Terms of Service
These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you and TeamThink Solutions (Pty) Ltd t/a Devv Technology ("Devv Technology", "we", "our") governing your use of the Ebook Reader platform ("the Platform"). By creating an account or using the Platform, you agree to these Terms in full.
1. The Platform
The Platform is an ebook marketplace where authors can publish and sell digital books and readers can purchase, download, and read them. All content is subject to review and approval by Devv Technology before going live.
2. Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old to register an account. By accepting these Terms, you confirm that you are 18 or older and that the information you provide is accurate and up to date.
3. Publishing on the Platform
Any registered user may apply to become an author and publish ebooks on the Platform at no upfront cost. There are no monthly subscription fees. Devv Technology earns revenue solely through a commission retained from each sale, as described in Section 4.
All submitted ebooks are subject to content review and must meet our Community Standards before being published. Authors may publish an unlimited number of books subject to ongoing compliance with these Terms.
4. Commission & Author Earnings
Commission Disclosure (POPIA §22 / Consumer Protection Act)
For every R100 earned from book sales on the Platform, Devv Technology retains a platform commission. The standard commission is 20%; authors receive the remaining 80%.
Authors may voluntarily opt individual books into Featured Placement, which displays those books prominently on the homepage and discovery pages in exchange for an increased commission rate of 40%. Featured Placement is optional and can be toggled per book. The standard 20% commission applies to all other sales.
The commission covers payment processing, content delivery, storage, platform maintenance, fraud prevention, and customer support. By publishing on the Platform you expressly acknowledge and agree to these commission rates. Rates are subject to change with 30 days' written notice.
Author earnings are credited to your Author Walletafter each successful sale. Eligible balances are paid through Devv's manually reviewed payout process; self-service payout requests are not yet available.
5. Author Wallet & 7-Day Payment Hold
To protect against fraudulent chargebacks and refund requests, sale earnings are tracked with a minimum 7-calendar-day holding period. Release and payout remain subject to Devv's manual review while automated settlement controls are being finalized.
- Pending Balance - funds within the 7-day hold period; not yet available for withdrawal
- Available Balance - funds approved for the reviewed payout process
- Lifetime Earned - total gross earnings before any payout deductions, for record-keeping purposes
Refunds and chargebacks may reduce pending or available earnings or be offset against future earnings. Any adjustment is reviewed by Devv before payout.
6. Payout Procedures
- Payouts are processed via EFT (South African bank transfer) or PayPal
- The current reviewed payout threshold is R50; this is not yet a self-service request flow
- Authors will be contacted by Devv during manual payout review; no automated processing timeframe is promised
- You are responsible for providing accurate and up-to-date banking details in your dashboard
- Devv Technology is not liable for failed payouts due to incorrect bank details provided by you
- Payout fees (if any) imposed by your bank or PayPal are your responsibility
All amounts are in South African Rand (ZAR) unless otherwise stated. International currency conversions are handled by your financial institution.
7. Content & Copyright
By uploading content to the Platform, you warrant that:
- You own the copyright or have sufficient rights to publish the content
- The content does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party
- The content complies with our Content Guidelines (available on request)
- The content does not contain unlawful, defamatory, obscene, or harmful material
You grant Devv Technology a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to host, display, and distribute your content solely for the purpose of operating the Platform. You retain full ownership of your copyright.
8. DRM & Copy Protection
Ebooks are delivered in EPUB format via a secure, authenticated reading environment. Readers may not download, copy, distribute, reverse-engineer, or share purchased ebooks outside the Platform. Circumvention of our access controls constitutes a breach of these Terms and may result in account termination and legal action.
9. Content Moderation
All submitted ebooks are reviewed by Devv Technology before publication. We reserve the right to reject, remove, or delist any content at our sole discretion. In the event of rejection, you will receive a written reason and may resubmit an amended version.
10. Account Termination
We may suspend or terminate your account if you breach these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or violate our Content Guidelines. Upon termination:
- Your published books will be removed from the library
- Any available earnings will be paid out within 30 days, subject to no outstanding disputes
- Pending earnings under the 7-day hold may be withheld pending chargeback resolution
11. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by South African law, Devv Technology's total liability to you for any claim arising from these Terms or your use of the Platform shall not exceed the greater of: (a) the total commissions paid by you in the 12 months preceding the claim, or (b) R500.
We are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, including lost profits or loss of data.
12. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any dispute shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of South Africa.
13. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes at least 14 days in advance via email or an in-platform notice. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
14. Contact
For questions about these Terms:
TeamThink Solutions (Pty) Ltd t/a Devv Technology
Email: legal@devv.co.za