Welcome to Freshlinq’s FAQ guide. This document provides clear answers to common questions about our services, procedures, and verification requirements. Whether you are a buyer or producer, this guide will help you navigate the Freshlinq ecosystem easily.
PAYMENTS
To ensure your transactions are processed in a timely manner, please take note of the following cut-off times for bank payments and immediate payments for South African banks. Please be aware that these times may vary depending on your specific bank.
Monday to Friday: All payments must be submitted by 3:00 PM. Payments submitted after 3:00 PM will be processed on the next business day.
Weekends and Public Holidays: Payments will be processed on the next business day.
Monday to Friday: Immediate payments can be made at any time, but transactions submitted after 5:00 PM may experience a delay and may be processed the following business day.
Weekends and Public Holidays: Immediate payments are available 24 / 7, but processing times may vary depending on the bank’s system availability.
Depending on the bank, some immediate payments may take up to an hour to reflect in the recipient’s account.
ADDITIONAL NOTES: Please use these cut-off times as a general guideline, and consult your bank for specific details regarding their processing times. To avoid any delays, ensure that all payments are submitted before the respective cut-off times. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact our customer service team.
GLOSSARY
An authoritative buyer representative is someone officially authorized to make purchasing decisions for a company. This person usually holds a position like manager, director, or designated purchasing agent.
Your business partner account is your dedicated account on the Freshlinq trading platform. It allows you to start trading as a buyer, producer, or both at Freshlinq Markets.
Monday to Friday: Immediate payments can be made at any time, but transactions submitted after 5:00 PM may experience a delay and may be processed the following business day.
Weekends and Public Holidays: Immediate payments are available 24 / 7, but processing times may vary depending on the bank’s system availability.
Depending on the bank, some immediate payments may take up to an hour to reflect in the recipient’s account.
The Freshlinq Trading Platform is an online system provided by Freshlinq that allows users to buy and sell goods or services.
Manages facility operations to maintain customer relations, infrastructure, hygiene, and security, ensuring a safe trading environment for agents, buyers, and producers in fresh produce markets.
A juristic entity is an organisation recognised by law as having legal rights and responsibilities, such as corporations, partnerships, or trusts.
A representative is someone who acts on behalf of another person or organisation, often to make purchases.
RSA Market Agents are registered with APAC as agents. They source fresh produce from producers, arrange its delivery to the market, facilitate sales to buyers, and manage stock requirements.
A sole proprietor is an individual who owns and operates a business alone, taking full responsibility for its operations and liabilities.
GENERAL
Freshlinq and RSA collaborate closely as one entity but also operate independently.
Freshlinq has two main parts: Freshlinq Market Management and the Freshlinq Trading Platform.
Freshlinq Market Management: Oversees facility operations to maintain cleanliness and security, ensuring a safe trading environment for agents and buyers in fresh produce markets.
Freshlinq Trading Platform: An online system provided by Freshlinq that allows users to buy and sell goods or services.
RSA Market Agency: Leases space from Freshlinq Market Management to store fresh produce and is regulated by APAC, overseeing agents in various Freshlinq Markets.
To start trading as a Freshlinq producer or buyer, you need to sign up on our Freshlinq Trading Platform. For security, we require specific documents based on whether you’re a Sole Proprietor or part of a Juristic Entity:
For Sole Proprietors:
- Proof of identification of the person making purchasing decisions
- Proof of address
- Proof of bank account details
- VAT certificate (if registered)
For Juristic Entities:
- Proof of identification of the person making purchasing decisions
- CIPC document/company registration document
- Proof of address
- Proof of bank account details
- VAT certificate (if registered)
Providing these documents helps us verify your account to level 4, ensuring smooth trading!
Did you know your Freshlinq Business Partner account has different verification levels based on the information you provide? You can reach up to verification level 4 by submitting certain details and documents:
Verification Level 1 Requirements: This level lets you start trading, deposit money, and request cash refunds from your account.
- Name of the individual or company
- Identification document (ID/Passport/CIPC)
- Cellphone number
Verification Level 2 Requirements: This level allows you to make direct EFT transfers to your Business Partner account using a unique reference number.
- All requirements from level 1
- Email address
- Request an EFT Reference number from the cashier
Verification Level 3 Requirements: This level lets you request EFT refunds.
- All requirements from levels 1 and 2
- Proof of bank account details
Verification Level 4 Requirements: This level means you are fully verified in the Freshlinq Trading Platform.
- All requirements from levels 1-3
- Proof of residential address
- First, please note there is a R50.00 fee for any extra or replacement tokens.
- Next, the authoritative buyer representative must fill out a consent form, available from the cashier.
- The authoritative buyer representative must confirm with the cashier that their current cellphone number is registered on the Freshlinq Trading Platform.
- A One Time Pin (OTP) will be sent to the authoritative buyer representative’s mobile phone. Show this OTP to the cashier to receive a new token.
Your first token is free. If you lose it, you can get a replacement from the cashier for R50.00. The authoritative buyer representative must give permission and will receive a One Time Pin (OTP) for confirmation.
To request a cash refund, a buyer must reach verification level 1. Cash refunds are available for amounts between R2 000.00 and R10 000.00. For larger amounts, an EFT refund is required, and the buyer must reach verification level 3. EFT refunds are available upon special request.
*For more information on verification levels, see our ‘verification levels’ section.
We usually communicate with buyers through SMS. However, WhatsApp provides more features and details, so we recommend switching to it for a better experience. To start receiving Freshlinq messages on WhatsApp, simply reply to any Freshlinq SMS with the word “WhatsApp”
Our improved Freshlinq system is designed to make your experience better. Buyers will now get notifications via email, SMS, and / or WhatsApp for:
- EFT fund allocations
- Cash refunds
- Provisional trades
If you have any questions, please contact your market manager or email support@freshlinq.com