Terms of Service

Last updated: May 2026

1. About Shiphustle

Shiphustle is a cross-border e-commerce platform that enables consumers in countries neighbouring South Africa to purchase goods from South African online retailers (including Amazon SA, Takealot, and Makro) and have them delivered via registered courier partners. Shiphustle acts as an intermediary facilitating procurement, customs documentation, and delivery coordination.

2. Eligibility

By creating an account, you confirm that you are legally able to enter into a binding agreement. You must provide accurate personal information, including a valid identity document, verified phone number, and a verified email address before placing orders.

3. Account Responsibilities

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials, including any two-factor authentication methods you enable. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorised access. Shiphustle reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms or engage in fraudulent activity. You may delete your account at any time from the app, provided you have no active orders in progress.

4. Orders and Procurement

When you place an order, Shiphustle procures the product on your behalf from the selected retailer. Prices displayed are sourced from the retailer at the time of lookup and are used as the basis for your checkout total.

• Product availability is not guaranteed until procurement is confirmed.
• If an item is found to be unavailable at the time of procurement, that item will be removed from your order and a refund will be issued for that item.
• If the actual procurement price is higher than the price quoted at checkout, we will notify you and a refund will be issued for that item.
• The price paid at checkout remains the final charged price, even if the actual procurement price is lower.
• Orders are subject to customs clearance and applicable duties, levies, and taxes.
• Refunds are only available before the item has been procured from the retailer. Once an item has been purchased from the supplier, refunds are no longer possible for that item.
• Order modifications and item substitutions are not supported. If you need a different item, you will need to place a new order.
• Delivery timelines are estimates and depend on the assigned courier and customs processing. Shiphustle does not guarantee specific delivery dates.
• Shiphustle may reassign your order to a different courier if necessary to ensure timely delivery.

5. Pricing and Fees

The total order cost includes the product price, courier delivery fee, customs duties and levies, applicable taxes, and a platform service fee. A full invoice breakdown is provided at checkout before payment. All prices are displayed in South African Rand (ZAR). The platform service fee is calculated as a percentage of the product total, subject to a minimum and maximum cap.

6. Payments

Payments are processed securely via Paystack. By making a payment, you agree to Paystack’s terms of service. After your first payment, your card details may be saved securely by Paystack for faster checkout on future orders. You can manage or remove saved payment methods from your Account Settings at any time. Shiphustle does not store full card numbers.

7. Courier Services

Delivery is fulfilled by independent courier partners registered on the platform. Shiphustle vets courier applications but does not employ couriers directly. Courier pricing, delivery zones, and timelines are set by each courier independently and are estimates only. You may rate your delivery experience after each order, and these ratings are visible to couriers and administrators.

8. Refunds

Refunds may be issued in the following circumstances:

• Item unavailable: If a product cannot be procured, that item is removed from your order and a refund is issued for that item.
• Price increase: If the actual procurement price is higher than the quoted price, you will be notified and a refund will be issued for that item.

The platform service fee is non-refundable. Refunds are processed via the original payment method through Paystack and may take several business days to reflect. For full details, see our Refund Policy.

9. Returns

Returns and exchanges are not supported due to the cross-border nature of our service.

10. Identity Verification

Cross-border shipments require identity verification for customs compliance. You must upload a valid ID or passport document, verify your email address, and verify your phone number before placing orders. This information is stored securely and used solely for customs and delivery purposes.

11. Ratings and Feedback

After an order is delivered, you may rate your experience and leave optional feedback. Ratings and comments are visible to the courier who fulfilled your order and to Shiphustle administrators. Ratings help maintain service quality and may influence courier visibility on the platform.

12. Prohibited Use

You may not use Shiphustle to:

• Purchase prohibited or restricted goods under South African or destination country law.
• Provide false identity information.
• Engage in fraudulent transactions or chargebacks.
• Resell goods commercially without appropriate licences.
• Abuse the scraping functionality to overload retailer websites.

13. Limitation of Liability

Shiphustle facilitates procurement and delivery but is not the retailer or manufacturer. We are not liable for product defects, retailer policies, customs delays, or courier performance beyond our reasonable control. Our total liability is limited to the amount you paid for the affected order.

14. Changes to Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance. We will notify users of material changes via email or in-app notification.

15. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any disputes shall be resolved through the courts of South Africa.

16. Contact

For questions about these terms, contact us at support@shiphustle.com.