Refund & Cancellation Policy

This Refund and Cancellation Policy governs all refund and cancellation requests made by buyers on the Vilarci platform (https://vilarci.in/), operated by Krishnendu Kar, Tamluk, Purba Medinipur — 721627, West Bengal, India.

Vilarci is an intermediary marketplace. Products are sold by independent verified sellers, so refund eligibility and the duration of the refund window are set individually by each seller at the product level, within the limits defined by this Policy and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

This Policy covers refunds and cancellations only. For physical return logistics please refer to our separate Return Policy.

Vilarci's refund system is built around two independently seller-defined parameters per product. Understanding both is essential before purchase:

Each seller sets a refund_days value per product. This is stored in Vilarci's database and displayed on every product listing page, at checkout, and in your order confirmation.

• Per product, not per order. Different items in the same order may have different refund windows set by the same or different sellers.
• Window set at time of purchase governs. If a seller later changes refund_days, prior orders are unaffected.
• Countdown begins on Date of Delivery — the date the logistics partner marks the shipment delivered — not from order date, payment, or shipment date.
• Maximum is 30 days. No seller on Vilarci may set a refund window beyond 30 days from the date of delivery.
• Statutory rights are never waived. refund_days = 0 does not remove rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 for fraud, non-delivery, damaged goods, or material misrepresentation.

Each seller independently sets a replacement_days value per product — separate from refund_days. This defines how long after delivery you can request a replacement unit for the same product.

• Not a refund. A replacement results in the seller dispatching a new identical unit at no additional cost. No money is transferred.
• Independent of refund_days. A seller can offer replacement_days = 7 even with refund_days = 0. Both are shown separately on the product page.
• Stock subject to availability. If the seller cannot provide a replacement (out of stock), a full monetary refund will be offered instead — overriding refund_days = 0 in this specific scenario.
• Valid reasons for replacement: Defective or non-functional product; visible damage on delivery; wrong variant received (size, colour, model) — raised within replacement_days.
• Once beyond replacement_days and the product carries a manufacturer warranty, refer to the warranty card for service centre procedures.

When a seller sets refund_days = 0, the product is marked "No Refund" on the listing. Purchasing means you acknowledge no monetary refund is available post-delivery — except under Vilarci Buyer Protection:

• Product was never delivered (non-delivery confirmed by logistics partner).
• Product is materially different from the listing (wrong item, counterfeit, fundamentally different specifications).
• Product is damaged or Dead on Arrival (DOA) — completely non-functional on first use — and evidence is provided within 48 hours of delivery.
• Seller or listing is found to be fraudulent or materially misrepresenting the product.

• Submit cancellation via My Account → My Orders → [Order] → Cancel Order. WhatsApp or phone-only cancellations are not accepted.
• Doorstep refusal: Note refusal with the courier and immediately notify via the Platform. Shipping charges (if any) are non-refundable on buyer-initiated refusals unless cancellation stems from seller error.
• Partial cancellations (individual items in a multi-item order) are supported before shipment of those specific items.
• Repeated unexplained cancellations may result in temporary ordering restrictions on your account.

A seller may cancel a confirmed order in limited circumstances — stock unavailability, listing error, or unserviceable address. When a seller cancels:

• You are notified via Platform, email, and WhatsApp within 24 hours.
• A full refund including any shipping charge for that item is initiated automatically within 2 business days. No action required from you.
• Vilarci monitors seller cancellation rates. High rates attract penalties, suspension, or removal from the Platform.
• A seller cancellation does not affect your account standing in any way.

Vilarci reserves the right to cancel any order at its sole discretion in these circumstances:

• Confirmed or suspected fraudulent transaction or compromised payment instrument.
• Payment verification or settlement failure by the payment gateway.
• Violation of Vilarci's Terms of Use by the buyer or seller.
• Product determined counterfeit, prohibited, or in breach of intellectual property rights after order placement.
• Force majeure — natural disaster, pandemic, regulatory action, or infrastructure failure preventing fulfilment.
• Delivery address entirely unserviceable after multiple contact attempts with the buyer.

A refund request is valid for consideration when all of the following conditions are met:

• Within refund_days window: Request raised before the seller's declared refund_days deadline, counted from the date of confirmed delivery.
• Accepted reason: Item not as described, damaged / defective product, wrong item delivered, item not delivered, or quality significantly below what the listing showed.
• Evidence provided: Adequate photographs or video as requested by the seller or Vilarci. Unboxing videos are strongly recommended for orders above ₹500.
• No post-delivery damage by buyer: Item has not been intentionally damaged, tampered with, misused, or altered after delivery.
• Request raised via Platform: Submitted through My Orders on vilarci.in — not solely via WhatsApp, phone, or email.

• refund_days window expired — seller's window has passed since delivery, except in Buyer Protection cases.
• refund_days = 0 with no Buyer Protection trigger — product is not damaged, defective, wrong, or undelivered.
• Change of mind where seller opts out — product matches description and seller does not accept change-of-mind refunds.
• Used, washed, or altered items — showing signs of use, wear, washing, repair attempts, or alteration post-delivery.
• Original packaging missing — without manufacturer packaging, accessories, manuals, or serial stickers unless waived by seller.
• Digital goods once accessed — e-vouchers, downloads, or subscription codes once activated or redeemed.
• Perishable items (unless defective) — fresh food, eatables, flowers — unless proved spoiled or grossly misrepresented on delivery.
• Custom / personalised products — made-to-order, engraved, or personalised specifically for the buyer, unless defective.
• Hygiene-sensitive items — innerwear, swimwear, unsealed earrings — once delivered, for hygiene reasons.
• Shipping charges — non-refundable unless the error is attributable to Vilarci or the seller.
• Fraudulent or exaggerated claims — requests Vilarci determines to be false after investigation. Repeated fraudulent claims may result in account suspension.

No refund is processed until the seller has had the opportunity to verify the request. This protects both buyer and seller.

• If Vilarci rules in the buyer's favour, the refund amount is deducted from the seller's next scheduled payout on the Platform.
• If Vilarci rules against the buyer's claim, the seller's rejection is upheld. The buyer may seek external redressal under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

Once approved, Vilarci initiates the credit within 2 business days. After initiation the time for it to appear in your account depends on your payment method:

Refunds are credited to the original payment source used at checkout. If unavailable (expired card, closed account), Vilarci will contact you to arrange an alternate route.

• Visible damage on arrival: Report within 48 hours of delivery with an unboxing video or photographs clearly showing damaged packaging and the damaged item inside.
• Manufacturing defect during use: Report within the seller's replacement_days window. If beyond replacement_days but within refund_days, a refund may be requested instead.
• Dead on Arrival (DOA): Completely non-functional on first use — report within 48 hours with video evidence. DOA is covered under Buyer Protection regardless of refund_days.
• Seller verification required: The seller reviews evidence and confirms the defect. Once confirmed, a full refund or replacement (buyer's choice where both are available) is processed.
• Disputed damage claims: Vilarci mediates by reviewing logistics records, photos, and timestamps from both parties.

If the delivered item does not match your order — wrong size, colour, model, or a completely different product — you are entitled to a full refund or replacement regardless of refund_days.

• Raise via My Orders → Request Refund → "Wrong Item Received" within 48 hours of delivery.
• Provide photographs comparing the delivered item with your order confirmation (include order ID in the photo where possible).
• The seller will dispatch the correct item at no charge or issue a full refund including original shipping costs.
• If the seller disputes, Vilarci mediates. Verified wrong-item cases are approved by Vilarci with costs borne by the seller.
• You may be asked to return the wrong item before the replacement or refund is processed. Return shipping in confirmed wrong-item cases is borne by the seller.

• If tracking shows "Delivered" but you have not received the package, wait 24 hours — parcels are sometimes left with neighbours or building security.
• If still not received, raise a "Non-Delivery Complaint" from My Orders within 72 hours of the marked delivery date.
• Vilarci contacts the logistics partner to initiate a trace — typically resolved in 3–5 business days.
• If the package is confirmed lost or wrongly delivered, a full refund including shipping is issued within 2 business days — covered by Buyer Protection regardless of refund_days.
• If the logistics partner provides GPS/photo proof of successful delivery, a refund may not be possible. In such cases, file a police complaint and provide us with the FIR reference number.

For products with a manufacturer's warranty where a defect is discovered after both the refund_days and replacement_days windows have closed:

• Refer to the manufacturer's warranty card included with the product for authorised service centre contact and procedures.
• Vilarci is not liable for post-window warranty servicing — these are manufacturer obligations.
• If you need help locating the authorised service centre, contact Vilarci support and we will assist where possible.
• DOA items (non-functional on first use) are covered under Buyer Protection — report within 48 hours of delivery regardless of warranty terms.

• Vilarci is an intermediary marketplace and its role is to facilitate requests, mediate disputes, and process approved refunds. Vilarci is not the primary seller and is not liable for product quality beyond what this Policy describes.
• Where a refund is ruled valid but the seller cannot pay (account suspended, insufficient payout), Vilarci may advance the refund and recover independently from the seller.
• Shipping and payment gateway fees are non-refundable unless the error is directly attributable to Vilarci or the seller.
• Vilarci is not responsible for delays in credit timelines attributable to the buyer's bank or payment provider, once Vilarci has successfully initiated the transfer.
• In no event shall Vilarci's liability for any single refund-related claim exceed the amount paid by the buyer for the transaction in dispute.

Vilarci reserves the right to update this Policy at any time. Material changes will be communicated via a Platform notice and registered email at least 7 days before taking effect. Minor clarifications will be updated without individual notice.

The version of this Policy governing a specific order is the one in effect at the time of purchase — not at the time of the refund request. Continued use of the Platform after any change constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

For all refund and cancellation matters first use the self-service tool: My Orders → Request Refund. If further assistance is needed, contact our Grievance Officer below with your Order ID and Refund Request ID.