The seal
What does “Verified by tapja” mean?
When “Verified by tapja” appears next to the name of a business, tapja has looked at documents from that business and confirmed two things: the business really exists, and it is who it claims to be. That is all the seal says.
tapja is the German platform this business uses to issue its digital loyalty card. More about tapja
Where did you see the seal?
This is what it looks like, at its original size:
Café Sonnig
- On the sign-up page the card came from.
- On the chooser behind the short link.
- On your card profile with the stamp or points balance.
- In the programme’s terms, after “Provider”.
- On the back of your wallet card, in the “Verified business” field.
- In the header band of the business’s emails.
In emails it is a plain check mark rather than the graphic: many mail clients block images, while a character from the text always arrives.
What exactly do we check?
That the business exists and is who it says it is. We look at at least one document and compare it with the details in the tapja account: name, address, owner. If those line up, the business gets the seal. Some businesses we also visit in person.
Every application is decided by a person on our review team, never by an automated rule. We do not ask for identity documents: what is checked is the business, not the person behind it.
Documents we accept
- Trade registration
- The German Gewerbeanmeldung: the registration or re-registration of the business.
- Commercial register extract
- HRA or HRB; for associations, the register of associations.
- Proof of VAT ID
- The certificate from the tax authority, or proof of the tax number.
- Another requested document
- In individual cases we ask for something specific instead.
What does the seal not mean?
It is a statement about a business existing. About everything else it says nothing, even where it may look otherwise.
- No statement about quality
- We rate neither products nor prices, service, hygiene or creditworthiness. A verified business is not better than an unverified one. It is demonstrably there.
- Not a quality mark, not a certification
- No standard behind it, no independent certification body, no accreditation. And no official inspection: authorities have nothing to do with the seal.
- No guarantee for your reward
- tapja does not vouch for a business accepting your stamps, handing out the reward it promised, or keeping its programme running. That is the business’s responsibility.
- No ongoing supervision
- We check documents at a point in time, not continuously. What happens in a business afterwards, we do not see.
The loyalty programme belongs to the business, not to tapja
tapja does not run the loyalty programme. It belongs to the business you collect with: it sets the terms of participation, decides on stamps and rewards, and is responsible for the privacy of its own programme. tapja only provides the technology.
A business without the seal: is that a bad sign?
No. Nothing can be inferred from a missing seal.
Verification is voluntary and free, and most businesses simply have not applied yet.
So that this wrong conclusion never arises, we show no “not verified” label anywhere: no grey seal, no hint at a review in progress and none at a rejected one. Where nothing is shown, nothing is meant.
How long does verification last?
The seal has no expiry date and does not quietly lapse on its own.
We can take another look at a verified business at any time, if its details change, say, or if something comes to our attention. There is no fixed schedule for it.
If a business’s account is suspended, the seal disappears immediately and everywhere, including on the back of cards already issued.
What happens to the documents?
The documents are stored securely and separately from all other files, accessible to our review team only and even there only through short-lived retrieval links.
30 days after the decision, an automated job deletes the files. All that remains is the note that a review took place: which kind of document was submitted and when it was decided. We do not keep the document itself. If an application is never submitted, files and record are gone after 90 days.
Read the privacy policyHow do I get the seal as a business?
Verification is voluntary and free, and it unlocks no features: without the seal your account works in full. The only difference is the “Verified by tapja” note everywhere your guests see you.
Add a document
In the dashboard under “Business → Verification”, visible to the account owner only. One document is usually enough, as a PDF or photo up to 5 MB.
We review it
We compare the documents with the details in your account. You will normally hear from us within a few working days.
Seal active
If everything lines up, the seal appears automatically. If something is missing, we say exactly what, and you add just that.
We do not need identity documents. What is checked is your business, not you as a person.
Go to your tapja accountSomething not right?
If something about a business or a card strikes you as odd, get in touch, including where a business carries the seal. Please tell us which business you mean and what you noticed. We will look into it and come back to you promptly.
For questions about the loyalty programme itself (stamps, rewards, opening hours), please contact the business directly. Its contact details are on the back of your wallet card.