Refund Policy

Effective Date: 10 April 2026

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IshiKart is operated by Hemant Aherwar (trading as Creative Webtech). This Refund Policy explains how returns, refunds, and payment reversals work on our social commerce platform.

1. Product Orders — Returns & Refunds

• Eligibility: Returns are accepted for damaged, defective, wrong, or materially different items when reported within the applicable return window shown on the product page or within 7 calendar days of delivery, whichever is stricter.
• Refund timeline: Approved product refunds are processed within 5 to 7 business days to the original payment method after the seller/platform confirms the return or refund approval.
• Seller policies: Individual stores may publish additional return, replacement, or restocking rules on the product page. Buyers must review those rules before purchase.
• Proof required: For damaged or incorrect items, buyers may be asked to share photos, videos, or unboxing evidence.
• Refund route: Refunds are initiated through the seller's connected payment gateway or another agreed settlement method, subject to order status and gateway rules.

2. Cancellations Linked to Refunds

If an order is cancelled before dispatch and a refund is due, the refund will be processed within 5 to 7 business days. Please read our Cancellation Policy for cancellation windows and conditions.

3. Seller Store Policies

• Each seller may maintain store-level and product-level policies from the store dashboard.
• Where a product shows a specific return or refund rule, that rule applies in addition to the platform minimum timelines above.
• Where no special rule is shown, the seller's general store policy and the platform minimum timelines above apply.

4. Seller Payment Collection & Refund Settlement

• Seller's own payment gateway: Each seller may connect and use their preferred payment gateway (for example Razorpay, Cashfree, or other supported gateways) to collect payments for their store orders on IshiKart.
• Payments go to the seller: Order payments collected through a seller's connected gateway are settled according to that gateway's rules and the seller's merchant account configuration.
• Refund via the same gateway: Where applicable, approved order refunds may be initiated by the seller through the same payment gateway used for the original transaction, subject to gateway rules and order status.
• Manual refund option: In cases where gateway refund is not possible or not preferred, the seller may process an approved refund through an agreed manual transaction (for example bank transfer or UPI), with proof shared as required.
• Buyer responsibility: Buyers should keep payment references, order IDs, and communication records to help the seller process refunds correctly.
• Platform role: IshiKart provides the technology to connect stores, buyers, and payment tools. The platform does not automatically guarantee seller-side refunds unless a verified platform process or applicable law requires it.

5. Fraud Reporting & Platform Enforcement

• Report a store: If you believe a seller has engaged in fraud, misrepresentation, or policy violations, you may use the Report Store option on the seller's store profile.
• Support escalation: You may also raise the issue through in-app Support Chat for further review by IshiKart administration.
• Investigation: Reported cases may be reviewed based on order history, communication records, product policies, and other platform evidence.
• Administrative action: IshiKart administration reserves the right to temporarily suspend, restrict, or permanently ban a seller store — with or without prior notice — where fraud, abuse, or serious policy violations are identified or reasonably suspected.
• No guarantee of refund by platform: Platform enforcement actions are separate from individual order refunds. Eligible refunds, where applicable, remain subject to the seller's stated policy and payment settlement flow.

6. Wallet Top-ups (Pre-paid Wallet)

• Successful recharge: Wallet balance credited after a successful payment is non-refundable and non-transferable to a bank account, UPI ID, or card.
• Failed or deducted transactions: If payment is deducted but wallet balance is not credited, our system triggers an automatic refund within 24 to 48 business hours.
• No manual request needed: Users do not need to raise a separate manual refund request for verified failed gateway transactions.

7. How to Request a Refund

• Contact the store through your order page or in-app chat.
• Escalate to platform support at [email protected] if the store does not respond.
• Keep your order ID, payment reference, and delivery proof for faster resolution.

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