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Refund Policy

When we refund a purchase, when we cannot, and how to ask — aligned with the SA Consumer Protection Act and the ECT Act.

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Refund Policy

Last updated: 2026-10-12

This Refund Policy sets out when we refund a purchase, when we can't, and how to ask. It works alongside your statutory rights under the South African Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 ("CPA") and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 ("ECT Act") — nothing in this policy takes those away.

We are a sole-proprietor art studio. Every print is either pulled from stock in South Africa or printed to order for you. Once a print is packed and out the door it is difficult and expensive to send back. This policy is deliberately strict on change-of-mind returns for that reason, but it is fully open on faults, damage, and non-delivery.

1. Digital files

Digital files (art files, wallpaper sets, packs, PDFs) appear in your account as soon as payment clears.

Once you've downloaded a file, it's a final sale. A file can't be handed back once it's on your device, so we don't refund a downloaded file because you've changed your mind or it isn't what you hoped for. A product with several files counts as downloaded once any one of them has been downloaded. This follows the exception in section 42(2) of the ECT Act for goods that, by their nature, cannot be returned.

Before your first download, you can cancel within 7 days of buying and we will refund you in full. That is your cooling-off right under section 44 of the ECT Act.

If a file is faulty (it won't open, it's corrupt, or it's the wrong artwork) or doesn't match its description, tell us and we'll send you a working file or refund you, whichever you prefer. That is your right under sections 55 and 56 of the CPA, and downloading the file doesn't affect it.

We keep a record of each download from your account: the time, the file, and the connection it came from. We use it to answer refund requests and chargebacks.

2. Physical prints and stickers — change of mind

Because a print is physically shipped, opened, and often flat-packed carefully to survive courier handling, we cannot resell it after it has been to a customer. That drives a strict cancellation window:

  • Before dispatch: cancel any order for a full refund by emailing us. If we haven't handed it to the courier yet, we will stop the parcel and refund you in full.
  • After dispatch, in-stock items: section 44 of the ECT Act gives you a 7-day cooling-off period for goods bought online. If you exercise it, you must return the item in original condition and packaging at your own cost. Once it arrives back with us undamaged, we refund the product price. We do not refund the original shipping fee. If the item arrives back damaged, torn, marked, or missing packaging we may refund only a portion or refuse the return.
  • After dispatch, items printed to order: section 42(2)(f)(i) of the ECT Act carves out an exception for goods made to the consumer's specification — this covers made-to-order production, because the item is physically printed only after you place the order. Change-of-mind refunds on printed-to-order items are not offered. Your statutory rights under section 55 of the CPA (below) still apply.

3. Faulty, damaged, or wrong items

If a print arrives faulty, damaged, or is not what you ordered, you have a full refund or free replacement at your choice — this is your right under section 56 of the CPA and it applies regardless of how the order was fulfilled.

  • Contact us within 14 days of delivery with your order number, a description of the fault, and photos of the item and (for damage in transit) the parcel packaging.
  • We will either arrange a courier to collect the faulty item at our cost, or ask you to dispose of / recycle it responsibly — often cheaper than shipping it back.
  • Once the fault is confirmed, we refund in full (product + shipping) or ship a replacement at our cost, whichever you asked for.

The 14-day window is a target to catch damage claims early while the parcel condition is still clear. Your statutory rights under sections 55–56 CPA run for 6 months from delivery for latent manufacturing defects — that is, defects that were present when the print left the studio but that only surfaced later. Concretely, we treat the following as latent defects covered by this policy:

  • ink streaking, banding, or missing ink coverage;
  • the colour, layout, or artwork on the delivered print not matching what was ordered;
  • paper delamination, curling, or warping of a print stored flat in normal indoor conditions.

What is not a latent defect under this policy

  • Natural fade of dye-based prints under light exposure. Our standard A5 / A4 / A3 art prints are produced on a dye-ink inkjet (Epson EcoTank family). Dye ink is chosen for the colour range it delivers on 250 gsm matte paper, but by its nature it shifts and fades under prolonged UV exposure. A print hung in direct sunlight or under strong artificial lighting will show visible colour change within months, not years — this is a known characteristic of the product, not a defect. For maximum longevity we recommend framing behind UV-protective glass and keeping the print out of direct sun.
  • If you specifically need an archival-grade print (pigment ink, 25+ year colour stability without special framing), email us before ordering — we can quote a pigment / archival-paper option instead.
  • Damage caused by handling, moisture, framing, or storage after delivery.
  • Wear consistent with the print's age and how it has been displayed.

4. Non-delivery

If a parcel is confirmed lost in transit, we refund the full order or reship at your choice. See the Shipping Policy for the "confirmed lost" trigger. You do not need to prove anything beyond the tracking status — we take responsibility for the shipment until it reaches you.

5. How to request a refund

  1. Email the address on the site footer with your order number and a short description.
  2. For damage or fault: attach clear photos.
  3. For change-of-mind returns of in-stock items: wait for our confirmation before shipping it back — we will send the return address.
  4. We reply within 2 business days.

If a refund is agreed, we process it back to the payment method you used within 5 business days. Paystack (our payments processor) typically then takes another 3–7 business days to land it in your account. Digital-goods refunds and print-on-demand refunds go the same route.

6. Chargebacks

Please email us before you dispute a charge with your bank. It's faster for both of us, and we will put right anything that is our fault.

Disputing a charge is your right with your bank, and nothing in this policy takes it away. But a dispute is not a way to return a digital file you have downloaded. If you dispute the charge for a file you downloaded, we will contest it and send the bank, through our payment processor, our record of the order, the payment and each download from your account. While a dispute is open, the downloads on that order are paused. If the bank reverses the payment, the licence ends and the files are no longer available to you.

7. Statutory rights

Nothing in this policy limits your rights under:

  • The Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, particularly sections 55 (right to safe goods of good quality) and 56 (implied warranty of quality); or
  • The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002, particularly section 44 (cooling-off for online purchases, subject to the exceptions listed above).

If a mandatory consumer-protection law of your country gives you stronger rights, those rights apply too.

8. Changes to this policy

We update this Refund Policy when our fulfilment arrangements change, or when the underlying legislation does. The "Last updated" date above shows the most recent change. Material changes will be highlighted on the site for at least 14 days.

9. Contact

Refund requests, disputes, questions: Email: the contact address shown on the site footer.