Store Owner Agreement

What a Store Owner is

A Store Owner uses Khalala's technology to operate a personalised online storefront on a dedicated Khalala subdomain. The Store Owner selects which products from Khalala's central catalogue to feature and markets the storefront to prospective customers.

The Store Owner does not buy or hold inventory, does not set product prices, does not process customer payments, and does not pick, pack, ship, deliver, accept statutory returns or process refunds. Khalala performs those functions as the customer-facing retailer and platform operator.

The Store Owner's primary role is product selection for their storefront and marketing. If a customer contacts the Store Owner about an order, delivery, return, refund, product defect or other operational matter, the Store Owner must refer or escalate the matter to Khalala for resolution.

Technology setup fee

A once-off technology setup fee of R2,000 is payable before the Store Owner's personalised storefront goes live. The fee covers creation, configuration and activation of the storefront and access to the Khalala platform. It is not payment for stock, a territory, ownership of Khalala's retail operation or a guarantee of sales or earnings.

Monthly platform fee

A recurring technology and platform-access fee of R500 per month is charged to the payment method used at setup for as long as the storefront remains active. The fee provides continued access to the storefront technology and related platform services. It is not refundable for a partial month unless required by law.

If payment fails, Khalala may suspend the storefront until the outstanding platform fee is successfully paid. Khalala does not automatically retry a failed payment unless the platform expressly indicates otherwise.

Store Owner earnings

The Store Owner earns 20% of the value of qualifying goods sold through their storefront ("Store Owner Earnings"). Delivery charges are excluded and are retained by Khalala because Khalala arranges and pays for delivery.

Store Owner Earnings are paid automatically and in real time as part of Khalala's payment processing for each qualifying order — funds settle directly into the Store Owner's verified South African bank account on Khalala's payment provider's standard settlement schedule for that transaction. No separate monthly calculation or payment run is required from Khalala for Store Owner Earnings on product sales.

Cancelled, refunded, reversed, fraudulent or successfully charged-back transactions do not generate Store Owner Earnings. If Earnings have already been paid on such a transaction, Khalala may deduct the corresponding amount from future Earnings after providing a transaction record explaining the adjustment.

Referral commissions

If a Store Owner refers a new Store Owner applicant through their own storefront link, and that referred applicant is approved and successfully pays their once-off technology setup fee, the referring Store Owner earns a one-off Referral Commission equal to 20% of that setup fee. Referral Commissions are separate from, and do not affect, ordinary Store Owner Earnings on product sales.

Unlike Store Owner Earnings, a Referral Commission is not paid automatically at the moment it is earned — it is paid by a bank transfer that Khalala initiates once processed, confirmed by a one-time code, to the Store Owner's verified South African bank account. There is no fixed monthly payment date for Referral Commissions.

If the referred Store Owner's setup fee is later refunded — for example, because they close their store within Khalala's 7-day refund window — the corresponding Referral Commission is voided. A voided Referral Commission that has not yet been paid will not be paid; the Referral Commission programme does not claw back an amount already genuinely paid out before the refund occurred.

Bank and payout details

Before payouts can be made, the Store Owner must provide valid South African bank account details. Khalala may verify the account holder's name against an ID number or business registration number. Payouts are made only to the verified account. Changes to payout details must be submitted through Khalala's approved support process.

Products, pricing and stock

The Store Owner may choose which products from Khalala's available catalogue to feature on their storefront and may change that selection through the platform. Khalala controls product sourcing, product information, retail pricing, photography, availability and stock levels during Phase 1.

The Store Owner may not list their own products or third-party products on the Phase 1 storefront unless Khalala introduces and expressly authorises that functionality in writing.

Marketing role

The Store Owner decides how actively to market their storefront and which featured products to promote, subject to applicable law and Khalala's brand and product-information rules.

The Store Owner must not make false, misleading, unauthorised or unsubstantiated claims about Khalala, a product, expected earnings, health benefits, product performance, delivery, discounts or any other matter. Store Owners may use only product information and marketing assets supplied or approved by Khalala where the representation relates to product characteristics or claims.

Customer relationship and support

Customers purchasing through a Store Owner storefront contract with Khalala for the purchase of the goods. Khalala is responsible for checkout, payment processing, order confirmation, fulfilment, delivery coordination, statutory returns, refunds and central customer support.

A Store Owner may communicate with people who independently choose to engage with them about products or their storefront. The Store Owner must not represent that they can approve refunds, alter orders, promise delivery outcomes or make commitments on Khalala's behalf. Operational customer enquiries must be escalated to Khalala.

Khalala will provide the Store Owner with sales and customer information only to the extent reasonably necessary for storefront attribution, reporting, authorised marketing or support, and subject to POPIA and the Khalala Privacy Policy.

Independent relationship

The Store Owner participates as an independent marketing and storefront operator using Khalala's technology. Nothing in this Agreement creates employment, partnership or authority for the Store Owner to bind Khalala. The Store Owner is responsible for their own taxes and costs arising from their marketing activities and Earnings, subject to applicable law.

Khalala brand and storefront identity

The Khalala name, wordmark, platform design, catalogue content and related intellectual property remain owned or controlled by Khalala. The Store Owner receives a limited, revocable right to use the personalised storefront and approved Khalala assets only for participation in the programme while this Agreement is active.

The storefront may identify the Store Owner by an approved name, subdomain and accent colour, but remains part of the Khalala platform.

No sales or income guarantee

Khalala does not guarantee any number of customers, orders, sales, Earnings or profit. Results depend primarily on customer demand and the Store Owner's marketing activity, as well as product availability and other market factors.

Suspension and misuse

Khalala may suspend a storefront for non-payment, fraud, misleading marketing, misuse of customer information, abuse of the platform, unlawful conduct, material breach of this Agreement, or conduct that creates a material risk to customers, Khalala or its service providers. Where reasonably possible, Khalala will explain the reason and allow a remediable breach to be corrected.

Term and termination

This Agreement continues while the storefront remains active. Either party may terminate it by written notice. Khalala may terminate immediately for serious fraud, unlawful conduct, material platform abuse or other material breach that cannot reasonably be remedied.

Termination does not affect completed customer orders or Store Owner Earnings validly earned before termination. Khalala may retain or adjust amounts reasonably required to resolve refunds, reversals, chargebacks or fraud relating to earlier transactions.

Changes to the programme

Khalala may improve or change platform functionality, catalogue features or operational processes as the service develops. If a change materially increases a Store Owner's recurring fee or materially reduces an existing contractual benefit, Khalala will give reasonable advance notice and the Store Owner may terminate before the change takes effect.

Governing law and contact

This Agreement is governed by the laws of South Africa. Mandatory rights under applicable South African law are not excluded by this Agreement. Questions and notices may be sent to support@khalala.co.za.