Returns & Refunds
Version 0.1-draft · Last updated 2026-08-02
⚠️ DRAFT — REQUIRES LEGAL REVIEW BEFORE PUBLICATION. This describes the refund behaviour the system actually implements. It has not been reviewed by counsel.
The short version
Your money is not released to the seller until you confirm you have received your goods. If something is wrong, you tell us within the window for that kind of product, and we sort it out. For small claims we refund first and work it out afterwards.
When you can cancel
| When | Allowed | Cost | Refund |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before the trip's order cutoff | Yes, always | ₹0 | Full, immediately |
| After cutoff, before the seller has bought | At the seller's discretion | ₹25 | Full, less the fee |
| After the seller has bought | No | — | — |
| Not enough neighbours ordered the item | Automatic | ₹0 | Full |
| The seller cancelled the trip | Automatic | ₹0 | Full |
| The seller could not complete the trip | Automatic | ₹0 | Full |
| You did not collect your order | Not a cancellation | Charged in full | None |
The cutoff matters because it is the moment the seller commits their own time and money to a fixed list. Before it, you can change anything. After it, they are standing in a shop acting on what you asked for.
Reporting a problem
The window depends on what you bought, because a tomato and a sealed packet of atta are not the same problem.
| Kind of product | Window | Physical return | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh — vegetables, fruit, milk, bread | 2 hours after collection | No | Photo, taken in the app |
| Packaged and sealed — staples, household, personal care | 24 hours (7 days for expired or counterfeit) | Yes, if unopened | Photo showing batch and expiry |
| Semi-durable — utensils, small appliances | 72 hours | Yes | Photo or video |
| Non-returnable — cut fruit, prepared food, opened personal care | 1 hour, safety and wrong-item only | No | Photo |
| Sold by weight — loose grains, pulses, produce | 2 hours | No | Photo |
Fresh produce cannot be returned once accepted, except where it is spoiled, the wrong item, materially short, unsafe, or the packaging was damaged. That is not a way of avoiding responsibility — it is that a returned tomato has no use to anyone, so we refund instead.
How much you get back
Goods sold by weight are charged on the weight actually handed to you, at the final unit price — never on the estimate. If you receive less than you ordered beyond a small tolerance, the difference is refunded automatically, without you having to ask.
Partial refunds are calculated per item and per unit, and include a proportional share of the fees you paid. If we refund an item, we refund the service fee and platform fee attached to it. Keeping a fee on something you did not receive is not something we do.
Small claims are settled immediately
If your claim is under ₹250, you have ordered before, and the evidence is in order, it is approved automatically — usually within a minute. The seller is not charged for it. We cover it.
That is deliberate. If every complaint cost your neighbour money, you would think twice about complaining, and they would argue with you about it. Neither is a thing we want in a building where you both live.
Larger claims
The seller has 12 hours to respond. If they do not, the claim is decided in your favour. If they disagree, our team reviews the evidence from both sides and decides within 24 hours, with the reasoning given to both of you. Either side may appeal within 7 days.
Community admins never decide money disputes. Your neighbour is not your judge.
How the money comes back
| How you paid | How it returns | When |
|---|---|---|
| Funds blocked in your bank | The block is reduced or released | Immediately |
| Paid before settlement | Refunded from the held amount | Instant to start, 1 to 3 days to your bank |
| Already settled | We refund and recover separately | 1 day to start |
You can always take platform credit instead, which is instant. That is an option, never the only one — you may always have your money back to the account it came from.
Costs
| Situation | Who pays |
|---|---|
| Small claim, auto-approved | Saanjha |
| Seller at fault | The seller |
| The shop was at fault, e.g. spoiled at source | Saanjha |
| Claim rejected | You — no refund |
| Collecting a physical return, seller at fault | Saanjha |
| Collecting a return because you changed your mind | You, ₹25 |
Repeated claims
We track how often claims are made and how often they are upheld — for buyers and sellers alike. Persistent unfounded claims lead to manual review rather than automatic approval. Sellers with a pattern of genuine faults face the same scrutiny. The system protects both sides, or it protects neither.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with a decision: https://saanjha.ai/legal/grievance