South African Artisan Marketplace

Returns, Refunds & Disputes Policy

Last updated: September 2026

1. Scope

This policy covers what happens when a buyer needs to cancel, return, dispute, or be refunded for a Craft Connect order. It sits alongside the Shipping Policy (which explains how orders reach you) and the Acceptable Use Policy (which covers prohibited listings). Refunds always flow back through Paystack so the original payment method is credited.

2. Cancelling Before Fulfilment

You can cancel an order at any time before it is marked shipped, either on the order page or by contacting support. Once cancelled, your payment is queued for a Paystack refund and your bank typically credits the refund within 5-7 business days. If the artisan has already marked the order shipped, cancellation must be handled as a dispute (section 5) instead, and the artisan will need to return the parcel before a refund is issued.

3. Defective, Damaged or Wrong Items

If your order arrives damaged, defective, or not as described in the listing, file a dispute from the order page within 7 days of delivery. Provide photos and a short description. The artisan gets 3 business days to respond. They may offer a replacement, a partial refund, or escalate the matter to the Craft Connect admins. If they do not respond, or if you cannot reach agreement, the dispute escalates to a Craft Connect admin whose decision is final.

4. Non-Delivery & Lost Parcels

If your order has not arrived within a reasonable time after the artisan marked it shipped, file a non-delivery dispute from the order page within 14 days of the ship date. A Craft Connect admin will work with the artisan and the courier. Outcomes (replacement, partial refund, or full refund) depend on the investigation. While a dispute is open, funds still held in escrow remain frozen; if the payment was already released, the dispute is resolved through the refund process and any award is returned to the buyer through the payment gateway.

5. How to File a Dispute

On the order detail page, tap "Report a problem" and choose the reason that fits best:

  • The item arrived damaged or defective.
  • The item has not arrived within the expected window.
  • The item is not as described or is the wrong product.
6. Buyer Evidence

Where possible, attach photos of the item, the package, and the waybill or tracking reference. The more detail you can provide, the faster the dispute resolves. A Craft Connect admin may also follow up with you on the order page to request additional evidence.

7. Artisan Response Window

Once you file a dispute, the artisan is notified and has 3 business days to respond. They may offer a replacement, a partial refund, or escalate the dispute to the Craft Connect admins. If they do not respond within the window the dispute is automatically escalated to the admins.

8. Admin Review & Decision

A Craft Connect admin reviews the dispute: the order, buyer evidence, the artisan's response, and any courier tracking. The admin may decide to support the buyer (full or partial refund), support the artisan (release escrow), or reach a middle outcome (e.g. a discount on a future order). Decisions are communicated to both parties within the order page and by email. Admin decisions are final and binding on both the buyer and the artisan.

9. Refunds Are Processed

When a decision is that the buyer is refunded, the refund is processed via Paystack using the original charge reference. Funds are credited to the card or account charged. The refund shows on the buyer's statement within 5-7 business days, depending on the issuing bank.

  • The buyer's payment was held in escrow by Craft Connect from checkout until resolution. A refund returns those funds to the buyer.
  • While a dispute is open, funds still held in escrow are not released. On resolution, a full refund cancels or reverses the payment, while a partial refund releases the remaining balance to the artisan; recovered from the artisan first where the payment was already released.

Craft Connect never refunds by cash, EFT, or any channel outside Paystack. Refunds always return to the original payment method.

10. Escrow & Chargeback Impact

Initiating a chargeback with your bank before filing a dispute with Craft Connect breaches the platform's payment terms and can result in the temporary suspension of your account. Always file the dispute with Craft Connect first so we can resolve it from escrow. Off-platform chargebacks will be defended with the order evidence on file, and the disputed amount may be collected from your Craft Connect wallet if the dispute is lost.