Refund, Returns & Satisfaction Guarantee Policy

Subject to the statutory rights described in this policy, you may request the return of a product within 7 (seven) days of receiving your order where the product:

• is unused and in a resalable condition;
• is in its original packaging, where reasonably possible;
• includes all accessories, manuals, components and promotional items supplied with it;
• has not been damaged through misuse, negligence, improper handling or incorrect storage after delivery; and
• is not excluded from return under this policy or applicable law.

Proof of purchase from Petz Direct will generally be required.

A return relating solely to a change of mind is not a statutory right in every circumstance. Any change-of-mind return accepted by Petz Direct is therefore subject to the conditions in this policy.

If you have simply changed your mind about a product, ordered the wrong product or no longer require the product, Petz Direct may accept the return provided that:

• you notify us within 7 days of delivery;
• the product is unused and in a resalable condition;
• the product remains in its original packaging where reasonably possible;
• the product is not a non-returnable product described below; and
• the product has not been damaged, opened, contaminated or otherwise compromised.

Unless the return is due to an error by Petz Direct or a statutory consumer right applies, the customer will be responsible for reasonable return or collection costs.

Petz Direct may refuse a change-of-mind return where accepting the return would result in the product no longer being reasonably suitable for resale, particularly where the product is a food, consumable, hygiene-sensitive or health-related product.

Petz Direct wants customers and their pets to be happy with their food purchases.

As an additional customer service benefit, Petz Direct may offer a Pet Food Satisfaction Guarantee on selected premium food brands, including Hill’s, Royal Canin and Eukanuba, subject to the conditions below.

Where the applicable product qualifies, the customer may request a replacement or refund where their pet genuinely finds the food unpalatable.

3.1 Conditions

To qualify:

• Proof of purchase from Petz Direct is required.
• At least two-thirds of the original food must remain.
• The food must be returned in its original packaging.
• The product must not have expired.
• The food must have been stored in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• The customer must provide the product, packaging and batch information where reasonably required.
• The customer must not have previously made a successful food-unpalatability claim with Petz Direct within the preceding 12 months.
• The claim must relate to the pet’s genuine refusal or inability to accept the food and not simply a change of mind by the purchaser.

Petz Direct reserves the right to limit the satisfaction guarantee to one qualifying claim per customer or household during any 12-month period.

3.2 Manufacturer requirements

Certain manufacturers may have their own satisfaction-guarantee requirements.

Where applicable, Petz Direct may submit the claim to the manufacturer or authorised distributor for assessment. This may include providing:

• the product;
• packaging;
• batch or lot number;
• photographs;
• proof of purchase; and
• information regarding the pet and the circumstances of the claim.

Manufacturer assessment may affect the time required to finalise a claim.

3.3 The guarantee does not replace statutory rights

The Pet Food Satisfaction Guarantee is an additional benefit provided by Petz Direct. It does not limit or replace any rights a consumer may have under the CPA or any other applicable law in respect of defective, unsafe or otherwise non-compliant goods.

Because pet food, treats and other consumable products are sensitive to handling, storage and contamination, they are generally not eligible for ordinary change-of-mind returns once opened. This does not affect your statutory rights.

A food product may be returned where, for example:

• it was supplied incorrectly;
• it was damaged before or during delivery;
• it was defective or unsafe;
• it was expired when delivered;
• the expiry date passed before delivery;
• it does not correspond with the product ordered; or
• another statutory right to return the product applies.

Where food has been damaged after delivery because of incorrect storage, exposure to moisture, heat, pests, contamination or other improper handling, the claim may not qualify.

Products such as veterinary prescription diets, medication, parasite treatments, tick and flea products and other health-related or regulated products may be subject to additional restrictions.

These products will generally not be accepted for ordinary change-of-mind returns once supplied, particularly where they have been opened, used or dispensed.

However, this does not affect your rights where:

• the wrong product was supplied;
• the product was defective;
• the product was damaged before delivery;
• the product was expired when delivered; or
• you have another right to return the product under applicable law.

Where a product is subject to veterinary, regulatory or manufacturer restrictions, Petz Direct may need to follow the applicable legal or manufacturer return procedure.

Subject to your statutory rights, the following products may generally not be returned for change-of-mind reasons:

• opened food and treats;
• opened or used veterinary or health-related products;
• medication and parasite treatments;
• products that have been contaminated;
• products damaged through misuse or incorrect storage;
• personalised or specially ordered products;
• clearance or discontinued products where the customer was informed of their condition before purchase; and
• products specifically identified as non-returnable before purchase.

Nothing in this section limits a consumer’s rights in respect of defective, unsafe, incorrectly supplied or otherwise non-compliant goods.

We take care when selecting, packing and delivering your order.

If your product arrives damaged, please notify Petz Direct as soon as reasonably possible, preferably within 48 hours of delivery, and provide photographs of:

• the damaged product;
• the packaging;
• the shipping label; and
• any visible damage to the outer packaging.

The 48-hour notification period is intended to help us investigate delivery-related damage and does not limit any statutory rights you may have.

Where the damage occurred before or during delivery and the claim is accepted, Petz Direct will, where appropriate:

• replace the product;
• refund the purchase price; or
• provide another appropriate remedy.

Where the damage is attributable to Petz Direct or its delivery arrangements, Petz Direct will cover the reasonable return or collection costs.

If Petz Direct supplies a product that is materially different from the product you ordered, please notify us within 7 days of delivery.

Where we have supplied the incorrect product, Petz Direct will arrange, as reasonably practicable, for:

• collection of the incorrect product;
• delivery of the correct product; or
• a refund where replacement is not reasonably available or appropriate.

Where the error was made by Petz Direct, reasonable collection and replacement delivery costs will be covered by Petz Direct.

Please do not use or open an incorrectly supplied product if you have identified the error.

Petz Direct respects the rights of consumers under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008.

The CPA provides consumers with an implied warranty of quality. In qualifying circumstances, goods may be returned within 6 months of delivery if they fail to satisfy the applicable requirements for quality, suitability, good working order or freedom from defects. The consumer may, subject to the CPA, direct the supplier to repair or replace the goods or refund the price paid.

Where a product is alleged to be defective, Petz Direct may reasonably inspect or assess the product to determine the nature and cause of the problem. Where the product qualifies for a remedy under the CPA, Petz Direct will provide the remedy required by law.

Where the product is found not to be defective and the issue resulted from misuse, accidental damage, neglect, incorrect installation, incorrect storage, unauthorised modification or other circumstances for which Petz Direct is not responsible, the claim may be declined.

Nothing in this policy limits the consumer’s rights under the CPA.

Some products may carry an additional manufacturer’s or supplier’s warranty.

Where applicable, Petz Direct will assist customers in facilitating a warranty claim.

Manufacturer warranties may contain specific terms regarding:

• warranty periods;
• proof of purchase;
• authorised repairs;
• exclusions;
• installation;
• maintenance; and
• misuse or accidental damage.

A manufacturer’s warranty is separate from any statutory rights that may apply under the CPA. Where a product requires assessment by the manufacturer, authorised distributor or service centre, Petz Direct may need to allow reasonable time for the assessment before the claim can be finalised.

Where a product is eligible for repair under an applicable warranty or statutory remedy, Petz Direct will advise the customer of the applicable process.

Where a repair is requested for a product that is outside its applicable warranty and is not otherwise covered by a statutory remedy:

• the customer may be responsible for collection, delivery and assessment costs;
• Petz Direct may provide a repair quotation before work is undertaken; and
• no repair work will be undertaken without the customer’s approval where a charge applies.

If a repair is approved by the customer, payment may be required before the repair work begins.

Step 1 — Contact Petz Direct

Please contact us before sending a product back. Provide:

• your name;
• order number;
• date of purchase;
• product name;
• reason for the return; and
• photographs or other information where relevant.

Step 2 — Return or collection

Petz Direct will advise whether the product should be:

• collected by Petz Direct;
• returned by the customer;
• delivered to a designated return location; or
• assessed by a manufacturer or authorised service provider.

Please package returned products securely. Petz Direct may refuse collection where a product has been inadequately packaged and is likely to be damaged during transport.

Step 3 — Assessment

Where necessary, Petz Directwill inspect the product to determine whether the return qualifies under this policy, the manufacturer’s warranty or applicable law.

Step 4 — Resolution

Depending on the circumstances, the resolution may be:

• replacement;
• repair;
• refund;
• exchange;
• account credit; or
• another appropriate remedy.

Where a return is caused by an error by Petz Direct, or where the consumer is entitled to return the product under applicable law because of a qualifying defect or other statutory right, Petz Direct will bear the applicable reasonable return or collection costs.

For voluntary change-of-mind returns or customer ordering errors, the customer may be responsible for reasonable return or collection costs.

Any applicable costs will be communicated to the customer before the return is processed wherever reasonably practicable.

Once a refund has been approved, Petz Direct will generally process the refund using the original payment method, where reasonably possible.

For card payments this is a technical requirement, not only a preference: refunds are returned through Yoco to the exact card or payment method used, so we cannot pay a refund to a different card or into a bank account.

Refunds will generally be processed within 7–14 business days after the returned product has been received and, where necessary, inspected. The time taken for the funds to reflect in the customer’s account may depend on the customer’s bank, payment provider or payment method.

Where the original payment method cannot reasonably be used, Petz Direct may contact the customer to arrange an appropriate alternative method of refund, subject to applicable law and payment-provider requirements.

Where permitted under this policy, customers may request an exchange for another size, flavour, variant or product. Exchanges are subject to:

• stock availability;
• the condition of the product;
• the applicable return requirements; and
• any statutory rights that may apply.

Where the exchange is required because Petz Direct supplied the wrong product or because of a qualifying defect, Petz Direct will cover reasonable collection and replacement delivery costs. For voluntary exchanges, reasonable delivery or collection charges may apply.

Petz Direct will not knowingly supply products that are expired.

If you receive a product that is already expired, or where the expiry date falls before the date of delivery, please contact us immediately. Subject to verification, Petz Direct will arrange an appropriate remedy, which may include replacement or refund.

Petz Direct cannot accept responsibility for damage caused after delivery where the damage resulted from:

• incorrect storage;
• exposure to excessive heat or moisture;
• contamination;
• pests;
• misuse;
• accidental damage;
• failure to follow manufacturer instructions;
• unauthorised alteration or modification; or
• other circumstances outside Petz Direct’s reasonable control.

This does not limit any rights that the consumer may have where the product was defective or otherwise non-compliant when supplied.

Petz Direct may request reasonable proof of purchase when processing a return, refund, exchange, warranty or satisfaction-guarantee claim. Acceptable proof may include:

• an order confirmation;
• invoice;
• receipt;
• payment confirmation;
• customer account record; or
• other reasonable evidence of the purchase.

Petz Direct reserves the right to investigate claims where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the returns or satisfaction guarantee process is being abused. Examples may include:

• repeated food palatability claims;
• deliberately damaged products;
• false or misleading information;
• products purchased from another supplier being presented as Petz Direct purchases;
• repeated claims inconsistent with the normal use of a product; or
• deliberate misuse of a satisfaction guarantee.

Any action taken by Petz Direct under this section will remain subject to applicable consumer law.

Our objective is to resolve legitimate complaints quickly and fairly.

If you experience a problem with an order, please contact us before discarding the product or packaging. In many cases, we can resolve the issue quickly without requiring a lengthy returns process.

We encourage customers to contact us as soon as possible after discovering a problem so that we can investigate and assist.

• Petz Direct (Pty) Ltd
• Email: petzdirectza@gmail.com
• Telephone / WhatsApp: +27 82 759 9986

Please contact our Customer Care team before returning a product so that we can provide the appropriate return instructions. You can also reach us through our Contact page.

This policy is intended to explain Petz Direct’s returns, refunds, exchanges, warranty and satisfaction-guarantee procedures.

It does not exclude, restrict or waive any consumer right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or waived under South African law, including rights arising under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008. Where there is a conflict between this policy and a mandatory provision of applicable law, the applicable law will prevail.