Terms & Conditions

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USER AGREEMENT Last updated: 29 May 2026 PLEASE READ THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THE PAPERBACK SOCIETY. BY CREATING AN ACCOUNT OR USING THE PLATFORM, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS. 1. DEFINITIONS 1.1 "Platform" means The Paperback Society mobile application and all related services. 1.2 "User" means any person who registers for an account on the Platform, whether as a Buyer, Seller, or both. 1.3 "Buyer" means a User who purchases a book through the Platform. 1.4 "Seller" means a User who lists and sells books through the Platform. 1.5 "Protected Funds" means payment received by us as the Seller's limited payment agent (see Section 6.5) and kept on the Seller's behalf until the Buyer confirms receipt of the book or the conditions for release set out in Section 7 are met. 1.6 "Buyer Protection Fee" means the fee charged by the Platform to the Buyer on each transaction, as displayed during checkout, which funds the Protected Funds buyer-protection mechanism protecting both parties. 1.7 "Wallet" means the digital wallet associated with a User's account on the Platform. 1.8 "We", "us", "our" means Flowlancer (Pty) Ltd (Registration No. 2025/916850/07), trading as The Paperback Society. 2. ABOUT THE PLATFORM 2.1 The Paperback Society is a peer-to-peer marketplace operated by Flowlancer (Pty) Ltd (Registration No. 2025/916850/07), a private company duly incorporated under the laws of the Republic of South Africa, with its registered address at 23 Wavell Drive, Wembley, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The Platform enables Users to buy and sell second-hand and new books. We facilitate transactions between Buyers and Sellers but are not a party to any sale. 2.2 We provide the technology platform, payment processing facilitation, the safekeeping of Buyer payments on the Seller's behalf as Limited Payment Agent (see Section 6.5), and delivery facilitation. The actual sale contract is between the Buyer and Seller. 2.3 We do not own, inspect, verify, or guarantee the quality, safety, or legality of any book listed on the Platform. 3. ACCOUNT REGISTRATION 3.1 To use the Platform, you must create an account by providing accurate and complete information, including a valid email address. 3.2 You must verify your email address before you can access the full features of the Platform. 3.3 You must be at least 18 years of age to register and use the Platform. 3.4 You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. 3.5 You may not create multiple accounts. We reserve the right to merge or remove duplicate accounts. 3.6 You may delete your account at any time through the app settings, provided all outstanding orders have either been completed or cancelled. On deletion, your personal information is anonymised immediately; financial records required by South African law (orders, wallet transactions, withdrawals, KYC documents) are retained in anonymised form for the legally-mandated period and then permanently deleted. The full details are set out in the Privacy Policy, Section 6. 4. LISTING AND SELLING BOOKS 4.1 Listing books on the Platform is free of charge. No listing fees are charged to Sellers. 4.1.1 A per-sale platform fee is charged to the Seller upon completion of each qualifying sale. The applicable fee is displayed in the Seller's earnings breakdown at the time of sale. We reserve the right to amend the seller fee from time to time; the fee displayed at the time of sale is the fee that applies to that transaction. 4.2 When creating a listing, the Seller must: (a) Accurately describe the book's condition using the available condition ratings (New, Mint, Good, Fair, Worn). (b) Provide clear photographs of the actual book being sold. (c) Set a fair price in South African Rand (ZAR). (d) Select a valid category and target audience. 4.3 Sellers are responsible for: (a) Shipping the book to the Buyer within a reasonable time after payment is confirmed. (b) Packaging the book adequately to prevent damage during transit. (c) Accurately representing the book — misrepresentation may result in disputes, refunds, and account action. 4.4 The following items are prohibited on the Platform: (a) Digital products, e-books, or audiobooks (b) Pirated, counterfeit, or illegally reproduced material (c) Obscene, hateful, or illegal content (d) Any item that is not a book or book-related accessory (e) Books that infringe on intellectual property rights 4.5 We reserve the right to remove any listing that violates these Terms without notice. 5. BUYING BOOKS 5.1 By purchasing a book, the Buyer agrees to pay the listed price plus the applicable Service Fee and shipping costs, as displayed during checkout. 5.2 Payment is processed automatically at checkout. If the Buyer has available balance on their Wallet (from prior sales or refunds — see Section 6.2), that balance is applied first toward the total. Any remaining amount is charged to the Buyer's card via PayFast. The Buyer is not asked to choose a payment source; the split is calculated and shown at checkout. 5.3 Upon payment, funds are recorded against the Order in our capacity as the Seller's limited payment agent (see Section 6.5), and are not released to the Seller until the transaction is completed. 5.4 The Buyer must confirm receipt of the book or raise a dispute within 3 (three) days of confirmed delivery. If no action is taken within this period, the transaction will be automatically completed and funds released to the Seller. 5.5 COOLING-OFF PERIOD (ECTA S44) In accordance with the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002, you may cancel a transaction within 7 (seven) days of receiving the goods, without reason or penalty, provided the book is returned in the same condition in which it was received. To exercise this right, open a dispute through the Platform within the 7-day period. Shipping costs for returns under the cooling-off period are borne by the Buyer. 6. PAYMENTS, FEES AND WALLET 6.1 Buyer Protection Fee A Buyer Protection Fee, consisting of a fixed component and a percentage of the order value, is charged to the Buyer on each transaction. This fee funds the buyer-protection mechanism under which your payment is only released to the Seller once you confirm receipt of your book. The exact amount is always displayed clearly at checkout before payment is confirmed. We reserve the right to amend the Buyer Protection Fee from time to time; the fee displayed at checkout at the time of purchase is the fee that applies to that transaction. Where the Buyer's payment is split between their Wallet and a card payment, the fixed and percentage components are calculated on the applicable portions accordingly. 6.2 Wallet (a) Each User has a Wallet on the Platform that reflects amounts owed to them, namely (i) net proceeds from completed sales and (ii) refund credits resulting from cancelled orders or resolved disputes. (b) The Wallet cannot be funded by standalone deposits or "top-ups". Wallet balances arise only from sales and refunds carried out through the Platform. (c) Available Wallet balance may be applied toward the cost of a purchase on the Platform (see Section 5.2) or withdrawn to the User's bank account (see Section 6.3). (d) The Wallet balance is displayed in South African Rand (ZAR). (e) The Wallet is not a bank account, prepaid instrument, electronic money product, or stored-value product. It is an internal ledger reflecting amounts the Platform owes to the User as their limited payment agent. 6.3 Withdrawals (a) Users may withdraw their available Wallet balance to a South African bank account via the Wallet → Withdraw flow. (b) Withdrawal requests are processed manually. Processing times may vary. (c) We reserve the right to delay or refuse a withdrawal if we suspect fraudulent activity, or pending KYC verification where required. 6.4 Refunds (a) Refunds resulting from cancelled orders or resolved disputes are credited to the Buyer's Wallet by default. (b) Buyers wishing to receive a cash refund to their bank account may withdraw the credited amount via the Wallet → Withdraw flow (Section 6.3), subject to the same processing terms. (c) Where the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (s44 cooling-off) or the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (s56 defective goods) applies, the Buyer retains the statutory right to receive a refund to their bank account; this is delivered via the withdrawal flow described in (b). 6.5 LIMITED PAYMENT AGENT (a) By listing a book for sale on the Platform, the Seller appoints The Paperback Society as the Seller's limited payment agent for the sole purpose of: (i) receiving payment from Buyers on the Seller's behalf via our regulated third-party payment service provider (PayFast (Pty) Ltd); (ii) keeping such payment as Protected Funds on the Seller's behalf until the conditions for release set out in Section 7 are met; and (iii) remitting the Seller's net entitlement (after deduction of any Service Fee, refunds, or dispute outcomes) to the Seller's nominated South African bank account. (b) Protected Funds remain the Seller's funds, kept by us in trust pending release in accordance with these Terms. (c) We are not a bank, financial services provider, or money transmitter, and are not licensed as such. All actual movement of funds is performed by our regulated payment service provider. (d) The Seller authorises us to deduct the Service Fee, applicable refunds, and any amounts arising from disputes resolved in accordance with Section 8 from amounts received on the Seller's behalf, prior to remittance. 7. PROTECTED FUNDS AND BUYER PROTECTION 7.1 All payments are kept by us as Protected Funds in our capacity as the Seller's limited payment agent (see Section 6.5) until the Buyer confirms receipt of the book in the condition described. 7.2 This mechanism protects both parties: (a) Buyers are protected because payment is not released to the Seller until the book is received. (b) Sellers are protected because payment is confirmed and secured before shipping. 7.3 Protected Funds are released to the Seller when: (a) The Buyer confirms receipt of the book; or (b) 3 (three) days have passed since confirmed delivery with no dispute raised. 7.4 If the Buyer raises a dispute before the confirmation window closes, the funds remain secured until the dispute is resolved. 8. DISPUTES 8.1 If a Buyer receives a book that is significantly not as described, not received, or damaged, the Buyer may raise a dispute through the Platform. 8.2 Disputes must be raised within 3 (three) days of confirmed delivery. 8.3 When raising a dispute, the Buyer must provide: (a) A description of the issue (b) Photographic evidence (where applicable) 8.4 We will review the dispute and may request additional information from either party. 8.5 Possible outcomes of a dispute include: (a) Full refund to the Buyer's Wallet (b) Partial refund to the Buyer's Wallet (c) Release of funds to the Seller (dispute dismissed) 8.6 We will act in good faith and consider all evidence when resolving disputes. If you are unsatisfied with the outcome, you retain the right to pursue further remedies through the National Consumer Tribunal, the National Consumer Commission, or any other dispute resolution body as provided for under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008. 9. DELIVERY 9.1 The Platform offers the following delivery methods, subject to availability and seller/buyer preferences: (a) Courier delivery (door-to-door) (b) Locker/kiosk pickup (PUDO network) (c) Local pickup (buyer and seller arrange in person) 9.2 Shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on the selected delivery method and are paid by the Buyer in addition to the book price and Service Fee. 9.3 We facilitate delivery through third-party courier service providers. We are not responsible for delays, loss, or damage caused by the courier. 9.4 For local pickup, Users arrange the exchange at their own risk. We recommend meeting in a safe, public location. 10. USER CONDUCT 10.1 You agree not to: (a) Use the Platform for any unlawful purpose (b) List counterfeit, stolen, or prohibited items (c) Manipulate ratings, reviews, or search results (d) Harass, threaten, or abuse other Users (e) Attempt to circumvent the Protected Funds mechanism or conduct transactions outside the Platform (f) Create fake accounts or impersonate other Users (g) Upload malicious content, viruses, or harmful code (h) Scrape, crawl, or use automated means to access the Platform without permission 10.2 We reserve the right to suspend or terminate any account that violates these Terms, without prior notice. 11. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 11.1 The Platform, including its design, code, features, and content (excluding User-generated content), is the intellectual property of The Paperback Society. 11.2 By listing a book on the Platform, the Seller grants us a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display the listing content (photos, description) on the Platform for the purpose of facilitating the sale. 11.3 Users retain ownership of their User-generated content (reviews, messages, dispute evidence). 12. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY 12.1 THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. 12.2 To the maximum extent permitted by South African law, we shall not be liable for: (a) The quality, condition, authenticity, or legality of any book listed on the Platform (b) Any loss or damage arising from transactions between Users (c) Shipping delays, loss, or damage caused by third-party courier services (d) Unauthorised access to your account due to your failure to maintain account security (e) Any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages 12.3 Our total liability to you for any claim arising out of or relating to these Terms shall not exceed the total Service Fees paid by you in the 12 (twelve) months preceding the claim. 13. INDEMNIFICATION You agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Paperback Society, its operators, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses arising out of or related to your use of the Platform, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of a third party. 14. ACCOUNT SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION 14.1 We may, at our sole discretion, suspend or terminate your account if: (a) You violate these Terms (b) We suspect fraudulent, abusive, or unethical activity (c) You fail to respond to a dispute or investigation (d) Required by law or regulation 14.2 Upon termination: (a) Active listings will be removed (b) Pending transactions will be resolved before closure where possible (c) Available Wallet balance may be withdrawn, subject to verification (d) Protected Funds will be handled in accordance with the applicable dispute or order resolution 15. MODIFICATIONS TO TERMS 15.1 We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated through the Platform. 15.2 Your continued use of the Platform after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. 15.3 If you do not agree with the revised Terms, you must stop using the Platform and delete your account. 16. TAX OBLIGATIONS 16.1 Users are solely responsible for declaring and paying all applicable taxes (including income tax and value added tax) on amounts earned or spent through the Platform. The Paperback Society does not provide tax advice and accepts no responsibility for any User's tax obligations. 16.2 Where required by South African law, we may share income or transaction data with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) or other competent authorities. 17. FORCE MAJEURE 17.1 Neither party shall be in breach of these Terms, nor liable for any failure or delay in performance, where such failure or delay arises from events beyond their reasonable control, including but not limited to: acts of God, war, civil unrest, government action, epidemic or pandemic, national lockdown, fire, flood, electrical load-shedding or power surges, or failure of third-party infrastructure (including telecommunications or payment networks). 17.2 The affected party shall use reasonable commercial endeavours to minimise any delay and shall notify the other party as soon as reasonably practicable. 18. RECOMMENDER SYSTEMS AND PERSONALISATION 18.1 The Platform uses automated personalisation to determine the order and selection of listings shown to each User. The criteria used include: (a) Your browsing and purchase history on the Platform (time-decayed). (b) Your saved preferences — favourite genres, authors, and reading tags set in your profile. (c) Books you have favourited or added to your reading list. (d) Sellers you follow (whose new listings receive a relevance boost in your feed). (e) Semantic similarity between books based on their descriptions and classifications. (f) Collaborative signals — what Users with similar tastes have engaged with. (g) Platform-wide trending activity and listing recency. (h) Seller rating. 18.2 New Users with no interaction history will see listings ranked by trending activity and recency until sufficient signals are available to personalise their feed. 18.3 You can influence your personalised feed at any time by updating your preferences in your profile settings. 18.4 DISPUTES AND SOCIAL MEDIA Neither party shall publicise any dispute between a User and The Paperback Society on any social media or other public platform while the dispute is ongoing. Either party understands that publication of an unresolved dispute may cause reputational harm, which harm may form the basis of a damages claim. 19. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION 19.1 These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa. 19.2 Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Republic of South Africa. 19.3 These Terms are subject to the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002, and the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013, to the extent applicable. 20. GENERAL 20.1 If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. 20.2 Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. 20.3 These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and The Paperback Society regarding use of the Platform. 21. CONTACT US If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us: Flowlancer (Pty) Ltd t/a The Paperback Society Registration No. 2025/916850/07 Email: support@thepaperbacksociety.co.za Physical address: 23 Wavell Drive, Wembley, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa