Ordering

How do I add products to my cart?

There are two ways to add products:

• Browse in-app (recommended) — Tap a store tile (Amazon SA, Takealot or Makro) to open it inside Shiphustle and shop like you normally would. When you find a product, tap the floating “Add to Shiphustle” button and it drops into your cart while you keep browsing.
• Share to Shiphustle — On your phone, tap “Share” on a product page in the store’s own app or browser and choose Shiphustle. The product loads automatically. (Mobile only.)

We’ll show you the product details, price and any available options. Add it to your cart, proceed to checkout, and we’ll purchase it on your behalf and arrange delivery to your country.

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Which stores are supported?

We currently support Amazon SA, Takealot and Makro and more. We’re always evaluating new stores — see “Can I request a new store?” below to help decide what comes next.

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Can I request a new store?

Yes. On the Shiphustle home screen, tap “Vote next store” to open the store voting sheet. Pick the stores you’d most like us to add next (such as AliExpress, Shein, Temu, Bash, Superbalist, Zara and more) — you can vote for up to three. The most-requested stores help shape what we build next. You’ll need to be signed in to vote.

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Do I need an account on Amazon, Takealot or Makro?

No. You don’t need an account on any of these stores. Shiphustle purchases the products on your behalf — all you need is a Shiphustle account.

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What delivery options are available at checkout?

When you check out, you’ll see two delivery tabs:

• Door Delivery — A courier delivers your parcel directly to your address. Available if a courier covers your area.
• Pickup — Collect your parcel from a nearby pickup point. Points are sorted by distance from your address (closest first), and you can search or filter by courier.

In Eswatini we deliver country-wide through our courier partner Phutfumani Couriers & Freight, so you can collect from Phutfumani post office locations near you. Available options always depend on which couriers operate in your destination country and whether they cover your area.

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What’s included in the price I pay?

Your checkout total includes:

• Product price — The listed price from the store (VAT handling depends on the supplier and your country).
• Store delivery — The retailer’s charge to deliver to our depot in South Africa (sometimes free once an order minimum is met).
• Cross-border delivery — Courier charges from SA to your destination country.
• Last-mile delivery — Door delivery charge if you chose door-to-door (may be free in a free-delivery zone).
• Platform fee — Shiphustle’s service fee.
• Destination taxes, levies and tariffs — Import duties applicable in your country.

Every line item is shown in a detailed breakdown before you confirm payment. No hidden fees.

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Can I have local and overseas items in one cart?

Yes. If your cart mixes local South African items with overseas items (which ship from abroad and take longer), we’ll offer to split your order at checkout so the local items can reach you sooner. We always show you the cost of splitting before you decide.

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Is there a minimum order amount?

There’s no Shiphustle-imposed minimum. Some stores have delivery thresholds to qualify for free store-to-depot delivery (for example, Amazon SA offers free delivery above a certain amount). If your cart is below the threshold, the store’s delivery fee is added to your total and shown in the checkout breakdown.

Payments

What payment methods can I use?

Payments are handled securely by Paystack. You can pay with any Visa or Mastercard debit or credit card — including cards from banks such as Nedbank, FNB, Standard Bank and Eswatini Bank (SBS). Simply enter your card details at checkout to complete your order.

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Can I pay with a saved card?

Yes. After your first successful payment, your card is saved securely for faster checkout next time. At checkout you can choose a saved card or enter a new one. You can manage your saved cards in Account Settings. All card handling is done by Paystack — Shiphustle never stores your full card number.

After Ordering

How do I track my order?

Open the Orders screen to see all your active orders and their current status. Tap an order for full details — a status tracker, your delivery PIN and QR code, documents and courier contact info. You’ll also get push notifications whenever your order status changes.

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What are the order stages?

1. Order Placed — Payment confirmed; waiting for us to purchase your items.
2. Procurement Completed — Items purchased and being shipped to the courier’s SA depot.
3. At Courier Depot — Parcel received at the South African depot.
4. In Transit — Parcel is crossing the border to your country.
5. At Country Depot — Arrived at the destination depot, preparing for final delivery.
6. At Pickup Point — Ready for collection (if you chose pickup).
7. On Route — Out for delivery to your address (if you chose door delivery).
8. Delivered — You’ve confirmed receipt.
9. Completed — Order complete. Thank you for shopping with us!

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How do I confirm delivery or collection?

When your order is ready for delivery or collection, a QR code and 6-digit PIN appear on your order detail screen. When the courier arrives — or when you go to collect — show them the QR code to scan, or read out the PIN. This confirms receipt and completes the delivery. You can refresh the PIN from the same screen if needed.

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Why do I need to upload my passport?

Your passport copy is required for customs clearance when your parcel crosses the border. You can upload it under Profile → Passport at any time. If it isn’t uploaded by the time your parcel reaches the courier depot, you’ll see an urgent reminder on your order and receive a notification. Your parcel can’t be shipped internationally without it.

Changes & Cancellations

Can I cancel my order?

If your order is still at Order Placed (before we’ve purchased the items), message us through the in-app chat on your order to request a cancellation. Our team will review it and let you know the outcome. Platform fees are non-refundable. Once the items have been purchased from the retailer, the order can no longer be cancelled.

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Can I change products or quantities after paying?

No. Once payment is confirmed, the order is submitted for procurement and can’t be modified. Please make sure you’ve selected the correct product, size, colour and quantity before checking out.

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What happens if a product is unavailable or the price changed?

If a product becomes unavailable, or its actual price is higher than what you were quoted, after you’ve paid but before we complete the purchase, we remove the affected item and refund you for it. A SARS-compliant credit note is generated automatically and made available in your order details. If the actual price turns out to be lower, the price you paid at checkout stays the same.

Refunds & Credit Notes

How long does a refund take to reflect?

Refunds are processed via Paystack to your original payment method. It typically takes 5–14 business days for the funds to reflect, depending on your bank. You can track refund status in your order details. More info: Paystack refund status guide.

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What is a VAT confirmation refund?

When we can’t confirm a supplier’s VAT registration at checkout, destination tax is charged as a precaution. If we later confirm the supplier is VAT-registered, the incorrectly-charged destination tax is refunded to you automatically with a credit note. You’ll get a notification when this happens.

Communication & Support

How can I contact you or the courier?

Every order has a dedicated in-app chat — tap the chat icon on your order detail screen. Both the Shiphustle team and your courier can see and respond in one thread, and you can send text and photos. Once a courier is assigned, their contact details also appear on your order.

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Will I be notified about my order?

Yes. You’ll receive push notifications for key events: order status changes, refunds, passport reminders and new messages. You can customise these under Account Settings → Preferences → Notification Preferences.

Account & Security

How do I secure my account?

You can enable two-factor authentication (TOTP) under Account Settings → Security, using any authenticator app such as Google Authenticator or Authy. On supported devices you can also turn on a biometric lock (fingerprint or face) to protect the app and checkout.

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My phone was lost or stolen. What do I do?

Log in from another device (the web app or a friend’s phone), go to Account Settings → Security → Active Sessions, and tap “Sign Out Other Devices”. This revokes every session except your current one, locking the lost device out.