Terms of Service

Our Business Entity

Legal Name: Habesha Diaspora Market Ltd.

Company Number: 16937728

Registered in: England & Wales

Registered Address: 17 Flooden Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2QL, United Kingdom

Governed by: UK Law & Consumer Rights Act 2015

How Payments Are Handled

HDM collects payment from Customers via Stripe at the point of purchase. Customer payments are received into HDM’s own Stripe account, and HDM temporarily holds these funds on behalf of the relevant Vendor.

HDM then pays the Vendor by bank transfer to the account details the Vendor provided during registration, after deducting HDM’s applicable platform commission. Funds are not paid directly to the Vendor by the payment processor; HDM acts as the collecting party and remits payouts to Vendors separately.

While HDM holds Customer funds pending payout, HDM does so solely as a facilitator of the underlying transaction between the Customer and the Vendor. HDM is not a bank, is not providing banking, deposit-taking, or e-money services, and does not pay interest on funds held. HDM’s holding of funds does not make HDM a party to, guarantor of, or insurer of any transaction, and does not transfer to HDM any liability for the products or services supplied by the Vendor, which remain the Vendor’s sole responsibility.

Vendor Responsibility

Each Vendor is solely responsible for:

• The accuracy of their listings, descriptions, images, and prices
• The quality, safety, legality, and fitness for purpose of their products and services
• Fulfilling orders, bookings, reservations, and custom orders as described
• Complying with all applicable laws (including the Consumer Rights Act 2015, food safety regulations, health and safety requirements, and data protection law)
• Their own tax obligations, including VAT
• Handling returns, refunds, and complaints in accordance with UK consumer law

HDM’s Limited Role in Disputes

If a dispute arises between a Customer and a Vendor, HDM may, at its sole discretion, attempt to mediate by facilitating communication and reviewing evidence. This mediation is non-binding. HDM is not an arbitrator, insurer, or guarantor of any transaction outcome.

Transactions Outside the Platform

HDM has no knowledge of, responsibility for, or liability in respect of any transaction, arrangement, or agreement made between a Vendor and a Customer outside the Platform. This includes transactions via WhatsApp, phone, email, social media, in person, or any other channel. Transacting outside the Platform is entirely at your own risk.

Your Account & Access Rights

We welcome all users who respect our community values and cultural heritage. Your access rights include:

Account Requirements

To maintain our community standards:

• Provide accurate contact and shipping information
• Use your real name for orders and communications
• Maintain one account per person
• Keep your payment information current
• Notify us of any security concerns immediately

Prohibited Activities

To protect our artisan community and cultural heritage, the following are strictly prohibited:

We reserve the right to limit or refuse service to anyone who violates these terms, engages in fraudulent activities, or disrespects our cultural community.

Product Information Accuracy

We strive for accuracy in all product descriptions, but acknowledge the unique nature of handcrafted items:

• Measurements: Approximate sizes due to hand-crafting process
• Colours: Natural variations in materials and photography lighting
• Patterns: Each piece is unique, patterns may vary slightly
• Materials: All sourced locally by artisans using traditional methods
• Customisation: Available for many items with artisan approval

Pricing & Availability

• All prices are displayed in British Pounds (GBP) unless otherwise stated
• Prices may change to reflect material costs or artisan agreements
• Most items have limited availability due to their handcrafted nature
• Prices are inclusive of applicable fees — international customers may be responsible for customs duties and import taxes

Accepted Payment Methods

Payment Security

• SSL encryption for all transactions
• Payments processed by Stripe — we never store full card details on our servers
• Fraud detection and prevention via Stripe Radar
• 3D Secure authentication where supported

Tax & Duty Information

When You Purchase From HDM

Personal Use Rights

Prohibited Uses

Platform Content & User-Generated Content

All content on our website (text, images, layout, branding) is owned by Habesha Diaspora Market Ltd. unless otherwise stated. Product photos may be shared for personal reference; commercial use requires written permission.

When you share reviews, photos, or comments on our platform, you grant us a non-exclusive right to display your content, use it in marketing materials (with attribution), moderate for community standards, and remove inappropriate content.

What We Guarantee

Natural Variations (Not Defects)

The following are natural characteristics of handcrafted items:

• Slight size variations (typically ±5–10%)
• Natural colour variations in materials
• Minor pattern differences in woven items
• Unique texture from hand-finishing
• Evidence of traditional tools and techniques

UK Consumer Rights

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you have statutory rights that we fully honour:

• Right to Reject: 30 days for faulty goods
• Right to Repair/Replace: Free repair or replacement for defects
• Right to Refund: Full refund if repair/replacement fails
• Right to Price Reduction: Partial refund for minor faults

For full details, see our Returns & Refunds Policy.

Limitation of Liability

We accept full responsibility for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, breach of your statutory consumer rights, and defective products that cause property damage.

To operate sustainably as a small business supporting artisans, our liability is limited for indirect losses, consequential damages beyond product value, delays due to artisan illness or natural disasters, third-party service failures, and issues arising from misuse of products.

Maximum liability: Our total liability for any claim is limited to the value of your order, except where UK law prohibits such limitations.

Force Majeure

We are not liable for delays or failures caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, political instability in source countries, international shipping disruptions, currency fluctuations, government regulations, or global health emergencies.

Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms of Service are governed by English law. For legal disputes that cannot be resolved through our customer service process:

• UK Customers: Disputes resolved in England & Wales courts
• EU Customers: Access to EU Online Dispute Resolution platform (ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr)
• International: English courts have jurisdiction
• Mediation: Available before formal legal proceedings

How to Contact Us

Languages supported: English (primary); Amharic and Tigrinya available on request

Postal Address

Habesha Diaspora Market Ltd.
17 Flooden Street
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2QL
United Kingdom

Company No: 16937728