Terms of service

1. Introduction

Welcome to Dear Pet Co. These Terms of Service govern your use of our website and the purchase of products through our online store.

Throughout these Terms, "Dear Pet Co.", "we", "our", and "us" refer to Dear Pet Co.

By accessing our website, browsing our products, creating an account, or placing an order, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service, our Privacy Policy, Shipping Policy, and Returns & Refund Policy.

If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our website or services.

Our online store is hosted by Shopify Inc., which provides the e-commerce platform that enables us to offer our products and services to customers.

2. Eligibility to Use the Website

By using this website, you confirm that:

You are at least 18 years old; or
You are using the website under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian.

You agree not to use our website or products for any unlawful, fraudulent, or unauthorised purpose.

3. Products and Services

Dear Pet Co. offers handcrafted pet accessories and related products through this website.

Many of our products are made to order. Production begins after payment has been received and the order has been confirmed.

We reserve the right to:

Modify product specifications;
Update pricing;
Discontinue products;
Limit quantities available for purchase;
Refuse or cancel orders where permitted by law.

All products remain subject to availability.

4. Handmade and Made-to-Order Products

Many Dear Pet Co. products are handcrafted specifically after an order has been placed.

Because our products are handmade:

Minor variations in fabric placement, pattern alignment, stitching, and finishing details may occur.
Colors may appear differently depending on device screens and monitor settings.
Such variations form part of the unique character of handmade products and do not constitute defects.

Production timelines published on the website are estimates only.

Our standard production timeframe is generally 5-7 business days, although this may vary due to:

Order volume;
Material availability;
Public holidays;
Operational requirements; and
Circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

5. Orders and Payment

By placing an order, you are making an offer to purchase products subject to these Terms.

An order is only accepted when:

Payment has been successfully received; and
We have confirmed the order.

We reserve the right to refuse or cancel orders where:

Pricing errors have occurred;
Fraud or suspicious activity is suspected;
Product availability changes unexpectedly; or
We are unable to fulfil the order.

If payment has already been received for a cancelled order, an appropriate refund will be processed.

6. Pricing

All prices displayed on the website are in South African Rand (ZAR).

Delivery charges are calculated separately and displayed during checkout.

We reserve the right to amend prices at any time. Price changes will not affect orders that have already been accepted and paid for.

In the event of an obvious pricing error, we reserve the right to cancel the affected order and issue a refund where required.

7. Delivery and Collection

Delivery and collection options are described on our website and during checkout.

Estimated delivery times are provided for convenience only and are not guaranteed.

Once an order has been handed to a courier, delivery timelines are subject to the courier's operations.

Customers choosing collection are responsible for collecting their orders from the designated collection location after receiving notification that the order is ready.

8. Returns and Refunds

Returns, exchanges, cancellations, and refunds are governed by our Returns & Refund Policy.

Nothing in these Terms limits any rights afforded to consumers under the Consumer Protection Act, 68 of 2008 ("CPA").

Customers are encouraged to review our Returns & Refund Policy before placing an order.

9. Consumer Rights

Dear Pet Co. complies with applicable South African consumer protection legislation, including:

The Consumer Protection Act, 68 of 2008;
The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 25 of 2002;
The Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013; and
Other applicable South African laws.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude, limit, or waive any consumer rights that cannot lawfully be excluded under South African law.

Where any provision of these Terms conflicts with applicable legislation, the relevant legislation shall prevail.

10. Website Content and Accuracy

We strive to ensure that all information on the website is accurate and up to date.

However, we do not warrant that:

Product descriptions are entirely free of errors;
Prices will always remain unchanged;
Information will always be complete or current; or
The website will operate without interruption.

We reserve the right to correct errors, inaccuracies, or omissions at any time.

11. Intellectual Property

All content on this website, including but not limited to:

Logos;
Product names;
Product designs;
Photographs;
Graphics;
Text;
Layouts;
Branding elements; and
Website content

is owned by or licensed to Dear Pet Co. and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws.

No content may be copied, distributed, reproduced, modified, or used without our prior written permission.

12. User Conduct

You agree not to:

Use the website unlawfully;
Interfere with website security;
Upload malicious software or code;
Attempt unauthorised access to systems or data;
Use automated tools to scrape website content;
Infringe the intellectual property rights of Dear Pet Co. or others;
Provide false or misleading information.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate access where these Terms are breached.

13. Third-Party Services and Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, applications, payment providers, courier services, social media platforms, and other external services.

We do not control these third-party services and are not responsible for:

Their content;
Their privacy practices;
Their availability; or
Any transactions conducted with them.

Your use of third-party services is subject to their own terms and policies.

14. Personal Information

The collection, storage, processing, and protection of personal information are governed by our Privacy Policy.

By using our website, you consent to the processing of your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable South African data protection laws.

15. Electronic Communications

By placing an order or communicating with us electronically, you agree to receive communications electronically.

These communications may include:

Order confirmations;
Payment confirmations;
Shipping notifications;
Collection notifications;
Customer service correspondence;
Legal notices; and
Marketing communications where consent has been provided.

Electronic communications satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing.

16. Force Majeure

Dear Pet Co. shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance arising from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to:

Natural disasters;
Power outages;
Labour disputes;
Internet service disruptions;
Supplier failures;
Pandemic-related disruptions;
Courier delays; or
Government actions.

17. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Dear Pet Co. shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages arising from:

Use of the website;
Inability to access the website;
Delays in delivery;
Third-party services;
Website interruptions; or
Reliance on information published on the website.

Nothing in these Terms excludes liability where such exclusion would be unlawful under South African law, including rights afforded under the Consumer Protection Act.

18. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Dear Pet Co., its owners, employees, contractors, suppliers, and service providers against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, or expenses arising from:

Your misuse of the website;
Your breach of these Terms; or
Your violation of any law or third-party rights.

19. Termination

We may suspend or terminate access to the website if:

These Terms are breached;
Fraudulent activity is suspected;
Unlawful conduct is identified; or
Continued access poses a risk to the website, customers, or business.

Termination will not affect rights and obligations that arose prior to termination.

20. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to amend these Terms at any time.

Updated versions will be published on this page together with the revised "Last Updated" date.

Continued use of the website after publication of updated Terms constitutes acceptance of those changes.

21. Governing Law

These Terms of Service shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

Any dispute arising from the use of this website or the purchase of products shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the South African courts, subject to any rights afforded to consumers under applicable legislation.

22. Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us:

Dear Pet Co.

Email Us | info@dearpet.co.za
Contact Us | +27 63 806 2467
Address | 84 Carol Road, Factoria, Krugersdorp, Gauteng, 1739, South Africa