OSTAAGAR Partner Refund & Return Policy

1. Settlement Schedule & Strict Return-Hold Rule

OSTAAGAR operates on a scheduled settlement cycle (disbursed semi-monthly on the 1st and 16th of each month). Payouts for successfully delivered orders DO NOT go on hold under normal fulfillment.

Payment for an order is placed on "Hold for Return" strictly if and only if a formal return request is created by the customer within the eligible return window. If no return order is created, the full eligible payment is released to the seller according to the settlement schedule without any withholding.

2. Grounds for Refund & Mandatory ₹200 Seller Penalty

Ostaagar enforces a strict quality and fulfillment SLA. Refunds may be initiated and deducted from seller earnings if a buyer raises a valid dispute under the following seller-fault situations:

• Defective / Damaged Products: Products received with manufacturing defects, damage, tearing, or quality failures.
• Wrong Item / Incorrect Size: Shipment of incorrect size, wrong item, wrong variant, or bundle ratio different from the product listing.
• Missing Items: Bundles containing fewer pieces or missing accessories specified in the listing description.
• Colour & Pattern Mismatch: Substantial mismatch in colour, print, or fabric pattern compared to the product catalogue listing.
• Counterfeit Goods: Products found to be replicas, fake, refurbished, or previously used.

⚠️ Strict Seller Penalty Rule: For every return or refund caused by damaged items, wrong item/size, missing items, or colour and pattern mismatch, a mandatory flat penalty of ₹200 per return will be levied directly on the partner. This penalty is deducted from the seller's net payable settlement.

3. Refund Deduction Process

• If a refund is approved due to seller responsibility, the corresponding Net Payout amount together with the ₹200 quality failure penalty will be deducted from the seller balance.
• If payout settlement has already been completed, the refund amount and penalty will appear as a pending recovery adjusted against future settlement cycles.

4. Return Shipping Costs & Fraudulent Return Protection

• Seller Fault: If a return occurs due to damaged products, wrong items, incorrect sizes, or listing mismatches, the seller is fully responsible for return logistics charges in addition to the ₹200 return penalty.
• Protection Against Customer Intentional / Wrong Item Returns: If a buyer intentionally or dishonestly returns a wrong item, counterfeit good, swapped garment, or empty parcel differing from the verified dispatch, THE FULL PRODUCT VALUE WILL NOT BE REFUNDED TO THE CUSTOMER. In such cases:
  • The seller will NOT be charged the ₹200 quality penalty.
  • Customer refund will be withheld or adjusted up to 100% of consignment value.
  • The seller's payout for the legitimate order will be protected and disbursed upon inspection clearance.
• Logistics Fault: If damage occurs due to courier mishandling while seller packaging meets platform standards, OSTAAGAR will absorb or recover the loss from the logistics provider without penalizing the seller.

5. Non-Returnable Scenarios

Since OSTAAGAR operates as a wholesale B2B marketplace, the following situations are considered non-returnable:

• Change of mind by the buyer.
• Minor color variations caused by screen calibration, lighting, or photography conditions.
• Claims reported after the 8-day review window.

6. Quality Check (QC) Disputes

In situations where:

• The seller claims the correct product was shipped.
• The buyer claims otherwise.

OSTAAGAR's Quality Audit Team may review:

• Buyer unboxing videos.
• Seller packing photographs.
• Shipment documentation.

The final QC decision issued by OSTAAGAR shall remain final and binding for all parties.

7. Cancellation Refunds

• Pre-Shipment Cancellation: If an order is cancelled before reaching the "Ready to Ship" stage, the buyer refund is processed immediately and no commission is charged to the seller.
• Post-Shipment Cancellation: Once an order enters "In Transit" status, sellers cannot cancel the shipment.
• If a buyer refuses a COD shipment at delivery, the shipment may be marked as RTO (Return to Origin), and additional return handling fees may apply.

8. Policy Enforcement

OSTAAGAR reserves the right to investigate refund disputes, recover financial losses, apply penalties, suspend seller privileges, or permanently terminate accounts involved in fraudulent practices, repeated quality issues, or policy violations.