Seller Guide

To become a seller, register a standard account, navigate to your Profile Dashboard, and click 'Apply to Open a Shop'. You will fill out an online merchant application with your business particulars and submit it for platform administrator verification.

To open a shop on Pakashop, you must be a legally registered business in Zambia. You must provide a valid PACRA registration certificate, a ZRA TPIN certificate, a business bank account or a registered business mobile money wallet, and a valid national ID (NRC or Passport) of the primary director.

You must scan and upload: (1) PACRA Certificate of Incorporation or Business Registration, (2) ZRA TPIN Certificate, (3) National Registration Card (NRC) or Passport of the owner/director, and (4) Proof of bank account or business mobile money registration.

Our merchant onboarding team typically reviews and verifies application documents within 24 to 48 business hours. We will perform regulatory checks with PACRA and ZRA to ensure compliance before activation.

Once approved, you will receive an automatic email and SMS notification. Your profile dashboard will unlock the full Merchant Console, allowing you to access shop settings, product upload forms, inventory lists, and sales analytics.

From the Merchant Console, navigate to 'Shop Settings'. Here you can upload your shop logo, select a brand color, write a compelling storefront description, define operational hours, and specify physical location coordinates.

In the Merchant Console, go to the 'Products' tab and click '+ Add Product'. You will enter the product title, brand, ZMW price, stock count, description, select a category, and upload clear, high-resolution product images.

You must provide: (1) Descriptive name, (2) Accurate price in ZMW, (3) Stock quantity, (4) Specific category, (5) Brand, (6) A detailed description highlighting specifications, and (7) At least one high-quality product image.

To maintain a premium shopping standard and protect buyers, all newly added or edited products undergo a content moderation review. Admins verify that pricing is fair, descriptions are clear and accurate, images are high-quality, and items comply fully with Zambian laws (no prohibited or counterfeit goods).

Our moderation team works around the clock. Product review and approval normally take between 2 to 12 hours. You can monitor the real-time status ('Pending', 'Approved', 'Rejected') of your listings in your products dashboard.

If a product is rejected, you will receive a detailed notification stating the reason (e.g. low-quality image, incorrect description, or prohibited item). You can simply edit the product based on the feedback and submit it again for approval.

Your 'Products' tab displays a real-time count of available units. You can update price and stock quantities instantly at any time. If stock hits zero, the product automatically displays as 'Out of Stock' to buyers, preventing double-selling.

When a buyer pays for your product via Mobile Money or Card, the payment is securely accepted into Pakashop's central escrow wallet. The order status updates to 'Paid', and you are immediately instructed to package the order.

You will receive an instant notification in your Merchant Console, accompanied by an email alert and an SMS containing order details and target delivery timelines.

Pack the items securely and mark the order as 'Ready for Pickup' in your console. Ensure you print or include a packing slip with the order ID. This signals our delivery dispatch network to assign a delivery agent to collect the package from your shop.

A verified delivery agent will arrive at your shop, verify the order details, and scan/collect the package. The order status changes to 'Out for Delivery'. Once the package arrives, the buyer inspects it and shares their secure 4-digit PIN with the agent to authorize completion.

To ensure absolute security, delayed-settlement compliance, and automated tracking, all deliveries must be fulfilled by Pakashop's verified network of delivery partners. Self-delivery is not supported for standard marketplace transactions.

Payouts are authorized instantly once the delivery is completed. The moment the buyer provides the 4-digit PIN to the delivery agent and the agent confirms it in their app, the escrow funds are released. Funds are settled to your bank account or mobile money wallet during the daily settlement cycle.

To guarantee buyer protection, payment is held securely in our payment provider's wallet (escrow). Once the buyer inputs their PIN to confirm they have received the correct item, the funds are permanently unlocked. Payouts are dispatched to your registered payout account daily.

Registering a store and listing products is completely free. Pakashop only charges a flat 5% commission on successfully completed transactions. This commission covers online gateway fees, automated SMS notifications, and platform maintenance.

Yes, under Zambian tax laws, a standard 16% Value Added Tax (VAT) applies to taxable supplies. As a seller, you must ensure that your listed ZMW prices are inclusive of 16% VAT if you are a VAT-registered business. Pakashop provides structured receipts detailing tax breakdowns for buyers.

If a buyer opens a return request within 24 hours of delivery, the settlement payout is paused. Our dispute resolution team will review the case. If the item is defective or incorrect, you must accept the return, and once verified, a refund will be issued to the buyer's wallet, canceling the transaction.

Yes! The Merchant Console features a secure 'Buyer Messages' live chat portal where you can respond to questions, clarify order details, coordinate package pickup times, or resolve customer complaints directly.

You can update your payout details in the 'Payout Settings' section of the Merchant Console. For bank accounts, you must upload a bank statement cover showing your official account name. Updates are verified by our finance team within 24 hours to prevent fraud.

If a buyer disputes a delivery (claims they did not receive it or received incorrect items), our support team will cross-reference the delivery status. We will check the 4-digit PIN verification log, look at any digital signature captured by the delivery agent, and contact both parties to settle the claim fairly.