legally liable for their own actions and transactions. As a seller you are expected to familiarise yourself with the legal parameters surrounding any products that you intend to offer for sale on takealot.com. This would include the sale of products by entities outside the Republic of South Africa.
• Offensive material: takealot.com reserves the right to determine the suitability of any product display page created on the takealot.com site.
• Nudity: In general, images that portray/display nudity in an inappropriate or graphic manner are therefore prohibited.
• Products which infringe on other individual’s privacy: Privacy is regarded by takealot.com as very serious and therefore any item that may infringe upon another individuals privacy is considered prohibited.
• Advertisements or promotions: Any product display pages that purposely redirects takealot.com users to alternative commercial or private websites in order to advertise or provide contact information for non-takealot.com offers and ordering tools are prohibited.
• Products made available by digital download: takealot.com prohibits creating product display pages for any such products that are available for digital download. This would include "codes" that would be used to access content on other websites or platforms.
• Products that are not safe: All toys and electrical equipment on takealot.com, must be deemed safe (that is, there is no risk that the equipment will cause death, personal injury or damage to property) and, where applicable, come with a South African standard three-pin plug.Additionally, new toys and electrical equipment must be certified by the South African Bureau of Standards. You must not sell any product that has been the subject of a product safety recall, regardless of branding. This act is strictly prohibited.
• Animal products: takealot.com prohibits creating product display pages and/or selling of any parts or products from whales, sharks, dolphins, elephants (including elephant ivory) or from any other regulated endangered plant or animal. This would also include products containing Foie Gras.
• Plants, plant material and seed: takealot.com reserves the right to prohibit certain types of plants, seeds, and other plant material in order to ensure the safety of pets, humans, and the environment; and as subject to the ability to properly store, handle and deliver the product. takealot.com strongly advises you to seek advice from appropriate government authorities before (a) exporting, importing, receiving or transporting such agricultural or plant material, and (b) selling seed, as marketing regulations apply and licensing may be required (e.g. for grass seed and vegetable seed). The appropriate authority is the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of South Africa.

1.6 Intellectual Property Violations

• Recopied media: Media products such as (books, films, CDs, television programmes, software titles, video-games, and so on) that have been recopied, dubbed, duplicated, or transferred without permission of the rights owner are illegal to sell and are prohibited. This includes:
• Books - Unauthorised copies of books are prohibited.
• Music - Bootlegs,unauthorised soundboard recordings, unauthorised live concerts, unauthorised merchandise etc. are prohibited.
• Films - Unauthorised copies of films in any format are prohibited. Unreleased/pre-released movies, trailers, screeners, unpublished and unauthorised film scripts (no ISBN number), electronic press kits, and unauthorised props are also seen as prohibited.
• Photos - Unauthorised copies of photos are prohibited.
• Radio programmes & Concerts - Unauthorised recordings or copies of recordings of radio programmes are prohibited.
• Software - Re-copied or duplicated software in any format is prohibited.
• Television programmes - Unauthorised copies of television programmes (including pay-per-view events), programmes never broadcast, unauthorised props,unauthorised scripts and screeners are prohibited.
• Video games - Any video games sold on takealot.com must be full retail versions. No recopied or transferred videogames are allowed and therefore are prohibited.This would include mod chips, silver disks, video game emulators, Sega boot disks, game enhancers, unauthorised video game compilations, unauthorised bundles of video game products, and unauthorised accessories are also prohibited.
• Transferred media - Media transferred from one format to another is prohibited. This includes but is not limited to: films converted from NTSC to Pal and Pal to NTSC, laserdisc to video, television to video, CD-ROM to cassette tape, therefore anything from the Internet converted or transferred to any digital format, etc.
• Promotional media - Any promotional versions of media products, including books (advance reading copies and uncorrected proofs), videos (screeners) and music are prohibited by takealot.com. These products are distributed for promotional consideration and therefore are not generally authorised for retail distribution or sale.
• Rights of Publicity - Any celebrity images and/or the use of any celebrity names cannot be used for commercial purposes without permission of said celebrity or their management. This would include any product endorsements which would make use of a celebrity's likeness on merchandise such as posters, clocks, mouse pads and image collections in digital format etc.
• The Seller must ensure that the recommended retail price (“RRP”) that it provides for any product is accurate and reasonable in the context of the market for that product. The Seller specifically undertakes not to artificially inflate the RRP, and upon demand shall provide proof to Takealot’s reasonable satisfaction of the accuracy of the RRP.

2: What You Will be Measured On

2 .1 Takealot Marketplace Service Level Agreement (“SLA Guide”)

Please refer to the SLA Guide for more information.

3: What You Cannot Do as a Seller

3.1 Prohibited Seller Activities

 Any violation of Takealot policies or rules may result in the suspension or removal of your selling privileges. The following activities are strictly prohibited:

• Abuse of Takealot operations and/or acts of bad faith. Any intentionally dishonest or negligent behaviour will be monitored and acted upon and may result in the suspension or termination of any/all services. This includes, but is not limited to, circumventing or abusing Takealot’s procedures, platforms or processes.
• Attempts to redirect transactions or customers. Any attempt to redirect the established takealot.com sales process or to redirect takealot.com users/customers to another website or sales process is strictly prohibited. This would include, the use of product/ website advertisements and offering any marketing messages which would include promotional offers.The act of coercion which would advise or persuade takealot.com users to leave the takealot.com website are prohibited. Sellers may not make use of email to redirect takealot.com users/buyers from the takealot.com sales process. Therefore, Sellers are prohibited from including any form of hyperlink, URL or any alternative web address within their display name, email messages and product description fields, or elsewhere, that would redirect takealot.com customers away from the takealot.com sales.
• Unauthorized & improper "Display Name": The trading name of your Takealot Account (“Display Name”) must accurately reflect the identity of the Seller and may not infringe any trademark or intellectual property rights of any third parties e.g. Adidas SA, Takealot’s Best. The seller display name cannot be reflected as a domain name (which, by way of an example, ends with “.com”, “.co.za” or ``.org”) and cannot be similar to any trademark owned by Takealot.
• Inappropriate email communications: All seller email communications with customers must be courteous, relevant and appropriate. Unsolicited email communications with takealot.com customers and email communications that are not necessary to complete a transaction or provide relevant information are prohibited. This would include emails containing marketing communications or promotions of any kind (including within otherwise permitted communications) are strictly prohibited.
• Misuse of takealot.com platform: All sellers are able to access and use the takealot.com selling & customer  platform. If a seller uploads unnecessary exorbitant amounts of data continuously, or otherwise uses the platform in an inappropriate or unreasonable way, this act can create a disproportionate load on the platform and obstruct the ability for other sellers to easily access and make use of the platform. If a seller is misusing or making excessive and unreasonable use of the takealot.com platform, Takealot may in its sole discretion restrict or suspend the seller's access to product uploads or any other platform functions that are being inappropriately used until such time that the seller discontinues previous misuse.

4: The Takealot Returns Policy

We want our customers to be delighted with their purchases, and if they are not completely satisfied, we want them to return the product to us so that we may repair it, replace it, or credit their account. The reasons and conditions under which a customer can return products is available at https://www.takealot.com/help/exchange-return-policy. As a Takealot Marketplace Seller you are expected to accept these terms as your own.

4.1 An Item Was Returned By A Customer, What Happens Next?

When an item is returned by a customer, it will be returned to the warehouse closest to the customer (Johannesburg or Cape Town). Our warehouse associates will assess the return scenario; Sellers will not be consulted before a return is accepted or rejected at the warehouse.

If it is sellable, the item will be scanned back into your inventory and it will be available for purchase again on takealot.com.

If the item is not in sellable condition, or further evaluation is needed, the nominated warehouse will contact you requesting you to collect your return. You will be liable to collect the stock from the warehouse at which the item was returned. Once notified to collect your return;

• Should a return fall within the 6-month takealot.com warranty, you will have 15 calendar days to arrange the collection with the warehouse.
• Should a return fall outside of the 6-month takealot.com warranty but within the manufacturer's warranty, you will have 7 business days to collect, evaluate, and return the item to the fulfilment centre or inform us whether the customer has to be sent a replacement product or be refunded.

Please note, after the closure of your seller account, you will still be liable for any items that may be returned.

4.2 Return Disputes

If you are not satisfied with a returns evaluation by our Takealot Returns team, it is possible to log a dispute within 7 business days after the returned item has been collected via the Seller Contact Form.

Takealot will investigate the dispute and may provide reimbursement in the event that the dispute is found in your favour. Reimbursements are subject to Takealot’s discretion and will be communicated on a case-by-case basis.

4.3 Non-Returnable Products

The general rule for returns is that consumers should be able to return any goods supplied to them. There is an exception to this rule, however, and that is certain products have to be excluded from the right to return. This exception is how we find products that have inherent non-returnability. We are guided by the Consumer Protection Act (“CPA”) and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (“ECTA”) in determining which products fall under the non-returnable category.

The practical implications of your product listed as non-returnable is that your product can only be returned in the event of defects (returnable within 6 months of delivery or collection).

It is important to note that the CPA states that all consumers have a right to return products and for that reason, the general rules of our Returns Policy are still in effect. The principle of non-returnability is an exception to this rule and should not be abused.

5: Fulfilment By Takealot

All products shipped to and fulfilled by Takealot must comply with the Goods Receiving Requirements.

5.1 Inbound Shipping

Inbound shipping refers to but is not limited to: leadtime shipment orders, replenishment shipment orders and product returns delivered after evaluation.

• In all cases where a shipment is inbound, Takealot is not responsible for determining the correctness of the product label or shipment contents. This applies to but is not limited to the condition of the shipment contents and the quantity of units contained in a shipment. If no label is attached or if the label is attached incorrectly, we will request that you collect the unlabelled package. This will also apply to cases were additional items are received. Once a package is ready for collection; we expect the package to be collected within two business days.
• Unless express consent is given, all sellers are required to deliver to both Cape Town and Johannesburg Distribution Centres. Where the quantity of units is determined by a seller via a replenishment shipment order, quantities should be split at a ratio of 35% to the Cape Town DC and 65% to the Johannesburg DC. Where the quantity is determined by the leadtime order, the products must be delivered to the DC closest to the customer (this is displayed on the Seller Portal as the order is placed).
• All shipments delivered and all products collected must be booked in advance via the Takealot Bookings System in accordance with the rules set out in Goods Receiving Requirements and associated  documents.
• Storage fees and all other relevant fees will apply from the date the product is scanned in at a Takealot Distribution Centre.  At this point, Takealot is responsible for your product until it is scanned out of the Distribution Centre or until it is delivered to a customer. Storage fees will no longer apply when a product is scanned out of a Takealot Distribution Centre.
• Once received, your stock and offer on takealot.com will be updated within one business day. 

5.2 Outbound Shipping

Outbound shipping refers to but is not limited to: Removal Orders, Inbound Exceptions, Damaged Stock, Expired Stock, Aged Stock and Product Returns that must be evaluated by you.

• In all cases where a shipment is outbound and you are notified that a package is ready for collection, the package must be collected within two business days or a penalty may be billed to your account due to the delay. Once a package is scanned out of a Takealot Distribution Centre, we are no longer liable for the package. Storage fees will apply until a product is scanned out of a Takealot Fulfilment Centre.

5.3 Access to Stock Stored at a Takealot Distribution Centre

Due to the proprietary nature of our business, under no circumstances are sellers allowed to access a Takealot Distribution Centre. Once products are scanned into a Takealot Distribution Centre, a seller does not have direct access to the products until the stock is scanned out of a Takealot Distribution Centre. You may only access it by requesting a Removal Order.

5.4 Stock Discrepancy Disputes

If you believe your stock levels are displaying incorrectly on the Seller Portal, you can log a query for our team to investigate via the Seller Contact Form. You can also log a stock discrepancy if you have received damaged stock on a removal order.  Takealot will investigate the dispute and may provide reimbursement in the event that the dispute is found in your favour. Reimbursements are subject to the Takealot.

6: Catalogue & Product Information

6.1 Product Display Pages and Offers

Takealot's catalogue and offer framework is based on what we call the product display page. When you sell on takealot.com, you may create an offer against an existing product display page for the product. If there is no product display page for the product you may create a new product display page for it. Other sellers, including Takealot, could use the product display page you have created, to add their offers for the product. Adding a new product to the Takealot catalogue and subsequently creating a new product display page does not give you exclusive right to that particular product or product display page.

• All product information submitted to Takealot must be in accordance with the Product Information Rules and Requirements
• You are solely responsible to determine that all the information on the product display page that you are going to add an offer against matches your product exactly.  Creating an offer on a product display page that does not match the product exactly is strictly prohibited. This would include the following attributes: manufacturer, edition, binding, version, format, or player/device compatibility. Sellers may not match their item to a detail page with a different ISBN, UPC/EAN, or other external identifier.
• The offer you create could appear in the Buy Box on the product display page, or in the “Other Offers” section of the product display page, along with offers from other sellers for the same product. Customers find this by clicking the link to the Other Offers box.
• You may suggest a change to an existing product display page. The change may be related to any content on the product display page, including but not limited to images, description or title. Supporting evidence for the change must be provided, evidence includes but is not limited to an invoice from a supplier or manufacturer, link to the manufacturer's website and images.
• Product reviews: Product reviews are important to takealot.com customers, providing a forum for feedback about product details and reviewers' experiences with products—positive or negative. You may not write reviews for products that you have a financial interest in, including reviews for products that you or your competitors sell (or get anyone else to do so for you). Product review solicitations that ask for only positive reviews or that offer compensation are prohibited. You may not ask customers to remove negative reviews. Furthermore, the review of competitors products are strictly prohibited.
• Uploading product images displaying inappropriately branded generic products: Uploading images of products displaying your trademark affixed in a temporary or impermanent fashion (e.g. on a sticker or on product packaging etc.) is prohibited where that product is a generic product not permanently branded with your trade mark. takealot.com reserves the right to remove, screen or edit any product images that breach this prohibition.
• Creating duplicate product display pages: Creating a product display page for a product which is already within the takealot.com catalogue or your inventory is prohibited.
• Creating content or products that are prohibited: Please refer to Prohibited Content and Prohibited Items Lists above.

7: Payments & Disbursements

7 .1 Requirements to Receive Payments

To receive payment from Takealot Takealot Marketplace you need to provide the following:

1.  a valid South African bank account and
2.  signed debit order authorisation form

7.2 Your Takealot Marketplace Account and Transfer of Funds

• After a customer order has been shipped to the customer, the full selling price (including VAT) is credited to your Takealot Marketplace Account.  
• Customer refunds, selling fees, and other transactions are balanced against payments received from sales to bring about a net balance (Current Balance).
• Only available funds (positive Available Balance) in your Takealot Marketplace account will automatically be disbursed into your bank account within the relevant disbursement cycle (7th, 14th, 21st and 28th of each month).
• Available funds for disbursements will exclude any income from sales during the previous 72 hours . This is to ensure that there are enough funds in your bank account to cover any selling fees or returns from these sales.
• Payments will be made in South African Rands.
• Each new seller account created will have an initial 14-day holding period before becoming eligible for the disbursement of funds. This holding period is a security requirement and you will not be able to disburse funds to your bank account during this time.
•  After funds are disbursed from your Marketplace Account to your bank account, it can take up to 3 business days for funds to reflect in your bank account. Business days are Monday through Friday.

7.3 Penalties

Penalties are applied at our discretion. It’s application and amount charged is determined by the excessiveness of policy violations.

7 .4 VAT & Other Related Taxes

Please refer to section 10 in the Terms and Conditions for the rules regulating VAT and other taxes.

Takealot will supply VAT invoices as required by law to all sellers whether you provide a VAT registration number or not. If a VAT registration number is provided, it will be visible on the VAT invoice that we send to you. Your VAT invoice for your Takealot Marketplace account fees will be available in electronic form and can be downloaded within the Seller Portal, an email with a link to download your VAT invoice will be sent to you by the 15th day of every month for transactions that occurred in the preceding month.

In addition, all transactions including any applicable VAT, will be shown in the Accounting section of the Seller Portal.

The current applicable VAT rate is 15 percent.

Please note that you are responsible for the accuracy of the information you provide to Takealot. Takealot reserves the right to request additional information to confirm the validity of the information you provide. Such information will be processed and maintained in accordance with the terms set out in the Takealot Marketplace Agreement. Furthermore, you may be invoiced for any applicable unbilled VAT if you provide information that is determined to be invalid.

8 : Correspondence with Takealot

8.1 Rules for Correspondence

Throughout the process of selling on takealot.com you will receive correspondence from the Takealot Marketplace or related teams.

• The correspondence may in most cases be related but not limited to customer requests. The correspondence may include instructions which should be actioned by you. All actions on your part should be completed within one business day. If you are unable to take the necessary action within the stipulated one business day window, you must send an email to the Takealot Marketplace team advising that you require additional time to complete the action or the reason for the delay. Therefore, you are required to check your registered email inbox for correspondence from the Takealot Marketplace team at least once every 24 hours.
• The same applies if the email requires a response with additional information for a customer or any information that we request. If for any reason all or part of your offers are inactivated, you are still required to comply with this policy. Inactivation may be as a result of but not limited to account suspension, account review or depleted inventory.
• Failure to respond within the stipulated period may result in Takealot taking a decision or action on your behalf without notice. Excessive failure to comply with this policy may affect your Takealot Marketplace account negatively and can ultimately result in the suspension or removal of your selling privileges.
• All forms of communication such as but not limited to phone or email communication from the Takealot Marketplace team or takealot.com may not be recorded, replicated or reproduced in anyway or form. Takealot may record all communication or any part thereof and you can request any such recording, if available, from the Takealot Marketplace team but the release of such recordings are at the discretion of Takealot.
• All queries related to your Takealot Marketplace account must be directed to the Takealot Marketplace team only. The Takealot Marketplace team does not endorse any advice or information from any other division within Takealot. You cannot hold Takealot liable for adverse effect of any advice that you receive related to the operation of your business as the Takealot Marketplace team can only advise on the operation of your Takealot Marketplace account.
• In addition, you cannot hold Takealot liable for any adverse effect on sales resulting from advice received from the Takealot Marketplace team. Takealot does not encourage the Takealot Marketplace team to provide advice regarding any issues related to pricing and sales improvement but the Takealot Marketplace team is required to provide the necessary tools that may help you make such an assessment.
• All communication with the Takealot Marketplace team must be communicated from the email address or phone number listed on your Takealot Marketplace account. The Takealot Marketplace team may refuse communication from any other sources as a security measure.  In addition, the Takealot Marketplace team may ask random questions related to your Takealot Marketplace account when you contact them as a security requirement and may refuse to assist you if you are deemed to have failed the security verification process.

8.2 Warning against Phishing emails

It may happen that you are targeted as a Takealot Marketplace seller to provide sensitive emails. These emails are forged in an attempt to convince you to reveal sensitive account information. These false emails also called "spoof emails" or "phishing emails," look similar to real emails. Often these emails direct you to a false website that looks similar to a takealot.com website, where you might be asked to give your account information and password.

These false websites can steal your sensitive information and this stolen information can be used without your knowledge to commit fraudulent activities or activities that you do not authorise. To protect yourself from responding to these emails and revealing sensitive or private information, you can follow a few simple rules:

Know what Takealot WON'T ask for

Takealot will never ask you for the following information in email communication:

• Your bank account information, credit card number, PIN number, or credit card security code (CVV number) -including "updates" to any of the above
• Your mother's maiden name or other information to identify you (such as your place of birth or your favourite pet's name)
• Your Takealot or Seller Portal password

Review grammatical or typographical errors

Be on the lookout for poor grammar or typographical errors. Many phishing emails are translated from other languages or are sent without being proof-read. As a result, these emails can contain bad grammar or typographical errors.

Check the return address

While phishers often send forged emails to make it look like it comes from takealot.com, you can frequently determine whether it's authentic by checking the return address. If the "from" line of the email looks like "takealot-security@mweb.com" or "takealot-payments@iafrica.net," or contains the name of another Internet Service Provider (ISP), you can be sure it is a fraudulent email. Most email clients let you examine the source of the email. Check the email header information to see that the "received from," "reply to," and "return path" for the email comes from @takealot.com.

Check the website address

Some phishers set up spoofed websites that contain the word "Takealot" somewhere in the URL. Genuine Takealot websites always end with "takealot.com". Some phishing emails include a link that looks as though it will take you to your seller account, but it is actually a shortened link to a completely different website. If you hover over the link in your email client, you can sometimes see the underlying, false Web address, either as a popup or as information in the browser status bar.

Lastly, if ever you are in doubt, please contact the Seller Support team for assistance.