Refund & Cancellation Policy

1. Scope of This Policy

This Policy applies to all products purchased through TheBookX, including books, educational materials, and any promotional or discounted items. It is issued in compliance with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, and other applicable Indian consumer protection laws.

This Policy should be read together with our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Shipping & Delivery Policy, each of which forms an integral part of your agreement with us.

2. Order Cancellation

2.1 Customer-Initiated Cancellation

You may cancel an order, free of charge, only prior to it being dispatched from our warehouse. To request a cancellation, contact us immediately via the channels listed in Section 17. Please have your Order ID ready.

• Before dispatch: full refund of the amount paid, processed within 5-7 business days.
• After dispatch: cancellation is no longer possible. You may, however, refuse delivery (subject to Section 2.3) or initiate a return after receipt, where eligible.

2.2 Company-Initiated Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel an order at our sole discretion in situations including but not limited to:

• The product becoming unavailable or out of stock
• Pricing errors or product information inaccuracies
• Suspected fraudulent activity or payment irregularity
• Inability to verify the delivery address, pincode serviceability, or contact details
• Failure to reach you on the provided contact number

In such cases, the full amount paid (excluding any non-refundable advance, where applicable) shall be refunded to the original payment method within 5-7 business days.

2.3 Refusal of Delivery

If you refuse to accept delivery of a shipped order without a valid reason (such as damaged packaging or wrong product), the courier shall return the parcel to us. In such cases:

• For prepaid orders: a refund will be issued after deducting the forward and return shipping costs actually incurred.
• For Cash on Delivery orders: the ₹99 advance payment is non-refundable as it covers initial shipping and handling costs already incurred.

3. COD Advance Payment

The ₹99 advance is:

• Adjusted against the total order value at the time of delivery, the balance amount is paid in cash to the delivery agent
• Non-refundable if the customer refuses delivery, is unreachable, provides an incorrect address, or otherwise causes the courier to return the parcel
• Refundable only in the event that the order is cancelled by us due to product unavailability or other company-initiated reasons (see Section 2.2)

4. Return & Replacement Eligibility

Given the nature of books and printed materials, returns are accepted on a limited basis and only under the following conditions:

To be eligible, you must notify us within 24 hours of delivery via the channels listed in Section 17, accompanied by the supporting evidence specified above. The product must be returned:

• In its original packaging, where possible
• Unused, unmarked, and in its original sale condition
• With the original invoice or order confirmation
• Within 7 days of delivery, once the return is approved

5. Non-Returnable Situations

Returns and refunds will not be entertained in the following circumstances:

• Notification received more than 24 hours after delivery
• Books that have been read, written in, highlighted, or otherwise used
• Books returned in damaged condition due to mishandling by the customer
• Products that show signs of wear, tear, water damage, folded pages, or torn covers caused after delivery
• Customer dissatisfaction unrelated to product quality (e.g. the customer did not like the content, language style, or cover design)
• Books purchased during clearance sales or marked as "final sale" (where explicitly stated at the time of purchase)
• Promotional or freebie items received as part of an offer (e.g. ₹1 books, gift items, or complimentary materials)
• Personalised, customised, or gift-wrapped items
• Returns initiated without supporting evidence (photographs or unboxing video, as applicable)
• Products returned without the original invoice or order ID

6. How to Raise a Return Request

To initiate a return, please follow these steps:

1. Contact us within 24 hours of delivery via WhatsApp at +91 77108 92108 or email at uskillbook@gmail.com
2. Provide your Order ID and a clear description of the issue
3. Share supporting evidence, photographs or unboxing video as applicable to your claim (refer to Section 4)
4. Wait for confirmation, our customer support team will review your request and respond within 2 business days
5. Pack and ship the return, once approved, you will receive return shipping instructions. The product must be packed securely in its original packaging where possible.
6. Share the return tracking ID, once shipped, share the courier tracking details with our support team

Return shipping costs are borne by:

• TheBookX, where the return is due to damage, wrong product, or manufacturing defect on our part
• The customer, where the return is due to reasons attributable to the customer (e.g. change of mind), in cases where we have agreed to accept such returns at our discretion

7. Inspection & Verification

Upon receipt of the returned product, our quality team will inspect the item to verify the claim. Inspection typically takes 2-3 business days from the date the return is received at our facility.

If the return is approved, your refund or replacement will be processed as described in Sections 8-10. If the return is rejected (for example, if the product shows signs of use or the damage does not match the original claim), the product will be returned to you at your cost, and no refund will be issued.

8. Refund Processing

Once a return is approved and verified, the refund is processed to the original payment method used at the time of purchase:

• UPI / Net Banking / Wallets: refunded to the originating account or wallet
• Credit / Debit Card: refunded to the card account
• Cash on Delivery: refunded via UPI or bank transfer to a verified account provided by the customer

We do not issue refunds in the form of cash, cheque, or to any payment method different from the original transaction (except for COD, as described above).

9. Refund Timelines

Refunds are initiated by us within 2 business days of verification. The amount may take additional time to reflect in your account depending on your payment provider:

Any delay beyond these timelines may be due to your bank or payment processor. If your refund is not received within 10 business days after we have confirmed initiation, please first check with your bank, and then contact us with the Refund Reference Number (ARN) provided by us.

10. Replacement Process

In place of a refund, you may opt for a replacement of the same product, subject to stock availability. The replacement process works as follows:

1. The return request is approved and the original product is received and verified at our facility.
2. If the same product is in stock, a replacement is dispatched within 2-3 business days.
3. Standard delivery timelines (3-7 business days) apply to the replacement shipment.
4. If the same product is unavailable, you may choose between a refund or store credit of equivalent value.

11. Partial Refunds

A partial refund may be issued in the following situations:

• Where a multi-item order is partially returned, only the cost of the returned item(s) and a proportionate share of any discounts applied is refunded
• Where a return is approved but the product shows minor signs of handling not amounting to use, at our discretion
• Where promotional discounts or cashbacks are involved, the refund is calculated on the net amount actually paid by the customer, excluding any promotional value
• Where the order included a free gift, gift-wrap charge, or non-refundable advance, these components are excluded from the refund amount

12. Failed Payments & Double Charges

If your payment is debited from your account but the order is not confirmed on our Website, the transaction is considered failed. In such cases:

• Most payment processors automatically reverse the amount within 3-7 business days
• If the amount is not reversed within 7 business days, please contact us with the transaction reference number, payment method used, and a screenshot of the debit
• We will coordinate with the payment gateway to trace and reverse the transaction

In the unlikely event of a double charge (where the same order is billed twice), notify us immediately at uskillbook@gmail.com with the two transaction reference numbers. The duplicate amount will be refunded within 5-7 business days of verification.

13. Undelivered or Lost Shipments

If your order is marked as "delivered" by the courier but you have not received it, please notify us within 48 hours of the marked delivery time. We will coordinate with the courier partner to investigate the matter. The investigation typically takes 5-7 business days.

If the courier confirms the parcel is lost in transit, we will, at your option, either:

• Issue a full refund of the amount paid, or
• Dispatch a replacement shipment at no additional cost

If the courier provides proof of delivery (photograph, signature, OTP) and the matter cannot be resolved with the courier, the dispute is between the customer and the courier service. We will provide reasonable assistance to facilitate resolution but cannot be held liable for parcels confirmed as delivered by the courier.

14. Disputes & Chargebacks

We strongly request you to contact our customer support team before initiating a chargeback with your bank or payment provider. Most issues can be resolved amicably and far more quickly through direct communication.

Chargebacks initiated without first contacting us, or chargebacks that are subsequently found to be fraudulent or unjustified, may result in:

• Suspension of your account
• Refusal to process future orders
• Recovery of associated costs and fees through legal channels

16. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to modify, amend, or update this Refund & Cancellation Policy at any time, at our sole discretion. Any changes will be effective immediately upon being posted on the Website with a revised "Effective Date". The Policy applicable to a given order is the Policy in effect at the time of order placement.