Founding Seller recognition
Approved Founding sellers carry a Founding Seller designation on their CARI BASIN store. It is awarded on approval — never on application.
CARI BASIN Founding 100
Become One of the Founding 100
100 businesses. One Caribbean marketplace.
CARI BASIN is opening to its first one hundred Trinidad & Tobago merchants. Founding sellers help shape the marketplace: the catalogue, the delivery network and the standards the platform is built on.
The marketplace is in pre-launch. Customer payments, payouts and courier integrations are not yet connected — live selling begins when the first founding stores are reviewed and activated.
- TT$0
- To register, set up and list
- 50%
- Off category commission for 90 days
- 8 stages
- One saved, resumable application
Why join now
What founding sellers get
No registration or setup fee
Joining the Founding 100 costs nothing. There is no registration fee, no setup fee, no monthly fee and no listing fee during the founding period.
50% introductory commission reduction
Founding sellers pay half the standard category commission on marketplace sales for the first 90 days after their store is publicly activated. The Founding Seller designation itself is permanent.
Assisted onboarding
CARI BASIN works with you directly on your first listings, your storefront and your delivery settings before your store goes live.
One integrated platform
Storefront, orders, inventory, delivery through CARI BASIN Move, transparent sale economics and settlement statements in one merchant account.
Built Trinidad-first
Trinidad & Tobago is the operating market today. The platform is built so the wider Caribbean can follow — no timeline is promised.
Transparent pricing
Zero to join. Commission only when you sell.
| Category | Standard commission | Founding rate — first 90 days |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics | 8% | 4% |
| Home & Appliances | 10% | 5% |
| Phones & Accessories | 8% | 4% |
| Computers | 8% | 4% |
| Fashion | 12% | 6% |
| Beauty & Personal Care | 12% | 6% |
| Automotive | 10% | 5% |
| Toys & Kids | 10% | 5% |
| Sports & Fitness | 10% | 5% |
| Office & School | 10% | 5% |
| Hardware & Tools | 8% | 4% |
| Caribbean Made | 8% | 4% |
The Founding Seller rate is a 50% reduction on standard marketplace commission for the first 90 days after a store is publicly activated. Standard commission applies automatically afterwards; the Founding Seller designation is permanent. Marketplace commission does not include payment processing, delivery, fulfillment or advertising — any optional service fees are disclosed separately.
What to expect after the founding period
- Commission percentages shown are the current CARI BASIN marketplace commission schedule and may change in future, with notice.
- The 50% introductory reduction runs for 90 days from the day your store is publicly activated — not from application, approval or onboarding. Standard category commission then applies automatically.
- Your Founding Seller designation is permanent and does not end with the introductory commission period.
- Marketplace commission does not include payment processing, delivery, fulfillment, advertising or other optional services. Additional service-specific fees may apply in future and will be disclosed separately before they take effect.
- Delivery charges are quoted separately through CARI BASIN Move and are not commission.
- CARI BASIN may introduce optional paid services such as advertising or promotions in future. Founding sellers will be told before any new charge applies.
- CARI BASIN is in pre-launch: live payment processing, banking payouts, courier integrations and email/SMS notifications are not yet connected. They are enabled only when the platform opens.
- CARI BASIN does not promise sales volume, revenue or any commercial outcome.
The application
Six steps from application to activation
- 1
Apply
Complete the eight-stage merchant application and submit it with your business details.
- 2
Review
CARI BASIN operations reviews your application and may request additional information.
- 3
Verification
Business registration and identification documents are checked privately.
- 4
Decision
Your application is approved, waitlisted or declined, with a reason recorded.
- 5
Onboarding
Approved applicants receive a merchant account and assisted storefront onboarding.
- 6
Activation
After store review, CARI BASIN activates your store. Stores are never activated automatically.
The Founding Seller designation is granted after approval, never on application. Stores are activated by CARI BASIN after store review — never automatically.
Eligibility
Who can apply
- A business operating in Trinidad & Tobago.
- A registered business, or a sole trader able to provide identification and proof of address.
- Products you are legally permitted to sell, outside the CARI BASIN prohibited and restricted product rules.
- Ability to prepare orders for collection or delivery within your stated handling time.
- A contactable person responsible for orders and customer service.
Getting started well
Bring your strongest 25 to 50 products
Founding sellers who launch with depth on their best products outperform those who upload an entire catalogue at once. CARI BASIN works with you during onboarding to select, price and photograph that first set, set your handling time and configure delivery.
Verification documents stay private to CARI BASIN operations. CARI BASIN never asks for card numbers, PINs or online banking passwords.
Questions
Founding 100 FAQ
Ready to apply?
You can save your application and come back to it at any time. You will receive an application reference as soon as you submit.
Start my application