Handling Cancellations and Refund Requests

On Tradeit, maintaining buyer trust and satisfaction means handling cancellations and refunds fairly, promptly, and professionally. Whether a buyer changes their mind, receives a damaged item, or never receives a parcel, you must know how to respond in line with Tradeit policies.

This guide outlines how to manage cancellations, process refunds, and protect your business while delivering a great customer experience.

Why Refund and Cancellation Management Is Important

1. Customer Retention: Good handling of issues turns unhappy buyers into repeat customers.
2. Policy Compliance: Tradeit monitors how vendors resolve disputes.
3. Reduced Penalties: Ignoring refund requests can result in withheld payouts or suspension.
4. Reputation Protection: Zimbabwean customers rely heavily on word-of-mouth and social proof—one bad experience can spread quickly.

When Can Buyers Cancel or Request Refunds?

Buyers can request cancellations or refunds for various reasons, including:

• Ordered by mistake.
• Changed mind before the item was shipped.
• Item is delayed or undelivered.
• Wrong product received.
• Item is damaged or defective.

Cancellation Before Shipment

If the order hasn’t been shipped yet:

Step-by-Step: Approve a Cancellation

1. Log in to your seller dashboard at https://tradeit.co.zw.
2. Click on Orders in the sidebar.
3. Locate the relevant order and click View.
4. Scroll to Order Notes or check for a “Request Cancellation” notification from the customer.
5. If you agree to cancel, change the Order Status to Cancelled using the dropdown.
6. Add a Note to Customer such as: “Your cancellation request has been approved. Order successfully cancelled and payment will be refunded shortly.”
7. If Tradeit handles payouts for your store, their finance team will process the refund. You may be contacted to confirm the product was not shipped.

✅ Funds will be returned to the buyer based on their payment method (e.g., EcoCash, ZIPIT, bank transfer, Visa).

Cancellation After Shipment

Once an order has been shipped, cancellation is no longer automatic.

What to Do:

• Contact the customer to understand the reason.
• If the item is in transit, ask them to refuse delivery (for courier deliveries).
• Once the item is returned to you in original condition, you may approve a refund.

⚠️ Important: You are not obligated to approve a refund for items already delivered unless:

• The item is defective, or
• The wrong item was sent.

Handling Refund Requests for Damaged or Incorrect Products

Step-by-Step: Processing a Refund

1. Confirm the buyer’s claim. Ask for:
   • A photo of the item.
   • Description of the problem.
   • Packaging condition.
2. If valid, go to your Orders tab.
3. Click View next to the order.
4. Change the Order Status to Refunded.
5. Add an Order Note to Customer: “Apologies for the inconvenience. A full refund has been processed due to the damaged item.”
6. Notify Tradeit Support via email or WhatsApp so the refund can be processed from the platform’s side if Tradeit handles payouts for your store.

💡 Example: A buyer in Chinhoyi ordered herbal capsules but received the wrong product. After confirming the photo and error, you refunded and updated your inventory.

Partial Refunds

If the issue is minor, such as:

• Missing item in a multi-item order.
• Minor packaging damage but product is intact.
• Agreed customer compensation (e.g., discount for delay)

You can offer a partial refund. Simply contact Tradeit Support to initiate a refund of a specific amount.

Best Practices

• ✅ Respond to refund/cancellation requests within 24 hours.
• ✅ Log all communication via the Order Notes system.
• ✅ Maintain stock accuracy to avoid cancellations from out-of-stock products.
• ❌ Never delay refund decisions without reason—this affects your vendor score.
• ❌ Don’t argue emotionally. Stick to facts and platform policy.

Disputes and Escalations

If you disagree with a refund request or the customer raises a dispute:

• Do not change the order status.
• Contact Tradeit Vendor Support with:
  • Order ID
  • Screenshot of communication
  • Your position on the issue

Tradeit will act as a mediator to resolve the case fairly.

Local Examples for Zimbabwean Sellers

Need Help?

For refund processing assistance or to resolve a dispute:

📧 [email protected]
📱 WhatsApp: +263 77 984 2525

Next Steps:

👉 How to Communicate with Buyers About Orders
👉 How to Add Tracking Numbers to Orders