DistriNode refund policy covering inspection-first refund decisions, refund methods, timing, full refunds, partial refunds, store credit, handling fees, courier costs, assessment costs, defective goods, cancelled orders, unavailable products, incorrect products, payment reversal timing and South African consumer rights. Refunds are not promised before returned products are received, inspected and assessed. Refund outcomes are handled case by case according to product condition, applicable law, supplier rules and manufacturer or distributor assessment where relevant.

Refund policy

Refunds After Inspection, With Clear Outcomes

This Refund Policy explains when DistriNode may issue a full refund, partial refund, store credit or payment reversal, how refund timing works, what deductions or handling fees may apply, and how refund decisions are handled for 14-day returns, warranty returns, cancelled orders, incorrect items and defective goods.

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The Main Refund Rule

DistriNode does not promise any refund, partial refund, replacement, credit or warranty outcome before receiving and inspecting the product. A customer may describe the product as new, unused, complete or undamaged, but the final refund decision can only be made after the returned product, packaging, accessories, serial number, activation status and condition have been checked.

The sooner we receive the product and the required return information, the sooner we can inspect it and provide a proper answer. The outcome may be a full refund, partial refund, store credit, replacement, warranty referral, repair process, rejection with reasons, or another fair case-by-case resolution.

Acceptance of a return request or receipt of a returned product does not automatically mean a refund has been approved.

When A Refund May Apply

14-day eligible returns

Eligible no-questions-asked returns may be refunded after inspection if the item is complete, unused and suitable for resale.

Defective products

Where South African consumer law, supplier assessment or manufacturer warranty confirms a refund outcome, DistriNode will process the approved refund.

Incorrect or unavailable orders

If the wrong item was supplied or an order cannot be fulfilled, refund, replacement or correction options may be offered.

Full Refunds, Partial Refunds And Deductions

Refund type	When it may apply	Important notes
Full refund	The item is eligible, returned on time, complete, unused, undamaged and approved after inspection, or a legal/supplier/warranty process confirms a full refund.	Refunds are processed to the original payment method where practical, unless another lawful or agreed method is required.
Partial refund	The product is opened, used, incomplete, missing accessories, missing packaging, damaged, not resalable as new, or has reduced value.	The offer depends on product condition, missing items, inspection results, supplier rules, resale value and applicable law.
Store credit	A customer accepts credit instead of a cash/card refund, or a case-by-case resolution makes credit the most practical option.	Store credit is not used to remove legal refund rights where a cash/card refund is legally required.
No refund	The product is excluded, not returned, not the supplied item, materially damaged by misuse, activated/licensed, hygienically unsafe to resell, or rejected by the applicable assessment.	DistriNode will provide the reason where a refund is not approved.

Handling Fees, Courier Costs And Assessment Costs

Reasonable handling fees or deductions may apply where permitted, including costs linked to courier movement, inspection, testing, payment reversal, repackaging, missing accessories, damaged packaging, restocking, supplier assessment, refurbishment, repair quotation or loss in resale value.

For a standard change-of-mind return, the customer is generally responsible for getting the product back to DistriNode unless we agree otherwise or the law requires otherwise. For confirmed incorrect, defective or legally covered goods, return-cost responsibility will be handled according to South African consumer law and the applicable assessment outcome.

Any fee, deduction or partial-refund calculation is handled case by case and will be explained where it affects the final refund amount.

Refund Timing

Refund timing depends on the type of refund and the required inspection or assessment process. DistriNode aims to respond to return and refund requests within 1 business day, but a refund cannot be finalised until the correct refund trigger has been met.

Return or cancellation request received

The request is logged and checked against the order, product and reason for refund.

Product received and inspected where applicable

Physical product refunds usually require receipt and inspection before approval.

Refund outcome confirmed

DistriNode confirms whether the outcome is full refund, partial refund, credit, replacement, warranty process or rejection with reasons.

Payment processed

Once approved, refund processing time may depend on banks, card processors, payment gateways, EFT timing and fraud/security checks.

Where the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act cancellation rules apply, applicable refunds are handled with reference to the statutory timing requirements. Where CPA defective-goods rights apply, refunds are handled according to the applicable CPA remedy and assessment outcome.

Refund Method

Refunds are usually processed back to the original payment method where practical and safe.
EFT refunds may require bank-account confirmation to protect customers and prevent fraud.
Card, gateway and bank processing times may affect when the refund reflects.
Refunds are normally made to the original purchaser, not to an unrelated third party.
If payment was made with store credit, voucher, discount or mixed payment methods, the refund may be split or adjusted accordingly.

Items That May Not Qualify For Refund

Some products may be excluded from change-of-mind refunds, or may only qualify for warranty/assessment handling. Examples include:

Licences, digital products, activation keys, downloads, subscriptions or software once issued, opened, redeemed or activated.
Hygiene-sensitive, personal-care, health-related or sealed products once opened where resale is not safe or appropriate.
Food-related products, consumables, ink, toner, filters, batteries, wear parts or depleted items unless a defect or applicable warranty is confirmed.
Special-order, custom, made-to-order, clearance, damaged-packaging or supplier-restricted items where specific terms were disclosed.
Products damaged by misuse, incorrect installation, liquid damage, power surge, unauthorised repair, modification or missing parts.

These exclusions do not remove non-excludable rights under South African consumer law where the product is defective, unsafe, incorrectly supplied or not as described.

Defective Goods And Consumer Rights

South African consumer law may give customers specific remedies where goods fail to meet required standards, are defective, unsafe or not reasonably suitable for their intended purpose. The Consumer Protection Act and related guidance may allow repair, replacement or refund remedies in appropriate cases.

Some technical products must first be inspected by DistriNode, the supplier, distributor or manufacturer service centre to confirm the cause of the fault and whether the issue is covered. If an external warranty channel rejects the claim, DistriNode will provide the relevant reason or supporting feedback where available.

Nothing in this Refund Policy is intended to limit rights that cannot legally be limited under the Consumer Protection Act, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act or any other applicable South African law.