Refund Policy

Approved refunds are always returned to the Buyer's original payment method. Ajaro does not issue refunds to a different bank account or payment method than the one used at checkout. This policy is in place to prevent fraud and ensure payment security.

A partial refund may be issued in the following situations:

• Only some items in a multi-item order are being returned;
• The item is returned in a condition other than its original state (subject to Vendor agreement);
• A restocking fee applies (only where the Vendor's listing clearly disclosed this prior to purchase, and only for non-defective returns where the Vendor voluntarily accepts change-of-mind returns);
• Original delivery fees are non-refundable where the return is for a non-defective item voluntarily accepted by the Vendor.

A full refund — including the original delivery fee — will be issued where: (a) the item is confirmed as defective, damaged, or materially different from its description; (b) the item was not delivered; or (c) the Vendor initiated the order cancellation. In these cases, the Buyer bears no cost and no deduction is made.

Once Ajaro initiates a refund, the timeline depends on the payment method as shown in the table above. Ajaro is not responsible for delays caused by the Buyer's bank or card issuer in processing the credit. If a refund does not appear after 7 business days, the Buyer should contact their bank before raising a support ticket.

Where a Buyer wishes to exchange a defective or incorrect item for the correct or undamaged version, the Vendor may offer a like-for-like exchange instead of a cash refund. Exchanges are subject to the Buyer's agreement — a Buyer cannot be compelled to accept an exchange in place of a refund where a full refund is due under this Policy. If the Vendor offers an exchange and the Buyer accepts, the replacement item must be dispatched within two (2) business days of receiving the returned item.

Vendors may offer store credit (a credit balance redeemable on future purchases in the same Store) as an alternative to a cash refund, subject to the Buyer's express written agreement. Store credit must be issued immediately upon approval of the return and must not carry an expiry date of less than twelve (12) months from the date of issuance. Store credit is non-transferable and has no cash value.

A Buyer who is entitled to a refund under this Policy cannot be required to accept store credit or an exchange against their wishes. Where a Vendor offers only store credit and the Buyer declines, the Buyer may escalate the dispute to Ajaro which will process a cash refund and charge the Vendor accordingly.

• Respond to all refund and return requests within 48 hours on business days;
• Accept, decline, or propose a resolution — unresponsive claims will be decided in the Buyer's favour after the 48-hour window closes;
• Provide a return shipping label or arrange courier collection within 3 business days of approving a return for fault-based cases;
• Process approved refunds within 7 business days of receiving the returned item.

Where Ajaro processes a refund on behalf of a Vendor (due to non-response, failure to process within the required timeframe, or under the Buyer Protection Programme), the refunded amount plus a ₦500 administration fee will be deducted from the Vendor's next payout. Repeated failures may result in an increased administration fee or account suspension.

Vendors must retain records of all return and refund transactions, including communications with Buyers, return waybills, and refund receipts, for a minimum of two (2) years. These records may be requested by Ajaro during disputes or compliance reviews.

Vendors must clearly disclose any category-specific return restrictions (e.g. non-returnable items, restocking fees, or shorter eligibility windows for perishables) on their product listing page before purchase. Restrictions not disclosed prior to purchase are unenforceable and the standard Ajaro return policy will apply.

• Full refund if the Vendor fails to respond to a valid return request within 48 hours;
• Full refund if the Vendor refuses a clearly valid return that falls within this Policy;
• Full refund if the item is not delivered and the Vendor cannot provide proof of dispatch;
• Full refund if a received item is confirmed as counterfeit upon investigation;
• Compensation of up to ₦10,000 for documented inconvenience caused by Vendor negligence in repeat offence cases.

To claim under the Buyer Protection Programme, the Buyer must: (a) have completed the purchase entirely through the Ajaro Platform; (b) have submitted a return request within the applicable window; and (c) have provided the required photographic or other evidence. Claims are assessed by Ajaro's dispute resolution team and a decision is issued within five (5) business days of the claim being escalated.

If a Buyer's return request is declined by a Vendor and the Buyer believes the decline is unjustified, the Buyer may escalate the dispute to Ajaro by clicking "Escalate to Ajaro" in the Order dispute panel. Escalation must be made within 48 hours of receiving the Vendor's decision. Ajaro will review all evidence submitted by both parties and issue a binding decision within five (5) business days.

Where Ajaro has processed a refund in favour of a Buyer under the Buyer Protection Programme and the Vendor believes this decision was made in error, the Vendor may submit an appeal within seven (7) days by emailing disputes@ajaro.com.ng with the subject line "Refund Decision Appeal — [Order Reference]". Appeals must include all supporting evidence (dispatch records, tracking information, communications, photographs). Ajaro will review the appeal and respond within seven (7) business days. If the appeal is upheld, any deducted amount will be restored to the Vendor's payout balance.

Decisions made by Ajaro following escalation or appeal are final and binding within the Platform. Either party retains the right to pursue further recourse through the dispute resolution mechanisms in the Vendor Agreement or through the consumer complaints process administered by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

• Falsely claiming an item was not received when delivery evidence exists;
• Returning a different item than what was purchased (item-switching fraud);
• Submitting fabricated or manipulated photographic evidence;
• Repeatedly claiming refunds for change-of-mind reasons by misrepresenting them as defects;
• Colluding with a Vendor to generate false return transactions to extract platform credits.

• Refusing valid returns in bad faith to retain payment;
• Delaying return processing beyond policy timelines as a tactic to discourage Buyers;
• Providing false tracking information to prevent non-delivery refund claims;
• Colluding with third parties to submit fake Buyer claims against other Vendors.