Frequently Asked Questions

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Who can be a merchant on your platform?

Any brand, manufacturer, retailer and wholesaler selling eco-friendly or ethically sourced products from groceries such as produce, seafood, etc to fashion and cosmetics.

How can your platform help my business?

EcoMoja is an online one-stop marketplace that aggregates sustainable products. We bring you a new channel to reach and sell to like-minded customers who are health and planet conscious. We are saving you on three of the most important elements of your business: Time, Resources and Energy because we took it upon ourselves to create a community of people already in search for a convenient way to live a sustainable lifestyle.

What is the sustainability criteria for selling on your platform?

 We are very picky when it comes to the merchants we allow on our platform. Greenwashing is a real problem, so we take precautions and only work with serious merchants. We have outlined five criteria and subcriteria which are dependent on the type of products and services offered. Our merchants state their eco-friendliness within the five criteria (each with subcriteria) of which they must comply with at least three. Sustainability criteria: 

1. Source

This criteria relates to the place, person, process or object from which the product originates or can be found. There are various ways that merchants source their products such as farms, manufacturers, wholesalers and other retailers.

Within the source EcoMoja has five sub-criteria where the sourced product must either be: Ethical, Seasonal, Local, Resource efficient and/or Animal cruelty-free.

2. Circular Economy

Circular economy is a systematic system of economic development designed to benefit businesses, society and the environment. In contrast to the straightforward ‘take-make-waste’ model, the circular economy is being revitalized and aims to disconnect growth from depleting resource use. For example, in a circular economy manufacturers design products to be reusable. Products and raw materials are also reused as often as possible. Within the circular economy there are three sub criteria where the product must either be: second-hand, reusable/recyclable and upcycled/recycled products.

3. End of life

End-of-Life (EOL) designates the last stage of a product when it has reached the end of its life span or a “useful life span”. This points to the fate of a product after use. To assess what will happen to a product after its lifespan, two sub criteria are used at EcoMoja where the product must either be: Biodegradable and/or compostable.

4. Non Toxic

“Non-toxic” means that the product does not contain ingredients associated with toxic effects in humans, soil, water and air resulting in responses such as hormonal disorders, cancer, soil, water and air pollution. Being non-toxic usually means that the manufacturer has chosen to leave out chemicals that can harm humans and the environment if used for an extended period of time. For example, the removal of phthalates from shampoo, or the absence of formaldehyde in nail polish. To join our platform, the product must either be: organic, natural based and/or vegan/veganism.

5. Packaging

The main task of packaging is to protect the contents from any damage that may occur during transportation, operation and storage. Packaging keeps the product intact throughout the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the end user. However, the right type of packaging is crucial to ensure the environment is protected. Three sub criteria are used at EcoMoja where the product must either be: zero plastic packaging, biodegradable and compostable packaging, and/or reusable packaging.

My products are not really eco-friendly, how can you help me?

Our team is made of environmental scientists who will gladly guide you to become more sustainable. Talk to us via the contact form of this website or email us at hello@ecomoja.com. Together, we can work towards a sustainable lifestyle.

What is the onboarding process?

First, show interest through the contact form of this website or email us at hello@ecomoja.com. Then our team will reach out to request for more information such as your business information, your sustainability journey, brand story, the products details, and any certifications if any, to assess your business and ensure that our values align and that we can work together to help people transition to a sustainable lifestyle through convenient access to eco-friendly products. Then our product team will assess your assess whether you meet at least three of the above mentioned sustainability criteria then schedule a demo session and start uploading your products!

How does it work after I am onboarded as a merchant?

1. Orders: After your products are visible on EcoMoja, our users can make purchases via our website and pay through the platform using our payment gateway Payfast..
2. Fulfilment/ Delivery: An automated order email with customer's contact & shipping address will be sent to the merchant when an order is placed. The merchant is responsible to fulfill the order based on the order details & deliver to the customer directly.
3. Reviews and Ratings: We will assess your reviews and ratings to ensure that every product on our platform satisfies the customers.
4. Payouts: EcoMoja will make payments to merchants within 7 days of fulfilling the order. However, the merchants can only withdraw when the balance is above R400.
5. Inventory Management: Through the merchant portal you will be able to manage and update stock levels. Every product uploaded by the merchant will first be submitted to our product team before it is live. All you have to do is upload the product and click on submit.

How does EcoMoja ensure that the products are eco-friendly & sustainable on its platform?

1. We assess any merchants interested in joining our platform by conducting throughout investigation into the source of their products, ingredients and processes involved in its production to ensure that their products are of high quality & sustainable. For those merchants affiliated with certification bodies, we go further to verifiy the claim of the respective bodies. This means we do not just take the merchants’ word for it.
2. Our team of environmental scientists assess the information against our sustainability criteria and decide to accept or reject the product from our platform.
3. Our quality control or "power to the people" feature allows our users to report, rate & give feedback on any products or merchants that do not align with our mission.