1. The Payment Protection Model
PoddinPay provides a secure transaction layer for social commerce. When a buyer makes a payment through a PoddinPay payment link, the funds are not immediately sent to the seller. Instead, they are held securely by Paystack to ensure that the item, service, or digital product is delivered or completed as described.
This protection model is designed to build trust between buyers and sellers on platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, reducing the risk of fraud, non-delivery, and non-performance.
2. Payment Link Creation
Sellers generate secure payment links by providing the item, service, or digital product details, pricing, the expected delivery or completion timeline, and their verified Nigerian bank account information. Each link is unique to a specific transaction.
When a buyer clicks a link, they are presented with the transaction details and a secure checkout page. Payments on PoddinPay are processed via regulated payment processors such as Paystack.
3. Transaction Holding Period
Once a buyer completes a payment, the transaction status is updated to "Paid." The funds are held in a secure virtual account meaning it is safe from the seller.
Funds remain in this protected state until one of the following occurs:
- The buyer confirms receipt of the item/service via the confirmation link.
- A dispute is resolved in favour of either party.
- A refund is approved in favour of the buyer.
4. Delivery Confirmation & Payout
After the seller delivers the item, service, or digital product, the buyer is expected to confirm delivery or completion through the transaction details page within the applicable response window, or raise a dispute if delivery or completion has not occurred as agreed.
Upon confirmation, PoddinPay immediately triggers a transfer to the seller’s verified bank account. Please note that bank processing times may vary, but most transfers are completed within minutes.
5. Platform Fees
PoddinPay charges a small service fee to maintain the payment protection infrastructure. Our service fee is 1.5% of the transaction value capped at ₦2,500 per transaction, meaning that's the absolute maximum we'll ever charge in service fee per transaction.
This fee is deducted from the final payout to the seller.
Where applicable, additional seller-side deductions may apply, including payout fee charged by Paystack (our payment processor), seller-side intervention penalties, and seller late delivery fees described in Section 7.
Where a buyer is entitled to a refund, the refundable amount will be the transaction amount less applicable payout fees and penalties.
6. Disputes & Issue Resolution
If a buyer does not receive the item, service, or digital product, or receives something that is significantly different from what was described or agreed, the buyer may raise a dispute before confirming delivery or completion.
PoddinPay will hold the funds and review evidence (such as delivery receipts, chat logs, and photos) from both parties to reach a fair resolution.
If a dispute is found in favour of the buyer, a refund of the applicable refundable amount described in Section 5 will be issued.
7. Violations & Penalties
To ensure the efficiency and reliability of PoddinPay transactions, we enforce strictly timed operational windows. Failure to adhere to these timelines results in automated penalties to maintain platform integrity.
- Seller Late Delivery: Sellers are required to deliver the item, service, or digital product on or before the Expected Delivery Date (EDD) set during payment link creation. If acceptable proof of delivery or completion is not uploaded by the EDD, a late fee of ₦250 will be deducted from the seller's payout.
- Buyer Late Confirmation: A buyer late confirmation fee applies where the seller uploads acceptable proof of delivery or completion before the end of the Expected Delivery Date (EDD), the proof passes PoddinPay’s verification checks, and PoddinPay sends the buyer a delivery confirmation notice with a 48-hour response window, but no buyer activity is recorded within that period. If the buyer believes delivery or completion has not occurred as agreed, the buyer must raise a dispute within the response window instead of confirming delivery. In such cases of buyer inactivity, a ₦250 administrative penalty will be added to the buyer's next successful transaction.
- Intervention Penalty: If, within 7 days after the Expected Delivery Date (EDD), there is still no buyer delivery confirmation, no acceptable proof of delivery or completion uploaded by the seller, and no dispute from either party, the transaction will be put on hold and both buyer and seller will be penalised ₦75 each, every day, until the transaction is resolved or closed.
8. Automatic Holding & Delivery Confirmation
To protect the interests of both buyers and sellers, a transaction will be placed on hold if, within 7 days after the Expected Delivery Date (EDD), there is still no buyer delivery confirmation, no acceptable proof of delivery or completion uploaded by the seller, and no dispute has been raised.
For the purpose of this section, acceptable proof means documentation or other evidence reasonably sufficient for PoddinPay to verify that the item, service, or digital product was delivered or completed as agreed. Once a transaction is placed on hold, the Intervention Penalty described in Section 7 will continue to accrue for the relevant parties until the transaction is resolved or closed.
- If the seller uploads proof of delivery or completion during the hold period and before the transaction is closed, PoddinPay will review the submission using its internal verification checks and notify the buyer via WhatsApp or SMS using the contact details provided for the transaction. The buyer will then have 48 hours from the time the notification is sent to confirm delivery or raise a dispute.
- If the proof submitted by the seller fails PoddinPay’s verification checks, the buyer may request a refund of the applicable refundable amount described in Section 5 or raise a dispute based on non-delivery or failed verification. In either case, any Intervention Penalty accrued by the seller will be deducted from the seller’s payout, and the transaction will be closed once the refund is processed or the dispute is resolved.
- If the proof submitted by the seller passes verification checks and the buyer does not confirm delivery or raise a dispute within 48 hours after the notification is sent, delivery will be automatically confirmed. Any Intervention Penalty accrued by the buyer up to the date of automatic confirmation will be deducted from the buyer’s next successful transaction, and any Intervention Penalty accrued by the seller up to the date the proof was uploaded will be deducted from the seller’s payout.
- If the seller does not upload acceptable proof of delivery or completion during the hold period, the buyer may request a refund of the applicable refundable amount described in Section 5, after which the transaction will be closed.
- Once a transaction is closed by buyer confirmation, dispute resolution, refund, or automatic confirmation, it will generally be treated as final, except where reversal is required by law, regulatory action, fraud review, court order, or payment-processor rules.
9. Prohibited Transactions
PoddinPay may only be used for legitimate commerce and the exchange of lawful goods and services. Use of our payment links for any of the following is strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to freeze funds and report suspicious activity to relevant authorities if a violation of this section is detected.
- Illegal Goods: Narcotics, controlled substances, weapons, ammunition, explosives, and any item that is illegal to own or sell under Nigerian law.
- Regulated Products: Prescription drugs, tobacco products, and alcohol where sale is restricted or requires specific licensing.
- High-Risk Financial Services: Cryptocurrency transactions, forex trading, pyramid schemes, "get-rich-quick" offers, and unlicensed financial consulting.
- Infringing Content: Pirated software, counterfeit luxury items, and any product that violates the intellectual property rights of others.
- Unlawful Services: Unauthorized betting/gambling services, adult services, and fraudulent activities designed to deceive buyers or sellers.
10. Changes to this Policy
PoddinPay may update these transaction rules to improve security or comply with new regulations. Continued use of our payment links constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.