Returns, Cancellations and Refund Policy

This Policy does not remove rights granted by the Consumer Protection Act, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, or other applicable South African law.

1. How to request assistance

Contact support@sowheretoaccess.com and provide the order number, item, reason for the request, and supporting photographs where relevant.

Do not send a product back before receiving return instructions. Returns may need to go directly to the supplying Brand Owner or another approved address.

2. Order cancellations

A customer may request cancellation before dispatch. We will attempt to stop fulfilment, but cancellation cannot be guaranteed once production, customisation or dispatch has begun.

Where cancellation is accepted, the refund will be processed to the original payment method, less only lawful and properly disclosed deductions.

3. Cooling-off rights for electronic transactions

Where the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act grants a cooling-off right, a customer may cancel within the applicable statutory period. The customer may be responsible for the direct cost of returning the goods unless the law or this Policy provides otherwise.

Certain goods and services may be excluded from cooling-off rights, including goods made to the customer’s specifications, clearly personalised goods, goods that deteriorate rapidly, and other statutory exclusions.

4. Incorrect, damaged, unsafe or defective goods

Please report an incorrect, damaged or incomplete delivery promptly. For defective, unsafe or poor-quality goods, statutory rights may continue for the period prescribed by law.

After assessment, the customer may be entitled to repair, replacement, exchange or refund, depending on the circumstances and applicable law.

Where the Brand Owner supplied the wrong item, materially misdescribed it, packaged it inadequately, or supplied defective goods, the Brand Owner bears the reasonable return or replacement cost.

5. Change-of-mind returns

A change-of-mind return may be accepted where the product is unused, in resalable condition, complete with original packaging and accessories, and returned within the period stated on the product page or, if no period is stated, within 7 calendar days of delivery.

The customer ordinarily bears the direct return cost for an accepted change-of-mind return.

For hygiene, safety or product-integrity reasons, opened personal-care products, perishable goods, food, intimate goods, digital content already supplied, and customised or personalised goods may not be returnable unless defective or required by law.

6. Return condition

Use secure packaging suitable for the product.

Include all accessories, certificates, labels and free items supplied with the purchase.

Do not deliberately damage, alter or misuse the product.

Retain proof of return and tracking.

7. Assessment

The returned item may be inspected by SoWhereTo>Access, the Brand Owner or an appropriate specialist. Assessment is intended to establish the condition, reported defect and appropriate remedy and does not delay statutory rights unreasonably.

8. Refund method and timing

Approved refunds are processed through the original payment channel wherever possible and may not exceed the original amount paid for the affected transaction.

SoWhereTo>Access will initiate an approved refund without unreasonable delay. The time for funds to appear depends on the payment provider and the customer’s financial institution.

Delivery charges will be refunded where required by law or where the return results from an incorrect, defective or materially misdescribed product. Original delivery charges may be excluded from a change-of-mind refund where lawful.

9. Chargebacks and duplicate claims

Customers should contact SoWhereTo>Access before initiating a payment dispute so that the matter can be investigated promptly.

A customer may not receive both a refund and a chargeback for the same amount. Fraudulent or duplicate claims may be disputed using order, communication and delivery records.

10. Brand Owner accountability

SoWhereTo>Access may recover an approved refund, chargeback, return cost or related loss from the responsible Brand Owner’s current or future settlement where the matter arose from the Brand Owner’s product, listing, stock, packaging, dispatch or conduct.

SoWhereTo>Access may temporarily hold an affected settlement while a genuine dispute is investigated.

11. Complaints and escalation

Send complaints to support@sowheretoaccess.com. We aim to acknowledge complaints within two business days and provide a substantive response within 15 business days, depending on the investigation required.

Customers retain the right to approach an appropriate regulator, consumer body, ombud or mediator.