1. Purpose of This Policy

Jaggery (gud) is a natural, minimally processed agricultural product. Its colour, hardness, moisture content, and shape can vary slightly batch to batch depending on the sugarcane crop, season, and storage conditions this is normal and not a defect.

This policy exists to clearly separate genuine quality or delivery issues (which are returnable) from natural product variation (which is not), and to give a clear, consistent process for both online customers and retail/in-store customers.

2. General Eligibility: Valid Reasons for Return

A return, replacement, or refund will be accepted only if one or more of the following apply:

2A. Accepted Reasons

• Damaged packaging: Damaged in transit or handling broken, crushed, or leaking packaging on arrival.
• Melted product: Melted or liquefied jaggery due to improper transport/storage before it reached the customer.
• Spoilage/contamination: Spoiled or contaminated product visible fungus, foreign material, infestation, or foul smell.
• Wrong item: Wrong item delivered different variety, grade, or weight than what was ordered.
• Short quantity: Short quantity delivered weight is less than the billed weight beyond the stated tolerance (see Section 6).
• Expired stock: Expired or near-expiry stock delivered without prior disclosure.

2B. Non-Accepted Reasons

• Natural variation in colour (golden, dark brown, amber) or texture (soft block vs. hard block) due to the season.
• Product already opened, used, or part-consumed without a genuine quality complaint.
• Change of mind after delivery or purchase.
• Minor softening due to humidity or heat exposure after the product has reached the customer’s premises.
• Custom or bulk orders specifically packed on request, once accepted by the buyer at the time of delivery.

3. Return Policy: Online Purchases

Applies to orders placed through your website, WhatsApp Business, or any e-commerce channel, whether to individual retail shop owners or end consumers.

3.1  Return Window

• Complaints must be raised within 12 hours of delivery.
• Claims raised after this window will not be entertained, since it is not possible to verify whether the issue occurred in transit or due to the buyer’s storage.

3.2  How to Raise a Complaint

The customer must contact you via the registered phone/WhatsApp/email used for the order and share the following:

1. Order or invoice number
2. Photos or a short video of the product and the outer packaging as received (unopened if possible)
3. Brief description of the issue

You or your team should acknowledge the complaint within 12 hours.

3.3  Verification Process

• Based on photos/video, determine whether it is a genuine transit or quality issue, or natural product variation.
• For high-value or bulk orders, request the customer to hold the rejected stock for physical pickup and inspection rather than relying only on photos.
• Maintain a log (date, customer, issue, photo, resolution) for your own quality control and traceability back to your Kolhapur sourcing batch.

3.4  Resolution Options

Offer the customer a choice wherever possible:

• Replacement: Replacement fresh stock sent in the next available dispatch (fastest and keeps cash flow with you).
• Refund: Refund via bank transfer to the original payment method, processed within 3–7 business days.
• Credit note: Credit note/adjustment against the next order, especially useful for repeat retail shop customers.

3.5  Pickup & Packaging for Returns

• If physical return is needed, arrange pickup via your own delivery person or courier. Do not ask the customer to bear return shipping cost if the fault is on your end or the supplier’s end.
• If the issue is due to customer mishandling after delivery, return shipping (if any) is borne by the customer.
• Returned product should be in its original bag or container as far as possible for hygiene and verification.

3.6  Bulk/Wholesale Online Orders (Retailer-to-You)

• Encourage the retailer to inspect delivered stock at the time of unloading and flag issues immediately.
• For short-shipment or weight mismatch, settle via adjustment in the next invoice rather than a full return cycle.
• Maintain a delivery challan with weight and batch number signed by the retailer on receipt this protects both sides.

4. Return Policy: Retail Store Purchases

Applies when a customer (consumer or small shopkeeper) buys directly from a physical retail counter — either your own outlet or a partner retail shop selling your supplied stock.

4.1  Return Window

• Same day or within 24 hours of purchase.
• The item has already been physically seen by the buyer at the counter, so a shorter window is reasonable.

4.2  Proof of Purchase

• Original bill or receipt is mandatory for any return or exchange.
• Without a bill, only an exchange (not a cash refund) should be considered, at your discretion, and only for clearly defective stock.

4.3  Eligible Reasons at Retail Counter

• Spoiled, contaminated, or infested product discovered after purchase.
• Wrong item or weight billed by mistake.
• Packaging tampered or broken at the time of handover (should ideally be caught before the customer leaves the counter).

4.4  Process

• Customer brings back the product with the bill to the same store.
• Store staff visually inspects the product and matches it to the complaint.
• If the complaint is valid, offer an exchange first same product, fresh stock easiest for a retail counter to execute on the spot.
• If exchange is not possible (stock unavailable), offer a cash refund or credit note redeemable on the next purchase.

4.5  Refund Mode at Retail Counter

• Cash: Cash purchases → cash refund or store credit, as per store’s discretion.
• Card/UPI: Card/UPI purchases → refund to the same payment method where possible, or store credit if immediate reversal isn’t feasible.

4.6  Note for Partner Retail Shops

If other retail shops (not owned by you) are selling your supplied jaggery to end customers, clarify upfront in your supply agreement:

• Whether you (the supplier) will honor end-consumer returns at those shops, or whether the retail shop handles consumer-level returns themselves and only escalates supply-quality issues back to you.
• This avoids confusion about who absorbs the cost of a return you or the retailer.

5. Refund & Resolution Timelines

6. Jaggery-Specific Quality Notes

State these clearly on your website, order confirmation, and at the retail counter so they are not later disputed as defects:

• Colour variation: Colour variation (golden to dark brown) depends on the sugarcane variety and crushing season this is not a quality issue.
• Texture variation: Texture variation (soft, semi-solid, or hard block) depends on storage temperature and time since production some softening in transit during summer is expected.
• Weight tolerance: Weight tolerance: state an acceptable tolerance (e.g., ±2–3%) for natural moisture loss over time, especially for bulk sacks.
• Shelf life: Shelf life: state recommended storage (cool, dry place, airtight container) and shelf life (commonly 3 – 6 months) clearly so customers don’t blame you for spoilage caused by poor storage at their end.

7. What Is Never Returnable

• Product stored improperly by the buyer (exposed to moisture, heat, or pests) after delivery or purchase.
• Partially consumed product, unless the complaint is about contamination discovered mid-use.
• Custom-cut, custom-packed, or special bulk orders once accepted at delivery.
• Any claim raised after the return window has lapsed.

8. Contact for Returns & Complaints

Business Name: Aumak Foods

Phone / WhatsApp: +91 7039361225

Email: foods@aumak.com

Support Hours: Response time 24 hours