A marketplace is only as trustworthy as its sellers. We publish our expectations openly in several documents in our Seller Resources hub. Here we summarise the two that most affect daily operations: the Seller Service Level Agreement (SLA) and the Sanction Policy.
This is a plain-language overview, not a substitute for the documents. Always read the current versions.
The Seller SLA
Our SLA applies to all registered sellers, including those using Airsoko-fulfilled and self-shipping services.
What we commit to
- Platform availability. We set an uptime commitment, excluding scheduled maintenance, which we communicate in advance.
- Seller support by phone (0115611777), email ([email protected]), the help centre (support.airsoko.com) and live support in the seller portal, with 12-hour support Monday to Sunday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM EAT.
- Response time targets: 2 hours for critical issues such as platform access, 8 hours for operational issues such as order or shipping problems, and 24 hours for general enquiries.
- Sales reports and e-receipts in the seller dashboard.
What sellers commit to
- Confirm orders within 24 hours of order placement.
- Self-shipping: ship within 2 business days of confirmation, with a maximum delivery time of 7 business days.
- Maintain a minimum order fulfilment rate.
- Process refunds within 48 hours after approval.
- Communicate delays to us and the customer.
- Manage inventory to avoid dead stock, defined as stock unsold for 180 consecutive days.
Payments and disputes
Payment discrepancies must be raised within 30 days through the seller portal, and disputes start with our support channels, escalating to an arbitration panel if unresolved. Voluntary termination requires 30 days' notice.
The Sanction Policy
Our Sanction Policy explains what happens when things go wrong. It escalates from warnings to store closure.
Warnings
First incidents within a month, such as a first defective product, a first cancellation or a first incomplete or wrong item, trigger a warning. For wrong or incomplete items the merchant must ship the correct item at their own cost.
Product disabled
Products can be disabled for repeated confirmed defects, a high share of defective deliveries from a store in a month, copyright infringement or unauthorised sale.
Fines and quality assurance
The policy sets charges for replacement shipments, daily demurrage for returned orders not collected, a quality assurance (QA) period with a per-order charge for AFS shipments after a wrong or incomplete item, higher commission charges on orders cancelled for "out of stock" or "price change", and fines for repeat quality issues and counterfeit sales. The exact amounts are listed in the policy.
Suspension
Stores can be suspended for false order status updates, repeated cancellations, delays in resolving disputes, refusing verified bulk prepaid orders, repeated inaccurate listings, selling used items as new, failing to set appropriate delivery fees with self-fulfilment access, and selling counterfeit or expired products.
Store closure and legal action
The gravest violations, including repeat counterfeit sales, repeatedly selling used items as new and diverting orders off the platform to avoid commission, lead to store closure. We will take legal action against merchants selling fake, counterfeit or expired products.
Staying on the right side
- Keep stock and prices current. If you cannot fulfil an item, set its quantity to zero.
- Describe products honestly, especially condition.
- Pack to our Packaging Guidelines.
- Confirm and ship on time, and update statuses truthfully.
- Collect returns promptly.
- Keep all orders on the platform.
Why this is good for honest sellers
Clear rules protect good sellers from being undercut by dishonest ones. When shoppers trust our marketplace, they buy more, and reliable sellers benefit most.
An example: avoiding a cancellation penalty
For example, say a seller realises at 8 AM that a popular blender is out of stock, but the listing still shows ten units. Instead of waiting for new orders and cancelling them, she sets the quantity to zero immediately, checks for any open orders and contacts our support team about the one that came in overnight. A small habit, checking stock before confirming, keeps her clear of the cancellation penalties in our Sanction Policy.
Watch the dates
Each of our policies shows a "last updated" date. Check them periodically.
Build your routines around them
Our Seller SLA sets the service standards on both sides, and our Sanction Policy explains the consequences of quality problems. Read both, build your routines around them and they become simple habits.
Read the Seller SLA and Sanction Policy in the Seller Resources hub.
