How To Join

Every eMerchant in Qatar is eligible to display the badge of Theqa, the eCommerce trustmark, with pride. Businesses who would like to apply for membership are invited to do so via the Theqa portal, an easy process whereby your platform will be assessed by our team according to a list of requirements you need to follow in order to qualify. Click here to apply

The Joining Process

  • Please register your interest by filling in our request form.
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  • Theqa will get back to you to continue the application process.
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  • Then you simply complete and return all of the required documents.
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  • The Theqa team will then assess your application according to our list of requirements.
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  • If you qualify, you will then be invited to join Theqa, Qatar’s eCommerce trustmark.
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The Criteria:

  • Terms and Conditions

    All eMerchants must provide adequate recommended Terms and Conditions, which must be easily accessible on their website and correctly structured with dedicated sections (basic T&Cs, Privacy Policy, Shipping Policy).
  • Member Information

    The following must be made available by the eMerchant on their platform on an ‘About Us’ page:
    − Name of organization
    − Address of organization
    − Contact information (including email address and phone number)
    − Qatar Commercial Registration number or equivalent
  • Product Information

    All products on the website must contain an accurate description that is not in any way misleading and display good quality photographs of the exact individual items on sale.
  • Pricing Information

    The price of each product must be displayed in a transparent, consistent and comprehensive format, with a clear breakdown of additional fees (loyalty, delivery, tax, etc) if applicable at each stage of the purchase process.
  • Delivery Time, Terms and Fees

    Delivery times and applicable delivery terms must be clearly displayed anywhere the client is ordering a product. Delivery options, average delivery time and fees must be mentioned on the website’s Terms and Conditions page. Accurate delivery fees must also be clearly displayed on the check out page and exact delivery time displayed once the customer has placed an order.
  • Payment Terms and Fees

    All qualifying eMerchants must list what types of payment they offer and what applicable fees (if any) the eShopper will charged to process the online transaction. They must also clearly display whether there are any restrictions with certain available payment methods and exactly when credit or debit cards will be charged.
  • Order Cancellation

    The eMerchant must display that the customer has the right to cancel an order, which must be clearly defined within a specific deadline window period. As per Qatari law, deliveries not made within 30 days also entitle customers to a cancellation and full refund.
  • Return, Refund and Exchange

    Each customer must be able to return, exchange or obtain a refund for their order and the eMerchant must provide a clear description of return/refund/exchange policies/terms and the process the customer must follow to do so, when applicable.
  • Damages and Defects

    Every customer must be entitled to a replacement and/or refund in case of product damage or defect. The eMerchant must provide a dedicated section for damages and defects policies (usually within the Terms and Conditions) and a clear process to be followed by the customer.
  • Warranty Information

    If applicable, the eMerchant must mention whether the customer is eligible for a warranty upon purchase of a particular product. If so, there must be dedicated section in the platform’s Terms & Conditions for the warranty policy (including time, scope and eligibility) and the applicable process.
  • Privacy Policy

    A privacy policy section must available and easy to find for consumers at the bottom of the merchant’s homepage, preferably in the form of dedicated web page for privacy policy that is dedicated to data protection.
  • Personal Data

    Using a tick box, the eMerchant must obtain customer consent to store or use their personal data when they are setting up an account or ordering without an account. Data collected must only limited to that necessary for purchase and delivery. SSL certification must also be available to encrypt their data when a customer enters credit card and/or account login information.
  • Payment Data

    Payment gateways offered must be secure and PCI compliant.
  • Marketing Material

    If the eMerchant intends to share customer address information for co-operative or promotional purposes, this must be indicated in the platform’s privacy policy, including who the data will be shared with and how it might be used for marketing material.
  • Third Party Data Sharing

    If the eMerchant intends to share customer information with third party entities, this fact must also be clearly outlined in their privacy policy, including for what purpose the data will be used.
  • Data Collection and Storage

    In addition, the eMerchant’s privacy policy must refer to the storage of customer data in a clear and transparent terms, including describing where and for how long their data will be stored.
  • Cookies

    The eMerchant policies must also contain a section dedicated to cookies, describing the type of information saved by their website’s cookies and for what purpose this data will be used.
  • Contact Information

    The eMerchant must provide an easily accessible ‘Contact Us’ page on their website, which must include a physical address, phone number and email address.
  • Complaint Handling

    The eMerchant must provide a clear simple complaint handling process, where the procedure to be followed by the customer is outlined in one easily accessible dedicated section.

Download the Theqa criteria.

To begin your journey with Theqa, submit your application now!

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