Seller Terms & Conditions

1. Eligibility

To sell on SOKONI, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Hold a valid Kenya national ID, passport, or business registration certificate
• Provide a valid Kenyan phone number and M-Pesa account for payouts
• Not be currently suspended or banned from SOKONI
• Operate within the laws of Kenya regarding the goods or services you sell

Businesses must provide a valid KRA PIN and, where applicable, business registration details during onboarding.

2. Seller Account

• You are responsible for maintaining the security of your seller account credentials
• SOKONI offers multi-user access via employee accounts — manage team access carefully
• You must notify SOKONI immediately of any unauthorised access to your account
• Seller accounts are non-transferable
• Each seller may operate one primary seller account. Multiple accounts for the same business require SOKONI approval

3. Listings & Product Standards

All product and service listings must:

• Accurately represent the item — photos, description, condition, and specifications must match the actual product
• Use clear, original photos (no stock photos that misrepresent the item)
• State the correct price in Kenyan Shillings (KES)
• Include all mandatory details: condition (new/used/refurbished), dimensions, materials
• Not contain misleading, deceptive, or false claims
• Not copy listings from other sellers without permission

SOKONI reserves the right to edit, delist, or reject any listing that does not meet these standards, with or without notice.

4. Prohibited Items

The following items are strictly prohibited on SOKONI:

• Weapons, ammunition, or explosives
• Illegal drugs, controlled substances, or drug paraphernalia
• Counterfeit or infringing goods (fake branded items)
• Stolen goods
• Wildlife products or items prohibited by CITES
• Human remains or organs
• Pornographic or sexually explicit material
• Hate material targeting any group
• Malware, hacking tools, or illegal software
• Prescription medicines without a valid pharmacy licence
• Alcohol and tobacco (without the required licences)
• Any item whose sale is prohibited under Kenyan law

5. Commissions & Fees

SOKONI charges a commission on each completed and paid sale. In-store sales through SOKONI POS / Till are charged 5% per sale, and online sales of products on the SOKONI marketplace are charged 15% per sale. Other categories are charged the rate shown for them below:

Commission is deducted automatically before payout. You receive the sale price minus commission and any applicable payment processing fees.

Subscription Plans

Sellers may opt into SOKONI subscription plans for higher product and photo limits. A subscription plan does not change your commission rate. Plan details are available in Seller Plans.

Payment Processing Fee

IntaSend payment processing fees (M-Pesa and card) are passed through at cost. Current rates: M-Pesa 0%–1% (M-Pesa charges), Card 2.5%+KES 50. These are shown in your payout dashboard.

6. Payouts

• Payouts are processed 48–72 hours after the buyer confirms receipt, or 7 days after confirmed delivery if no dispute is raised
• Payouts go to your registered M-Pesa number or bank account
• Minimum payout threshold: KES 100
• Payouts below the minimum are held and accumulated until the threshold is reached
• VAT withholding may be applied per KRA requirements for registered businesses
• You can view all earnings, pending payouts, and transaction history in Seller → Revenue

SOKONI will hold payouts if: a dispute is open, a return is pending, or there are suspected fraudulent transactions under review.

7. Order Fulfilment

• Process and dispatch orders within the handling time shown in your seller profile (default: 24 hours)
• Mark orders as dispatched and provide tracking information immediately upon shipment
• Communicate delays to buyers proactively via the SOKONI messaging system
• Sellers are responsible for packaging items appropriately to prevent transit damage
• If you cannot fulfil an order, cancel it immediately (before dispatch) so the buyer receives a full refund

Consistently late dispatch or high cancellation rates will affect your seller rating and may trigger a review.

8. Returns & Disputes

Sellers must accept returns under SOKONI's Returns Policy for:

• Items not received
• Wrong items sent
• Damaged or defective items
• Significantly not-as-described items

You have 48 hours to respond to a return request. Failure to respond results in automatic approval of the buyer's claim.

SOKONI's dispute resolution team has final authority in disputes between buyers and sellers. Sellers agree to abide by SOKONI's dispute decisions.

9. Compliance & Taxes

• You are responsible for declaring income from SOKONI sales to KRA
• SOKONI provides eTIMS-integrated invoicing for registered businesses — configure this in Seller → eTIMS Settings
• Products must comply with Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) requirements for regulated categories
• Food sellers must hold relevant county health licences
• Pharmaceutical and health product sellers must hold relevant PHARMACY & POISONS BOARD licences
• SOKONI may request supporting documentation at any time to verify compliance

10. Suspension & Removal

SOKONI may suspend or terminate a seller account for:

• Selling prohibited or counterfeit items
• Repeated or serious policy violations
• High dispute or return rates without resolution
• Manipulation of reviews or ratings
• Identity fraud or providing false registration information
• Sustained non-fulfilment of orders
• Any conduct that harms SOKONI's platform integrity or users

For minor violations, SOKONI will issue a warning before suspension. Serious violations (counterfeit goods, fraud) result in immediate permanent termination without notice.

Suspended accounts may appeal by contacting sellers@mysokoni.co.ke. SOKONI will review appeals within 10 business days.

11. Changes to These Terms

SOKONI may update these Seller Terms from time to time. Material changes will be notified via email and in-app notification at least 14 days before taking effect. Continued use of the seller platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

12. Contact

See also: General Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy  |  Returns Policy  |  Refund Policy