Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of Vesse, operated by FLARE ("we", "us"). By creating an account or using any part of Vesse, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use Vesse.

1. Acceptance of terms

By registering for an account, accessing our platform, or using any of our services, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old, have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement, and agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy.

2. The platform

Vesse provides software tools that enable vendors to create online stores, list products, accept payments, and manage orders. We are a platform provider, not a party to transactions between vendors and their customers.

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the platform at any time with reasonable notice. We will not be liable to you for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation.

3. Your account

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials
• All activity that occurs under your account
• Providing accurate and up-to-date account information
• Notifying us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account

You may not share your account with others or create accounts on behalf of others without their consent.

4. Vendor obligations

As a vendor on Vesse, you agree to:

• Only list products you have the right to sell
• Accurately describe your products — no misleading claims
• Honour orders placed through your store
• Handle customer data in compliance with POPIA
• Maintain your own PayFast account in good standing (if using direct PayFast integration)
• Not use Vesse to sell prohibited items (see Section 7)
• Respond to customer queries within a reasonable time

Vesse is not responsible for any disputes between vendors and their customers. Vendors are the sellers of record for all transactions in their stores.

5. Payments and fees

Vesse charges a platform fee on transactions, which varies by plan:

• Free plan: 5% platform fee per transaction
• Growth plan: 3% platform fee + R99/month
• Scale plan: 2% platform fee + R249/month

Monthly subscription fees are billed in advance and are non-refundable except as required by law. Platform fees are deducted from transaction amounts at the time of payment.

We reserve the right to change our fees with 30 days notice. Continued use of the platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the new fees.

6. Vesse Pay

Vesse Pay is our managed payment service where Vesse collects payments on behalf of vendors and pays out vendor earnings on a weekly schedule via EFT. By using Vesse Pay, you agree to:

• Provide accurate bank account details for payouts
• Acknowledge that payouts are subject to a 7-day holding period
• Accept that Vesse's platform fee is deducted before payout
• Comply with all applicable financial regulations

Vesse Pay is not a bank or financial institution. We are acting as a payment facilitator on your behalf.

7. Prohibited use

You may not use Vesse to sell or promote:

• Illegal goods or services under South African law
• Counterfeit or infringing products
• Firearms, ammunition, or weapons
• Tobacco, alcohol, or regulated pharmaceuticals without proper licensing
• Adult or explicit content
• Financial instruments or investment schemes
• Anything that violates another person's rights

We reserve the right to remove any content or suspend any account that violates these restrictions, without notice.

8. Intellectual property

You retain ownership of content you upload to Vesse. By uploading content, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use, store, display, and distribute that content for the purpose of operating and promoting the platform.

The Vesse platform, logo, templates, and associated intellectual property are owned by FLARE and may not be reproduced, modified, or distributed without our written permission.

9. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Vesse and FLARE shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, data, or goodwill.

Our total liability to you for any claim arising from your use of Vesse shall not exceed the greater of (a) the amount you paid us in the 3 months prior to the claim, or (b) R500.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or limitations of liability, so some of the above may not apply to you.

10. Termination

You may close your account at any time from your dashboard settings. We may suspend or terminate your account at any time if we believe you have violated these Terms, without prior notice.

On termination, your store will be taken offline. Order history and financial records will be retained for the period required by law. Any outstanding payout balances will be settled within 30 days of termination.

11. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of South Africa.

12. Contact

For questions about these Terms:
legal@vesse.co.za
FLARE, South Africa