Returns & Refunds Policy

At africanstores.co.uk, we are a directory and marketplace platform. This means that when you place an order, your contract of sale is directly with the individual store, not with africanstores.co.uk.

While we facilitate the discovery and payment process, returns, refunds, and exchanges are handled directly by the store you purchased from, in accordance with their own policies and UK consumer law.

This policy outlines your basic statutory rights and how to navigate issues with an order.

Under the UK Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be:

If an item does not meet these criteria, you have the right to a refund, repair, or replacement from the store.

Perishable Goods — Note that the right to cancel within 14 days (Consumer Contracts Regulations) does not apply to perishable goods such as fresh food, meat, or bespoke items. Please consider this when ordering groceries.

If you have an issue with your order, please follow these steps:

1. Contact the Store — In your Account > Orders page, click on the relevant order and select "Contact Seller". Explain the issue clearly. If the item arrived damaged or faulty, attach photos.

2. Await a Response — Stores are expected to respond to customer inquiries within 48 hours.

3. Arrange the Return — If a return is agreed upon, the store will provide instructions. Do not post items back without prior confirmation.

4. Receive Refund — Once the store receives the item and approves the refund, it will be processed back to your original payment method via our Stripe integration. It may take 3-5 working days to appear on your bank statement.

If your items arrive damaged or are faulty:

We expect our partner stores to uphold excellent customer service standards. However, if you cannot reach a resolution with the store after 5 working days:

1. Please email our support team at support@africanstores.co.uk with your order number and communication history.

2. We will mediate the dispute between you and the store.

3. While we cannot guarantee a specific outcome as the transaction is with the store, we will take action (including store suspension) if a business consistently violates consumer rights.

If your dispute involves non-delivery and the store is unresponsive, you may also contact your card issuer to inquire about a chargeback.