Welcome to Chefatron. This guide explains the basic steps approved vendors may need to complete before listing products or services, accepting orders, and receiving payouts.
Chefatron gives vendors a simple way to create listings, manage orders, track sales activity, and receive payouts through Stripe Express. Vendors are responsible for making sure their listings, business activities, taxes, licenses, permits, food safety requirements, customer communication, shipping, fulfillment, and refunds are handled properly.
Step 1: Complete the Vendor Application
Before selling on Chefatron, users must complete the vendor application. Chefatron may review the application, request additional information, and approve or deny vendor access at its discretion.
Submitting an application does not guarantee vendor approval.
Vendor approval does not mean Chefatron has verified a vendor’s license, permit, insurance, food safety compliance, tax status, qualifications, or legal authority to sell a specific product or service.
Step 2: Review Vendor Responsibilities
Approved vendors are responsible for their own listings, pricing, fulfillment, shipping, customer communication, refunds, taxes, licenses, permits, insurance, food safety requirements, and legal compliance.
Vendors should only list products or services they are legally allowed and prepared to provide.
Before selling, vendors should review Chefatron’s Vendor Participation Agreement, Vendor Payments & Payouts Guide, Posting Guidelines, Food Safety & Compliance page, and Refunds, Complaints & Disputes policy.
Step 3: Understand Fees and Sales Tax
Chefatron’s current standard platform commission is 5% of vendor sales completed through the website, unless otherwise stated.
Vendors are also responsible for applicable Stripe or payment processing fees, unless Chefatron states otherwise. These processing fees are separate from Chefatron’s platform commission.
Chefatron may collect applicable sales tax on taxable paid transactions completed through the website where required by law.
Fees, commission rates, payment processing fees, payout timing, and related payment terms may change over time. Vendors should review current platform information before listing products or services.
Step 4: Connect Stripe Express
Approved vendors may need to connect a Stripe Express account before receiving payouts through Chefatron.
Stripe may ask for identity, business, bank, tax, or verification information. Payout availability may depend on the vendor completing Stripe’s requirements.
Payout timing, holds, verification requirements, bank account issues, disputes, chargebacks, reserves, or Stripe account restrictions may affect when funds become available.
Vendors are responsible for reviewing and maintaining their Stripe Express account, payout information, bank information, verification status, and related payment records.
Step 5: Set Up Your Vendor Profile
Vendors should complete their vendor profile with accurate information. This may include store name, description, contact details, location information, profile image, banner image, or other available settings.
A complete profile can help customers better understand who the vendor is and what they offer.
Vendors should keep their profile information professional, accurate, and updated.
Step 6: Create Your First Listing
Vendors can create listings for approved products or services. Listings should include clear titles, accurate descriptions, pricing, photos, categories, and important details customers need before ordering.
Listings should clearly explain:
- What is being sold or offered
- Price
- Quantity, size, or service details
- Pickup, delivery, shipping, or scheduling options
- Availability or timing
- Important limitations or requirements
- Ingredients or allergens when applicable
- Item condition when applicable
- Any other details customers need before purchasing
Vendors should avoid misleading descriptions, prohibited items, unsafe offerings, or anything they are not legally allowed to sell or provide.
Step 7: Review Food and Safety Rules
Food-related vendors are responsible for knowing and following all applicable food safety, cottage food, labeling, licensing, pickup, delivery, shipping, sales, tax, and local/state requirements.
Chefatron does not verify that every food vendor has the proper license, permit, inspection, certification, insurance, tax registration, or legal approval. Vendors are responsible for confirming what they are allowed to sell.
Food vendors should clearly describe food items and include important information when applicable, such as ingredients, common allergens, quantity, pickup or delivery details, storage needs, and timing.
Vendors should not list or sell food items they are not legally allowed to offer.
Step 8: Set Pickup, Delivery, Shipping, or Scheduling Expectations
Vendors should clearly explain how customers will receive the product or service.
Depending on the listing, this may include pickup, local delivery, shipping, appointment scheduling, service area, turnaround time, or other fulfillment details.
If shipping is offered, vendors are responsible for properly packaging, shipping, tracking, and fulfilling the order according to the listing terms and any applicable shipping requirements.
If services are offered, vendors are responsible for communicating scheduling details, service expectations, location, timing, and any limitations.
Step 9: Watch for Orders
When customers place orders through Chefatron, vendors should review order details, respond when needed, and fulfill the order as described.
Vendors are responsible for communicating clearly with customers about timing, pickup, delivery, shipping, scheduling, product details, service details, and any order concerns.
Vendors should not accept or keep active listings for orders they cannot reasonably fulfill.
Step 10: Track Sales and Payouts
Vendors may be able to review sales activity, order history, and payout-related information through their vendor dashboard and Stripe Express.
These tools may help vendors stay organized, but vendors should also maintain their own records for taxes, accounting, licensing, insurance, and business purposes.
Sales tax, when collected, is handled separately from vendor earnings and may not be treated as vendor income.
Vendors should regularly review and save order records, payout information, refund records, customer communications, and expense records.
Step 11: Handle Customer Questions and Issues
Vendors are responsible for customer service related to their own listings and orders. If a customer has a concern, vendors should respond professionally and try to resolve the issue when appropriate.
Refunds are generally handled by the vendor. Chefatron may review refund-related complaints, but Chefatron does not automatically guarantee refunds for every purchase.
Repeated complaints, unresolved issues, misleading listings, unsafe conduct, failed fulfillment, or policy violations may result in account restrictions or vendor removal.
Step 12: Understand Off-Platform Arrangements
Vendors are encouraged to use Chefatron’s official checkout process when accepting vendor sales through the platform.
If a vendor or customer chooses to arrange payment outside Chefatron, such as cash, payment apps, private messages, or other off-platform methods, Chefatron may have limited ability to review, track, or assist with payment disputes.
Off-platform payments may make it harder to track payment, taxes, refunds, delivery, shipping, disputes, or order history.
If a vendor completes an off-platform taxable sale, service, swap, barter, or other arrangement, the vendor is responsible for any applicable tax, licensing, recordkeeping, refund, and legal obligations related to that transaction.
Step 13: Keep Information Updated
Vendors should keep their listings, prices, availability, contact information, Stripe information, business information, shipping information, and compliance information accurate and updated.
Outdated or inaccurate information may lead to customer confusion, complaints, canceled orders, refund issues, payout delays, or account review.
Need Help?
If you have questions about becoming a vendor, setting up your vendor account, or using Chefatron’s vendor tools, contact Chefatron through the Contact Chefatron form.