Returns, Refunds, Exchanges, Repairs & Replacements Policy

1Introduction & Scope

1.1 This policy explains, in full, how returns, refunds, exchanges, repairs and replacements work across every Product category sold on HmperCo, and for every customer type — Individual, Business, Group, Stokvel and Split & Sell ("SnS") customers.

1.2 This policy is designed to operate at the same standard of clarity and fairness as leading South African and international e-commerce marketplaces, while reflecting HmperCo's own product range, including hampers, fresh and perishable goods, vouchers, digital products, and bulk/wholesale orders.

1.3 This policy applies regardless of the payment method used for the original purchase, including card, instant EFT, Ozow, Yoco, PayFast, Capitec Pay, and Pay on Delivery.

2Legal Framework

2.1 This policy is built on, and does not derogate from, your rights under:

• The Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 ("CPA") — including section 55 (right to safe, good-quality goods), section 56 (implied warranty of quality, entitling you to a repair, replacement or refund for goods that fail, are unsafe, or are not durable, within six months of delivery), section 20 (right to return unsafe or defective goods), section 61 (liability for harm caused by unsafe, defective or hazardous goods, applied without the need to prove negligence), and section 19 (delivery of goods that conform to the agreement).
• The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 ("ECTA") — including section 44, which gives consumers who purchased electronically the right to cancel certain transactions without reason or penalty within seven days of receiving the goods, subject to the exclusions listed in section 42(2) (for example, perishable goods, and goods made to the consumer's specifications).
• The Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 ("POPIA") — governing how HmperCo handles personal information (including photographic evidence) submitted as part of a return.
• The Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972 and related regulations — governing the safety and labelling of food products, relevant to returns of meat, fresh produce and other food items (see also the Food, Meat, Fresh Produce & Perishables Policy).
• The Counterfeit Goods Act 37 of 1997 — prohibits dealing in counterfeit goods and informs HmperCo's approach to suspected counterfeit returns under clause 16.
• National Consumer Commission ("NCC") and the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud ("CGSO") — the statutory and industry bodies to which unresolved disputes may ultimately be referred (see clause 17).

2.2 Where this policy is more generous to you than the minimum required by law, the more generous provision applies. Where any provision of this policy conflicts with a right that cannot lawfully be limited, the statutory right prevails.

3Proof of Purchase & Evidence Requirements

3.1 To process a return, HmperCo requires reasonable proof that the item was purchased from HmperCo. Any one of the following is generally sufficient:

• Your HmperCo order number (found in your order confirmation email or Account order history);
• The email address or mobile number used to place the Order; or
• A copy of your invoice/receipt, downloadable from your Account.

3.2 For defective, damaged, incorrect, incomplete, or food-safety returns, HmperCo additionally requires reasonable evidence of the issue, which may include:

3.3 Evidence submitted (including photographs that may contain personal information) is handled in accordance with the Privacy Policy and used solely to assess and process your return.

3.4 Where you are genuinely unable to provide the specific evidence listed above (for example, packaging was necessarily discarded for food-safety reasons), contact thankyou@hmperco.co.za and HmperCo will work with you reasonably to assess the claim on the information available, consistent with your CPA rights, which cannot be defeated purely by a documentation technicality.

4Is My Item Eligible? Quick Decision Guide

This table is a practical starting guide only. It does not override, limit, or replace the full policy set out in clauses 5 to 12 below — always read the relevant category-specific clause before assuming an outcome.

5Changed-Mind Returns

1. Where you have simply changed your mind, you may return most non-perishable, non-personalised, non-hygiene-sealed Products within 7 days of delivery, in accordance with your rights under section 44 of ECTA, provided the item is unused, unopened (where applicable), and in its original packaging with all accessories and documentation.
2. You may be liable for the direct cost of returning the goods (for example, a collection fee) for changed-mind returns, unless the return is due to a defect, damage, or HmperCo error, in which case no return fee applies. The applicable collection fee, where one applies, is disclosed to you before you confirm the return request.
3. Changed-mind returns do not apply to: perishable and fresh food items; hygiene-sealed products where the seal has been broken; digital products that have been accessed; personalised or custom-built hampers correctly supplied to your specification; and Vouchers/gift vouchers once issued (see the Vouchers & Gift Vouchers Policy) — consistent with the exclusions recognised under section 42(2) of ECTA.
4. The 7-day period runs from the date of delivery (or collection, where applicable), not the date of the Order. Where the 7th day falls on a Sunday or public holiday, you have until the next business day.

6Defective, Damaged, Incorrect & Incomplete Products

6.1 Defective or faulty products

Under section 56 of the CPA, if a Product fails, is unsafe, or does not perform as it should within six months of delivery, you are entitled to elect a repair, replacement, or refund. HmperCo will not charge you for this remedy, including any associated collection or redelivery cost, where the Product is confirmed defective.

6.2 Damaged in transit

If your Product arrives visibly damaged, report it to HmperCo within 48 hours of delivery with photographs of the damaged item and its packaging. HmperCo will arrange a replacement or refund at no cost to you.

6.3 Incorrect or incomplete products

If you receive the wrong Product, wrong size, wrong colour, wrong specification, an incorrect quantity, or a Product missing accessories or components, report it within 7 days of delivery. HmperCo will arrange correction, replacement, or refund at no cost to you, and any incorrectly supplied item does not need to be returned before your remedy is actioned unless HmperCo reasonably requests otherwise.

6.4 Products materially different from their description

Where a delivered Product is materially different from its advertised description, this is treated the same as an incorrect product under clause 6.3.

7Warranty, Repair & Replacement

7.1 Where a Product carries a supplier or manufacturer warranty in addition to your CPA rights, HmperCo will assist in facilitating a warranty claim on your behalf, or will direct you to the manufacturer's authorised service channel where this is more efficient for you.

7.2 Where a repair is elected, HmperCo will provide a reasonable estimated turnaround time, typically communicated to you within 5 business days of the item being received for assessment. If a repair cannot be completed within a reasonable time, or the same problem recurs, you are entitled to elect a replacement or refund instead, under section 56 of the CPA.

7.3 Where a repair is carried out by a third-party manufacturer or authorised service centre rather than HmperCo directly, HmperCo remains your point of contact and will follow up on your behalf until the matter is resolved.

8Category-Specific Rules

8.1 Bundled products, sets, multipacks and promotional/free gifts

Where a Product forms part of a bundle, set, multipack, or came with a promotional free gift, the full bundle must generally be returned together for a changed-mind return; for a defective item within a bundle, only the defective component needs to be returned. See also clause 14 on how refunds are calculated for partial bundle returns.

8.2 Digital products

Digital products (including digital vouchers and data-storing devices supplied with pre-loaded content) may not be returned once accessed, downloaded, or activated, unless the digital product is defective, in which case the Digital Products Policy applies.

8.3 Hygiene and sealed products

For health and safety reasons, hygiene-sealed products (where the seal has been broken) may only be returned if defective or unsafe.

8.4 Food, meat, frozen, chilled and fresh produce

8.4.1 What "accepted" means. A food item is treated as accepted once delivery has been confirmed (by signature, OTP, or successful contactless drop-off per your instructions) and you have taken possession of it. Once accepted, you may still be entitled to a remedy — but only under clause 8.4.3 below (spoiled, unsafe, or materially different items), never as a simple change of mind.

8.4.2 What to check before you accept delivery. Before signing for, confirming OTP receipt of, or accepting a food delivery, check the following. If anything is wrong, refuse that item (or the full delivery) on the spot and tell the Driver Partner or note it immediately in the app — this is the fastest way to get a replacement or refund, and avoids any dispute about when a problem occurred:

• The outer packaging and any cold-chain packaging (cooler bags, ice packs, insulation) is intact and not torn, wet-through, or opened;
• Chilled and frozen items feel appropriately cold or frozen to the touch, not at room temperature;
• Vacuum-sealed or sealed packaging is intact, with no punctures, leaks, or loss of seal;
• The items match your order — correct cuts, quantities, and weights;
• There is no visible discolouration, off-odour, sliminess, or other obvious sign of spoilage;
• The best-before, sell-by, or use-by date on the label has not already passed; and
• For loose fresh produce, there is no visible mould, rot, or crushing damage.

8.4.3 If a problem is only discovered after accepting delivery. Changed-mind returns are still not accepted, but where a food item is spoiled, unsafe, or materially different from its description on arrival, you remain fully covered — report it within 24 hours with photographic evidence to thankyou@hmperco.co.za, per clause 3.2. HmperCo will arrange a replacement or full refund at no cost to you. This 24-hour window exists because food-safety evidence (temperature, seal integrity, visible spoilage) degrades quickly — reporting promptly protects your claim.

8.4.4 Do not consume a food item you intend to report as unsafe. Retain it refrigerated or frozen where safe to do so, and photograph it and its packaging/label before disposal. Full detail on storage, allergens, and reporting is in the Food, Meat, Fresh Produce & Perishables Policy.

8.5 Custom-made and personalised products, including Create Your Own Hamper

Products built or personalised to your specification are not eligible for changed-mind returns, consistent with the customised-goods exclusion under ECTA section 42(2), but remain fully covered for defects, damage, or incorrect fulfilment. See also the Create Your Own Hamper Terms.

8.6 Stokvel, SnS Mini Store, and BrandLab products

Returns on Stokvel-funded, SnS Mini Store, or BrandLab-sold Products follow this policy in full. Clause 9 below explains exactly how this works, since the seller behind the listing is not always HmperCo's own catalogue.

8.7 Wholesale and bulk products

Bulk and wholesale orders are subject to this policy and the additional terms in the Wholesale & Bulk Purchasing Terms, including any quantity-based inspection allowances.

8.8 Products purchased using Pay on Delivery

Items purchased using the Pay on Delivery option are subject to this policy in full; because no card or EFT payment exists to reverse, refunds for Pay on Delivery purchases are made by EFT to a bank account you nominate, as described in clause 13.4.

9SnS Mini Store & BrandLab Purchases — Your Rights Are Identical

9.1 HmperCo is your supplier of record. For every purchase made through the Platform — including SnS Mini Store listings and BrandLab products — HmperCo is the supplier you contracted with and the party responsible to you under the Consumer Protection Act, regardless of which SnS Seller listed the item, built the Mini Store, or designed the Product. This policy, not a separate arrangement with the seller, governs your remedy.

9.2 How to return an SnS Mini Store or BrandLab item. Follow the same process as any other return under clause 10: contact thankyou@hmperco.co.za with your order number and the evidence described in clause 3. You do not need the SnS Seller's permission, involvement, or agreement for your return to be valid — you are not returning something to them personally, you are returning it to HmperCo.

9.3 What happens on the seller's side is internal and does not affect you. Once your return is approved, HmperCo recovers the relevant amount — including the Marketplace transaction fee, the Fulfilment fee, and, where applicable, any BrandLab Commission already paid — from the responsible SnS Seller's next payout, as described in clause 9.2 of the Split & Sell Terms & Conditions and clause 25.2 of the SnSer Split n Save Terms & Conditions. This internal reconciliation happens after your refund is processed, never before, and never delays or reduces what you are owed.

9.4 Product safety and defect claims. Where a BrandLab product is found to be defective, unsafe, or non-compliant with a labelling or safety requirement, HmperCo remains responsible to you for the remedy under clause 6 of this policy. HmperCo may separately pursue the SnS Seller responsible for that Product's specification and sourcing, as set out in clauses 14 and 15 of the BrandLab Terms & Conditions — but that is a matter between HmperCo and the seller, and is never a condition of, or delay to, your own remedy.

9.5 Stokvel-funded purchases. Where a Stokvel contribution funded the purchase, a refund is applied back to the Stokvel's accumulated balance (not to an individual member) unless the Stokvel Legal Framework requires otherwise for that Stokvel's authorised representative.

10How to Return an Item

1. Contact thankyou@hmperco.co.za with your order number, the item(s) concerned, the reason for return, and the evidence described in clause 3.
2. HmperCo will confirm eligibility, typically within 2 business days, and arrange either a courier collection, a drop-off point, or (for wholesale/bulk orders) an on-site inspection, as appropriate.
3. Where courier collection is arranged, please have the item packaged to prevent further damage, with proof of purchase (order number) and, where possible, original packaging and accessories included.
4. Where a drop-off point is used instead, HmperCo will provide the nearest available location and any reference number to quote on drop-off.

11Collection, Drop-Off & Failed Collection Attempts

1. Where courier collection is arranged for your return, you will be given a collection window, similar to a delivery window.
2. If no one is available to hand over the item and no safe-handover instruction was given, this counts as a failed collection attempt. HmperCo will make a second attempt at no charge to you.
3. If a second attempt also fails, HmperCo will contact you to either arrange a third and final attempt, agree a drop-off point instead, or, where HmperCo does not hear back from you within 10 business days of the first failed attempt, treat the return request as withdrawn (without affecting your right to submit a fresh return request within the original time limit, where it has not yet expired).
4. Where a collection attempt fails due to HmperCo's or its Driver Partner's fault (for example, arriving outside the agreed window without notice), this does not count against you and does not affect your return time limit.

12Return Condition, Inspection & Quality Assessment

11.1 Returned items are inspected on receipt against the reason given for the return. The assessment considers:

• For changed-mind returns: whether the item is unused, unworn/untested beyond reasonable inspection, and returned with original packaging, tags, and accessories;
• For defect claims: whether the described fault is present and consistent with a manufacturing or quality defect rather than damage caused after delivery;
• For damage claims: whether the damage is consistent with transit damage (for example, impact patterns consistent with the packaging) rather than damage occurring after successful, undamaged delivery.

11.2 Quality assessment is carried out by trained HmperCo staff or, where relevant, referred to the supplier or manufacturer for a technical opinion; you will be informed of the outcome and the reasoning within 5 business days of the item being received for inspection, save for complex technical assessments which may take longer, in which case you will be updated on progress.

11.3 Where an item is returned in a materially different condition than described (for example, used, damaged by the customer, or missing accessories, where this was not part of the original complaint), HmperCo may reduce the refund proportionately or decline the return, and will explain its reasoning to you in writing, with photographic evidence of the item's condition on receipt where relevant.

11.4 If you disagree with HmperCo's assessment, you may escalate under clause 17; you are not required to accept HmperCo's initial assessment as final.

13Refund Processing & Timeframes by Payment Method

12.1 Once a return is approved, HmperCo processes the refund within 2 business days on its side. The additional time for the funds to reflect depends on your original payment method:

12.2 These are indicative timeframes provided by HmperCo's payment service providers and your own bank; HmperCo does not control how quickly your bank reflects a refund once released.

12.3 Approved refunds are processed to your original payment method wherever possible, or as store credit/Voucher where you elect this or where required by the Vouchers Policy.

12.4 For Pay on Delivery purchases specifically, HmperCo will request your bank account details (account holder name, bank, account number, branch code) in order to process the EFT refund, and will verify these details against your Account information as a fraud-prevention measure before releasing funds.

14Partial Refunds, Bundles & Promotional Adjustments

13.1 For partially returned Orders, delivery fees are refunded only where the entire Order is returned due to a HmperCo error, defect, or damage; delivery fees are not refunded for a partial changed-mind return.

13.2 Promotional discounts and Vouchers applied to an Order are adjusted proportionately when only part of an Order is returned — for example, if a 10% Order-wide discount applied, the refunded amount for the returned item reflects that same proportionate discount, not the full undiscounted price.

13.3 Where a bundle or multipack is partially returned in circumstances where clause 8.1 permits a partial return (for example, a defective single component), the refund reflects that component's proportionate share of the bundle price, not the standalone retail price of that item if sold separately.

15Return Abuse, Serial Returns & Fraud

14.1 HmperCo monitors for patterns of return abuse, including serial changed-mind returns, wardrobing (using and returning items), false damage/defect claims, and return-fraud rings.

14.2 A customer may be flagged for review where their changed-mind return rate substantially and repeatedly exceeds typical customer patterns over a rolling period, without a reasonable explanation. Being flagged does not automatically mean a return is declined — each request is still assessed on its own facts.

14.3 Where genuine abuse is identified, HmperCo may, proportionately to the conduct identified: require additional evidence for future returns from that Account; decline future changed-mind returns while continuing to honour all statutory defect/damage remedies in full; or take the steps set out in the Fraud, Abuse, Account Security & Responsible Disclosure Policy. Your statutory rights for genuinely defective, damaged, or unsafe goods are never affected by this clause.

14.4 If you believe you have been flagged in error, contact thankyou@hmperco.co.za for review.

16Counterfeit Products & Customer-Caused Damage

15.1 Counterfeit items. Items HmperCo reasonably believes were not originally purchased from HmperCo, or which HmperCo reasonably believes to be counterfeit, will not be accepted for return or refund, consistent with the Counterfeit Goods Act 37 of 1997, and may be reported to the relevant authorities where appropriate.

15.2 Customer-caused damage. Where inspection under clause 12 shows that damage was caused after successful delivery (for example, by misuse, an accident, or normal wear and tear rather than a manufacturing defect), the item is not eligible for a free repair, replacement, or refund under this policy; HmperCo will explain the basis for this finding and, where relevant, may offer a paid repair option.

15.3 Where there is a genuine, evidenced dispute about whether damage is due to a defect or misuse, HmperCo will, on request, refer the item for an independent technical assessment; reasonable assessment costs are borne by HmperCo where the item is found to be defective, and may be borne by you where it is confirmed the damage was caused by misuse, subject to this being disclosed to you before the assessment proceeds.

17Escalation & Complaints

16.1 If you are unhappy with the outcome of a return, escalate it via thankyou@hmperco.co.za, marked "Escalation," with your order number and prior correspondence. You may also use legal@hmperco.co.za for formal disputes.

16.2 If a complaint remains unresolved, you may refer it to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO), an industry body accredited under the CPA, or to the National Consumer Commission, without affecting your right to approach a court of competent jurisdiction. Full escalation steps are set out in the Complaints, Escalation & Dispute Resolution Policy.

18Contact Details