LOKALE REFUNDS POLICY

This Refunds Policy explains how and when refunds are issued, and how they interact with our split-payment system. It should be read together with our Return Policy and forms part of our Terms of Use.

1. When You Qualify for a Refund

• Your Order is cancelled within the CPA/ECTA cooling-off period (see our Return Policy);
• A returned product is confirmed, after Lokale's review, to be defective, unsafe, or not as described;
• The Vendor fails to fulfil your Order and this cannot be resolved (see clause 3 below);
• A payment error occurred (for example, a duplicate charge).

2. Refunds Are Reviewed and Investigated Before They Are Issued

Lokale does not issue refunds automatically on request. Every refund request is reviewed and investigated first — this may include checking the returned product against the original Order, assessing evidence of a claimed defect, reviewing delivery and tracking records, and/or contacting the Vendor for their account of events. A refund is only issued once this review supports the request. This process protects both customers and Vendors from refunds being issued in error or in response to false claims.

3. Order Not Fulfilled Within the Fulfilment Window

Vendors are required to prepare and hand over every Order — for Courier Guy collection or PAXI drop-off — within 24 business hours of receiving the order notification (the "Fulfilment Window").

If an Order is not fulfilled within the Fulfilment Window:

• Lokale will first follow up directly with the Vendor to establish the reason for the delay and to give the Vendor a reasonable opportunity to fulfil the Order.
• Only if the Vendor cannot fulfil the Order, or does not respond within a reasonable period, will Lokale cancel the Order and initiate a refund to you.
• Repeated or unexplained non-fulfilment by a Vendor is treated as a serious performance failure under our Vendor Agreement, and may result in the Vendor's suspension, and, in appropriate cases, a report to the South African Police Service or another competent authority.

This sequence means a delayed order will not automatically result in an instant refund — we follow up with the Vendor first, so that a genuine but recoverable delay (for example, a short stock issue) doesn't need to end in an unnecessary cancellation.

4. How a Refund Is Processed Once Approved

Lokale processes your refund directly — you are never required to negotiate a refund directly with a Vendor.

• Once a return or non-fulfilment claim is approved under clause 2 or 3, Lokale issues your refund from its own funds, via Paystack, back to your original payment method.
• Lokale then recovers the Vendor's original share of that sale (their 90% product price share, and, for PAXI orders, the delivery fee they received) directly from the Vendor, either as a direct repayment or a deduction from the Vendor's next payout.
• Where applicable, and once reconciled, any returned product is sent back to the Vendor.

5. Refund Timing

• Lokale aims to complete its review under clause 2 within a reasonable period of receiving a return, or of a non-fulfilment issue being confirmed.
• Once approved, refunds are processed within 3–5 business days, and reflect in your account thereafter depending on your bank and Paystack's processing times.

6. What Gets Refunded

• Product price — refunded in full for approved returns or non-fulfilled Orders.
• Delivery fee — not refundable. This applies regardless of the reason for return or cancellation, including defects, incorrect items, or non-fulfilment by the Vendor.
• Lokale service fees — not refundable. Any service fee charged by Lokale on an Order is non-refundable under any circumstance.

7. Method of Refund

Refunds are issued to the original payment method used at checkout, via Paystack. We do not issue cash refunds or refunds to a different account.

8. Failed or Delayed Vendor Reimbursement

If a Vendor is slow or unable to reimburse Lokale for a refund already paid to a customer, this does not affect or delay the customer's refund — that risk is carried by Lokale and resolved separately with the Vendor, including by deduction from future payouts.

9. Contact Us

To query a refund, email info@lokaleapp.co.za.