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Zola protects both buyers and sellers by securely holding payment until the transaction is completed.

How Zola works

  1. No money has moved

    Create a transaction

    Buyer and seller agree on the transaction details.

  2. Zola is holding the money

    Buyer pays Zola

    The buyer sends payment to Zola instead of directly to the seller.

  3. The money stays with Zola

    Seller delivers

    The seller ships or delivers the agreed product or service.

  4. The seller has the money

    Zola releases the payment

    Once the buyer confirms delivery, Zola releases the funds to the seller.

Common questions

Where is my money while a transaction is in progress?

With Zola. When the buyer pays, the money goes to Zola and stays there. The seller can see that it has been paid, but it is only released after the buyer confirms delivery.

Every transaction page shows where the money is, what happens next, and who needs to act.

How much does Zola cost?

Zola charges 5% of the item price, plus FCFA 1,000 for delivery. Both are added to the buyer's total and shown before payment. The seller receives the full item price.

The delivery fee only applies when there is something to deliver. For a service, or anything the seller hands over themselves, the seller switches delivery off and only the 5% is added.

The FCFA 1,000 covers a standard delivery. If your item costs more than that to deliver, you will have to pay the difference.

How do I follow my delivery?

Once you've paid, Zola takes you to the delivery tracking page for your order. You can come back to it any time from the Track delivery button on the transaction.

When the order arrives, return to the transaction on Zola and confirm delivery so the seller can be paid.

How do I start a transaction?

The seller creates the transaction with the item, the price, the delivery time and the buyer's phone number. The buyer needs a Zola account registered with that number.

Zola then notifies the buyer, who reviews the details and pays.

How do I pay?

Open the transaction, choose MTN Mobile Money or Orange Money, and enter your number. A payment prompt is sent to your phone. Approve it, and the page updates once the payment is confirmed.

When does the seller get paid?

After the buyer confirms delivery, Zola releases the payment to the seller's Zola wallet. From there the seller can withdraw to a mobile money number.

What if my order doesn't arrive, or isn't what was agreed?

Don't confirm delivery. Open a dispute from the transaction page instead. Your payment stays held by Zola while the transaction is reviewed.

Can a transaction be changed or deleted?

The seller can edit or delete a transaction until the buyer pays. After payment, the details are locked so both sides are working from the same agreement.

How do withdrawals work?

Sellers can request a withdrawal from the Wallet page, up to their available balance. Zola sends it to the mobile money number you enter. You can have one withdrawal in progress at a time.

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