Seller Disintermediation Policy

Overview

1. Purpose

Fleek's business depends on transactions between buyers and sellers staying on the platform. Disintermediation — taking a relationship that originated on Fleek off-platform to avoid fees — directly removes GMV, breaks buyer protection, and undermines sellers who play by the rules. This policy defines what counts as disintermediation, how we detect it, and what happens to buyers and sellers who signal, attempt, or complete it.

2. Scope

Applies to all buyers and sellers on Fleek, in all geographies, across all communication channels Fleek provides (chat, offers, order notes) and all physical touchpoints Fleek facilitates (shipments, packaging, invoices).

Any buyer–seller relationship that originates on Fleek is covered: if the parties first connected through the platform, transactions between them must stay on the platform indefinitely.

3. Definitions

4. Prohibited conduct

Each of the following is an off-platform signal and a violation on its own, regardless of whether a transaction results:

1. Sharing or requesting phone numbers, WhatsApp/Telegram/WeChat handles, email addresses, or social media handles (Instagram, TikTok, etc.) in chat, offers, or order notes.
2. Sharing payment links, QR codes, bank details, or payment-app handles (PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, Wise, Alipay, IBAN, wire instructions) through any Fleek channel.
3. Including business cards, flyers, invoices with direct contact details, QR codes, or "buy direct" inserts inside shipments or on packaging.
4. Inviting, proposing, or discussing an off-platform transaction, including coded language ("DM me", "you know where to find me", contact details written with spaces or symbols to evade filters).
5. Completing, attempting, or negotiating a transaction off-platform with a party met through Fleek, at any time.
6. Include any contact details inside or on your shipments business cards, flyers, invoices, QR codes, or "buy direct" notes or use packaging, tape, labels, or stickers that carry your own phone number, email, social handles, or store name.

5. Enforcement matrix

Penalties apply to both parties in the violation, regardless of who initiated. The only exception is a party who reports the signal under Section 8.1, who receives immunity for that interaction.

Leniency exists only for new users, and only once. For established users, any off-platform signal is confirmed disintermediation and draws the maximum penalty on the first occurrence. All bans are permanent — there is no reinstatement path.

Sellers:

Warnings are delivered in-app and by email, state the specific violation with evidence reference, and confirm that the next violation results in a permanent ban and disintermediation fee.

6. Payout holds (sellers)

• On any enforcement action against a seller, payouts are held pending investigation. Maximum hold: 10 days per investigation.
• If the investigation confirms the violation, Fleek offsets the disintermediation fee (Section 7).
• If the investigation clears the seller, held funds release immediately and the case is closed with no record.

7. Disintermediation fee (sellers)

A seller banned for disintermediation is liable for a disintermediation fee, structured as liquidated damages for the commission Fleek loses when a relationship is taken off-platform:

• Fee = 50% of the seller's average weekly payout, computed over the trailing 12 weeks at the time the violation is captured (all available weeks if the seller has less than 12 weeks of payout history).
• Minimum: $500. Maximum: $2,500.
• The fee is collected by offset against held payouts (Section 6). Held funds exceeding the fee and documented losses are released to the seller once the investigation closes.

Bans are permanent and the store shutdown is final: there is no reinstatement path for sellers or buyers. No fee applies to buyers.

8. Detection

Enforcement relies on the following signals (non-exhaustive; methods are not disclosed to users):

1. Automated chat screening - pattern and LLM-based detection of contact details, payment keywords, and evasion formats in all platform messages. Contact info is auto-masked in chat until an order is placed.
2. Behavioural signals - buyer–seller pairs with heavy chat activity followed by transaction silence; cancellation spikes immediately after first contact; repeat-order rates dropping to zero for previously active pairs.
3. Counterparty reports - see Section 8.1.

8.1 Report-and-immunity

A user who reports the other party's off-platform signal receives full immunity for that interaction. Reports are reviewed within 5 business days.

8.2 Ban evasion

Banned users who re-register will be identified via payout account, ID document, and address matching. Evading accounts are banned on detection with no appeal.

9. Appeals

• One appeal per enforcement action, submitted within 7 days of notification.
• Once a seller appeals, seller support reviews and takes action within 3 days: either reverting the ban or upholding it.
• Buyer appeals follow the same process through buyer support.
• The appeal decision is final.

Seller Commitment

By selling on Fleek, you agree to:

• Conduct all communication and transactions through official Fleek channels.
• Follow this policy to help keep the marketplace trusted, safe, and fair for everyone.

Fleek Seller Support

Continue to Chat

Support Hours (Mon–Sat):

Pakistan: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM PKT | India: 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM IST | UK: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM BST | 6:00 AM - 2:00 PM GMT