Commission & Payout Policy

Commission & Payout Policy

Indian Shopping Mela

Effective date: 17 September 2026 | Version 1.0

1. Purpose and Scope

This Commission & Payout Policy explains the general commission, pricing and seller payout arrangements for sellers using Indian Shopping Mela (ISM). It forms part of the seller's marketplace terms and should be read with the ISM Seller Terms & Conditions, Returns & Refunds Policy and other applicable ISM policies.

2. General Commission

Unless a different rate has been expressly communicated by ISM, the general marketplace commission is 12% of the applicable product sale amount for each completed marketplace sale.

ISM may offer temporary launch rates, promotional rates, category rates, negotiated seller rates or other commercial arrangements. Where a different rate applies, ISM will communicate the applicable rate through the seller dashboard, email, written offer, campaign terms or other reasonable electronic notice.

Commission is consideration for access to and operation of the ISM marketplace and related marketplace services. Payment-processing, delivery, advertising, optional services, refunds, chargebacks, taxes or other separately identified amounts may be treated separately where applicable.

3. Commission Calculation

Unless ISM states otherwise for a particular program, commission is calculated on the product sale amount actually charged to the buyer after seller-funded product discounts, but excluding separately charged delivery amounts and government taxes that ISM is required to collect or remit in its own capacity.

If ISM funds a promotion or discount itself, the treatment of that promotion for commission purposes will be stated in the applicable promotion terms. Sellers should review transaction statements for the amount on which commission has been calculated.

4. GST and Taxes on ISM Fees

Where GST is legally payable on ISM's commission or other marketplace fees, GST will be added, included or otherwise accounted for as required by Australian tax law. Seller statements and tax documentation will identify relevant amounts where required.

Each seller remains responsible for determining and meeting its own GST, income tax, business registration, invoicing and other tax obligations arising from its sales, except to the extent the law specifically places an obligation on ISM or another party.

5. Seller Pricing

Sellers determine the selling prices of their own products. ISM does not set or guarantee a seller's retail price and does not guarantee that a product will sell at any particular price.

Sellers must price products reasonably, lawfully and transparently. Prices, discounts, recommended retail prices, 'was/now' pricing and savings claims must be genuine and must not be false, misleading or deceptive.

ISM may contact a seller where a price appears to be an obvious error, materially misleading, inconsistent with marketplace rules, or likely to create a legal, fraud or customer-protection concern. ISM may temporarily restrict an affected listing while such an issue is reviewed.

6. Multi-Seller Marketplace and Different Prices

ISM is a multi-seller marketplace. Two or more independent sellers may offer the same, similar or competing products on ISM at the same time.

Each seller independently determines its own price, subject to applicable law and ISM policies. As a result, the same or substantially similar product may appear on ISM at different prices, with different delivery charges, stock levels, dispatch times, promotions, seller ratings or service terms.

ISM does not guarantee price parity between sellers and does not require one seller to match another seller's price. The presence of a lower or higher competing price does not entitle a seller to compensation, preferential placement, a commission reduction or any other adjustment from ISM.

7. Pricing Responsibility

Before publishing or updating a listing, the seller is responsible for checking its product price, sale price, stock, delivery settings and other charges. A seller must promptly correct pricing errors and cooperate with ISM where an order is affected by an obvious or material pricing mistake.

Nothing in this Policy authorises resale price maintenance or any other pricing conduct prohibited by competition or consumer law.

8. Changes to Commission and Fees

ISM may review and change its commission structure, commission rates, category rates, promotional rates or marketplace fees from time to time for legitimate business, operational, market, technology, regulatory or service reasons.

For a material increase or other material adverse change affecting an existing seller, ISM will provide reasonable electronic notice before the new rate applies where practicable and required by law. The notice may be provided by email, seller dashboard notification or another reasonable electronic method. Urgent changes required by law, tax treatment, fraud prevention, security, payment-provider requirements or similar circumstances may take effect sooner where reasonably necessary.

A revised rate applies prospectively from its stated effective date and does not retrospectively change commission already earned on completed transactions. A seller that does not wish to continue under a revised material rate may stop creating new listings or cease selling before the revised rate takes effect, subject to completing existing orders and outstanding obligations.

9. Promotional and Special Commission Rates

ISM may introduce promotional commission rates for launch campaigns, new sellers, selected categories, limited periods or other programs. Promotional rates may have eligibility criteria, start and end dates, volume requirements or other conditions.

When a promotional period ends, the seller will move to the then-applicable standard or otherwise communicated commission rate unless ISM expressly states otherwise.

10. Payout Eligibility

ISM's standard seller payout policy is 14 days from the date of sale, subject to successful payment processing, valid payout details, and any genuine fraud, chargeback, legal or verification hold. The 14-day period is designed to accommodate ISM's 12-day marketplace change-of-mind exchange period before seller funds are released.

Sellers must maintain sufficient funds or future payout proceeds to meet valid refunds, returns, chargebacks and adjustments. A payout does not remove the seller's responsibility for a refund or other amount that later becomes properly payable.

11. Payout Amount

After the standard 14-day payout period, the seller payout may reflect the following, as applicable. ISM commission remains non-refundable where an order is later exchanged or where a refund is required, to the extent permitted by law:

the product sale proceeds attributable to the seller;

less ISM commission and applicable GST on ISM fees;

less refunds, partial refunds, chargebacks, payment reversals or transaction adjustments attributable to the seller;

less seller-funded discounts, credits or adjustments;

less any other amount properly due under the seller's ISM agreement or an expressly accepted optional service;

plus or minus corrections to previous payout calculations.

12. Payout Method

Sellers must provide accurate bank or payout details supported by ISM's payment system. ISM may use third-party payment or payout providers and may require additional verification before a payout can be released.

The seller is responsible for keeping payout information current. ISM is not responsible for delay caused by incorrect seller-supplied bank details, incomplete verification, bank processing times or matters outside ISM's reasonable control.

13. Payout Holds and Reserves

ISM may place a reasonable temporary hold on an affected payout where necessary to investigate or manage a genuine risk relating to suspected fraud, unauthorised transactions, unusually high refunds or chargebacks, unresolved customer disputes, product safety, legal requirements, account verification or a material breach of seller obligations.

Any hold should be proportionate to the relevant risk and maintained only for as long as reasonably necessary. Where appropriate, ISM may request supporting information from the seller before releasing funds.

14. Returns and Refunds

Where a refund is required under the Australian Consumer Law or otherwise properly payable under ISM policy, ISM's marketplace commission charged on the original sale is not refunded or credited back to the seller. The seller remains responsible for the buyer refund and any other seller-attributable amounts. ISM's commission is charged for facilitating the marketplace transaction and remains payable notwithstanding a later return, exchange or legally required refund, to the extent permitted by law.

For an eligible change-of-mind request made within 12 days, ISM's marketplace policy is exchange only and no cash refund is provided for change of mind, subject to the conditions in the ISM Returns & Refunds Policy. Sellers must cooperate with and honour qualifying exchanges under that policy. This 12-day exchange policy does not limit or exclude any rights or remedies available to a consumer under the Australian Consumer Law.

A change-of-mind exchange is different from a remedy required by law. If a product has a major failure or another circumstance gives the customer a statutory right to a refund, replacement, repair or other remedy under the Australian Consumer Law, the seller must provide the remedy required by law. A seller must not represent that 'no refunds' applies where the law gives the customer a right to a refund.

15. Chargebacks and Payment Reversals

If a buyer payment is reversed, charged back or disputed, ISM may temporarily withhold or adjust the amount associated with that transaction while the matter is investigated. The seller must provide requested evidence such as tracking, proof of dispatch, delivery information, product information or communications.

Amounts finally determined to be the seller's responsibility may be deducted from current or future payouts to the extent permitted by law and the seller agreement.

16. Negative Seller Balance

If refunds, chargebacks, adjustments or other properly payable amounts exceed the seller's available balance, the seller account may show a negative balance. ISM may offset that balance against future seller proceeds or request repayment using a reasonable payment method.

17. Seller Statements and Records

ISM may provide transaction and payout records through the seller dashboard, reports, invoices, statements or other electronic records. Sellers should review these records promptly and notify ISM of a suspected calculation error within a reasonable period.

ISM may correct genuine calculation, processing or system errors. A correction may increase or decrease a future payout as appropriate.

18. Off-Platform Transactions

Commission applies to transactions properly completed through ISM. Sellers must not deliberately divert an ISM-originated buyer or transaction outside the marketplace to avoid commission or marketplace processes.

Where a seller deliberately circumvents ISM in breach of the Seller Terms & Conditions, ISM may take account action and seek recovery of commission or fees that would otherwise have been properly payable, together with direct loss that ISM can establish and legally recover.

19. No Guarantee of Sales, Revenue or Payout Volume

ISM does not guarantee any seller a minimum number of views, enquiries, orders, sales, revenue, profit or payout amount. Marketplace performance can vary according to product demand, pricing, competition, seller performance, seasonality, advertising, stock, delivery and other factors.

20. Policy Updates

ISM may update this Policy from time to time. Material changes affecting commission, payout timing or significant seller financial obligations will be communicated in accordance with section 8 and applicable law. The current version and effective date will be made available through ISM.

21. Relationship With Seller Terms

This Policy is a separate document from the Indian Shopping Mela Seller Terms & Conditions. The Seller Terms & Conditions govern the broader seller relationship, product responsibilities, marketplace conduct and legal obligations. This Policy governs commission, seller pricing principles and payout arrangements.

If there is a direct inconsistency about commission calculation, commission rates or payout mechanics, this Policy applies to that issue, subject to applicable law and any written seller-specific commercial arrangement expressly agreed by ISM.

22. Contact

Commission and payout enquiries:

Indian Shopping MelaEmail: support@indianshoppingmela.com.auWebsite: indianshopping.online