Shipping Policy

Zeko is a marketplace connecting independent craft makers, artists and creative sellers with buyers across South Africa. Because each seller is an independent business, orders are shipped directly from each seller's premises, studio, home, workshop or selected drop-off point, not from a central Zeko warehouse.

This Shipping Policy explains how shipping works on Zeko, how shipping fees are calculated, who handles fulfilment, and what you can expect after placing an order.

1. How Shipping Works on Zeko

Each shop on Zeko is responsible for preparing, packing and dispatching its own orders.

When you check out, Zeko calculates or displays the available delivery options for the products in your cart based on the relevant seller, parcel size, delivery method, courier rules and delivery address or collection point.

If your cart contains products from more than one seller, your order may be split into separate seller shipments. Each seller shipment may have its own delivery method, courier booking, waybill, tracking number, delivery confirmation and buyer inspection window.

Zeko does not combine products from different sellers into one central parcel. If you buy from two different shops, you should expect two separate shipments, even if you pay in one checkout.

2. Courier and Delivery Partners

Zeko may use The Courier Guy and related delivery services, including PUDO where available, to support nationwide delivery, parcel collection, drop-off, tracking and delivery confirmation.

Available delivery options may include, depending on the seller's setup, product size, courier availability and buyer location:

• door-to-door courier delivery;
• courier collection from the seller;
• seller drop-off at a supported courier or locker point;
• delivery to a buyer's address;
• delivery to a supported locker or collection point;
• other delivery options made available through Zeko.

The delivery options shown at checkout are the options available for that order at that time. Not every delivery method will be available for every product, seller, address, parcel size or area.

3. Shipping Fees

Shipping fees are shown at checkout before payment is completed.

Shipping fees may be calculated based on:

• the seller's location, pickup address or selected drop-off point;
• the buyer's delivery address or selected collection point;
• the parcel size, weight or dimensions set by the seller;
• the number of seller shipments in the order;
• the delivery method selected;
• courier provider rules, service availability and pricing;
• whether the order is delivered to an address, locker or collection point.

Where your cart contains products from more than one seller, shipping may be charged separately for each seller shipment.

Zeko does not operate a central warehouse and cannot always combine products from different sellers into one shipping fee.

The shipping fee shown at checkout is the shipping amount payable for the selected delivery option. If an obvious technical error, courier error, address error, parcel-size error or seller setup error causes an incorrect shipping quote, Zeko may contact you before fulfilment to resolve the issue.

3A. Shipping Fees Are Generally Non-Refundable

Shipping and delivery fees are generally non-refundable once an order has been paid. When payment is made, Zeko arranges the delivery service on your behalf. The cost of that service is committed at that point.

Where a product refund is approved, the refund will ordinarily cover the product price only. Shipping fees will not be refunded alongside a product refund except in limited circumstances where the delivery service was never rendered at all (for example, where the parcel was confirmed lost before any delivery attempt, or where the seller failed to dispatch and no courier booking was ever created).

For full details of when shipping fees may or may not be refunded, please read the Zeko Refund and Dispute Policy.

4. Delivery Options and Service Levels

The delivery options available at checkout may vary from order to order.

Depending on the courier service and delivery route, options may include economy delivery, express delivery, overnight delivery, locker delivery, collection-point delivery or another supported service.

Delivery estimates are estimates only. They are based on courier information, seller preparation time, dispatch timing, public holidays, delivery area and operational conditions.

Delivery estimates usually begin from the date the seller hands the parcel to the courier, drops the parcel off, or otherwise dispatches the order, not necessarily from the date the order is placed.

Remote, outlying or hard-to-reach areas may take longer than major urban centres.

5. Order Processing and Dispatch

Once your payment is successfully secured, the relevant seller is notified and begins preparing your order.

The seller may need time to package the item, complete a handmade or made-to-order product, print the waybill, prepare the parcel for collection, or drop the parcel off at a supported courier or locker point.

Sellers are expected to clearly communicate their expected processing or dispatch timelines on their shop or product listings, especially where products are made to order, personalised, customised or not immediately ready to ship.

Orders placed on weekends or South African public holidays may only begin processing on the next business day.

When the seller is ready to dispatch, the courier booking, waybill, label or tracking details may be created through the Zeko seller dashboard or courier integration. Tracking information will be made available where supported.

6. Parcel Sizes and Product Dimensions

Sellers are responsible for selecting the correct parcel size, weight or dimensions when listing products and preparing orders.

Parcel size may affect:

• shipping availability;
• shipping price;
• delivery method;
• courier eligibility;
• locker or PUDO compatibility;
• packaging requirements.

Zeko may use parcel size categories such as small, medium, large or custom, or may use specific dimensions and weight depending on the courier integration and product setup.

If a seller incorrectly categorises a product or parcel, the shipping quote may be wrong or the courier may reject, delay or re-rate the parcel. Where necessary, Zeko may contact the buyer or seller to resolve the issue.

If you believe a shipping fee is incorrect because of product size or parcel setup, please email Zeko at saskia@zeko.co.za before placing the order where possible.

7. Packaging Responsibility

Each seller is responsible for packing their products safely and appropriately for courier transit.

Sellers must use packaging suitable for the product's material, size, weight, fragility and delivery method. Fragile items, including ceramics, glass, artworks, candles, delicate crafts and similar goods, must be packed with reasonable protective care.

Zeko is not responsible for poor packaging by a seller, but Zeko may assist with disputes where an item arrives damaged, missing, incorrect or materially not as described.

If your order arrives damaged, please take photographs of the item, outer packaging, inner packaging, waybill or label, and any visible damage as soon as possible. You should raise an issue through your order page within the applicable inspection window.

8. Multi-Seller Orders

If your cart contains products from more than one seller:

• each seller's products may be shipped separately;
• each seller shipment may have its own shipping fee;
• each parcel may have its own waybill, tracking number or locker code;
• parcels may be collected, dropped off, dispatched and delivered at different times;
• parcels may arrive on different days;
• delivery confirmation may happen separately for each seller shipment;
• the buyer inspection window may apply separately to each delivered seller shipment.

This means one part of your order may arrive before another part. It also means that a delivery issue with one seller's parcel does not automatically affect the other seller's parcel.

9. Tracking

Where tracking is available, Zeko will provide tracking information through your order details, email updates or another available notification method.

Tracking may show when a parcel has been booked, collected, dropped off, in transit, out for delivery, delivered, available for collection, failed, delayed or returned.

Tracking updates depend on the courier provider and may not always appear in real time.

For multi-seller orders, each seller shipment may have separate tracking.

10. Delivery Confirmation and Buyer Inspection

Once a courier, locker service, tracking system, seller, buyer, Zeko or other relevant delivery source confirms delivery or collection availability, the order or seller shipment may be marked as delivered.

Delivery confirmation is important because it may start the buyer inspection window.

Unless a different period is shown in your order details or required by law, Zeko's standard buyer inspection window is 7 days from delivery confirmation.

During this period, the buyer should inspect the item and either accept the order or raise an issue if something is wrong.

If the buyer accepts the order, or if the inspection window expires without an issue being raised, the order or seller shipment may be treated as accepted and the protected payment may become eligible for release to the seller.

If the buyer raises an issue within the inspection window, payment release may be paused while Zeko reviews the issue with the buyer, seller and, where applicable, the payment provider or courier provider.

11. Changing Your Delivery Address

Your delivery address or collection point is submitted at checkout and may be sent to the courier when the booking, waybill or delivery instruction is created.

Once a waybill, courier booking, locker delivery or parcel instruction has been created, address changes may not be possible.

If you need to update your delivery address before dispatch, contact Zeko through the Help Centre as soon as possible. Zeko cannot guarantee that changes can be made after the order has been paid for or after a courier booking has been created.

Zeko and sellers are not responsible for delays, failed delivery or additional costs caused by incorrect, incomplete or outdated delivery information provided by the buyer.

12. Failed Delivery, Missed Collection or Locker Issues

If a delivery attempt fails, the courier may attempt redelivery, contact the buyer, return the parcel to the seller, hold the parcel at a depot or collection point, or follow its own failed-delivery process.

If a buyer fails to collect a parcel from a locker, PUDO point, depot or collection point within the required timeframe, the parcel may be returned, delayed or subject to additional courier rules or fees.

Any additional courier fees caused by incorrect buyer details, failed collection, missed delivery attempts, expired locker collection periods or buyer unavailability may be the buyer's responsibility unless applicable law or Zeko's policies require otherwise.

13. Seller Shipping Obligations

Sellers on Zeko must:

• maintain an accurate and active pickup address, drop-off setup or delivery setup in their seller dashboard;
• clearly communicate expected processing and dispatch timelines;
• honour their stated dispatch timelines wherever possible;
• set accurate product sizes, parcel sizes, weights and dimensions;
• use the correct waybill, label, tracking number, locker code or delivery instruction;
• only book courier collection when the parcel is ready for handover;
• drop off parcels within the required timeframe where using PUDO, locker or courier drop-off services;
• pack products securely and appropriately;
• respond promptly to order, delivery and dispute queries;
• cooperate with Zeko and the courier provider if there is a delivery issue.

Sellers who repeatedly dispatch late, use incorrect parcel information, package goods poorly, fail to hand over parcels, misuse courier tools, or cause avoidable delivery problems may have listings hidden, payouts paused, orders cancelled or shops suspended.

14. Delivery Delays

Delivery delays may occur because of courier delays, seller preparation time, public holidays, weekends, remote areas, weather, strikes, high-volume periods, incorrect addresses, failed delivery attempts, technical problems, road closures, operational issues or other circumstances outside Zeko's control.

Zeko will try to assist where reasonable, but we cannot guarantee exact delivery dates unless expressly stated.

15. Damaged, Lost, Missing or Incorrect Parcels

If your parcel arrives damaged, appears to be missing items, contains the wrong product, is marked delivered but was not received, or has another serious issue, you should raise an issue through your order page or email Zeko at saskia@zeko.co.za as soon as possible.

You may be asked to provide photographs, packaging evidence, tracking details, delivery information and a description of the issue.

Zeko may review the issue with the seller, courier provider and payment provider. Depending on the outcome, the order may be accepted, refunded, partially refunded, replaced, returned, escalated or otherwise resolved according to Zeko's policies, applicable law and the relevant provider processes.

16. Questions and Support

For shipping-related questions, including shipping fees, delivery options, delayed dispatch, tracking issues, failed delivery, locker issues, damaged parcels or missing parcels, please email Zeko at saskia@zeko.co.za.

Where available, you may also raise an issue directly from your order detail page.