This returns policy (“Returns Policy”) of SOVIET DENIM (henceforth “SOVIET”) and the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (“CPA”) and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act  25 of 2002 ("ECT"), the latter being applicable to purchases from the SOVIET website, should be adhered to at all times. However, some credits can be processed at the discretion of SOVIET’s management. This Returns Policy also applies to lay-by merchandise.

 

If the merchandise was purchased on sale or on promotion, then the exchange or refund will be to the value of the amount actually paid for the merchandise, being the discounted price as per the discounted value indicated on the till slip.

 

Once an order has been placed and processed, no changes can be made to its delivery destination or the contents of the order. Any changes will be administered through the returns process, resulting in either a refund or an exchange.

 

Website orders and purchases are all administered by using the SOVIET Customer Service email: support@sovietdenim.co.za.

 

 

1. Non-Defective Merchandise:

 

 

• Non-Sale and Non-Promotional Items
  • Non-sale and non-promotional items includes merchandise not purchased on sale or on promotion.
  • Customers can return merchandise for a refund or exchange within 60 (sixty) days of the date of purchase if purchased at a store, or 14 (fourteen days) if purchased off the SOVIET website, provided that:
    • The merchandise is in its original or the same condition and packaging (original packaging is required for footwear merchandise);
    • The merchandise has not been worn or used;
    • The price (swing) ticket and labels are attached to the merchandise or its packaging;
    • The original till slip or invoice that accompanied the website purchase, as proof of purchase, is presented;
    • Merchandise sold with promotional gifts is returned together with the promotional gift;
    • The merchandise is returned in the country of purchase.

 

 

• Sale and Promotional Items
  • Sale and promotional items include all merchandise purchased on sale or on promotion.
  • Customers can return merchandise purchased on a sale or a promotion for a refund or exchange within 7 (seven) days of the date of purchase, provided that:
    • The merchandise is in its original or the same condition and packaging (original packaging is required for footwear merchandise);
    • The merchandise has not been worn or used;
    • The price (swing) ticket and labels are attached to the merchandise or its packaging;
    • The original till slip or invoice that accompanied the website purchase, as proof of purchase, is presented;
    • Merchandise sold with promotional gifts is returned together with the promotional gift;
    • The merchandise is returned in the country of purchase.

 

 

2. Defective Merchandise:
   • Customers will be entitled, at their election, to a refund, repair or to exchange any purchased merchandise that does not comply with the provisions of Section 55 of the CPA (“Defective Merchandise”) provided that:
     • Such Defective Merchandise is returned within 6 (six) months of the date of purchase or date of delivery for lay-by purchases;
     • The customer presents proof of purchase;
     • The Defective Merchandise has been used for its intended purpose;
     • The Defective Merchandise is returned in the country of purchase.
   • The provisions of clause 2.1 above apply to all items, including sale items or items bought on promotion.
   • Should a customer elect to have the Defective Merchandise repaired, the repaired item will have a three-month warranty in respect of the repairs and if the repaired item is still defective after the repair the customer will be entitled to either a refund or an exchange.
   • Merchandise will not be regarded as defective and a customer will not be entitled to a refund or repair or an exchange in circumstances where the faults in the merchandise result from:
     • Normal wear and tear;
     • Negligence or damage arising from misuse and/or improper or inadequate care of the merchandise;
     • Where the items have been altered or dealt with or used contrary to the manufacturer’s instructions.

 

 

3. Incorrect Merchandise or Incorrectly Delivered Merchandise:
   • Incorrect or incorrectly delivered merchandise purchased off the SOVIET website will be collected at no charge to the customer on the condition that:
     • The merchandise is in its original or the same condition and packaging;
     • The merchandise has not been worn or used;
     • The price (swing) ticket and labels are attached to the merchandise or its packaging;
     • Merchandise sold with promotional gifts is returned together with the promotional gift;
     • The merchandise is returned in the country of purchase.
   • An exchange, credit or refund, will be given within 30 days of receiving the parcel back from the customer, if the return is deemed valid.
   • SOVIET's Customer Service will provide the customer with a waybill for the collection, where this waybill or the waybill reference number must be used for all returns and exchanges. If the issued waybill number is not used then the return or exchange will be deemed invalid, and SOVIET will not refund any charges incurred by the customer for not using the waybill provided them.

 

 

4. Exclusions:
   • A customer may not return the following:
     • Merchandise that a customer or any other person has altered, repaired, incorporated or added to and such alteration, repair, incorporation or addition has not been authorised and agreed to in writing by SOVIET; and
     • Any soiled items (if also not defective).
     • For hygiene reasons undergarments will not be exchanged.

 

 

5. Return Charges:
   • Collection and courier charges for returns, referred to as Return Charges, will be charged to the customer for returns of merchandise purchased from the SOVIET website, except for instances of defective merchandise, incorrect merchandise, or incorrectly delivered merchandise.
   • Collection and courier charges will be charged at the same rate as the initial order. If the initial order qualified for a free delivery, then the collection and courier charges will be charged according to the rate schedule on the SOVIET website.
   • The Return Charges will be deducted of the amount to be refunded to the customer, once the returned product has been processed by the SOVIET returns department.

 

 

6. Refunds:
   • In the event that a customer qualifies for a refund in terms of this Returns Policy and has complied with all the relevant provisions of this Returns Policy, SOVIET will refund the customer the full purchase price paid for the refunded merchandise, which does not include the shipping charges for either the initial order or the Returns Charge.
   • Similarly, if the merchandise was purchased on sale or on promotion, then SOVIET will refund the customer the amount actually paid for the merchandise only, being the discounted price as per the discounted value as indicated on the till slip.
   • Authorised refunds will be made as follows:
     • Cash, debit card or SOVIET gift card purchases will be refunded to the customer in cash, or if the customer agrees, the refund may be made in the form of a SOVIET gift card (Regarding debit card refunds, the Payments Association of South Africa (PASA) discourages refunds being done with debit cards);
     • Gift card purchases will be refunded with gift cards to the value of the amount actually paid for the merchandise;
     • Credit card purchases will be refunded to the credit card used to make the initial purchase.
     • For payments made through a payment gateway service provider, the refund will be done through the payment service provider only. This means that the payment gateway service provider (Pay Just Now, Payflex, or Payfast) will refund the credit to the customer’s account.
   • The SOVIET website’s administrators will only facilitate returns for orders purchased from the SOVIET website. SOVIET stores on the other hand will facilitate returns of merchandise purchased from physical stores as well as those purchased from the website.

 

 

7. Exchanges:
   • If a customer requires an exchange on an order, then customer can place a new order for the desired item while separately logging a return for the originally purchased item through SOVIET’s customer service. This ensures that the customer receives their correct order as quickly as possible. Once the return has been processed in accordance with SOVIET’s returns policy, the customer will be refunded the value of the returned item, minus the Return Charges.

 

Customer Service can be contacted by means of the support email, support@sovietdenim.co.za, or telephonically at +27.11.061.0500.

LOG A RETURN 

 

LOGGING A HASSLE-FREE RETURN: YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS

 

1) Free In-Store Return

You can exchange or have an online order refunded at any of our physical Soviet retail stores within 14 days of the purchase date. Bring along your proof of purchase (your digital order confirmation email will do) and the return items in their original condition and original packaging. Read our Returns Policy for more detail.

2) Hassle-Free Online Return

Request an online return within 14 days of receipt of the order and we'll send a courier to collect your return. Follow the instructions on our Log a Return page and email us using the contact form provided there. Read our Returns Policy for more detail.

 

Online Exchange

• In the contact form on our Log a Return page, send us your order number, the item’s style name, colour, and the size that you are returning.
• For exchanges, place a new order for the product you now want. This ensures that you secure the item that you want. Once the returned items from the initial step are processed by SOVIET’s returns department, a refund will be done against the original purchase value of the product, minus the return charge.
• An online exchange can take anywhere between 5 to 15 business days (excluding public holidays and weekends) from the date of a successful collection. This allows time to collect, receive, and quality check the return item before refunding you.

 

Online Refund

• In the contact form on our Log a Return page, send us your order number, the item style name, colour, and size you are returning and the reason for your return.
• You will not be refunded for your original shipping fee but only for the returned item itself.
• You will be refunded via the payment gateway that you used to complete your purchase.
• An online return for a refund will take anywhere between 5 to 25 business days (excluding public holidays and weekends), from the date of a successful collection. This allows time to collect, receive, quality check the return, and initiate your refund via the relevant payment gateway. The payment gateway provider will then process your refund so that it reflects within 2 to 10 working days.