Seller Policy

GemAfric.com (GemAfric) is an on-line marketplace powered by AfroGems Global Trades Corporation (AfroGems), where you can sell your quality authentic African products around the world. We want to make sure that you and the consumers buying your products have a positive experience on GemAfric. Please review the following to find out more about what is expected of you as a seller on GemAfric platform.

This policy is a part of our Terms of Use. By opening a GemAfric shop, you’re agreeing to this policy and our Terms of Use

Selling on GemAfric

1. What you can sell on GemAfric
2. What you cannot sell on GemAfric
3. Managing your store on GemAfric platform
4. Selling Fees

Payment to Sellers

1. Initial deposit requirement
2. Payment structure

Other Sellers Requirements

1. Creating and uploading your Content
2. Privacy and protection of personal information
3. Communication Standards
   1. Messages
   2. Forums/Teams
   3. Communicating Cancellations
4. European Union Right of Withdrawal

E.   GemAfric's Purchase Protection Program for Sellers
 F.  Discretionary Actions

Selling on GemAfric

1. What you can sell on GemAfric

• GemAfric is a marketplace specifically focused on authentic quality African products made on the African continent.  To maintain our authentic and quality brand, we carefully select sellers who have products that meet these criteria.  Products that are found to be inconsistent with this brand, will be excluded from our platform.
• As a seller, you agree that:

1. All items presented for sale on our platform meet our authentic and quality African product criteria, and fit into the following eight categories namely:
   1. Accessories
   2. Beauty
   3. Collectibles
   4. Culture & Tourism
   5. Food
   6. Jewelry
   7. Clothing
   8. Wellness
2. All products presented for sale are accurately described.  Items presented for sale on our platform that are found to contain inaccurate and/or false descriptions will be removed and may lead to decertification of seller’s platform permit.
3. You are using your own photographs or video content.  You are not using artistic renderings, stock photos, and/or photos used by other sellers. 
4. If you are selling made-to-order items, you agree that:

1. The cost of your made-to-order items are based on a set price.
2. If you are using photos of previous work on your listing, you make it clear in your description that the photos shown are examples of the finished product.

5. Sellers are rated by customers based on their experience purchasing their products. AfroGems evaluates sellers’ performance based on the rating received from customers.  It is important that sellers monitor their product inventory daily and notify AfroGems immediately an item listed in their on-line store is no longer available.

2. What you cannot sell on GemAfric

• AfroGems prohibits the sale of certain types of items on GemAfric platform.  We prohibit the sale of items that glorify or promote hatred, violence, or are unlawful. 
• Sellers accounts that violate this policy will be immediately suspended or terminated.  By opening a GemAfric store, you’re agreeing to this policy. If AfroGems has reason to believe you or your content shared on our platform violate our Terms, your account will be suspended or terminated. We will notify you that your content or account has been suspended or terminated.   
• The following types of items are prohibited or restricted on GemAfric:

1. Items that make medical claims, as well as illicit drugs, drug paraphernalia, medical drugs, medical devices, alcohol, and tobacco.
2. Hazardous materials and weapons
3. Human remains.
4. Illegal items and items that promote illegal sales and activities.
5. Mature content and items that projects nudity.
6. Items that glorify, promote, support, or suggest violence.
7. Other internationally regulated or banned items.

3. Managing your store on GemAfric platform

• It is important to note that your store represents you and your business offering to AfroGems customers. It’s important that you, your store, and the items you sell are honestly and accurately represented. By selling on GemAfric platform, you agree to that you:

1. Honor AfroGems policies and requirements, and provide honest, accurate information to AfroGems.
2. Accurately represent the items that you list and sell.  Ensure that your store contents abide by AfroGems policies.
3. Will not hate or discriminate against any buyer based on their color, race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and familial status.  
4. Will recognize and respect the intellectual property of others when providing product content     
5. Are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations for the products you list for sale, including any required labels and warnings. 

Note:   AfroGems assumes no responsibility for the accuracy, labeling, or content of your listings on our platform.

AfroGems selling fees are simple and are significantly lower than the fees charged by any other internal electronic commerce marketplace platform provider. The listing of fees charged to sellers for selling products on GemAfric’s platform are as follows: The fees applicable to each seller depends on the selling model agreed by the seller. The selling models are:

• Full storefront
• Individual product sales
• Consignment 
• AfroGems Direct Fulfillment

The selling fee type are:

• Subscription (Listing) fee
• Per item (Per transaction) fee
• Advertising fee
• Warehousing fee

• Transparent pricing.  No separate charges for fulfillment and payment processing.  No hidden fees. 
• One or more of these fees will apply depending on their selling model negotiated with each seller.  
• AfroGems is proud to offer competitive pricing, fair, and transparent to all sellers invited to become part of our marketplace community.  

Payment to Sellers

Sellers are not required to maintain a deposit account in advance for their trades on GemAfric.  In rare cases, a deposit may be required from sellers to rebuild customer credibility based on past experiences.  

As a member of the AfroGems community, our promise to each other is to consistently demonstrate integrity in our relationships and actions, and bring our best to everything that we do.  We trust that all sellers on the platform will maintain this promise.

Our standard seller payout for product items sold are as follows:

• AfroGems will deduct agreed upon platform, transaction, and advertising fees (as applicable), prior to remitting your payout.
• All payments will be made in dollars.
• You are responsible for establishing the bank accounts used to receive your payment transfers from AfroGems. 
• You will be required to choose from payment transfer options, to include:
  1. Transfer to your foreign bank account.
  2. Transfer to a forex account in your country of origin.
  3. Transfer through third party remittance platforms such as – WorldRemit, Sendwave, Moneygram, Western Union.
  4. AfroGems will not remit seller payouts to third party personal bank accounts or send cash to third parties.
• You are responsible for the transfer fees charged to remit the funds to you.
• Payouts to sellers will be made once a week or as agreed to with each seller.
• AfroGems will send the remittance receipt to your email on record.  You are responsible for following up with your financial institution on when and how the funds will be credited to your account.
• Please make sure that AfroGems receive accurate remittance information in writing, as instructed by your financial institution.  AfroGems is not responsible for errors made in the remittance information provided, or delays in crediting your account after successful remittance by AfroGems.
• Note:  There may be instances when partial payout to the seller is held.  Those instances include:
  1. Amounts owed to AfroGems for platform fees and other pre-agreed charges.
  2. Costs incurred by Afrogems to make customer whole for replaced orders resulting from poor quality or defects of original item shipped.
  3. Cost incurred to resolve disputes related to product quality and specifications based on what the customer ordered.
  4. Charges related to curing seller violations of regulations and AfroGems policy and practices. 

Protocols for Sellers

A. Creating and uploading Content.

• As a store owner on GemAfric marketplace, you are responsible for creating your product content.  For each product item to be sold in your store, you will provide the minimum required information to AfroGems Content management team. The following are the minimum content information required for each product item:

1. A high-resolution product picture image with plain white background
2. Brief product item description in short paragraphs.   The description must be brief but must give the consumer essential details such as product identifier/ingredient, supplier information, unit of measurement, size/weight, quantity, and any relevant safety information.
3. Cost
4. Name of seller

B.  Privacy and protection of personal information

Sellers are responsible for protecting consumers personal information they receive while using GemAfric platform or while fulfilling GemAfric customer orders.  Sellers must comply with all relevant legal and safety requirements. This includes data protection and privacy laws that govern the ways in which GemAfric’s information is used. These laws may require that sellers post and comply with governing privacy policy, which must be accessible to GemAfric staff at their request.  Under the European Union law, seller is considered an independent controller of data that is related to other users that may have been obtained through their business interaction with AfroGems staff and affiliates.  Refer to AfroGems Privacy policy for further information.

C.  Communication Standards

Messages:

• With GemAfric's email platform, you can communicate directly with AfroGems’ staff coordinating orders that you are fulfilling.
• AfroGems has a policy that restricts direct communication between sellers and the customer.  For the privacy of the customer and the protection of their financial information, sellers must maintain communications only with AfroGems staff regarding transactions being fulfilled.  This is a condition for operating a storefront on GemAfric marketplace platform.
• Seller communications related to the inability to fulfill a transaction must be directed to Afrogems’ staff promptly.  

D. European Union Right of Withdrawal

E. GemAfric's Purchase Protection Program for Sellers

In general, sellers are protected by GemAfric's Purchase Protection Program. If the case falls outside of GemAfric's purchase protection program, seller will be fully responsible for making the purchaser whole.   If a refund to the buyer is warranted, sellers will be required to refund orders that were not fulfilled, did not meet buyer specifications, or were not received by the buyer.  

GemAfric reserves the right to issue a refund to the buyer and recoup funds from your account, including seller payment account reserve maintained by AfroGems. 

F.  Discretionary Actions

• If GemAfric has reason to believe you, Your Content, or your use of the Services violate our Terms, including this Seller Policy, we may deactivate Your Content to some or all users, or suspend or terminate your account (and any accounts GemAfric determines are related to your account) and your access to the Services. 
• Generally, GemAfric will notify you that Your Content or account has been suspended or terminated, unless you’ve repeatedly violated our Terms, or we have legal or regulatory reasons preventing us from notifying you.
• GemAfric may also make changes to onboarding or authentication processes for sellers at our sole discretion. Completion of these processes may be required for seller account activation or continued access and usage.