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Smilepepper Merchant Terms of Service – Home-Based Food Sellers

Effective Date: 30 Apr 2025 Welcome to Smilepepper. This Terms of Service (“Agreement”) governs your participation as a home-based food business (“Merchant”) on the Smilepepper platform. By registering or selling through Smilepepper, you agree to the following terms and conditions:

1. Compliance with Food Safety Regulations

1.1 All Merchants must comply with Singapore’s prevailing food laws and regulations as stipulated by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).
1.2 You must ensure that all food sold is safe for consumption. SFA may take enforcement action, including mandatory recalls and cessation of operations, for breaches related to food safety.

2. Prohibited Sales and Operations

2.1 No Catering Services
Merchants are prohibited from offering food catering services (e.g., buffet lines, packed meals) due to the higher risk associated with large-scale operations. Only SFA-licensed caterers may provide such services.

2.2 No Supply to Food Retailers
Home-based food sellers are not permitted to sell food to licensed food establishments such as restaurants, hawker stalls, cafes, or canteens.

2.3 No Sales at or to Temporary Fairs
Merchants are not allowed to prepare food at home for sale at temporary fairs or to supply food to stallholders at such events.

2.4 No Sale of Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Raw Seafood
Merchants are strictly prohibited from selling RTE raw seafood (e.g., sashimi, oysters, marinated raw seafood), as these pose significant health risks and require specialized cold chain processes.

3. Ingredient Sourcing

3.1 All ingredients used must be legally imported or obtained from licensed manufacturers or suppliers.
3.2 You may not:

  • Use ingredients sourced from other home-based businesses.
  • Use food items brought from personal travels for resale purposes.
  • Import food without the required SFA licence (if applicable).

4. Food Safety and Hygiene

4.1 Merchants must take responsibility for ensuring all food prepared and sold through Smilepepper is safe for consumption.
4.2 Merchants are strongly encouraged to:

  • Complete WSQ FSC Level 1 food safety training.
  • Follow official food safety and hygiene guidelines provided by SFA and HDB/URA for home-based businesses.

For more regulatory guidance, refer to the Singapore Food Agency's official website .

5. Commission Policy

5.1 Free Trial Period

  • Smilepepper offers a 1-month free trial for all new merchants, starting from the date the merchant’s store goes live to the public on the platform.
  • During the free trial period, merchants will not be charged any commission fees for transactions completed on Smilepepper.

5.2 Commission Rate

  • After the free trial period, Smilepepper will charge an 8% commission per transaction, based on the order subtotal amount (excluding delivery fees, taxes, and tips)

5.3 Commission Scope & What It Covers

  • Commission applies only to completed and paid transactions.
  • Orders that are cancelled or refunded in full will not incur commission fees.
  • The 8% commission is charged on the subtotal amount only, excluding any delivery fees, taxes, or tips.

5.4 Payout Terms

  • Payouts to merchants will be made within 1 to 7 working days from the date of a completed order.
  • There is no minimum payout amount. All transaction amounts will be processed regardless of value.

5.5 Payment Processing Fees

  • Smilepepper will not absorb payment gateway fees (Stripe).
  • Payment processing fees (2.5% + $0.50 per transaction) will be deducted from the total payout before commission is calculated.

5.6 Commission on Delivery Charges

  • Delivery fees are excluded from the commission calculation.
  • This exclusion is reiterated to avoid confusion.

5.7 Policy for Non-Compliance or Fraud

  • Any merchant found abusing the system to avoid paying commission—such as instructing customers to cancel orders and pay directly outside the platform—will be considered in breach of Smilepepper’s terms.
  • Merchants caught bypassing the platform to avoid commission will face the following actions:
  • Immediate termination of their merchant account.
  • Forfeiture of all unpaid earnings.
  • Potential ban from rejoining the platform in the future.
  • Smilepepper reserves the right to investigate and take legal or administrative action in cases of fraud or repeated non-compliance.

6. Platform Use & Restrictions

6.1 Prohibited Use of Platform

  • Merchants must not use the platform for:
  • Selling illegal, restricted, or unlicensed items (e.g. tobacco, alcohol, health supplements, non-food items).
  • Distributing misleading or false food labeling or claims.
  • Uploading or linking to offensive, defamatory, or unlawful content.
  • Harassment or abuse of customers or Smilepepper staff.

6.2 No Off-Platform Transactions

  • Merchants may not redirect customers to pay via PayNow, WhatsApp, or any method that bypasses the Smilepepper platform.
  • All communication and transactions must be completed within the platform.

6.3 Content Ownership & Usage

  • Smilepepper retains the right to use product listings, descriptions, photos, and store branding for marketing and platform promotion purposes.
  • Merchants must ensure they own or have the rights to use all content they upload (e.g., food photos, branding).

6.4 Accurate Business Information

  • All merchant profiles must maintain up-to-date and truthful information, including:
  • Business name
  • Contact details
  • Operating hours
  • Menu and pricing
  • Failure to update these may result in temporary suspension.

6.5 Order Fulfillment Requirements

  • Merchants are responsible for:
  • Fulfilling orders within the stated preparation time.
  • Ensuring food is safe, correctly packed, and properly labeled.

6.6 Review Manipulation is Prohibited

  • Merchants may not:
  • Post fake reviews about themselves or competitors.
  • Offer discounts or incentives in exchange for positive reviews.

6.7 System Abuse or Hacking

  • Any attempts to:
  • Exploit bugs
  • Gain unauthorized access
  • Manipulate the commission or payout system — will lead to immediate termination and possible legal action.

6.8 Respect for Customers' Data & Privacy

  • Merchants must comply with PDPA (Personal Data Protection Act) regulations.
  • Customer data accessed via Smilepepper must not be stored, reused, or sold outside the platform.

6.9 Platform Changes and Maintenance

  • Smilepepper may update features, conduct maintenance, or make UI/UX changes without prior notice.
  • Merchants must ensure compatibility and avoid abuse during such updates.

7. Enforcement and Termination

7.1 Smilepepper reserves the right to suspend or terminate any account that violates this Agreement or fails to comply with applicable regulations.

8. Changes to Terms

8.1 Smilepepper may update this Agreement at any time. Merchants will be notified of significant changes via email or in-platform notifications. Continued use of the platform constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.