Document content
Cancellation, Exchange, Return and Refund Policy
Article (1): Scope and Nature of the Policy
This Policy forms an integral part of the Terms and Conditions and the Tajarat Merchant Onboarding Agreement. It applies to all Orders and products transacted through the Platform and is binding on both the Merchant and the Customer from the date of use of the Platform or completion of the Order, as applicable.
This Policy is intended to protect Customer rights and provide a reliable purchasing experience, while regulating Merchant responsibilities concerning cancellation, exchange, return and refunds in accordance with the laws applicable in the State of Qatar, in particular consumer-protection legislation.
No provision of this Policy may be interpreted in a manner that reduces mandatory consumer rights established by law. Any term that conflicts with such rights shall be void to the extent of the conflict.
Tajarat operates as a managed electronic marketplace operator and technical intermediary between the Merchant and the Customer. As a general rule, it is not the seller, manufacturer or supplier of products offered on the Platform. Its involvement in managing cancellation, exchange, return or refund requests does not substitute the Platform for the Merchant in the Merchant's legal or contractual obligations unless the law provides otherwise.
Article (2): Definitions
For the purposes of this Policy, the following terms have the meanings set out below:
Cancellation: termination of an Order before delivery to the Customer is completed.
Return: return of a product after receipt in accordance with the cases and conditions stated in this Policy.
Exchange: replacement of a product with an identical or alternative product in accordance with this Policy.
Refund: repayment of an amount due to the Customer as a result of cancellation of an Order, return of a product, or any other reason approved by the Platform or required by law.
Defect: any deficiency in the product, its value, utility or fitness for its intended purpose, in accordance with the definition established by law.
Non-Conformity: a material difference between the product and the description, specifications, size, color, quantity or characteristics advertised at the time of purchase.
Merchant: the seller registered on the Platform and responsible for the product offered, its sale and fulfilment of the Order.
Order Cancellations
Article (3): Cancellation by the Customer
The Customer may request cancellation through the means available on the Platform so long as the Order has not entered a fulfilment, preparation or shipping stage at which cancellation is no longer possible, according to the status shown in the system.
If the Order is cancelled before shipment or handover to the delivery company, the amount paid shall be refunded to the Customer through the payment method used or another refund method approved by the Platform.
If preparation of the Order has begun or the Order has been handed to the shipping company, the Customer's request is not treated as a cancellation and, depending on the circumstances, is subject to the return, exchange and refund provisions of this Policy.
4. A Merchant may not obstruct a cancellation request that satisfies the applicable conditions or contact the Customer outside approved channels for the purpose of persuading the Customer to withdraw the request or waive any right available to them.
Article (4): Cancellation by the Merchant
A Merchant may not cancel an accepted Order except for a legitimate reason accepted by the Platform, including force majeure or the existence of a genuine impediment preventing fulfilment.
Failure to update inventory, errors in store management, or product unavailability resulting from Merchant negligence do not exempt the Merchant from the financial or operational consequences of cancellation.
If an Order is cancelled because of the Merchant, the Merchant shall bear all fees, expenses and direct costs resulting from the cancellation, including payment, shipping or refund charges borne by the Platform where actually incurred.
Where cancellations by a Merchant are repeated, the Platform may take appropriate operational measures, including reducing store visibility, suspending certain products, suspending the Account, or terminating the contractual relationship in accordance with the Merchant Onboarding Agreement.
Article (5): Platform Right to Cancel an Order
The Platform may cancel an Order, in whole or in part, before completion where a legitimate reason exists, including, for example:
a. suspected fraud or misuse of the payment method;
b. a material technical error in the Order;
c. confirmed product unavailability;
d. the product violates the law or Platform Policies;
e. an obvious and material error in price or description;
f. inability to verify Order or payment information;
g. product-safety risks;
h. an order or instruction issued by a competent authority;
i. inability to fulfil due to force majeure.
Upon cancellation, the Customer shall be refunded any amounts due according to the reason for cancellation, the law and this Policy.
Returns and Exchanges
Article (6): Guarantee of the Customer's Legal Rights
A sound product is not eligible for return or exchange merely because the Customer changes their mind, changes their preference or finds the product unsuitable for personal preferences where the product conforms to the Order, advertised description and specifications and is free of defects, unless the Merchant or Platform, in a particular case or under a promotion or special policy disclosed in advance, grants an additional benefit allowing such return or exchange.
Without prejudice to statutory consumer rights, a request for return, exchange or repair shall be accepted where it is established that the product:
has a defect;
does not comply with prescribed standard specifications;
is materially inconsistent with the description or information displayed on the Platform;
is not fit for the purpose for which it was contracted;
is different from the product ordered by the Customer;
is delivered in a quantity different from that ordered;
arrives damaged for a reason not attributable to the Customer;
is established to be unfit, unsafe or unlawful to trade.
A Merchant may not refuse to implement any right granted to the Customer by law.
Article (7): Products Excluded from Voluntary Return
Without prejudice to Customer rights in cases of defect or non-conformity, the following categories may, depending on their nature, be excluded from voluntary return of a sound product:
products manufactured, altered or customized specifically at the Customer's request;
perishable products or products whose nature causes them to be affected by the passage of time;
health, personal-care or cosmetic products that have been opened or used where resale is not possible for health or safety reasons;
underwear and similar products where seals have been removed or the products have been used;
products whose packaging, once opened, prevents verification of safety or authenticity;
digital products that have been activated, downloaded or used;
any other products clearly identified by the Platform before purchase where the exclusion is lawful.
No such exclusion applies where the product is defective or non-conforming or where the law grants the Customer a right to return it.
Return and Inspection Procedures
Article (8): Submitting a Return Request
The Customer submits a return request through their Account or the approved Platform channels, specifying the Order number and reason for return.
The Platform may request photographs, video recordings, a serial number or any information necessary for an initial assessment of the product's condition.
Electronic acceptance of a return request by the system does not constitute final acknowledgment of entitlement to a return. Where necessary, the product remains subject to inspection under this Policy.
The Platform manages communication between the Customer and the Merchant concerning the return request. The Merchant must respond and provide any documents or comments within the period specified by the Platform.
Article (9): Inspection of the Returned Product
The product may be inspected to verify the reason for return, its condition and conformity with the Order.
If the product is established to be defective, non-conforming or different from the Order, the Merchant bears all resulting financial consequences, including, depending on the circumstances, the product price, return costs, the cost of shipping a replacement, and other expenses required by law or directly resulting from the Merchant's breach.
If the product is established to be sound and the reason for return is exclusively the Customer's change of mind, the voluntary return conditions in this Policy apply, and responsibility for return expenses is determined according to what was disclosed to the Customer before completion of the Order.
If damage is established to have occurred after delivery as a result of misuse, negligence or improper storage by the Customer, the return request may be refused to the extent permitted by law.
Article (10): Dispute Concerning Product Condition
If the Customer and Merchant disagree regarding the cause of a defect, damage or non-conformity, the Platform may:
a. examine evidence and documents submitted by both parties;
b. request a report or technical inspection where necessary;
c. engage a specialized party;
d. suspend financial settlement relating to the Order until the objection is resolved;
e. make the operational decision appropriate to the Order based on available evidence, Platform Policies and the law.
The Platform's decision is binding on the parties within the scope of management of the transaction and settlement inside the Platform, without depriving either party of the right to approach competent authorities.
The party shown to have caused the dispute shall bear reasonable inspection, transport or other costs arising from it where permitted by law.
Refunds
Article (11): Cases in Which a Refund Is Due
The Customer is entitled to a refund in accordance with the law and this Policy, including where:
the Order is cancelled before fulfilment in accordance with the applicable conditions;
the Order is cancelled because of the Merchant;
the Order is not delivered;
the return of the product is accepted;
a defect or non-conformity is established;
the product is recalled for safety reasons;
any other case is approved by the Platform or required by a competent authority or by law.
Article (12): Refund Amount
If a product return is accepted under the cases provided for in this Policy, the Customer shall receive the amount due for the product according to the reason for return and the rights granted by law.
If the return results from a product defect, non-conformity with the Order, specifications or advertised description, or delivery of a different or damaged product for a reason not attributable to the Customer, the Merchant shall bear the product value and any return-related costs that the Customer is legally entitled to recover, including the cost of returning the product where due.
The Customer may not be charged administrative fees, restocking fees or additional costs where the reason for return is a product defect or an error or breach by the Merchant.
The Customer is not entitled to a refund for a sound product merely because of a change of mind or preference, or because the product does not suit personal preferences, where the product conforms to the Order and advertised description and specifications, unless the Merchant or Platform expressly decides otherwise or the law requires a refund.
Article (13): Refund Method and Timeframe
As a general rule, the refund is made to the payment method used for the Order, unless technically impossible or the Customer agrees to another lawful method.
Refund procedures begin once the request is approved. The time required for the amount to appear in the Customer's account varies according to the bank, card company or payment service provider.
The Platform is not responsible for delay occurring exclusively at the bank or payment service provider after a refund instruction has been correctly submitted, provided that the Platform cooperates reasonably in tracing the transaction.
Merchant Responsibilities and Platform Protection
Article (14): Mandatory Implementation
The Merchant must implement all return, exchange, repair or refund decisions required by law or approved by the Platform under this Policy and may not obstruct implementation or contact the Customer for the purpose of circumventing such decision.
Article (15): Allocation of Costs to the Merchant
If cancellation, return or refund arises from:
a product defect;
non-conformity with the description;
delivery of an incorrect product;
short quantity;
poor packaging;
unfitness of the product;
failure to update inventory;
Merchant delay in preparing the Order;
the product violates the law or Platform Policies;
or any act or omission attributable to the Merchant;
then the Merchant shall bear all direct costs resulting from the matter, including the refund amount, shipping and return charges, payment-processing fees and reasonable operational expenses incurred by the Platform because of the incident.
Article (16): Platform Authority to Make a Refund
The Merchant authorizes the Platform, where a refund case arises under the law or this Policy, to return the amount due to the Customer from funds collected for the Order, or to deduct it from the Merchant's current or future balance or receivables, without requiring new approval from the Merchant for each case.
Article (17): Hold and Set-Off
Where there is a return or refund request or a serious dispute concerning an Order, the Platform may suspend settlement of the amount relating to the Order or temporarily hold the amount necessary until the request is resolved.
The Platform may set off amounts due to the Merchant against any fixed or due amounts payable by the Merchant as a result of returns, refunds, cancellations or related costs, in accordance with the Agreement and this Policy.
A temporary hold of disputed funds does not constitute an acknowledgment by the Platform of responsibility for the transaction or product.
Article (18): Merchant Responsibility Does Not Transfer to the Platform
The Platform's receipt of a complaint or returned product, inspection of the product, arrangement of reverse shipping, issuance of a refund or operational resolution of a dispute does not make the Platform the seller or transfer primary responsibility for the product to the Platform.
The Merchant remains responsible for product quality, safety, conformity, description, warranties and after-sales obligations.
Article (19): Platform Right of Recourse Against the Merchant
If the Platform incurs any amount, compensation, fine, expense or cost as a result of a defect in a Merchant's product, a breach of the Merchant's obligations, or a violation of the law or this Policy, the Platform may recover from the Merchant the amounts paid or incurred and set them off against the Merchant's receivables, without prejudice to any other right available under the Agreement or law.
Misuse of the Returns Policy
Article (20): Protecting the System from Fraud
The Platform may take additional verification measures where there are objective indicators of misuse of the return or refund system, including, for example:
repeated claims of non-receipt despite proof of delivery;
returning a product different from the product delivered;
returning a product after replacing its parts or accessories;
submitting inaccurate documents, photographs or information;
misusing offers or vouchers through repeated cancellation or return;
repeated claims indicating a fraudulent pattern.
In such cases, the Platform may suspend the disputed request pending verification, restrict certain payment or return methods, or suspend the Account where a legitimate reason exists, without affecting the Customer's mandatory rights under law.
Special Cases and Product Safety
Article (21): Dangerous or Recalled Products
If a Merchant discovers that one of its products contains a defect capable of harming a consumer, the Merchant must immediately:
notify the Platform;
stop displaying and selling the product;
cooperate in notifying affected Customers;
withdraw and recall the product in accordance with legal requirements;
bear the costs of replacement, repair or refund, depending on the case;
implement all instructions issued by competent authorities.
The Platform may immediately suspend the product or store and take precautionary measures necessary to protect Customers.
Article (22): Multi-Merchant Orders
If an Order contains products from more than one Merchant, each item shall, for cancellation, return and refund purposes, be treated as connected with the Merchant that sold it. A dispute concerning one product does not cancel the remaining sound products unless the nature of the Order or the law requires otherwise.
Final Provisions
Article (23): Priority of Law
This Policy applies to the extent consistent with the laws, regulations and decisions applicable in the State of Qatar. No provision may be interpreted as a waiver by the Customer of a right established by a mandatory rule of law.
Article (24): Amendment of the Policy
The Platform may amend this Policy whenever legal, operational or technical requirements so require, and shall announce the amendment through the Platform or an approved notification method.
Article (25): Relationship with the Merchant Agreement
This Policy supplements the Merchant Onboarding Agreement. Continued use of the Platform by the Merchant after this Policy becomes effective, in accordance with the notification mechanism provided in the Agreement, constitutes commitment to its provisions.
If this Policy conflicts with the Merchant Onboarding Agreement, the Agreement governs the relationship between the Platform and the Merchant, except where applying it would reduce a mandatory consumer right, in which case the mandatory rule of law prevails.
Article (26): Complaints and Dispute Resolution
Cancellation, return, exchange, refund and complaint requests shall be submitted through Tajarat's approved channels and managed by the Platform in accordance with this Policy.
This does not prevent the Customer or Merchant from referring the matter to the competent authorities in the State of Qatar in accordance with the law.