Returns Policy

Konokan is not only built on community, a community made up of Sellers and Buyers, but above all, a community made up of people, united by their humanity.  Its aim is twofold: to be a one-stop shop for all things good for the world, and to provide a platform for entrepreneurs and creatives looking for greater visibility and as a means of livelihood and prosperity. It is therefore important that both rights and responsibilities are respected and protected. We have seen too many times small businesses fold and close down due to circumstances in and outside of their control, oftentimes stemming from lack of liquidity, savings, and capital. 

Konokan believes in a non-return, non-refund policy given the make-up of its community. Shipping and customs costs are often the greatest outlay of a total transaction, especially in cross-border transactions. However, we understand that legally we are bound by country-based legislation on consumer rights. We ask our community that their transactions may be guided by a spirit of transparency, understanding, kindness, cooperation, and reciprocity; so that occurrences of Returns and Refunds may be kept to a minimum. Let’s eschew concepts such as ‘consumer’, ‘customer is king’, and ‘My rights’ in the context of building a community that thrives; and let’s rather focus on ‘common rights and prosperity’, ‘understanding’ and ‘leading from the heart’.  

If you need to return or exchange a product, the Seller you purchased your order from is the person to contact. Sellers aren’t required to accept Returns, Exchanges, or provide Refunds unless stated in the Returns policy on their listing. Sellers on Konokan are responsible for their own stores; manage their own orders, and make decisions about Cancellations, Returns, and Refunds. Although Konokan will always strive to respect country-based Returns legislation, Sellers on Konokan are responsible for setting their own policies regarding refunds, exchanges, and returns on every product they list for sale. Sellers can choose to offer different Return policies or decline to accept Returns or Refunds on specific products they sell. If you’re making multiple purchases from the same store, you may want to check the policies for each product you’re buying.

Konokan works on a general 30-day Returns policy, except where directed by the laws of a country other than South Africa or the Sellers Returns policy. It is important therefore that Sellers become familiar with the laws of the countries in which they operate and establish their own Returns policies in line with these laws. It is also important for Buyers to check each Seller’s Returns policy.

1. Return Eligibility

You are eligible for return and complete refund on any products that you send back to us as long as the following requirements are met and the Store you purchased from has a Returns policy:

  • The products you are returning are from your first order with a specific brand. We only allow free returns on your first order with each brand. If you are reordering from the same brand, we assume you love their products;
  • The products you are returning are not customised;
  • The returned products are unused and in perfect condition;
  • The returned products are in their original packaging;
  • The return was created within your return window time frame.

 2. Returns Ineligibility

Returns are ineligible for the following reasons:

  • The order is a reorder;
  • Your return window has passed;
  • The service you have purchased has been delivered;
  • The products are seasonal/holiday products. Non-returnable seasonal products are noted in the product listing or prior to check out;
  • The products are custom products. The products are personalised, such as names, custom logos, addresses, or customised clothing and accessories;
  • The products are testers;
  • The products are Sales products;
  • The products are perishable products such as food, flowers, soaps, candles, newspapers, or magazines;
  • The products are intimate or sanitary products, made from hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases;
  • The products have been altered, used, worn, washed, or discarded after receipt;
  • The products are returned without a return agreement;
  • The products are accurately described but do not meet Buyer’s expectations, within reason;
  • The cost of postage disputes;
  • The products are purchased in person;
  • The transactions of products and services where payment are not processed by Konokan Payments, for example in an offsite transaction, or via PayPal and other payment gateways not proposed on Konokan;
  • Disputes covered by local warranty or return laws applicable to a Seller or their product.

You will not have the option to return products that fall under the reasons mentioned above; and/or any other reasons provided by Sellers.

3. Ineligibility or Force majeure

Unless required by law, some disputes and transactions are ineligible for Returns, including:

Wherever a dispute is escalated for Konokan’s review, we will evaluate the claim to the best of our ability and propose solutions. Konokan reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to change its original decision based on information obtained after the dispute was originally evaluated.

Products that arrive late or damaged due to forces outside the Seller’s reasonable control, such as a carrier strike or accident, natural disaster, war, disease or death, civil unrest or similar force majeure event, as determined by Konokan in its sole discretion, do not qualify for Returns or Refunds.

4. Country or Region focused Returns Policies Guidelines

South Africa

As per Section 20 of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), Buyers do not have a general right of return, by simply having a change of heart; however, they do have the right to return unsafe or defective products as per Section 56 and receive a refund.

Buyers can also return products and receive a full refund if:

  • The Seller delivered products the Buyer bought after direct marketing and the Buyer cancelled during the cooling-off period;
  • The Buyer did not have an opportunity to examine it before delivery and the Buyer rejected it according to Section 19;
  • The Seller delivered a mixture of products and the Buyer refused delivery according to Section 19;
  • The products do not meet the type or quality they could reasonably have expected;
  • The Buyer finds within ten days after delivery that products intended to satisfy a particular purpose communicated by the Seller are found to be unsuitable for that particular purpose.

The Seller may choose to deduct the Shipping fees and taxes from the Refund they provide. This will be clearly communicated in their store Returns and Refund policy.

If a Buyer purchased products because of direct marketing, then the Buyer may, within a period of five days after receiving the products, return the products; cancel the entire contract without penalty; and demand a full refund. The Buyer shall then bear the cost of returning the products to the Seller.

Unsafe or defective products may be returned for a repair, replacement or refund within six months of delivery. The Buyers may choose whether they would like the product repaired, replaced or receive a refund. If Buyers allow the Sellers to repair, then the repaired product must last for at least three months.

However, this does not apply if:

  • A public regulation prohibits the return of the products;
  • The products were partially or entirely disassembled, worn, physically altered, permanently installed, affixed, attached, joined or added to, blended or combined with, or embedded within, other products or property;
  • Sellers can charge a reasonable amount for necessary restoration costs to render the products fit for re-stocking unless it was necessary for Buyers to destroy the packaging to determine if the products conformed to the description or sample if they could not examine them first or to check if they were fit for the intended purpose.

Sellers in South Africa may therefore set their own Returns timelines if you sell within the country. If you sell outside of the country, then other laws may apply.

European Union

If you are Sellers or Buyers located in the European Union (EU), returns are legislated as per the EU Directive on Consumer Rights, regionally.

This Directive applies to all Konokan Sellers based in the EU and Buyers based in EU member countries. This may even apply to businesses based outside of the EU who sell in the EU. All Sellers based outside the EU and who make their listings available to Buyers there, need to understand their obligations. Failure to comply with these regulations can invalidate a sale and possibly even violate the law.

Note that Sellers must indicate whether they are a Trader (registered company or individual entrepreneur) or a private individual. This distinction is important because Buyers are only protected under EU consumer legislation if they buy from a trader. All private individuals selling on Konokan are exempt from this legislation. However, it is imperative for protecting both the Seller and the Buyer that this is clearly noted in your store’s policies or your About section.

Individual Sellers and Trader’s Terms and Conditions need to specify these general details as well as the end costs of purchases may vary due to the delivery options and charges related to each country.

Buyers in the EU have the right to return products within fourteen days from the day they received the product. Sellers affected by the EU regulations must clearly inform Buyers residing in these countries about their right to return products before the Buyer makes a purchase from a Seller (in your listing or your Store policies). Failure to do so will extend the withdrawal period by an additional year, meaning that Buyers will have a period of one year and fourteen days in which to return the product.

Sellers must refund consumers within fourteen days of cancellation, including standard delivery costs. Sellers can postpone the reimbursement until the products are returned by the Buyers or the Buyers provide evidence that these products have been sent to the Sellers. Sellers wanting Buyers to pay for the return of products after cancellation must clearly inform them beforehand, and give at least an estimate of the cost for returning bulky products.

Buyers will be able to pull out of purchases of digital content before downloading or streaming of the content begins.

This right does not extend to custom-made products and certain perishable products, unless otherwise specified by the Seller. Digital content, including artwork and patterns, may not be eligible for return. Rules governing digital content vary by EU member country.

If Buyers exercise their right to return products, Sellers must reimburse all payments, including the original postage charges, received from Buyers. If Sellers have not received returned products from Buyers, Sellers may withhold such reimbursement provided that reimbursement occurs within fourteen days of receipt of the returned products. Buyers are responsible for paying return postage costs unless Sellers have agreed to bear those costs. If Sellers have not agreed to bear return costs and the product can’t, due to its nature, be returned by post, an estimate of the return costs should be included in the information provided to Buyers relating to cancellation and return.

United Kingdom (UK)

Before an order is placed, Sellers must provide:

  • their business name, contact details and address;
  • a description of your products or services;
  • the price, including all taxes;
  • how a customer can pay;
  • delivery arrangements, costs and how long products will take to arrive;
  • the minimum length of their contract and billing period;
  • conditions for ending contracts;
  • how they can cancel and when they lose the right to cancel;
  • if they will still need to pay reasonable costs for using a service after they cancel;
  • a standard cancellation form, if they can cancel;
  • conditions for money given as a deposit or financial guarantees;
  • what digital content does (for example, the language it’s in or how to update software);
  • the cost of using phone lines or other communication to complete the contract where it will cost more than the basic rate.

This information must be easy to understand and on paper, in an email or another format Buyers can save for future reference.

Buyers are protected by Distance Selling Regulations when not in the presence of Sellers at the time of transaction. Under these regulations, online businesses are obligated to:

  • Give consumers the right to cancel a sale within seven working days;
  • Provide clear product details and delivery information;
  • Provide email confirmation of order; and
  • Deliver the product within thirty days of order.

United States of America

In the United States (US), there are no federal laws mandating that stores must accept returns. Instead, return and refund laws vary from state to state. Here’s a summary of the key points:

US Federal Law

Sellers must accept returns under two basic scenarios:

  • Defective Products: If the product is defective, Federal law requires a refund. Small variations or cosmetic defects might not legally require a refund, but significant safety or functionality issues do.
  • Sales Contract Breach: If Sellers break the sales contract, Buyers have the right to a refund. Sales agreements are binding like other contract types.

The federal “Cooling-Off Rule” allows Buyers three days to cancel purchases of US$25 or more; however, this applies to specific sales locations (e.g., door-to-door pitches or temporary retail spaces).

US State Laws

While some States have specific return and refund laws, all States require Sellers to uphold their sales promises under consumer protection laws. State laws may or may not explicitly apply to online sales.

It’s essential to understand the specific rules in each state if you’re selling across the United States.

Australia

E-commerce transactions must adhere to the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), which governs consumer rights and fair trading. 

  • The Guidelines apply to Business to Consumer (B2C) electronic commerce. However, businesses are encouraged to follow the Guidelines when engaging in Business to Business (B2B) electronic commerce.
  • The Guidelines do not apply to transactions between individuals both acting in a non-business capacity.

The ACL compels you to guarantee several elements. This includes the product must:

  • be without defects;
  • match the description on the Website;
  • meet safety regulations; and
  • come with certain guarantees, including the right to request a replacement, refund or cancellation.

Please note that other countries or regions may have different Returns policies, and it is important to be aware of them and comply with relevant country-based Returns Policies.

Disclaimer: This policy contains only legal information. If you are uncertain which laws apply to you or you have any other legal questions or concerns, please consult a lawyer. The responsibility lies with you for any and all use of this information. Konokan may update this policy periodically.

5. Shipping returns

To return products, you should mail them to the address in the Seller’s profile.

You will be responsible for paying for your shipping costs for returning products, except where particular e-commerce legislation explicitly requires the Seller to cover the Returns shipping costs. Shipping costs are usually non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of Return shipping will be deducted from your refund.

Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged products to reach you may vary.

If you are returning more expensive products, you may consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned product.

6. Cancellations

Sometimes you may need to cancel a transaction. Only Sellers can cancel an order. If you’re a Buyer who would like to request a cancellation, please contact the Seller directly and agree to a way forward.

For any assistance, query or complaint about Returns, Refunds and Cancellations, contact us at info@konokan.com.