Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Zonse Point, or by creating an account, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions and all policies referenced within them, including the Refund Policy, Clawback Policy, Buyer Protection Policy, and Seller Protection Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the platform.

2. Use of the Platform

Zonse Point is an online marketplace in Malawi where independent buyers and sellers meet. Zonse Point is not the buyer or the seller and is not a party to any sale. It does not own, inspect, store or deliver the items listed, and does not guarantee their quality, safety, legality or description. Its role is to provide the platform and to handle payments as set out in these Terms. You may use the platform only for lawful purposes. You must not post fraudulent, misleading, or prohibited listings.

3. Seller Responsibilities

Sellers are responsible for the accuracy of their listings, the quality of goods sold, and fulfilling orders in a timely manner. To list items, a seller must complete identity verification and have no unpaid balance on their Zonse Point Credit Account. To receive payouts, a seller must register a payout method: a mobile money number (Airtel Money or TNM Mpamba) or a bank account. Amounts a seller owes (see Section 8) are recovered from future payouts or collected directly; where the seller has registered a mobile money number, Zonse Point may collect from it, and it cannot be removed while amounts are owed. Zonse Point is not liable for seller conduct or product quality.

4. Payment Flow

Online payments are processed by PayChangu, an independent payment provider, by Airtel Money, TNM Mpamba, bank transfer, Visa or Mastercard. Zonse Point does not store card details. You may also pay wholly or partly with Zonse credit, or, where the seller offers it, by cash on delivery. Online payments are held in escrow in Zonse Point's merchant account until the order is fulfilled and escrow conditions are met; cash on delivery orders are paid directly to the seller and are not held in escrow (see Section 9). Zonse Point's fees — the platform fee deducted from seller payouts, the fee for cash on delivery orders, PayChangu's processing fee on online payments (added to the amount the buyer pays and shown before paying) and the smallest online payment — are set out in the Fee Schedule on the website and in the app. The cash on delivery fee is recorded as an amount the seller owes when the order is delivered, and recovered as in Section 8. Fee increases are published at least 30 days before they apply, and apply only to orders placed after that date. Apart from PayChangu's processing fee, buyers pay the listed price.

5. Escrow & Fund Holding

Online payments are held in escrow from the moment of payment until one of the following: (a) the buyer confirms receipt, and 3 days then pass without a dispute or return request; (b) the seller marks the order delivered and the buyer does not respond within 3 days — receipt is then treated as confirmed, and the funds are released 3 days later unless a dispute or return request is raised; (c) an admin resolves a dispute and orders a release or refund; (d) a return is confirmed by the seller, or the seller does not respond to a return request within 3 days, and the buyer is refunded; (e) the buyer reports the order as not received and the seller does not respond within 3 days, and the buyer is refunded; (f) the order is cancelled by the buyer within 5 minutes of placing it, or cancelled by the seller. Where a checkout includes items from several sellers, each seller's part is handled separately. Neither the buyer nor the seller can release or take back held funds themselves; Zonse Point releases or refunds them only as set out in these Terms. Cash on delivery orders are not held in escrow (see Section 4).

6. Refund Policy

When a refund applies, the buyer gets back what they paid for the item: the amount paid online, plus any Zonse credit used, which goes back as Zonse credit. Promo code discounts are not paid out. PayChangu's processing fee is not refunded. Zonse Point's platform fees (see the Fee Schedule) are kept on every refund and charged to the seller, except when the buyer cancels within 5 minutes of placing the order.

Refunds are not available for: Promoted Listing budget already spent (unspent budget is returned as Zonse credit under Section 12); event tickets, except as set out in Section 14; or cash on delivery orders (see Section 9). Change-of-mind returns are at the seller's discretion and are not covered by Buyer Protection.

Return requests and disputes must be made within 30 days of the order being marked delivered. After that, they are no longer available.

Before the seller is paid. The buyer is refunded from the payment held in escrow (Section 5) if the seller accepts the return, or if the seller does not respond within 3 days. If the seller refuses, an admin decides.

After the seller is paid. A refund is then money the seller owes the buyer. Zonse Point collects it from the seller and passes it to the buyer; it does not pay the refund from its own funds. If the seller accepts the return, or an admin decides a return or dispute for the buyer: (a) The seller has 3 days to pay the refund amount through Zonse Point. If they don't, it is recovered from their payouts (see Section 8), and the refund waits until it is fully recovered. The buyer keeps the item meanwhile and may withdraw the return until the seller has paid in full. (b) Once the seller has paid in full, the buyer has 3 days to send the item, with a courier and tracking number. If it is not sent in time, the return is cancelled and the money goes back to the seller. (c) The refund is sent after a final check by Zonse Point, once the seller confirms the item arrived in good condition. If the seller does not respond within 3 days of the buyer marking it delivered, it is treated as received. If the seller reports it not received, the buyer may send it once more; after that, or if it arrived damaged, an admin decides. If the seller does not answer the return request within 3 days, or refuses it, an admin decides.

Return delivery. For every return: if the item was damaged, wrong or not as described, the seller pays to send it back. Otherwise, if the buyer paid for delivery, the seller pays unless the listing said otherwise; if delivery was free, the buyer pays unless the seller offers to.

Where refunds go. Mobile money payments are refunded to the paying number, and bank payments to the paying account. If that number or account is not known, the refund goes to the payout details on the buyer's profile. Card payments are refunded manually by our team. Refunds may take 3–7 business days.

7. Refund Flow

Buyers and sellers should first try to resolve any problem with each other through Zonse Point chat. Buyers may cancel within 5 minutes of placing an order for an automatic full refund. After that, two paths apply, both within 30 days of delivery:

(a) Return Request — individual items or the full order may be returned. The seller has 3 days to accept or refuse; if the seller refuses, an admin decides. If the seller does not respond within 3 days, the buyer is refunded automatically if the seller has not yet been paid; if the seller has been paid, an admin decides.

(b) Dispute — the buyer opens a dispute, before or after the seller has been paid. An admin reviews the evidence from both sides and decides for the buyer or the seller.

Before the seller is paid, a return or dispute decided for the buyer is refunded from escrow, and one decided for the seller releases the escrowed funds to the seller. After the seller is paid, one decided for the buyer follows Section 6: the seller returns the refund amount first, then the buyer sends the item back. An item whose dispute has been decided cannot be disputed again or returned. Requests after the 30-day window are not accepted.

8. Clawback Policy

A seller may owe: (i) a buyer — the refund for a return or dispute decided for the buyer after the seller was paid (Section 6), which Zonse Point collects on the buyer's behalf and passes on; and (ii) Zonse Point — its fees, such as platform fees kept on a refunded order and the cash on delivery fee (Section 4), and any late fee under this Section. Each amount is recorded against the seller's account and is paid or recovered as follows:

(a) Payout deduction — taken from the seller's next payout(s), oldest amounts first.

(b) Paying directly — the seller may pay at any time in the app or on the website, through PayChangu (PayChangu's fee is added and paid by the seller) or with unrestricted Zonse credit. A payment made outside the app counts only once Zonse Point has checked the proof.

(c) Collection request — Zonse Point may ask the seller to pay from their registered mobile money number; the seller confirms on their phone. The seller is warned by SMS, push notification and email 24 hours before, and by SMS 3 minutes before. Requests are sent only between 07:00 and 20:00 Malawi time. If Zonse Point's team starts a request, the 24-hour warning may be skipped. A seller paid by bank is sent bank transfer details instead.

Sellers cannot remove their registered mobile money number while amounts are owed. Owing an amount does not by itself stop a seller selling or being paid, since payouts are how it is recovered. However, Zonse Point may, at its discretion, restrict or suspend an account for non-payment. Zonse Point may pause collection while an amount is reviewed.

Overdue refunds. If a refund a seller owes a buyer is not fully paid 30 days after it became owed: Zonse Point's late fee set out in the Fee Schedule is added each month on the refund amount (not compounding); the seller cannot start new Promoted Listings; and their listings are shown lower. These restrictions end once the refund amount is paid; any late fee left is still owed. After 60 days, the matter may be referred for collection or legal action.

9. Buyer Protection

Online payments are held in escrow until the buyer has had the chance to confirm receipt or raise a problem (Section 5). Buyers and sellers should first try to resolve any problem with each other through Zonse Point chat. A buyer may request a return or open a dispute within 30 days of delivery, including after the seller has been paid. A refund may be given through the process in Sections 6 and 7 where: (a) the item received is damaged, wrong, or significantly not as described; (b) the item was not delivered and the seller cannot show that it was; or (c) the order is cancelled by the seller. Buyer Protection does not cover change-of-mind returns, items accurately described but not to your preference, or damage caused by you. After the seller has been paid, a refund depends on the seller returning the money (Section 6); Zonse Point does not pay it from its own funds. An admin's decision in a dispute settles how payments held or collected on the platform are handled; it does not take away any right you have under Malawian law.

Cash on delivery. An order paid by cash on delivery is paid directly to the seller and is not held in escrow. Zonse Point does not handle returns, refunds or disputes for cash on delivery orders; these are a matter between the buyer and the seller. You may still report a seller, and Zonse Point may act on the seller account under these Terms.

10. Seller Protection

Buyer payments are held in escrow until the buyer confirms receipt or the time to respond passes (Section 5). Payouts are released when: (a) the buyer confirms receipt and 3 days pass without a dispute or return request; (b) an admin decides a dispute for the seller; or (c) a return is refused and an admin decides for the seller. A buyer may still request a return or open a dispute within 30 days of delivery after the seller has been paid. If it is decided for the buyer, the seller must return the refund amount (Sections 6 and 8). Sellers are expected to keep listings accurate, fulfil orders within the stated time and communicate honestly. Sellers who misrepresent products or act in bad faith bear full responsibility for refunds and fees.

11. Order Cancellations & Returns

Buyers may cancel within 5 minutes of placing an order for a full automatic refund. After delivery, buyers have 30 days to request a return or open a dispute. Items that arrive damaged, wrong, or significantly not as described can be returned; change-of-mind returns are at the seller's discretion. Before the seller has been paid (Section 5), a return is refunded from escrow; after that, the seller first returns the refund amount and the buyer then sends the item back (Section 6). Individual items or the full order may be returned; items from different sellers are handled separately. After 30 days from the delivery date, returns and disputes are no longer available. Event tickets are non-refundable, except as set out in Section 14. Cash on delivery orders are not covered (Section 9).

12. Promoted Listings

12.1 What it is. A Promoted Listing is a paid advertising campaign for one of your listings. Zonse Point shows the listing in advertising positions across the app and website (for example the home page, Featured, search results, category and browse pages, and product pages), marked "Sponsored".

12.2 Budget and charging. You choose a listing, a pricing tier and a budget. Each tier has a minimum budget per listing, set by Zonse Point and shown when you choose the tier. Your budget is charged up front. It is then spent down as your listing is shown, at the tier's price per 1,000 impressions (CPM). One payment may cover several listings; each listing then runs as its own campaign with its own budget.

12.2A Paying with Zonse credit. You may pay for a campaign wholly or partly with your unrestricted Zonse credit. The credit is applied when your payment is confirmed. If your credit balance has changed by then and can no longer cover its share, the campaign does not start; it waits for the balance to be paid (see 12.5A).

12.3 What counts as an impression. An impression is counted at most once per viewer per campaign in any 10-minute period. Impressions are counted by Zonse Point's systems and those figures are final.

12.4 No guaranteed results. We do not guarantee any number of views, clicks or sales. Placement depends on your remaining budget, your tier, the viewer's context and other advertisers, and may vary.

12.5 When a campaign ends. A campaign has no end date. It runs until its budget is fully spent or it is cancelled, and it is not renewed automatically.

12.5A Unpaid balance. A campaign that is not fully paid does not run. You have 7 days from the payment to pay the balance. If you do not, the campaign is cancelled and the amount you did pay is returned to you as Zonse credit. You may also cancel a campaign that has not started at any time, with the same return.

12.6 Cancelling and refunds of unspent budget. You may cancel a campaign at any time. Any budget not yet spent is returned to you as Zonse credit (unrestricted credit, usable at checkout on Zonse Point orders). It is not paid out in cash or returned to your mobile money or card. Amounts are rounded down to whole MWK. Budget already spent on impressions is not refundable. Zonse credit can be used at checkout on Zonse Point orders and to pay for new Promoted Listing campaigns; it cannot be withdrawn as cash.

12.7 Cancellation by Zonse Point. We may pause or cancel a campaign, and remove a listing, if the listing or seller breaches these terms or our policies, or the seller's account is suspended or closed. If we cancel for a policy breach, the unspent budget is forfeited unless we decide, at our discretion, to refund it as Zonse credit. If we cancel for any other reason, unspent budget is returned as Zonse credit.

12.8 Account closure. If your account is closed or deleted, your campaigns are cancelled and any unspent budget and any Zonse credit are forfeited, because they cannot be used or paid out once the account is erased. We tell you this before you confirm deletion. To keep unspent budget, cancel your campaigns first (it is returned as Zonse credit) and use your credit before the deletion date.

12.9 Listing changes. You must keep the promoted listing accurate and available for sale. Promotion does not exempt a listing from moderation.

13. Prohibited Content

Users must not list illegal items, counterfeit goods, weapons, or any content that violates Malawian law. Zonse Point may remove such listings and restrict or suspend the account.

14. Event Organizer Terms

By creating and publishing an event, you (the Organizer) agree to the following, in addition to the rest of these Terms:

(a) Accuracy of listing — you must provide a complete and accurate description, including venue, date, ticket tiers, and at least one representative image.

(b) Ticket sales are final — tickets sold through Zonse Point are non-refundable, except in the two cases below.

(c) Refund triggers — a full refund of every ticket sold to date is issued automatically to buyers if you cancel the event before it takes place, or you change the event's venue/location or date after tickets have already been sold. Any other change to the listing does not trigger a refund.

(d) Fees are still owed on a refunded event — Zonse Point's commission on the refunded sales is still payable by you. This amount is recorded as a debt on your Zonse Point Credit Account.

(e) Consequence of an unpaid debt — while this debt is outstanding, you may not create a new event or product listing. The restriction lifts automatically once the debt is settled.

(f) Payout timing — ticket revenue is held until your event has taken place, and released a few business days afterward, less the applicable commission. Zonse Point may, at its sole discretion and only after internal admin and Overseer approval, release part of your revenue in advance for organizers with an established track record — this is never guaranteed.

(g) Disputes — if a legitimate concern is raised about your event after ticket sales, Zonse Point may temporarily hold your ticket revenue while it is reviewed, and may resolve the dispute in the buyers' favour or release it to you.

By checking "I agree to the Event Organizer Terms" when creating an event, you confirm you have read and accept the above.

15. Account Registration

You must provide accurate information when creating an account. You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account. You must be at least 18 years old, or have guardian consent, to register. Phone verification is required to access buying and selling features.

16. Prohibited Conduct

You must not: • Circumvent the Platform’s payment system • Harass, threaten, or defraud other users • Post false or misleading content • Attempt to reverse-engineer or disrupt the Platform • Create multiple accounts to evade bans

17. Intellectual Property

The Zonse Point name, logo, and original content are the property of Zonse Point. User-uploaded content remains owned by the uploader; by uploading you grant Zonse Point a non-exclusive licence to display it on the Platform.

18. Limitation of Liability

Zonse Point provides a platform only and is not a party to sales between buyers and sellers. The platform is provided "as is" and "as available"; we do not guarantee it will be uninterrupted or error-free. To the extent the law allows, Zonse Point is not liable for: • the conduct of buyers or sellers; • the quality, safety, legality or description of items; • delivery, or loss or damage in transit; • services provided by third parties, including PayChangu, mobile networks, banks and couriers; • any indirect or consequential loss.

Where Zonse Point is liable, its total liability to a user is limited to the greater of the fees that user paid to Zonse Point in the 3 months before the claim, or the amount paid for the order the claim is about. Nothing in these Terms limits any right you have under the laws of Malawi that cannot lawfully be limited.

19. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. By creating an account, or by accessing or using the platform in any way, you accept these Terms, as updated from time to time, and agree to follow them. When the Terms change, you will be asked to accept the new version before you continue using the platform. Continuing to use the platform after the updated Terms are published also means you accept them.

20. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Malawi. Disputes shall be resolved through good-faith negotiation, and failing that, through the courts of Malawi.

21. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact us at support@zonsepoint.com.