Welcome to Sooq wa Mazaad. By using the website, the app or any service the platform provides, you confirm that you have read, understood and agreed to these Terms & Conditions and to the laws and regulations in force in the Sultanate of Oman. Please read them carefully before using the platform, posting a listing or buying a service.
1. About the platform
Sooq wa Mazaad is an online platform where users list goods, services and ads and contact each other, with digital, advertising and auction services as available on the platform. Unless the platform expressly states otherwise, Sooq wa Mazaad is not the seller, buyer or owner of goods listed by users and is not a party to any sale or agreement between them. The seller or service provider is responsible for what they offer, its accuracy, its specification, the legality of trading it, and their obligations to the buyer. This does not limit any legal responsibility Sooq wa Mazaad has for the services it provides itself.
2. Accepting the terms
By using the platform, creating an account, posting a listing or buying a paid service, the user confirms that they:
- Are 18 or older or, if under 18, use the platform with the consent and under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian, who is responsible for their transactions on the platform.
- Have provided true and accurate information.
- Are responsible for keeping their account details safe.
- Comply with all laws, regulations and decisions in force in the Sultanate of Oman.
- Comply with these terms and the platform's published policies.
3. User and advertiser responsibility
The user or advertiser is fully responsible for every listing, item, service or content they enter, publish or display on the platform, including without limitation:
- The accuracy of the information in the listing.
- The accuracy of photos, specifications and prices.
- Ownership of the item or the legal right to sell it.
- Obtaining any licence or permit required.
- The legality of the item or service.
- Fulfilling the obligations of the sale or agreement with the buyer.
- Not misleading consumers or giving false information.
Accepting or publishing a listing is not a licence, endorsement or guarantee by Sooq wa Mazaad of the legality, accuracy or fitness of the item or service.
4. Prohibited goods, services and listings
The platform may not be used to publish, display, promote, or request the sale or purchase of any item, service or content that breaks the laws, regulations or decisions in force in the Sultanate of Oman. This includes, without limitation:
- Goods and services prohibited by law.
- Goods or services that need a licence or permit where proof of it has not been provided.
- Products or services that breach consumer-protection or e-commerce rules.
- Pornographic or indecent content, or content that breaks laws and regulations.
- Content that discriminates against, incites against or abuses any person or group.
- Narcotics, psychotropic substances and prohibited materials.
- Weapons, ammunition, explosives and hazardous or legally restricted materials.
- Medicines or medical or health products that need a licence or permit the user does not hold.
- Wild or marine animals, reptiles, birds or any creatures the law forbids trading, selling, keeping or moving without the necessary permits and approvals.
- Stolen goods or goods obtained unlawfully.
- Counterfeit goods or products that infringe intellectual-property rights or trademarks.
- Products or services described with misleading or false information.
- Any activity, item or service the law or competent authorities forbid advertising or trading.
- Any content that may expose the platform or its users to legal or regulatory breach.
Sooq wa Mazaad may update this list in line with any new legislation, decision or official instruction.
5. Licences and permits
The advertiser alone is responsible for obtaining every licence, permit and approval needed to carry on the activity, sell the item or provide the service. Sooq wa Mazaad may ask for a copy of any licence, permit or document proving a listing is lawful, and may refuse, suspend or remove the listing until the requirements are met.
6. Our right to remove or suspend listings
Sooq wa Mazaad reserves the right to:
- Refuse to publish any listing.
- Remove or disable any published listing.
- Suspend or restrict an account.
- Close an account.
- Stop a user from using some of the platform's services.
- Ask for additional documents or information.
It may do so if a listing, item or service breaks the law, these terms or the platform's policies, needs a permit that was not provided, contains misleading information, may endanger users or the platform or expose it to legal or regulatory liability, or is the subject of a request from a competent government or regulatory authority.
These measures may be taken without prior notice where the nature of the breach or legal necessity requires it.
7. Listings are not endorsed
A listing appearing on Sooq wa Mazaad does not mean the platform has approved, inspected or guaranteed:
- The legality of the item.
- The advertiser's ownership of it.
- The accuracy of its specification.
- Its quality.
- Its fitness.
- That it is free of defects.
- Its suitability for a particular purpose.
- The accuracy of all the information in the listing.
These remain the responsibility of the advertiser or seller under the law.
8. Transactions between buyer and seller
A transaction for an item or service takes place between the seller and the buyer unless the platform expressly states it is a party to it. The seller must honour the agreement with the buyer and the relevant laws. Sooq wa Mazaad is not liable for a seller's failure to meet their obligations where the platform is not a party to the sale or the provider of the item or service in dispute, to the extent the law allows. This does not stop the platform cooperating with users or authorities to look into reports or breaches.
For your safety we recommend that you:
- See and check the item before completing the purchase or paying anything.
- Meet in public, safe places.
- Never share verification codes or login details with anyone.
9. Our responsibility
Sooq wa Mazaad's responsibility is limited to the services the platform provides itself and to the legal obligations that apply to it as the operator of the platform or provider of the service concerned. It is not responsible for the acts, statements, products or services of users or independent sellers where it is not the provider of that item or service or a party to the transaction. Nothing in these terms excludes a mandatory legal responsibility of the platform under the laws in force in the Sultanate of Oman.
10. Paid services and fees
Sooq wa Mazaad may offer paid services including, as available on the platform:
- Posting listings.
- Featuring, promoting and highlighting listings.
- Auction services, including auction posting, entry and live-stream fees.
- Reels and other digital services.
The fee for a service is shown before purchase, and completing payment is acceptance of its price and terms. Payments are processed through a secure online payment gateway; the platform does not store card details.
The user bears any taxes or government charges that apply to their transactions under the law.
11. Non-compliant listings and non-refundable fees
If a user paid to post, promote or highlight a listing, or for any other digital service, and the listing, item or service turns out to:
- Break the law or regulations.
- Break the platform's terms.
- Be prohibited from trading or advertising.
- Need a licence or permit the user did not provide.
- Contain false or misleading information or documents.
- Have been published in breach of the platform's policies.
Sooq wa Mazaad may cancel or remove the listing, stop the service or suspend the account. The user is then not entitled to a refund of fees paid for a service already provided or activated, where the cancellation is due to the user's or listing's breach of the law or the terms, or to false information or documents the user provided.
This does not apply where a refund is required by a mandatory legal provision, or where the service was not provided or was cancelled because of an error or failure on Sooq wa Mazaad's side.
12. Services not provided because of our error
If Sooq wa Mazaad cannot provide a paid service because of a technical or operational error on its side, it will, depending on the case and the law, fix the problem, provide the service again or refund the amount paid for the service not provided. The platform is not responsible for delays or non-performance caused by banks, payment providers, telecom companies or circumstances beyond its control, where it has done what is required on its side.
13. Refund policy
Refund requests for services provided by Sooq wa Mazaad are handled under the refund policy published on the platform. That policy does not affect any mandatory consumer right. For disputes about an item or service offered by an independent seller, primary responsibility lies with the seller under the law and the nature of the transaction.
14. Auctions
Where auctions are available, users must follow the rules announced for each auction. A bid is a commitment under that auction's terms and may not be withdrawn except under the auction's rules or where the law allows. The seller is responsible for the legality of the item, its specification and any licences it needs. In particular:
- The winning bidder must complete the purchase under the auction's terms.
- Auction and entry fees must be paid within their stated periods.
- Manipulating auctions, fake bidding and bidding on one's own auction are prohibited.
The platform may cancel or suspend any auction where it finds a breach, manipulation, unlawful activity, a technical fault or a regulatory reason.
15. Fraud and manipulation
The platform may not be used for:
- Fraud.
- Impersonating others.
- Submitting forged information or documents.
- Manipulating auctions.
- Creating fake accounts.
- Artificially inflating prices.
- Unlawful transactions.
- Getting around fees or the platform's systems.
Sooq wa Mazaad may take appropriate action on suspicion of any of these, including suspending the account, removing listings or stopping the transaction, and referring the matter to the competent authorities where required or appropriate under the law.
16. Complaints and disputes
Users may contact Sooq wa Mazaad about any problem with the services the platform provides. Where a complaint concerns an item or service from an independent seller, the platform may, depending on the case, help the parties communicate, review the available information or take action regarding use of the platform. Receiving or reviewing a complaint, or acting on a listing, is not an admission that Sooq wa Mazaad is the seller, service provider or a contracting party.
Any listing or user can be reported from the listing or the profile, and users can block others to hide their content. Nothing in these terms prevents anyone from complaining or reporting to the competent authorities under the law.
17. Cooperation with authorities
Sooq wa Mazaad cooperates with competent government and regulatory authorities under the applicable laws and procedures, and may provide information or records about listings, accounts or transactions when a competent authority requests them through due process.
18. Accounts in breach
Sooq wa Mazaad may suspend, restrict or close accounts that:
- Break these terms.
- Use the platform for unlawful activity.
- Publish prohibited listings.
- Provide false information.
- Use the platform to harm other users.
- Try to get around the platform's systems.
- Create legal or regulatory risk for the platform.
The action taken depends on the nature and seriousness of the breach.
19. Your account details
Users must keep their login details confidential and are responsible for activity on their account that results from their negligence or from sharing their login details. They must tell the platform immediately if they suspect unauthorised use of their account.
20. Intellectual property
All intellectual-property rights in the platform, its design, logo, content, software and databases belong to Sooq wa Mazaad or its licensors. No part of the platform may be copied, reproduced, modified or distributed without prior consent, except as the law allows. Users confirm they have the right to publish the photos, text and content they upload and are responsible for any infringement of others' rights.
21. Content you publish
Users give the platform the technical rights needed to display and process the content they publish, for running, advertising and managing the service. Users are responsible for their content and may not publish anything that breaks the law, others' rights or the platform's terms.
22. Limitation of liability
To the extent the law allows, Sooq wa Mazaad is not liable for losses or damage resulting from:
- Acts or failures of the seller or buyer.
- False information provided by users.
- Goods or services listed by users.
- Agreements made outside the platform's services.
- Faults caused by third parties.
- Internet or telecom outages.
- Use of the platform in breach of these terms.
- A user not holding the licence or permit their transaction needs.
This clause does not exclude any mandatory legal liability of the platform.
23. Force majeure
The platform is not responsible for delays or inability to provide a service due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, widespread outages, interruptions to telecom or payment services, government decisions, or any other event that prevents the service.
24. Changes to these terms
Sooq wa Mazaad may amend these terms when needed because of new services or changes in regulations or regulatory requirements. The updated version takes effect when it is published on the platform unless the law requires otherwise. Users will be notified of material changes, and continuing to use the platform after a change takes effect means accepting it.
25. Severability
If any clause is found invalid or unenforceable under the law, the remaining clauses stay valid and in force, and the clause applies to the extent the law allows.
26. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws and regulations in force in the Sultanate of Oman. Disputes are handled under the procedures and jurisdiction set by the law and the competent judicial or regulatory bodies in the Sultanate of Oman.
27. Contact
For any question about these terms, email support@sooqwamazaad.com or use the Contact us page on the website or in the app.
28. Final acknowledgement
By using Sooq wa Mazaad, creating an account, posting a listing or buying a service, the user confirms they have read, understood and agreed to these terms. Advertisers in particular confirm they are responsible for the legality of the goods, services and listings they publish and for the accuracy of the related information, licences and permits. Users also acknowledge that Sooq wa Mazaad is an online platform and not the seller of goods listed by users, unless the platform expressly states otherwise. All consumer rights and mandatory legal obligations remain protected under the laws and regulations in force in the Sultanate of Oman.