BOONCART – RETURN & REFUND POLICY

This Return & Refund Policy (“Policy”) is issued by Booncart Private Limited (“Booncart”, “we”, “our”, or “us”). It governs the conditions under which customers may request returns, replacements, or refunds for products purchased through our online marketplace, www.booncart.com (“Platform”). This Policy forms an integral part of the Terms & Conditions and applies to all purchases made by customers (“Customer”, “you”, “your”), as well as to all sellers (“Vendors”) who list products on the Platform. By purchasing or listing products on the Platform, the Customer and the Vendor acknowledge and agree to the terms set forth herein.

Booncart operates as a dual-model marketplace, comprising the Commission Model, where third-party Vendors sell directly to Customers, and the Trade Model, where Booncart itself may undertake the sale. Regardless of the model, this Policy aims to balance customer protection, platform integrity, and fair treatment of Vendors.

General Return Eligibility and Conditions

Returns, replacements, or refunds are permitted only under specific circumstances. A return request may be initiated if the product delivered to the Customer is received in a physically damaged condition, is defective, incomplete, missing essential items, or does not conform to the description or images displayed on the Platform. Customers must carefully assess the condition of the product upon delivery.

All claims must be reported to Booncart within forty-eight (48) hours of product delivery. Claims raised after this period may not be eligible for review, unless otherwise required by applicable law or expressly permitted at Booncart’s discretion. Customers must submit appropriate evidence supporting their claim, including but not limited to a clear, uninterrupted unboxing video, photographs of damage or defects, packaging images, courier delivery slips, or any other documentary proof reasonably requested by Booncart.

The unboxing video requirement is mandatory to safeguard both Booncart and Vendors from fraudulent or unsubstantiated claims. Requests lacking sufficient proof may be declined, and Booncart’s decision after reviewing the evidence shall be final and binding.

In cases where a return is approved and the product is received back at Booncart’s facility, the vendor fails to accept or inspect the returned goods. If the vendor fails to accept or respond to the return within 30 days, Booncart reserves the right to dispose of or destroy the returned goods and will levy applicable disposal and handling charges to the vendor.

Vendor Liability and Responsibility

In the Commission Model, Vendors bear full and exclusive liability for all returns arising from defective, damaged, missing, or misrepresented products. Booncart may, after validating the claim, refund the Customer directly and recover such refund amounts from the Vendor, either by deducting the refund from the Vendor’s future settlements or by raising a direct recovery demand. Vendors unequivocally agree that Booncart’s determination of return eligibility, once supported by evidence, shall be final and cannot be contested except in accordance with applicable law.

Vendors must cooperate with Booncart during return investigations and comply with timelines for assessing returned products or responding to queries. Repeated return trends attributable to the Vendor for example, poor packaging, incorrect listings, or quality issues  may result in penalties, listing suppression, or suspension, in accordance with Booncart’s Seller Terms & Conditions.

Reverse Logistics Cost Structure:

If the return is due to the vendor’s fault (damaged product, incorrect item, missing components, expired item, or misleading listing), the Vendor shall bear 100% of the reverse-pickup and logistics charges.

If return arises for reasons attributable to the Customer (for example: customer refused delivery without valid reason, customer ordered by mistake, customer changed mind, or customer was unavailable), the Customer shall bear the reverse logistics fee, and the same may be deducted from the Customer’s refund amount.

Standard reverse-pickup charges applicable to Vendors shall be: 

1. £_ Per pickup (non-fragile items)
2. £_per pickup 9fragile or heavy items)
3. Any additional warehouse handling or repackaging charges may be applied depending on product category. 

     Booncart shall update these charges periodically and communicate the revised rates to    Vendors.

Failure of Vendor to Accept Returns: 

If a return is approved and the product is received at Booncart’s facility, the Vendor must accept or inspect the returned goods within 30 days of notification. Failure to do so shall entitle Booncart to dispose of or destroy the goods and charge the vendor the applicable disposal, storage, and reverse logistics fees.

Categories Not Eligible for Returns

Certain product categories are inherently non-returnable. Products such as personal-care items, cosmetics, intimate wear, consumables, perishable goods, customised items, and items marked explicitly as “non-returnable” are not eligible for return, except where they are delivered in a defective or damaged condition.

Preorders and customised or made-to-order goods are also non-cancellable and non-refundable, unless the product delivered is defective, significantly delayed beyond the promised delivery period, or materially inconsistent with the approved specifications. Minor variations in colour, texture, or finish that arise from customisation processes shall not constitute grounds for return.

Refund timelines:

Where refunds are approved in accordance with this policy, the following timelines shall apply:

1. Wallet Refunds: Credited within__hours from the time the refund is processed by Booncart. 
2. Bank Account Refunds (via NEFT / IMPS / RTGS): Credited within 7-10 working days, subject to the Customer’s bank processing cycles.
3. UPI Refunds: Credited instantly or within 72 hours, depending on the issuing bank and UPI network response time.
4. Payment Gateway Processing Delays: Booncart shall not be liable for delays arising from third-party payment gateways, banking partners, or system outages. Such delays are outside Booncart’s reasonable control, and Customers are encouraged to contact their issuing bank for status updates if the refund is not reflected within the stipulated period.

Product Condition for Return Approval

Returned products must be handed over in their original condition, with all tags, labels, user manuals, warranty cards, accessories, freebies, and original packaging intact. Products that show signs of use, physical tampering, or damage not attributable to transit or manufacturing defects may be rejected.

Customers are responsible for ensuring that the product is packed securely during return pickup to avoid further damage in transit. Booncart and its logistics partners may decline pickup of severely damaged or incomplete return shipments.

Automatic Rejection Scenarios:

Return requests shall be automatically rejected in the following situations, without further review, as they fail to meet mandatory return prerequisites:

1. No unboxing video is provided, or the video is unclear, interrupted, edited, or fails to show the package being opened from the start.
2. Product shows signs of use, including wear, stains, scratches, installation marks, or any usage beyond basic inspection.
3. Damage caused by the Customer, including mishandling, improper installation, exposure to liquids, heat, or physical impact after delivery.
4. Missing accessories or components due to Customer’s handling, including missing charges, cables, manuals, warranty cards, free gifts, or packaging elements.
5. Product exchanged with a different item, counterfeit product returned, or serial numbers tampered with.
6. Return filed after the permitted time, window, except where mandated by applicable law.
7. Booncart’s evaluation of these conditions shall be final and binding. 

Refund and Replacement Process

Once Booncart receives the Customer’s return request, our team will validate the evidence submitted. If the claim meets the eligibility criteria, a return pickup will be scheduled. Refunds will be initiated only after the returned product passes quality inspection at the Vendor’s or Booncart’s facility.

Refunds are typically processed to the original payment method used at checkout, unless otherwise specified. Refund timelines may vary depending on the payment instrument, bank processing times, and external payment gateways. Booncart shall not be responsible for delays caused by third-party financial institutions.

In applicable cases, Booncart may offer replacement instead of refund, subject to availability and category-specific rules.

RTO (Return-to-Origin) and Failed Delivery Refund Handling

If an order is returned to the origin due to Customer unavailability, incorrect address, refusal to accept the order, or unreachable contact details, such orders will be marked as RTO. For prepaid orders, Booncart reserves the right to deduct two-way shipping charges, handling fees, payment gateway charges, and other operational costs before issuing a refund.

Where the RTO occurs due to courier failure or other reasons not attributable to the Customer, a full refund shall be provided without deductions.

Repeated RTO behaviour may lead to restrictions on placing Cash-on-Delivery (COD) orders, as part of Booncart’s fraud-prevention measures.

High-Value Items and Verification Protocol

For certain high-value categories, Booncart may adopt additional verification measures to prevent misuse. Delivery agents may request OTP confirmation, signature verification, or government-issued ID proof at the time of delivery. Claims for missing items or damages in such categories will be evaluated strictly on the basis of complete unboxing evidence, courier logs, and internal tracking data.

To safeguard the platform from abuse, Booncart also enforces a strict fraud-prevention policy. If a Customer is found to be repeatedly submitting false claims, misrepresenting the condition of products, providing manipulated or incomplete evidence, or engaging in any behaviour indicative of fraudulent intent, Booncart reserves the right to restrict or blacklist the Customer’s account. In such cases, Booncart may also disable related contact numbers, addresses, or payment instruments, initiate recovery of losses caused by such misconduct, and report the matter to relevant authorities wherever necessary. Booncart’s determination, based on internal investigation and the evidence available, shall be final and binding.

Exceptions and Special Cases

Products that develop functional issues after the return window shall be covered, if applicable, under the manufacturer’s warranty, and Customers must seek assistance directly from authorised service centres. Booncart does not assume responsibility for warranty obligations in the Commission Model unless explicitly stated or required under law.

For hygiene-sensitive or regulated product categories, Booncart may apply category-specific rules based on safety and compliance requirements.

Finality of Booncart’s Decision

Booncart’s assessment of the evidence, product condition, courier reports, and platform logs shall be treated as final and binding in determining return eligibility. Vendors acknowledge that Booncart’s decisions are taken to maintain customer trust and platform integrity, and agree not to dispute such determinations except as permitted under applicable law.

Customer Support and Grievance Handling

Customers may reach out to [email protected] for assistance with returns or refunds within the stipulated reporting period. Booncart aims to address complaints with diligence and transparency, and may coordinate with logistics partners or Vendors where necessary to resolve concerns. All grievances will be handled in accordance with applicable legal requirements and internal escalation procedures.

Eligible Returns

You may request a return within 2 (two) days of delivery only in the following cases:

1. Missing Product(s): One or more items from your order were not delivered.
2. Damaged Product(s): The item(s) received are damaged, defective, or broken.
3. Exchange Product(s): An incorrect product, color, size, or variant was shipped compared to what was ordered. Exchange is subjected to product availability.

In these cases, customers must provide clear photograph or video proof of the issue when submitting a return request.

Process for Returns

1. Contact our Customer Support team via email/phone within the return window.
2. Provide order details, reason for return, and product photos (if damaged/defective).
3. Our team will confirm eligibility and share return instructions.
4. Pack the product securely and send it to the address provided.

Non-Returnable Items

• Orders placed incorrectly by the customer.
• Products returned without valid proof.
• Items damaged due to mishandling or improper use.
• Any reason other than “missing” or “damaged.”
• Personalized or customized items, except where they fall under the eligible return categories above.

Payment Path

1. Refund Method

Refunds will always be processed through the original payment method used at the time of purchase (Credit/Debit Card, UPI, Net Banking, Wallet, EMI, or Pay Later).

For Cash on Delivery (COD) orders, the refund will be issued to the customer’s registered bank account/UPI ID after verification.

Refund Timelines

1. Prepaid orders: refund initiated within [7–15 business days] after pickup & QC verification.
2. COD orders: refund initiated within 7–15 business days] of successful verification.
3. The bank/UPI/wallet processing time may take an additional [3–7 business days] depending on the provider.

Refund Path for Exchange Orders

1. If an exchange request is approved and replacement stock is available, no refund is issued — the replacement is shipped.

Important Notes

• All return requests must be raised within 2 days of delivery through your Booncart account or by contacting our customer support team.
• Requests submitted without proper proof will be rejected.
• Booncart reserves the right to decline any return request that does not meet the conditions outlined in this policy.
• Refunds and replacements are not applicable beyond the eligible return conditions mentioned above.