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Refund & Returns Policy

Refund & Returns Policy

Last updated: July 2026

RealTeasy (Pty) Ltd ("PetGuru", "we", "us", or "our") operates a marketplace and listings platform located at petguru.co.za (the "Platform") that connects buyers with independent merchants, breeders, and service providers (collectively, "Sellers"). This policy explains your rights around returns, refunds, and cancellations under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (ECTA), and who is responsible for honouring them.

This policy forms part of our Terms & Conditions and should be read together with our Privacy Policy, Merchant Terms, and Complaints & Dispute Resolution Procedure.

1. PetGuru's Role — and Who Owes You a Refund

PetGuru is an intermediary. We do not currently process payments, receive, or hold any money on behalf of buyers or Sellers, and we are not the seller of any goods, animals, or services listed on the Platform. When you buy from a Seller you found through PetGuru, your contract is directly with that Seller, and you pay the Seller directly.

  • Your consumer rights (cooling-off, and the right to a refund, repair, or replacement for defective or misdescribed goods) are real and are set out below — but they lie against the Seller, who is the supplier, not against PetGuru.
  • PetGuru does not hold funds and therefore cannot issue a refund of money paid to a Seller. We can, however, assist you (see Section 7): we can help you contact the Seller, record the complaint, and, where a Seller repeatedly fails to honour valid consumer rights, suspend or remove them from the Platform.
  • Where PetGuru introduces an integrated Store and checkout facility in future and you complete a purchase through it, the on-platform process in Section 6 will apply and PetGuru will facilitate the refund back to your original payment method. Until that facility is live and offered to you, treat your purchase as a direct transaction with the Seller.

2. Your Right to Cool Off (ECTA Section 44)

Where you conclude a purchase of goods as an electronic transaction with a Seller, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act gives you the right to cancel and return the goods within 7 (seven) days of receiving them, without reason or penalty, subject to the exclusions in Section 44(3) of ECTA (which include perishable goods, goods made to your specification, and unsealed audio, video, or software). You are responsible only for the direct cost of returning the goods.

To exercise this right, notify the Seller in writing within the 7-day period. If PetGuru facilitated the payment through an integrated Store, also notify us through our Contact Page and we will process the refund as set out in Section 6.

3. Defective, Damaged, or Incorrect Goods (CPA Sections 55 & 56)

Under the Consumer Protection Act, a Seller who supplies goods in the ordinary course of business must supply goods that are of good quality, in good working order, and free of defects. You are entitled to return goods to the Seller and receive a refund, repair, or replacement — at your election — if, within 6 (six) months of delivery, the goods:

  • Are defective or fail due to a defect present at the time of supply.
  • Were damaged on arrival.
  • Do not match the description, photographs, or specifications shown in the listing.
  • Are unsafe.

These are your rights under Section 56 of the CPA and they are owed to you by the Seller. PetGuru will assist you to enforce them (Section 7).

4. How to Exercise Your Rights With a Seller

  1. Contact the Seller as soon as possible, quoting the listing and the date of purchase, and state clearly what you are requesting (cooling-off cancellation, refund, repair, or replacement).
  2. Keep evidence — photographs of damaged or defective goods, and a record of your communications.
  3. If the Seller does not respond or refuses a valid request, raise it with PetGuru through our Contact Page or our Complaints Procedure so we can assist and take action against the Seller where appropriate.

5. Non-Refundable Items & Exclusions

The following are generally not eligible for cooling-off return (they remain returnable if defective or not as described, against the Seller):

  • Perishable goods: fresh pet food, treats with short expiry dates, or other perishables.
  • Custom or personalised items: products made to your specific requirements or personalised with your pet's name, photo, or details.
  • Hygiene-sensitive products: grooming products, feeding accessories, or pet clothing that has been used, opened, or had seals broken.
  • Digital products & gift cards: digital downloads, e-vouchers, or gift cards once the code has been revealed or partially redeemed.
  • Live animals: PetGuru is not a party to live-animal transactions and holds no funds, so it cannot refund a payment made to a Seller for an animal. Where an animal is sold as an electronic transaction, you may have cooling-off rights under ECTA Section 44, and where the Seller sells in the ordinary course of business you have CPA quality rights (Sections 55 and 56) — but these are owed by, and must be pursued against, the Seller. See Terms & Conditions § 7.5 (Live Animal Listings). We urge you to inspect any animal in person and never to pay a deposit to hold one (see our Safety & Anti-Scam Guide).
  • Off-platform transactions: any payment, delivery, or handover arranged outside the Platform (via WhatsApp, email, EFT, cash, or in person) is a direct matter between you and the Seller and falls outside any PetGuru-facilitated refund process. See Terms & Conditions § 7.4 (Off-Platform Communications and Direct Transactions).
  • Services already rendered: grooming, training, veterinary consultations, or other services already performed cannot be refunded. Services not yet rendered may be cancelled subject to the Seller's cancellation policy.

6. Where PetGuru Facilitates the Payment (Integrated Store)

This section applies only where, and from the time that, PetGuru offers an integrated Store and checkout facility and you complete a purchase through it. In that case:

  • Requesting a refund: contact us through our Contact Page within the applicable timeframe, with your order number and reason. Provide photographs where relevant.
  • Review: we will review the request and respond within 3 (three) business days with instructions.
  • Processing: once a refund is approved and (where applicable) the goods are returned in the agreed condition, the refund is processed to your original payment method within 10 (ten) business days. Your bank may take a further few days to reflect it.
  • Return shipping: for cooling-off returns, the buyer bears the direct cost of return unless the Seller offers free returns; for defective, damaged, or incorrectly described goods, the Seller bears the return shipping cost.

7. Service Bookings & Cancellations

Where the Platform facilitates bookings for pet services (grooming, training, pet-sitting, dog walking, veterinary consultations, etc.):

  • Cancellation before service: you may cancel free of charge up to 24 (twenty-four) hours before the appointment, unless the Seller's listing specifies otherwise.
  • Late cancellations: less than 24 hours before the appointment may be subject to a cancellation fee of up to 50% of the service cost, per the Seller's policy.
  • No-shows: failure to attend without prior cancellation may result in forfeiture of the full service fee.
  • Service not as described: you may raise a dispute through the Seller and, if unresolved, through PetGuru.

8. Complaints & Dispute Resolution

If you cannot resolve a return or refund issue directly with a Seller, raise it with us through our Complaints & Dispute Resolution Procedure. PetGuru will assist by contacting the Seller, recording the complaint, and taking action against Sellers who fail to honour valid consumer rights. Because PetGuru does not hold the funds, our assistance is by way of good offices and enforcement of our Seller rules; it is not a guarantee of a refund from PetGuru.

You retain the right, at any time, to approach the National Consumer Commission (NCC), the relevant Consumer Court, or the National Consumer Tribunal in terms of the CPA. You may contact the NCC at www.thencc.gov.za.

9. Seller Obligations

All Sellers on the Platform are required to comply with the CPA, ECTA, and this policy, including honouring valid cooling-off cancellations and providing refunds, repairs, or replacements for defective, damaged, or misdescribed goods. Sellers who consistently fail to honour valid consumer rights may be suspended or removed. Full Seller obligations are set out in our Merchant Terms.

10. Contact Us

For any question about this policy, or to raise a return or refund issue, contact us through our Contact Page.