Shipping & Payment Info

SA eCommerce Chamber — Shipping & Payment Info

Last updated: 05 October 2026

The SA eChamber works differently from a normal online shop. We are a community of verified sellers. To make trading safe, all payments between members are protected by the SA eChamber Secure Payment Initiative — our own escrow protection.

This is our initiative to stop scams and build trust in SA e-commerce.

1. How payments work — protected by SA eChamber Secure Escrow

What is escrow? Your money is held safely in a secure account until both sides have done their part.

• Buyer is safe — you get what you paid for, or you get your money back.
• Seller is safe — you get paid, as long as you deliver what was agreed.

How it works — 5 steps:

1. Create the deal: Buyer or seller creates a secure transaction on SA eChamber — takes 2 minutes.
2. Buyer pays into escrow: Buyer deposits the full amount into the SA eChamber secure escrow account. The seller immediately gets a signed, QR-secured letter confirming the money is safely held.
3. Seller delivers: Knowing the money is secured, seller ships or hands over the goods and uploads tracking.
4. Buyer checks and accepts: Buyer inspects the goods and clicks Accept.
5. Seller gets paid: We release the funds to the seller. Done — safe for both sides.

How you can pay into escrow:
EFT, Ozow instant EFT, credit or debit card, SnapScan, or Buy Now Pay Later.

Escrow fee:
Our secure escrow fee starts from as little as R49. On SA eChamber the default is split 50/50 between buyer and seller unless you agree differently when you create the deal.

For bigger deals:
We support split payments, milestone payments, lay-bys and drawdowns.

2. How delivery works — arranged between buyer and seller

SA eChamber does not ship, store or handle goods. Delivery is arranged directly between buyer and seller.

• Agree before you pay: Delivery method, cost and timing must be agreed in writing in the transaction notes on SA eChamber before funds are deposited.
• Seller: Pack safely, dispatch on time, and upload courier / tracking info. Use a tracked, insured courier and keep proof of delivery.
• Buyer: Give correct address and inspect goods before you Accept.

Tip from the Chamber: Never release payment without tracking. No tracking = no protection in a dispute.

3. Returns, disputes & non-delivery

Because money stays in escrow until acceptance, most problems are avoided.

• If seller doesn't deliver or item is not as described — payment is NOT released.
• If buyer doesn't pay — the deal never starts.

Returns: After you Accept, returns are between buyer and seller according to the seller's own returns policy and the Consumer Protection Act. Every verified seller must display their returns policy in the Directory.

Disputes:

1. Buyer and seller first try to resolve directly using the transaction history as proof.
2. If you can't resolve it, SA eChamber will step in as community administrator to review escrow records, verification status and delivery proof.
3. For unresolved matters, you can approach the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO).

4. Why this matters — Our initiative for trust

This Secure Payment Initiative was created by SA eChamber to make online trading in South Africa safer.

Every seller is chamber-verified and every payment is escrow-protected by SA eChamber.

Need help with a transaction?
SA eChamber — kagiso.monosi@outlook.com | +27 72 909 8611 | Johannesburg, South Africa — Full address on invoices and available on request for security.

All escrow funds are held in a separate secure account and only released on buyer acceptance.