Payment Terms
Last updated: 5 September 2026
These Payment Terms explain how payments, payouts, refunds, and fees work on Sawa. They form part of our Terms of Service. Sawa does not itself hold your money — payments are processed and funds are held by our payment processor, Stripe.
1. Payment processor
Payments and payouts are handled by Stripe. By paying or receiving money through Sawa you also agree to Stripe’s applicable terms, including, for sellers, the Stripe Connected Account Agreement. Sawa never receives or stores your full card details.
2. How payment and escrow work
Creating an order sends a request; no money is taken until the seller accepts. After acceptance, the buyer pays and the funds are held by the processor. They are released to the seller when the buyer accepts the delivery, or when the order is otherwise resolved, less Sawa’s commission.
3. Commission and fees
Sawa charges the seller a commission on the order amount, deducted before payout. The commission is tiered: 10% on the first €500 of the order, 8% on the portion from €500 to €2,000, and 6% on any portion above €2,000.
Sawa also charges the buyer a service fee of 5% of the order amount, added at checkout and shown before payment. The total the buyer pays is the order amount plus this service fee.
4. Currency
Buyers may be charged in their local currency at checkout; Sawa settles in euros, and any currency conversion is handled by the processor. The amount you actually pay is shown before you confirm.
5. Seller payouts
To receive payouts, sellers complete Stripe onboarding, including identity verification (KYC). Payouts are made to the seller’s connected account on the processor’s schedule once an order is completed. Sellers are responsible for keeping their payout details accurate.
6. Refunds, disputes, and chargebacks
If a delivery is not accepted, the buyer may request a revision (where included) or open a dispute. Sawa may resolve disputes by refunding the buyer in full or in part and/or releasing the appropriate amount to the seller. Card chargebacks are handled through the processor and may lead to account review.
7. Taxes
Prices are what the buyer pays; sellers are responsible for any taxes due on their earnings. Sawa operates under the French VAT franchise en base (TVA non applicable, art. 293 B du CGI). Sellers should account for VAT or other taxes as their own situation requires.
8. Unpaid orders and security
Accepted orders that are not paid within the period shown may expire. Payment security is provided by our PCI-compliant processor. Questions about payments: contact@sawamarketplace.com.