Merchat

Terms of Service

Last updated: June 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By registering, creating an account, accessing, or using the Merchat platform (operated by Merchat, "we", "our", or "us"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to all of these Terms, you must not access or use our services.

2. Service Description

Merchat is a multi-tenant WhatsApp commerce software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform. The currently supported Starter tier delivers:

  • An AI-powered shopping assistant connected to your designated WhatsApp Business phone number.
  • Natural language product and catalog discovery interface for end-users.
  • Lead capture engine that generates structured contact and interest logs.
  • Merchant dashboard for lead tracking, notification alerts, and basic catalog updates.
  • AI Click-to-WhatsApp (CTWA) ad copy generator.
  • Social Content Studio for asset creation (Poster concepts, Brand DNA backgrounds).
  • Free listing on the public Merchat Brands Directory.
  • Self-service Promotions modules.
  • Optional post-cart address capture via WhatsApp Flow.

Note: Starter tier does not include native in-chat shopping carts, secure checkout flows, payments integration, or bulk broadcast campaigns. These features belong to Growth or Enterprise tiers and are subject to upgrades.

3. Account Registration & Security

Merchants register and authenticate secure dashboard accounts via Clerk. Under the Starter plan, you are permitted a single (1) staff login. You are responsible for keeping your login credentials confidential and for all activities occurring under your account. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized breach or use of your credentials.

4. Subscription, Billing & Taxes

All fees, rates, and subscription limits are defined below:

  • Monthly Starter Subscription: ₹2,499 per month, which includes up to 1,000 customer-initiated WhatsApp conversations. Overages beyond this limit are billed at ₹0.50 per conversation.
  • Pilot Program: A 30-day trial pilot is available for ₹999 collected via UPI at signup. The pilot is fully refundable if we do not get your AI assistant live on WhatsApp within five (5) business days of catalog handoff and Meta registration. On Day 31, pilot accounts automatically convert to the monthly Starter subscription of ₹2,499/month, unless cancelled.
  • Annual Subscriptions: Billed upfront at ₹24,990 per year (equivalent to two months free subscription), saving you ₹4,998 annually.
  • GST: All stated prices exclude 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST), which will be appended to invoices where applicable under Indian law.

5. Conversation Counting & Usage Alerts

A "Conversation" is counted as a customer session. Regardless of how many messages an end-user and the AI assistant swap within an active session, it counts as one (1) conversation. If the user remains inactive for 24 hours and then sends a new message, that initiates a new conversation session.

We provide automated dashboard or email usage alerts when your usage reaches 80% of the included monthly conversation limit.

6. Brands Directory Listing & Promotion Packages

A basic brand listing is included free in the public brands directory at `/brands`. Merchants can purchase directory promotional slots directly from the dashboard:

  • Daily Spotlight: Top-of-page header banner exposure, priced at ₹499 for 1 day.
  • Featured Products: Up to 8 catalog items featured in the carousel, priced at ₹199 per product for 1 week.
  • Promoted Brand: Grid highlight with a special badge, priced at ₹249 for 1 week.

Promotional bookings are self-service, non-refundable once activated, and subject to admin verification within 24 hours of payment. Prices exclude 18% GST.

7. Referral Credits Program

Merchants on active paid plans (Starter or higher, excluding the ₹999 pilot period) may participate in our Referral Program. You will earn a ₹1,000 bill credit for every referred brand that successfully completes their first active billing cycle.

Referral credits stack, carry forward, and can apply to cover up to 50% of any single monthly subscription invoice. Credits expire twelve (12) months after issuance, are non-transferable, and cannot be converted into cash refunds.

8. Acceptable Use Policy

You agree to use Merchat in compliance with all local regulations, laws, and Meta's WhatsApp Business Policy. You shall not use the service to:

  • Transmit spam messages, bulk unsolicited commercial texts, or deceptive content.
  • Promote, sell, or advertise illegal substances, restricted goods, weapons, or adult products.
  • Attempt to bypass or reverse-engineer the AI system prompts, underlying APIs, or multi-tenant database partitions.

Violation of Meta policies or our Acceptable Use policy may result in immediate suspension or termination of your WhatsApp connection and Merchat dashboard access.

9. Third-Party Costs & Zero Markup Pass-through

Merchat passes through all WhatsApp API conversation charges set by Meta at zero additional markup. You are responsible for paying these fees directly, alongside payment gateway transaction costs, courier/shipping fees, and custom number registration costs.

10. Intellectual Property & Data Ownership

The Merchat platform, UI elements, database logic, codebases, and custom AI orchestration architectures are the exclusive property of Merchat. The merchant retains full ownership of their catalogs, descriptions, media assets, customer leads, and dialogue logs generated through their tenant space.

11. Privacy & Protection

Our collection and treatment of data is governed by our Privacy Policy. We guarantee database tenant isolation, ensuring your customer records are completely walled off from other merchants on the platform.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Merchat shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses resulting from (a) your use or inability to use the service, (b) any delays or outages on the Meta WhatsApp Business API network, or (c) unauthorized access to or alteration of your content or leads.

13. Termination & Cancellations

Either party may terminate the subscription at any point. Cancellation request can be submitted via the Billing Dashboard. Cancellations take effect at the end of the current billing month, and no partial refunds are issued for unused portions of the month.

14. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India. Any disputes arising from or relating to these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Mangalore, Karnataka, India.

15. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please reach out to us at contact@merchat.in.

Registered Address: C/O Babu Salian, 1-180-2, Darkhasu House, Navoor Halegate, Navoor, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka - 574211