Legal › Refund & Cancellation Policy

Refund & Cancellation Policy

Toothless Holdings (Pty) Ltd · Effective 25 April 2026 · Version 1.0

1. Overview

This Refund and Cancellation Policy governs: (a) platform subscription and feature fees charged by Markplain to users and merchants; (b) transactions processed through Markplain Pay (our optional escrow service); and (c) merchant storefront sales.

Markplain is a marketplace intermediary. For merchant storefront purchases, the refund obligation rests primarily with the individual merchant. This policy sets out the minimum standards all merchants must meet.

2. Platform Fees — Refunds

2.1 Listing Promotion Fees (Featured, Boost, Bump)

• Featured listing fees: No refund once the listing has been featured and impressions have been served
• Boost fees: No refund once the boost period has commenced
• Bump fees: Non-refundable once executed — a bump is a one-time action
• Exception: If a technical error on Markplain's side prevented your promotion from running, you will receive a full credit to your Markplain account within 5 business days

2.2 Merchant Platform Licence Fee (R500/month or applicable plan)

• Monthly licence fees are non-refundable once the billing period has commenced
• If Markplain terminates your merchant account without cause, you will receive a pro-rata refund for any unused complete months remaining in your billing period
• If you cancel your merchant account, the licence remains active until the end of the current billing period — no partial-month refunds
• 14-day free trial: No charge applies during the trial period — cancel before Day 14 to avoid your first charge

2.3 Plugin and Module Fees

• Monthly module fees are non-refundable once the billing period has commenced
• One-time setup fees (e.g. Mobile App Builder) are non-refundable once work has commenced
• If a module fails to function due to a Markplain platform error, you will receive a credit for the affected period

3. Markplain Pay — Buyer Protections

Markplain Pay is our optional escrow service. When used, it provides the following buyer protections:

3.1 Dispute Window

• Buyers have 48 hours after confirmed delivery to raise a dispute via the platform
• After 48 hours, funds are automatically released to the seller — no reversal is possible
• Disputes must be raised through the Markplain platform — email disputes are not accepted

3.2 Eligible Disputes

• Item not received within the agreed timeframe
• Item significantly not as described (wrong item, major undisclosed defects)
• Counterfeit or illegal item received
• Seller unresponsive after 3 business days from expected delivery

3.3 Non-Eligible Disputes

• Buyer's remorse — you changed your mind
• Minor cosmetic differences that were disclosed in the listing
• Disputes raised after the 48-hour window has closed
• Transactions not conducted through Markplain Pay

3.4 Dispute Resolution Process

1. Buyer raises dispute via platform within 48 hours of delivery confirmation
2. Markplain notifies the seller — seller has 48 hours to respond
3. Markplain reviews evidence submitted by both parties
4. Markplain makes a binding determination within 5 business days
5. Outcome: full refund to buyer, full release to seller, or split as determined by Markplain
6. Markplain's determination is final and binding on both parties

3.5 Refund Processing Times

4. Merchant Storefront — Minimum Refund Standards

All merchants on the Markplain Merchant Platform must comply with the following minimum refund standards. Merchants may offer more generous terms but not less.

4.1 Statutory Returns (Consumer Protection Act)

• Consumers have the right to return goods within 6 months of delivery if the goods are defective, not fit for purpose, or not of good quality
• Merchants must accept such returns, offer a repair, replacement, or full refund at the consumer's election
• Merchants may not impose restocking fees on statutory returns

4.2 Cooling-Off Period (Electronic Transactions)

• For purchases made through a merchant's online store (ECT Act applies), consumers have a 5-business-day cooling-off period from date of delivery
• Merchants must accept returns within this period if the goods are in their original condition
• Shipping costs for cooling-off returns may be charged to the consumer

4.3 Digital Products

• Merchants may offer limited or no refunds on digital products once downloaded
• This exception must be clearly disclosed on the product page before purchase
• Defective digital products (e.g. corrupted files) must be replaced or refunded regardless

4.4 Merchant Refund Process

• Merchants must respond to refund requests within 3 business days
• Approved refunds must be processed within 7 business days
• Merchants who consistently fail to process refunds may have their store suspended

5. Auction Cancellations

• A winning bid is a binding purchase obligation — auctions cannot be cancelled by the buyer after winning
• Sellers may not cancel an auction with bids without Markplain's approval
• If a seller cancels an auction after bids have been placed, the seller forfeits their auction listing fee and may face account suspension
• If the seller fails to deliver after a won auction, the buyer is entitled to a full refund via Markplain Pay if used, or may report the seller for fraud investigation

6. How to Request a Refund

For platform fee refunds or Markplain Pay disputes:

1. Log into your Markplain account
2. Navigate to Account → Help & Support → Refund Request
3. Select the relevant transaction and reason
4. Submit supporting evidence (photos, messages, tracking information)
5. Markplain will respond within 2 business days

Alternatively, contact us directly:

7. Governing Law

This policy is governed by the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002, and the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Nothing in this policy waives or limits your statutory consumer rights.