Acceptable Use Policy

1. Purpose & Scope

This Acceptable Use Policy applies to everyone who uses Craft Connect: buyers, artisans, and visitors. It works alongside our Terms & Conditions and our Returns, Refunds & Disputes Policy, and is enforced by the Craft Connect admin team. By using Craft Connect you agree to the rules below. We may update this policy; the latest version always applies to new activity on the platform.

2. Prohibited Products

The following items may not be listed on Craft Connect, whether by individual artisans or anyone operating on their behalf. Craft Connect exists to celebrate South African handmade craft; mass-produced, illegal, and unsafe items have no place here.

• Counterfeit goods, replicas of branded products, or items pretending to be the work of another maker.
• Mass-produced or factory-manufactured items sold as handmade. Listings must reflect the maker's own process, materials, and labour.
• Illegal items, including prohibited weapons, controlled substances, endangered species or their parts, and stolen property.
• Hazardous materials, recalled goods, or items that fail South African consumer safety standards.
• Items that violate intellectual property rights, including unlicensed use of another artist's designs, images, or trade marks.
• Adult-only content, items intended to deceive or harm, and any goods restricted by South African law.

3. Prohibited Listing Behaviour

Listings, descriptions, photos, and pricing must be honest. The following behaviours are not allowed on the platform.

• Misleading descriptions, stock photos that do not represent the actual item, or prices set as bait to draw buyers off the platform.
• Fraudulent listings, multiple accounts to evade enforcement, or impersonating another artisan, brand, or buyer.
• Circumventing Craft Connect's payment system by directing buyers to settle outside the platform. All payments must flow through Paystack so escrow and dispute protections apply.
• Bidding, raffling, or otherwise selling access to items outside the order-and-payment flow Craft Connect provides.

4. Prohibited User Behaviour

Treat the Craft Connect community with respect. We do not tolerate:

• Harassment, threats, hate speech, or discriminatory language towards any user or member of the Craft Connect team.
• Spamming buyers with unsolicited messages, reviews manipulated to mislead, or any form of fake engagement.
• Attempts to access other users' accounts, the admin dashboard, payment systems, or any part of Craft Connect without authorisation.

5. Artisan Verification (KYC)

Every artisan on Craft Connect goes through a manual KYC review by an authorised Craft Connect admin before they can list products or receive payouts. The review includes the artisan's identity document, proof of address, and (once identity is verified) a separate verification of the bank-account details and payout profile. Craft Connect does not currently run automated verification against documents or against any government database; the verification decision is taken by a human reviewer and recorded on the internal review trail. Verified artisans can be placed on hold; rejected applications can be reviewed and resubmitted within the limits set on the craft profile.

6. Account Enforcement

When this policy is broken we act proportionally, beginning with the least intrusive step and moving up only if needed. The usual progression is:

• Warning and a request to correct or remove the offending listing, behaviour, or content.
• Temporary suspension of new listings or of the affected account feature (for example, a payout hold) while we investigate.
• Permanent suspension of the account and removal of all listings. Craft Connect reserves the right to skip intermediate steps where the breach is severe, fraudulent, or unlawful.
• Recovery of funds already held in escrow for the offending transaction, returned to the affected buyer.

Enforcement decisions can be appealed by contacting support@craftconnect.net.za within 14 days of being told about the decision.

7. Reporting Violations

If you see a listing, message, or behaviour on Craft Connect that violates this policy, please report it. Reports are reviewed in the order they arrive and kept confidential.

Send reports to support@craftconnect.net.za with the listing URL, the buyer or artisan involved, and a short description of the issue. Screenshots and order numbers help us investigate more quickly.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes in our services, South African law, or our payment partner's requirements. Material changes will be announced by email and by notice on the platform. Continued use of Craft Connect after a change takes effect counts as acceptance of the updated policy.