1. What Pichatech is
Pichatech is an online marketplace for tech products and repair services in Kenya. Shops list their own items, set their own prices and publish their own payment details. Buyers browse, order and pay the seller directly.
Pichatech provides the storefront, search, cart, checkout record, order tracking, reviews, seller tools and dispute channel. Pichatech is not the buyer, the seller, a bank or a payment processor for buyer payments.
2. The stakeholders
- Buyers: people who browse and order from shops. They pay the seller directly and can track orders and open disputes.
- Sellers (shops): independent businesses or individuals who list items, set prices, publish payment details, fulfil orders and handle returns.
- Pichatech platform team: builds and runs the marketplace, reviews shops, moderates listings and reviews, and handles disputes and abuse reports.
- Payment providers: M-Pesa (Safaricom), banks and other providers that move money directly between buyer and seller. Pichatech does not process these payments.
- Delivery partners: couriers, boda riders and pickup points chosen by the seller or buyer to move goods.
- Promoted-listing advertisers: sellers who pay Pichatech to feature products. This is the platform's revenue line and is separate from buyer payments.
- Regulators and authorities: the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, the Competition Authority of Kenya, the Communications Authority and law enforcement, where relevant.
- Technology partners: hosting, media storage, email delivery and analytics providers who process data on our instructions.
3. How money moves
- A buyer places an order on Pichatech. No money is taken at checkout.
- The order page shows the seller's published payment details — M-Pesa number, Paybill, Till number or bank account.
- The buyer sends the total directly to the seller using those details, and keeps the confirmation message.
- The seller confirms receipt, fulfils the order and updates its status.
- If a refund is due, the seller sends it back to the buyer directly.
- Separately, sellers may pay Pichatech for promoted listings. That is the only money Pichatech collects.
4. Who is responsible for what
- Listing accuracy, price, stock, condition and warranty: the seller.
- Accepting and fulfilling orders, packaging and delivery: the seller.
- Returns, refunds and warranty claims: the seller, under their policy and Kenyan consumer law.
- Publishing and protecting payment details: the seller.
- Sending payment to the correct seller details: the buyer.
- Marketplace availability, search, order records, reviews and dispute facilitation: Pichatech.
- Shop verification, moderation and enforcement: Pichatech.
- Data protection for marketplace data: Pichatech, with sellers responsible for data they receive to fulfil orders.
5. Order lifecycle
An order moves through pending, processing, shipped, delivered and completed, or is cancelled. The buyer can follow progress from the tracking link. Payment status is shown separately because payment happens directly between buyer and seller.
6. Trust and enforcement
- Shops may be reviewed and verified before or after they start selling.
- Reviews are tied to real orders and can be moderated.
- Buyers can open a dispute from any order page; Pichatech reviews evidence and may mediate.
- Pichatech may pause or close shops that break the terms of use, and reports serious issues to the authorities.
7. Contact
Marketplace and seller questions: hello@pichatech.com. Privacy requests: hello@pichatech.com. Order issues: contact the seller from your order page, then open a dispute.