The Karate Shop Last updated: 17 August 2026
We want you training in gear that fits and works. If something is wrong, tell us — most problems are quick to fix.
This policy sits alongside your rights under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (ECTA). It does not limit those rights.
Quick summary
| Situation | Timeframe | Who pays return shipping | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Changed your mind | 7 days from delivery | You | Refund |
| Wrong size or colour | 7 days from delivery | You | Exchange or refund |
| Not as described | 7 days from delivery | We do | Refund or replacement |
| Defective, unsafe, poor quality | 6 months from delivery | We do | Your choice: refund, replacement or repair |
| Damaged in transit | 48 hours from delivery | We do | Replacement or refund |
| Wrong item sent | 7 days from delivery | We do | Correct item or refund |
1. Changed your mind — 7-day cooling-off
Because you bought online without handling the goods first, ECTA gives you the right to cancel and return most goods within 7 days of delivery, for any reason, without penalty. You do not have to give us a reason.
To qualify, the goods must be returned:
- unused and unworn, with all original tags attached
- in the original packaging, undamaged and complete with any accessories or manuals
- in a resaleable condition
You pay the return shipping for a change of mind. We refund the price of the goods. The original delivery charge is refunded only where you cancel the entire order.
Trying a uniform on over clothing to check the fit is fine. Training in it is not — once gear has been used it cannot be resold and this right no longer applies.
2. Wrong size or colour — exchanges
Sizing across martial arts brands is inconsistent, and we would rather you swapped it than gave up on it.
Within 7 days of delivery, unused and in original packaging with tags, we will exchange an item for a different size or colour. You pay the return shipping; we cover the shipping of the replacement on the first exchange of any order.
If the size you need is not in stock, you may choose a refund, a credit, or to wait for the incoming stock.
Please check the Size Guide before ordering — it is the single biggest cause of returns we see.
3. Defective, unsafe or poor-quality goods — 6 months
Under sections 55 and 56 of the CPA, goods must be of good quality, in working order, free of defects, and reasonably suitable for their ordinary purpose.
If goods fail that standard within 6 months of delivery, you may return them and choose one of:
- a full refund, or
- a replacement, or
- a repair
The choice is yours, not ours. We pay the cost of returning the goods and there is no handling fee.
This covers genuine manufacturing and material failure — seams that open under normal use, buckles or fastenings that fail, padding that collapses prematurely, stitching that comes apart, colour that runs on a first correct wash.
It does not cover:
- normal wear from training — belts fading and softening, uniforms thinning at the knees, foam compressing over months of use
- damage from washing hot, tumble drying, or bleaching a uniform
- damage from misuse, modification, alteration, or use outside the intended discipline
- damage you caused after delivery
- a defect we disclosed and you accepted when buying (for example a clearly marked seconds or clearance item)
If a repaired or replaced item fails again for the same reason within 3 months, you may then choose a refund or a replacement.
4. Goods not as described
Under section 20 of the CPA, because you could not inspect the goods before buying, you may return them if they do not match their description, the sample or the specification you ordered.
Report it within 7 days of delivery. We pay the return shipping. You receive a refund or the correct item, whichever you prefer.
5. Damaged in transit or items missing
Inspect your parcel when it arrives. If the packaging is damaged, photograph it before opening.
Report transit damage or a shortage within 48 hours of delivery, with photographs of the packaging, the item and the shipping label. We deal with the courier; you do not have to. We send a replacement or refund you.
We cannot claim against the courier after 48 hours, so this deadline is a real one.
6. Items we cannot accept back
For hygiene and safety reasons, and because they are made to order, we cannot accept returns of:
- Mouthguards and gum shields where the sealed packaging has been opened
- Groin guards, chest guards and abdominal protectors where the sealed packaging has been opened, or which have been worn
- Underwear and base layers where the sealed packaging has been opened
- Custom items — embroidered, printed, name-personalised, or altered to your measurements
- Gift vouchers
- Items cut to length — belts, hand wraps or webbing cut on request
- Clearance, seconds and “sold as is” items, where the fault was disclosed at purchase
These exclusions apply to change-of-mind returns. They do not apply to a genuine defect — a mouthguard that splits or a groin guard whose shell cracks under normal use is covered under section 3 like anything else.
7. How to return something
- Contact us first —
office@thekarateshop.co.zaor072 392 7306— within the applicable timeframe. Give us your order number, the item, and what the problem is. Photographs help enormously, especially for a defect. - We issue a return authorisation with the return address and reference. Please wait for it; unannounced parcels are hard to match to an order and slow everything down.
- Pack the item in its original packaging, inside an outer box or bag. Do not tape a courier label directly onto the product packaging — a damaged shoe box means we cannot resell an otherwise perfect item.
- Send it back. Include the return reference. Where you pay the return shipping, please use a trackable service — we cannot process a return we cannot prove arrived.
- We inspect it within 3 business days of arrival and confirm the outcome by email.
8. Refunds
- Refunds are made by EFT to the bank account you nominate — normally the account the payment came from.
- We process refunds within 5 business days of approving the return, and your bank typically takes a further 1–2 days.
- We refund the price you paid for the goods. Original delivery charges are refunded where the entire order is cancelled, where the goods were defective, or where the fault was ours.
- We do not charge restocking or handling fees.
If you would rather have a store credit than a refund, tell us — credits are issued immediately, without waiting for the banking cycle.
9. Cancelling before dispatch
You can cancel any unpaid order at any time — just tell us, or simply do not pay it (unpaid orders lapse after 7 days).
If you have paid but the order has not shipped, contact us immediately and we will cancel and refund in full.
Once the order is with the courier it must be handled as a return under sections 1–4 above.
10. If you are not happy with our decision
Tell us. Ask for the matter to be escalated to the owner, and give us a chance to look at it again — most disagreements are about information we did not have.
If we still cannot resolve it, you may refer the matter to the National Consumer Commission or an accredited consumer goods and services ombud. This does not cost you anything and does not affect any other legal right you have.
11. Contact
Returns: office@thekarateshop.co.za Phone: 072 392 7306 Hours: Monday – Saturday, 09:00 – 13:00 Return address: issued with your return authorisation — please do not send returns to the trading address without one.
