Last updated: June 2026
These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your access to and use of Marketa, a Rwanda-focused e-commerce marketplace operated through this platform and related services. By creating an account, browsing, buying, selling, or otherwise using Marketa, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, you must not use the platform.
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Welcome to Marketa. These Terms form a legally binding agreement between you and the operators of Marketa ("Marketa," "we," "us," or "our"). Your use of the platform confirms that you have read, understood, and accepted these Terms in full.
We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect legal, regulatory, technical, or business changes. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date above and, where changes are material, provide additional notice by email, in-app message, or a prominent banner. Your continued use of Marketa after the effective date of updated Terms constitutes acceptance. If you do not agree with revised Terms, you must stop using the platform and close your account after settling any open orders, disputes, or payout obligations.
No employee, agent, or representative of Marketa may modify these Terms orally or in an informal message. Only a written amendment published through official Marketa channels or signed by an authorized officer can vary these Terms.
Marketa connects buyers and sellers across Rwanda and enables secure online commerce through integrated payments, escrow-style fund handling, buyer and seller protection tools, and dispute resolution features. We provide marketplace technology and operational rules; individual sellers remain responsible for their listings, pricing, fulfillment, customer communication, and compliance with applicable law.
Unless we explicitly state otherwise on a specific product page, Marketa is not the seller of record for third-party listings. Your purchase contract is primarily with the seller, subject to the protections, fees, and processes described in these Terms. Marketa acts as an intermediary platform facilitating discovery, checkout, payment routing, and dispute support.
For clarity throughout these Terms:
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You must provide accurate, current, and complete registration information and keep your account details up to date, including your name, email address, phone number (for sellers), and business information where applicable. You are responsible for safeguarding your password and for all activity under your account, including actions by anyone you authorize to use it.
You must be at least eighteen (18) years old, or the age of legal majority in Rwanda if higher, to open an account and conduct transactions. Business sellers must have authority to bind their entity and must provide truthful business information when requested for verification, tax, or payout purposes.
We may suspend, limit, or refuse registration where we reasonably believe information is false, incomplete, duplicated for abuse, or associated with fraud, prior violations, or elevated risk. You may not maintain multiple accounts to evade restrictions, manipulate reviews, circumvent escrow, or avoid Platform Fees.
Sellers registering on Marketa must provide a valid contact phone number for operational and compliance communication. We may use this number to contact you regarding account verification, payout issues, policy violations, or urgent order matters.
Marketa charges a Platform Fee of five percent (5%) on each completed transaction processed through the platform. This fee compensates Marketa for marketplace infrastructure, payment orchestration, buyer and seller protection tooling, dispute handling, hosting, and ongoing platform development.
The Platform Fee is calculated on the order subtotal and applicable charges defined in the order record at checkout, unless a different rate is expressly shown for a specific promotion, plan, or written agreement with Marketa. The fee is deducted from seller proceeds before payout. Buyers may see all-in pricing depending on store configuration, but the 5% Platform Fee remains part of Marketa's compensation for facilitating the sale.
By registering as a seller or completing a sale on Marketa, you agree to the Platform Fee and any additional disclosed charges such as payment processing costs, subscription plan fees, or optional promotional tools. Attempting to complete sales off-platform to avoid the Platform Fee violates these Terms and may result in account suspension, withheld payouts, or termination.
Fees are non-refundable except where required by law or where Marketa expressly agrees in writing. If an order is fully refunded or voided before completion, the Platform Fee treatment will follow the refund policy and order timeline reflected in your seller dashboard and order details.
Some sellers may subscribe to paid plans that include additional features, limits, or promotional placement. Subscription fees, billing intervals, and renewal terms are disclosed at purchase. Failure to pay subscription charges may result in feature limits or store suspension independent of your obligation to pay Platform Fees on completed orders.
We may introduce new paid features or modify plan pricing with reasonable notice. Existing prepaid periods will generally be honored through the end of the paid term unless otherwise stated.
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Buyers who pay through Marketa checkout receive payment protection tied to order status, delivery evidence, and our dispute process. Funds paid for an order are not released to the seller until the applicable hold period ends, the buyer confirms receipt, or a dispute is resolved, unless an exception applies under these Terms.
If an item is materially not as described, not delivered within a reasonable time, or damaged in transit due to inadequate seller packaging, you may open a dispute within the timeframe shown in your order or account. We will review evidence from both parties and may issue a full refund, partial refund, or release funds according to our policies and applicable law.
Buyers must cooperate in good faith during disputes, including providing photos, tracking information, and timely responses. Abuse of buyer protection—such as false non-receipt claims after confirmed delivery—may result in account limits, reversal of refunds, or termination.
Sellers receive clear order records, payout schedules subject to escrow holds, and the ability to respond to disputes with evidence such as tracking numbers, delivery photos, and communication logs. Funds are held only for orders subject to buyer protection and are released when conditions are met, reducing certain types of buyer fraud when sellers fulfill properly.
We do not arbitrarily withhold completed payouts outside the escrow, Platform Fee, and dispute frameworks described here. Sellers who maintain accurate inventory, ship on time, and document fulfillment are generally protected from unjustified claims when they provide credible evidence during disputes.
Seller accounts may be subject to verification, limits for new stores, or temporary holds where we detect elevated risk. We will communicate material restrictions when reasonably possible. Sellers may appeal certain account or payout decisions through our support channels.
Sellers must list only items they are legally permitted to sell in Rwanda and must describe products accurately, including condition, quantity, variants, defects, and material limitations. Misleading titles, images, pricing, or counterfeit goods are prohibited and may lead to listing removal, order cancellation, withheld payouts, or account termination.
You must fulfill orders within the stated or reasonable processing time, use reliable shipping or delivery methods, and provide valid tracking or proof of handover when required. You are responsible for packaging, regulatory compliance for your goods, and courteous customer communication regarding order status.
Sellers must honor applicable consumer protection obligations and Marketa policies on returns, cancellations, and refunds where they apply to your store category. You must not divert buyers off-platform to avoid Platform Fees, escrow, or dispute protections, and you must not solicit payment outside Paypack for Marketa orders.
You grant Marketa a limited license to display your listings, store name, logos, and product media for marketplace operation and promotion. You represent that you own or have rights to all content you upload and that listings do not infringe third-party intellectual property.
Buyers must provide accurate shipping and contact information and be available to receive deliveries or arrange pickup where offered. Review listings carefully before purchase and ask sellers reasonable questions through approved channels when information is unclear.
After delivery, inspect items promptly and report issues within the dispute window. Confirming receipt or allowing the protection period to expire without a valid dispute may result in release of escrowed funds to the seller, net of the Platform Fee.
You must not misuse coupons, abuse returns, engage in friendly fraud, or harass sellers or other users. Violations may result in account termination and referral to Paypack or authorities where appropriate.
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All marketplace payments for orders placed through Marketa must be completed using Paypack, our designated payment provider. We do not accept cash, direct bank transfer, or mobile-money payments directed to sellers for platform orders outside the Paypack checkout flow unless we expressly enable an alternative in writing.
By paying through Paypack, you agree to Paypack's applicable terms, privacy notices, and processing rules in addition to ours. Marketa does not store full card or mobile-money credentials; payment authentication and settlement are handled by Paypack subject to their security standards.
Prices displayed at checkout are in the currency indicated on the platform unless otherwise stated. You are responsible for any fees, taxes, or charges disclosed at checkout or required by law. Failed, reversed, or disputed Paypack transactions may delay order confirmation, shipment, or seller payout until resolved.
When a buyer pays for an order, the payment is processed through Paypack and seller proceeds for that order are held in escrow or an equivalent held-balance arrangement until release conditions are met. Holds protect buyers during shipping and inspection periods and protect the integrity of the marketplace when fulfillment is disputed.
Funds are typically released to the seller after the buyer confirms receipt, the automatic release period expires without an open dispute, or a dispute is resolved in the seller's favor. Release amounts reflect deductions for the 5% Platform Fee, refunds, chargebacks, and any other adjustments shown in the order ledger.
We may extend holds where there is an open dispute, suspected fraud, chargeback, regulatory request, or violation investigation. Escrow describes our operational handling of order-related payouts consistent with our agreements with Paypack and applicable law; it does not create a banking relationship between you and Marketa.
Either party may open a dispute from the order page within the stated deadline, selecting a reason and uploading supporting evidence. Both buyer and seller will be notified and must respond within the time limits we specify; failure to respond may result in a decision based on available information.
Marketa may request additional documentation, mediate informally, or issue a platform decision for escrow release or refund as allowed by these Terms. Our decision is made in good faith based on policies, order data, and evidence. Chargebacks or payment reversals initiated through Paypack may override or run parallel to platform disputes; you agree to cooperate with us and Paypack in such cases.
Repeated unfounded disputes or seller non-cooperation may affect account standing, fee rates, payout timing, or access to protection features.
You may not use Marketa for illegal goods or services, hate speech, harassment, malware distribution, or any activity that violates Rwandan law or applicable sanctions. Counterfeit goods, stolen property, weapons where prohibited, and controlled substances are strictly forbidden.
Manipulation of search rankings, fake reviews, credential stuffing, scraping at scale without permission, and interference with platform security are prohibited. You may not attempt to access another user's account or our systems without authorization.
We may remove content, cancel transactions, withhold payouts, and report serious violations to authorities where required or appropriate. Users affected by enforcement may appeal through support where an appeal process is offered.
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Marketa's name, logos, software, and site design are owned by us or our licensors and may not be copied or used without permission. User-generated content remains yours subject to the licenses you grant us to operate the marketplace.
If you believe content on Marketa infringes your copyright or trademark, submit a notice with sufficient detail for us to evaluate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access. Repeat infringers may have accounts terminated.
To the fullest extent permitted by Rwandan law, Marketa and its affiliates, officers, and employees are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the platform. Our total liability for any claim relating to a specific order or these Terms is limited to the Platform Fees we earned on that order or one hundred thousand Rwandan francs (RWF 100,000), whichever is greater, except where law does not permit such limitation.
We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free service and are not responsible for seller misconduct, delivery failures by third-party carriers, or Paypack outages beyond our reasonable control. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or other liability that cannot be excluded by law.
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Marketa from claims, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your listings, products, conduct, breach of these Terms, or violation of third-party rights. Sellers bear primary responsibility for product safety claims and regulatory compliance related to their goods.
You may close your account at any time subject to completion of open orders, disputes, and outstanding payouts. We may suspend or terminate your access immediately for material breach, fee avoidance, fraud, legal requirement, or risk to other users or the platform.
Upon termination, provisions that by nature should survive—including payment obligations, Platform Fees, escrow releases, disputes, liability limits, and governing law—remain in effect. We may retain certain records as described in our Privacy Policy.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Rwanda, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Courts in Rwanda shall have exclusive jurisdiction over disputes between you and Marketa arising from these Terms or platform use, except where mandatory consumer protections require otherwise.
Before filing suit, you agree to contact us to attempt good-faith resolution. Nothing prevents either party from seeking urgent injunctive relief where appropriate.
For questions about these Terms, Platform Fees, escrow, disputes, or account status, contact Marketa support at the email or address published on our website's Contact or Help page. Please include your account email and order number when writing about a specific transaction.
We aim to respond to lawful and good-faith inquiries within a reasonable time. Official legal notices may be sent to the registered business contact listed on the platform for Marketa operators in Rwanda.