Refunds, Returns and Exchanges Policy

Last updated: 18 June 2026

Shofar Books wants every customer to be satisfied with their purchase. This policy explains how returns, replacements, exchanges and refunds are handled for physical books, e-books and other products purchased through the Shofar Books website.

Nothing in this policy limits or excludes any rights that you may have under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002, or any other applicable South African law.

1. Physical books

Change-of-mind returns

Although an automatic change-of-mind return right does not generally apply to books, Shofar Books voluntarily allows eligible physical books to be returned within 30 calendar days after delivery.

To qualify, the book must:

• Be in a clean and resaleable condition.
• Not be marked, written in, damaged or materially used.
• Include any accompanying items or promotional products supplied with it.
• Be accompanied by the order number or other proof of purchase.

You may carefully inspect the book after receiving it. However, we may refuse a voluntary return or make a reasonable deduction where the book has been handled beyond what is reasonably necessary to inspect it or its resale value has been reduced.

The customer is responsible for the return delivery cost for a change-of-mind return. The original delivery fee is not refundable unless required by law.

Please contact us before sending the book so that we can provide the correct return instructions and address.

2. Damaged, defective or incorrectly supplied books

Please contact us as soon as reasonably possible if a physical book:

• Arrives damaged.
• Has missing, duplicated, blank or incorrectly printed pages.
• Has a binding or manufacturing defect.
• Is not the book that you ordered.
• Is materially different from its description on our website.
• Is not suitable for a specific purpose that you communicated to us before purchasing it.

Where possible, please notify us of visible delivery damage or an incorrect item within 10 business days after delivery. This requested notification period does not remove any longer statutory rights that may apply.

Where a product is defective and the Consumer Protection Act applies, you may be entitled to choose a repair, replacement or refund. We may reasonably inspect the product to confirm the reported problem.

Shofar Books will pay the reasonable return or collection costs where the product was damaged in transit, defective, incorrectly supplied or materially not as described.

Damage caused by misuse, neglect, improper storage or alterations made after delivery will not be treated as a product defect.

3. E-books and digital downloads

E-books may be supplied in PDF, EPUB or another digital format specified on the relevant product page.

Because a digital file cannot ordinarily be returned after it has been downloaded or accessed, we do not normally offer change-of-mind refunds once the download has taken place.

We will, however, investigate and provide an appropriate replacement or refund where:

• The file is corrupted or cannot be opened despite the use of suitable software.
• The wrong e-book was supplied.
• The file is materially different from the product description.
• The same e-book was accidentally purchased or charged more than once.
• A technical problem on our website prevents access to the purchased file.

Please contact us as soon as possible and provide your order number, the device or application being used, and a description or screenshot of the problem where available.

A refund will not normally be provided where the digital file operates correctly but the customer’s device or software does not support a format that was clearly disclosed before purchase.

A cancellation request received before the e-book has been downloaded or accessed may be approved where the order can still reasonably be stopped.

4. Pre-orders

A pre-order may be cancelled for a full refund at any time before the physical book has been dispatched or the digital edition has been released or downloaded.

After dispatch or digital release:

• Physical books are handled under the physical-book provisions of this policy.
• E-books are handled under the digital-download provisions of this policy.

If Shofar Books cannot supply a pre-ordered title, the customer will be offered a replacement where appropriate or a full refund.

5. Personalised and specially produced products

Products that have been personalised, inscribed, specially printed, altered or produced specifically for a customer cannot ordinarily be returned because of a change of mind.

This does not affect the customer’s rights where the product is defective, damaged, incorrectly produced or does not match the agreed specifications.

6. Sale and promotional items

Products purchased at a sale or promotional price carry the same rights regarding defects, damage, incorrect supply and misleading descriptions as full-priced products.

A reduced price does not remove a customer’s statutory rights.

Eligible physical sale items may also be returned under our voluntary 30-day change-of-mind policy unless the product page or promotion clearly states otherwise.

7. How to request a return or refund

Contact Shofar Books at:

Email: info@shofarbooks.co.za

Please include:

• Your full name.
• Your order number.
• The title of the book or product.
• The reason for the return.
• Photographs of any visible damage or defect, where reasonably possible.
• Whether you are requesting a replacement, exchange or refund.

We will provide the appropriate return instructions and confirm where the item must be sent. Please do not send a product to an unconfirmed or outdated address.

Returned products should be packaged securely. We recommend retaining proof of collection or using a trackable delivery service.

8. Refund processing

Once the returned product has been received and, where necessary, inspected, we will notify you of the outcome.

Approved refunds will normally be processed within 10 business days using the original payment method where reasonably possible.

Your bank, card provider or payment service may take additional time to reflect the refund after it has been processed.

Where a return is caused by a defective, damaged, incorrect or materially misdescribed product, the refund will include the reasonable delivery costs for that product where required by law.

For voluntary change-of-mind returns, the original delivery fee and return delivery costs are not refundable.

9. Exchanges and replacements

Where a replacement has been requested and the same product is available, we will arrange for the replacement to be supplied.

If the original product is no longer available, you may choose another product of the same value, pay the difference for a higher-priced product, or receive a refund where applicable.

10. Failed or delayed delivery

Please contact us if your order has not arrived within the stated or agreed delivery period.

Where Shofar Books cannot fulfil or deliver an order within the agreed period, the customer may cancel the outstanding order and receive a refund for the undelivered product.

Additional delivery costs may apply where delivery fails because an incorrect address was supplied, the recipient was repeatedly unavailable, or a parcel was not collected after reasonable notification.

11. Gifts

Refunds for gifts will ordinarily be paid to the person who originally purchased the product using the original payment method.

Where appropriate, Shofar Books may instead offer the gift recipient an exchange or store credit.

12. Complaints

Please contact us first so that we have an opportunity to resolve your complaint.

Email: info@shofarbooks.co.za

If a consumer dispute cannot be resolved directly, the consumer may approach the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud or another appropriate consumer-protection authority.