Guidelines for Business Owners

1. Account setup & essentials

Start strong: register with your legal business name, official email, and a dedicated phone number. Use a company domain email and avoid shared personal inboxes for admin tasks.

• Profile completeness: Add logo, business description, operating hours, links to website and official support channels.
• Legal & tax info: Provide registration numbers (GST/VAT/Company Reg) where applicable to unlock payments and promotions.
• Payout setup: Configure bank account or crypto withdrawal address depending on the payout method you choose.

2. Verification (KYC & KYB)

Verification reduces friction and unlocks features. Common checks include identity verification of principals, proof of business registration, beneficial ownership disclosures and bank verification.

• Upload accurate government IDs and corporate documents when requested.
• Respond quickly to requests for additional info (delays may restrict payments or ads).
• For token sales or high-value operations, advanced due diligence may be required (sources of funds, enhanced background checks).

3. Governance & roles

Assign clear internal roles and use least-privilege access:

• Admin: full access to billing, payouts, and major settings. Limit to trusted individuals.
• Finance: access to invoices, payouts and refunds.
• Marketing: manage campaigns, creatives and analytics but not payout controls.
• Review and rotate admin access quarterly. Use SSO for enterprises where possible.

4. Listings, content & creative standards

High-quality listing and creative behaviour builds trust and reduces disputes:

• Use accurate product descriptions with clear terms (prices, what's included, shipping, taxes).
• Provide high-resolution images, original media or licensed stock with alt-text for accessibility.
• For services, specify deliverables, timelines and refund policies.
• Follow content policies: no misleading claims, no fake scarcity or fabricated testimonials.

5. Advertising & promotions

Ads are a major growth channel. Keep these practical rules in mind:

• Clear disclosure: Label sponsored posts and influencer collaborations. Provide an audit trail of paid partnerships when requested.
• Compliant targeting: Don't target protected classes in discriminatory ways; follow local ad laws (finance, crypto ads often have extra rules).
• Creative review: Ads with financial claims (ROI, guaranteed returns) need substantiation and may require prior approval.
• Tracking & attribution: Use platform pixels and UTM parameters responsibly. Respect user privacy and consent for marketing cookies.

6. Crypto offers, tokens, NFTs & on-chain integrations

Specific caution is required when promoting crypto-related products:

• Regulatory compliance: Token sales and financial products may be regulated; consult counsel before launching ICOs, token sales or lending products.
• Documentation: Provide whitepapers, tokenomics, legal disclaimers and proof of reserves where relevant.
• Anti-market manipulation: No wash trading, fake volume, or other manipulative behaviors allowed. We monitor on-chain and off-chain signals for suspicious activity.
• Recipient safety: Don't request private keys. Use secure signing flows for on-chain interactions and educate your users about self-custody risks.
• Disclosure: Clearly disclose vesting, lockups, fees, and refundability of any token/NFT offering.

7. Payments, payouts & refunds

Payments can be fiat or crypto. Businesses must manage payouts and refunds responsibly:

• Payout methods: set bank accounts for fiat payouts or specify verified wallet addresses for crypto. Ensure payout recipients are authorised.
• Settlement timing: Payout frequency and settlement times depend on payment method and risk profile.
• Refunds & chargebacks: Keep clear refund policies and documentation (order IDs, communication logs) to respond to chargebacks quickly.
• Fee transparency: Clearly display platform fees, network fees for crypto transfers, and any third-party payment charges to customers.

8. Security & fraud prevention

Security is fundamental — follow these practices:

• Enable 2FA for all admin accounts and require it for finance roles.
• Use unique, strong passwords and password managers; rotate secrets and API keys frequently.
• Store API keys securely and restrict their scope (read-only vs write) where possible.
• Monitor account activity and set alerts for unusual logins, high-value transactions, or rapid changes to payout details.
• Train staff on phishing, social engineering, and safe handling of customer PII.

9. Data protection & privacy

When collecting customer data through the platform you must:

• Limit collection to what's necessary for the transaction or service.
• Display a privacy notice explaining how you use customer data and obtain consents where applicable.
• Secure customer data and restrict internal access to authorised roles only.
• Honor data subject requests and coordinate with BitoCircle for platform-level requests.

10. Moderation, community & abuse handling

Maintain a healthy community and respond to content issues promptly:

• Moderate comments and Q&A on product pages to prevent harassment and misinformation.
• Use filters for abusive language; set rules for approved reviewers for comments on high-profile posts.
• Report impersonation, doxxing or targeted harassment via platform safety tools — provide evidence and timelines.

11. Analytics & measuring performance

Track metrics that matter: impressions, click-through-rate (CTR), conversion rate, cost-per-acquisition (CPA), retention and lifetime value (LTV). Use A/B testing for creatives and landing pages. Align metrics with business goals (brand awareness vs direct sales).

12. Taxes, reporting & accounting

Keep accurate books and report taxable events. For crypto activity, track cost basis, receipts, and any token-based rewards or airdrops. Consult tax counsel for token classification in your jurisdiction; regulations vary widely.

13. Disputes, refunds & escalations

When disputes arise:

• Collect all evidence (screenshots, timestamps, transaction IDs, communication logs).
• Use platform dispute resolution tools to escalate payment reversals or fraudulent orders.
• Set documented refund policies and communicate them clearly to customers.

14. Quick compliance checklist

1. Account verified, 2FA enabled
2. Accurate business profile & contact details
3. Payout method configured and tested
4. Published refund & privacy notices
5. Internal role matrix for admin/finance/marketing
6. Documented incident & recovery procedures

15. Contact & help

Business support: contact@bitocircle.com