Return Policy

We hope you are happy with your purchase. This policy explains how to cancel an online order, return an unwanted item or report goods that are faulty, damaged, incorrect or not as described.

Nothing in this policy limits or affects your statutory consumer rights.

1. Contacting us about a return

Please contact us through our online Contact Us form before returning any item.

Include:

• your order number;
• the item you wish to return;
• the reason for the return;
• details of any fault, damage or incorrect item; and
• photographs or video where useful.

We will provide the return address and appropriate instructions.

Please do not return an item until you have received these instructions.

2. Cancelling an online order

For most online purchases, you have the right to cancel without giving a reason.

You must tell us that you wish to cancel within 14 days after the day on which you, or a person nominated by you, receives the goods.

Where an order contains several items delivered on different days, the cancellation period begins after the final item is received.

Once you have told us that you wish to cancel, you must return the goods within a further 14 days.

3. Our extended 30-day returns period

In addition to your statutory cancellation rights, CDL Aquatics offers an extended 30-day change-of-mind returns period.

To use this extended policy, contact us within 30 days of receiving your order.

Where the statutory 14-day cancellation period has ended, goods returned under our extended policy must be:

• unused;
• unopened;
• complete;
• in their original packaging;
• accompanied by all parts, accessories and instructions; and
• in a condition suitable for resale.

Once we have authorised the return, the item must normally be sent back within 14 days.

Our extended returns policy does not replace or reduce your statutory rights.

4. Condition of returned goods

During the statutory cancellation period, you may inspect goods in the same way that you reasonably could in a shop.

Returned items should be complete and include all parts, accessories and instructions. Original packaging should be included where reasonably possible.

We may reduce the refund where the value of the goods has been diminished by handling or use beyond what was reasonably necessary to establish their nature, characteristics and operation.

The absence of original packaging does not remove your statutory rights where goods are faulty, damaged, incorrect or not as described.

5. Return postage

For change-of-mind returns, you are responsible for the cost of returning the goods to us.

We recommend using an insured or tracked delivery service and retaining proof of postage until the return has been completed.

You remain responsible for the returned parcel until it reaches us.

If goods are faulty, damaged, incorrect or not as described, please contact us before returning them. Where applicable, we will arrange an appropriate return method or cover reasonable return costs.

6. Refunds for change-of-mind returns

Once the returned goods have been received, we will inspect them and process any refund due.

We may withhold the refund until:

• we have received the goods back; or
• you provide evidence that the goods have been sent back,

whichever occurs first.

Refunds will be made without undue delay and no later than 14 days after receiving the goods or receiving satisfactory evidence that they have been returned.

The refund will normally be issued using the original payment method unless another method has been expressly agreed.

We will not charge a fee for issuing the refund.

7. Delivery charges

Where you paid a delivery charge, we will refund the cost of our least expensive standard delivery service.

If you selected an expedited, premium or other more expensive delivery service, the additional cost above the standard delivery charge will not be refunded.

Return-postage costs for a change-of-mind return are not refundable.

8. Products excluded from change-of-mind returns

The right to cancel may not apply to certain goods, including:

• goods made to your specifications or clearly personalised;
• goods liable to deteriorate or expire rapidly;
• sealed goods that are not suitable for return for health or hygiene reasons once unsealed; and
• goods that have become inseparably mixed with other items after delivery.

Opened fish food, aquarium treatments and other consumable products cannot be returned under our extended 30-day goodwill policy unless they are faulty, damaged, incorrect or not as described.

We do not accept change-of-mind returns of live animals under our extended returns policy.

These exclusions do not affect your rights where goods are faulty, damaged, incorrect or not as described.

9. Faulty, damaged or incorrect goods

Please contact us through our online Contact Us form as soon as reasonably possible if an item:

• arrives damaged;
• develops a fault;
• is not as described;
• does not perform as it reasonably should;
• is not fit for its usual or agreed purpose; or
• is different from the item ordered.

Please include your order number, a description of the issue and photographs or video where useful.

Do not return the item until we have provided instructions.

Depending on the circumstances and your statutory rights, the available remedy may include:

• a full or partial refund;
• repair;
• replacement; or
• a price reduction.

Where the statutory short-term right to reject applies, you may normally reject faulty goods within 30 days of receiving them.

After that period, you may normally be entitled to a repair or replacement before a refund or price reduction is considered.

These rights apply separately from our change-of-mind returns policy.

10. Goods damaged after delivery

We are not responsible for faults or damage caused by:

• accidental damage after delivery;
• misuse;
• failure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions;
• incorrect installation;
• unsuitable storage;
• unauthorised modification or repair;
• normal wear and tear; or
• using a product with incompatible equipment.

This does not affect your rights where the product was already faulty, damaged, incorrect or not as described when supplied.

11. Electrical products and serial numbers

We may record the serial number of an electrical product before dispatch.

Please ensure that the product returned is the same item supplied with your order.

A return may be refused or investigated where:

• the serial number does not match;
• a different product has been substituted;
• parts or accessories are missing; or
• there is evidence of deliberate misuse or unauthorised alteration.

This does not affect your statutory rights where the original product was faulty, damaged, incorrect or not as described.

12. Returning part of an order

You may return an individual item from a larger order where the item qualifies for return.

Any refund will relate only to the returned item and any delivery charge that we are legally required to refund.

Where a promotion, bundle discount or multibuy offer depended on purchasing several products, the refund may be adjusted to reflect the items retained, provided this does not reduce your statutory rights.

13. Proof of purchase

We may ask for evidence that the goods were purchased from CDL Aquatics.

Suitable proof may include:

• your order confirmation;
• an order number;
• a receipt;
• a payment record; or
• other reasonable evidence of purchase.

14. Processing times

Once a refund has been issued, the time taken for it to appear in your account depends on your bank or payment provider.

We are not responsible for additional processing time imposed by the payment provider after the refund has been submitted.

15. Your statutory rights

Nothing in this policy excludes, restricts or limits your rights under applicable consumer law.

Questions or return requests should be submitted through our online Contact Us form.