UNIA

UNIA Legal

Refund and Dispute Policy

This policy explains how complaints, transaction disputes, refunds, and chargeback-related matters are handled on UNIA.

Effective: May 19, 2026Last updated: May 19, 2026Audience: Buyers and sellers involved in orders, complaints, or dispute resolution.

SHARED DEFINITIONS

For consistency across UNIA's policies:

  • "UNIA", "we", "us", or "our" means the UNIA marketplace platform operated by UNIA, UNI AFFORDABLES.
  • "Platform" means the UNIA mobile application, web application, website, marketplace, services, features, software, and related tools.
  • "User" means any person who accesses, registers for, or uses the Platform.
  • "Buyer" means a User who browses, orders, purchases, attempts to purchase, or receives Products through the Platform.
  • "Seller" or "Vendor" means an approved third-party User who lists, offers, sells, or fulfils Products through the Platform. After this definition, these policies use "Seller" consistently.
  • "Products" means goods or services listed, advertised, offered, sold, or fulfilled by Sellers through the Platform.
  • "Policies" means the Terms of Service, Acceptable Use Policy, Seller Policy, Refund and Dispute Policy, Privacy Policy, and any other rules or notices published by UNIA.
  • "Payment Provider" means a third-party payment processor, bank, mobile money operator, card network, or other financial intermediary used to process payments, settlements, reversals, refunds, or chargebacks.
  • "Seller Verification Information" means information submitted or collected during seller onboarding, including student identification cards, national identification cards, references, contact details, seller profile details, and intended product categories.

POLICY HIERARCHY

These Policies are intended to be read together. If there is an inconsistency between documents, the Terms of Service control for general use of the Platform, the Seller Policy controls for Seller onboarding and Seller obligations, the Acceptable Use Policy controls for prohibited conduct and prohibited Products, the Refund and Dispute Policy controls for refunds, disputes, chargebacks, and dispute handling, and the Privacy Policy controls for collection, use, disclosure, retention, and deletion of personal information.

Nothing in any Policy limits rights that cannot legally be waived under applicable law.

1. PURPOSE

This Refund and Dispute Policy explains how returns, refunds, complaints, and transaction disputes are handled on UNIA.

UNIA is a marketplace platform. Products are sold and fulfilled directly by third-party Sellers. UNIA may provide tools and support to help Buyers and Sellers resolve issues, but the Seller is primarily responsible for the Products they list and fulfil.

2. SCOPE

This policy applies to disputes involving non-delivery, failed pickup or handover, damaged Products, materially inaccurate Product descriptions, wrong items, missing items, counterfeit or prohibited Products, payment issues, refund requests, and Buyer-Seller complaints arising from transactions on UNIA.

3. MARKETPLACE ROLE AND PAYMENT FLOW

UNIA is not a fulfilment centre, warehouse, logistics provider, escrow provider, bank, payment custodian, or money transmitter.

Products are fulfilled directly by Sellers to Buyers. Funds are processed through supported Payment Providers and, unless otherwise stated in a specific transaction flow, settled directly to Sellers.

UNIA may assist with dispute review, communication, evidence collection, Seller enforcement, and escalation to Payment Providers where appropriate.

4. BUYER AND SELLER RESPONSIBILITIES

Buyers are responsible for reviewing Product descriptions, providing accurate fulfilment information, being available for agreed delivery or pickup, inspecting Products promptly where practical, reporting issues within a reasonable time, providing evidence, and communicating respectfully.

Sellers are responsible for accurately describing Products, providing truthful images and information, fulfilling confirmed orders, resolving legitimate Buyer complaints, complying with applicable refund obligations, cooperating with UNIA during dispute reviews, and providing evidence where requested.

5. REFUND ELIGIBILITY

A Buyer may be eligible for a refund, replacement, or other resolution where the Buyer paid for an item but did not receive it, the Seller cancelled the order after payment, the Product received is materially different from the listing, the wrong item was delivered or handed over, the item is damaged in a way that was not disclosed, the item is counterfeit, prohibited, unsafe, or illegal, required components or quantities are missing, the Seller cannot fulfil the order, or applicable law requires a refund.

A refund may be refused where the Buyer changed their mind after receiving the correct Product, the Product matched the listing and was delivered or handed over as agreed, the Buyer damaged the Product after receipt, the Buyer failed to collect the Product after agreeing to pickup or handover, the Buyer provided incorrect delivery or contact information, the Buyer cannot provide reasonable evidence, the dispute is reported after an unreasonable delay, the Buyer abuses the process, the Product was clearly listed as used, damaged, incomplete, or non-returnable, or applicable law does not require a refund.

6. STANDARDS AND EXAMPLES

"Materially different" means the Product differs from the listing in a significant way, including wrong item, undisclosed damage, missing essential components, materially different quantity, counterfeit status, materially different condition, or a description that would likely have affected the Buyer's decision to purchase.

"Reasonable evidence" may include screenshots, order records, payment references, Product photos, delivery or pickup confirmation, chat messages, timestamps, and other records relevant to the dispute.

"Reasonable time" means as soon as practical after the issue is discovered, taking into account the Product type, transaction value, delivery or pickup method, and whether delay would make the issue harder to verify.

7. DISPUTE REVIEW PROCESS

When UNIA receives a dispute, UNIA may acknowledge the complaint, review Buyer evidence, contact the Seller, request additional evidence, review listing information, order records, messages, and payment references, recommend a resolution, take Seller enforcement action, and escalate the issue to a Payment Provider where necessary.

UNIA may close a dispute if a User fails to respond, refuses to provide evidence, behaves abusively, or appears to be misusing the dispute process.

8. HYBRID DISPUTE RESOLUTION AUTHORITY

UNIA may make final platform-level decisions regarding account restrictions, Seller enforcement, listing removal, marketplace access, and platform support. However, UNIA does not act as a court, escrow provider, bank, payment custodian, or financial institution. Payment reversals, chargebacks, and refunds may depend on the relevant Seller, Payment Provider, bank, card network, mobile money operator, or applicable law.

9. APPEAL RIGHTS AND STATUTORY RIGHTS

A User may request a review of a dispute decision or enforcement action by contacting UNIA support within seven days of being notified of the decision. The request must include the reason for appeal and any additional evidence. UNIA may accept, reject, or modify the original decision after review. UNIA's decision after appeal will be final for platform purposes.

Nothing in this Refund and Dispute Policy removes, excludes, restricts, or limits any consumer, payment, statutory, regulatory, or other rights that cannot legally be waived under applicable law.

10. CHARGEBACKS AND PAYMENT PROVIDER DISPUTES

If a Buyer raises a chargeback or Payment Provider dispute, the Payment Provider's rules may apply. Users must cooperate with requests for evidence. UNIA may provide transaction records, communications, listing information, and other relevant evidence to the Payment Provider where appropriate.

Abuse of chargebacks, false claims, or collusive disputes may result in account suspension or termination.

11. REPORTING A PROBLEM

Buyers should report transaction issues as soon as possible through UNIA's support channels. A dispute report should include order reference, Product listing details, Seller username or profile, payment reference, screenshots of messages, photos or videos of the Product, delivery, pickup, or handover evidence, description of the issue, and preferred resolution.

Reports can be sent to support@unia.business, general@unia.business.