Question 1

What can I buy on Jaratrade?

Accepted Answer

Right now we focus on Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) sourced from Nigerian markets - food and beverage, personal care, textiles and more. Each exporter sets their own minimum order quantities.

Question 2

How do I know an exporter is legit?

Accepted Answer

Every exporter on Jaratrade goes through KYC. We verify business registration, means of ID, and bank details before their account is activated. Verified exporters carry a green checkmark on their profile.

Question 3

How does payment work?

Accepted Answer

Payments are processed by Flutterwave. Cards, bank transfers and USSD are supported. At checkout your payment is split at the source: the seller's share lands in their Flutterwave subaccount, and Jaratrade's commission lands in our commission account - all in one secure transaction. The seller's share is held in escrow until the order completes (see 'When does the exporter get paid?' below).

Question 4

Can I arrange my own shipping?

Accepted Answer

Yes. At checkout you'll see two options: pick a Jaratrade logistics partner with a unified quote, or use 'Importer arranged' and provide your own shipping address. Either way, the exporter ships to a verified destination.

Question 5

Is my shipping address saved for future orders?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Once you place your first order with a shipping address, it's saved to your profile and auto-loaded at checkout next time. You can manage saved addresses, set a default, or add new ones from /importer/shipping. Picking a saved address skips the form entirely.

Question 6

Will I be notified when my order status changes?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You'll get an email every time the exporter advances your order - paid, confirmed, preparing, shipped, delivered. Each email links straight to your order page. The exporter is notified by email the moment your payment clears so they can start preparing the shipment.

Question 7

When does the exporter get paid?

Accepted Answer

The exporter is paid once the order is genuinely complete. Two paths trigger this: (1) you confirm receipt from the order page by pressing 'Confirm receipt' - the seller's payout is released right away, or (2) seven (7) calendar days pass after the exporter marks the order as delivered with no dispute raised - the payout is released automatically by our nightly process. Either way, funds transfer to the exporter's Nigerian bank account via Flutterwave's Transfers API. We hold the money in escrow throughout - it never enters Jaratrade's bank balance.

Question 8

What does subscription cost?

Accepted Answer

There's a free tier with capped transactions and limited listings. Premium importers pay £150/month for unlimited transactions and priority support; premium exporters pay ₦150,000/month for unlimited stores, unlimited products, and sponsored placements.

Question 9

What's the commission?

Accepted Answer

Free plan users pay 2% per transaction. Premium subscribers pay 1.5%. The rate is administered by Jaratrade and displayed on every order at checkout - the fee is split automatically by Flutterwave at the moment of payment, so there's no manual invoicing and no waiting for us to deduct it later.

Question 10

What if my order is delayed or damaged?

Accepted Answer

Don't confirm receipt - that releases the payout. Instead, raise a dispute from your order page within seven (7) days of delivery. Our trust & safety team reviews the case (usually within one business day) and lands on one of three outcomes: refund, replacement, or dismissed with reasons. The seller is held in escrow throughout, so funds can't be released while a dispute is open.

Question 11

Can I leave a review?

Accepted Answer

Yes - once an order is delivered, you'll be prompted to rate the exporter. Reviews are public and unlock the 'Verified buyer' tag on your profile.