Refund & Returns Policy
Table of Contents
🛡️ Buyer protection is built into every WishThrift transaction. Your payment is held in escrow until you confirm you’re happy with your purchase. If something goes wrong, our dispute process is here to protect you.
1. Overview
WishThrift is a peer-to-peer marketplace. This means items are sold by individual sellers, not by WishThrift directly. However, we take buyer protection seriously — which is why all payments are held in secure escrow until you confirm receipt of your item.
Our escrow system means you are never left without recourse. If you do not confirm receipt and do not raise a dispute within 7 days, funds are automatically released to the Seller. Do not confirm receipt until you have inspected your item and are satisfied.
2. When You Are Eligible for a Refund
You are eligible to request a full refund in the following circumstances:
✅ Refund Eligible
- Item was not delivered within the expected timeframe and tracking shows no movement
- Item received is significantly different from the listing description or photos
- Item received is a different size, colour, or model than listed
- Item is confirmed or suspected counterfeit / inauthentic
- Item arrived with undisclosed damage that materially affects its value or use
- Seller cancelled the order or failed to ship within 3 days
- Duplicate payment was charged in error
❌ Not Eligible for Refund
- You changed your mind after purchase
- You ordered the wrong size (size was accurately listed)
- Minor cosmetic differences that were accurately described or shown in photos
- Normal wear consistent with the listed condition grade
- You confirmed receipt before inspecting the item
- The 7-day dispute window has passed without a dispute being raised
- The item matches the listing but you simply don’t like it
3. When Refunds Are Not Available
WishThrift is a second-hand marketplace. Buyers accept that:
- Change of mind is not a valid reason for refund. All sales are final once receipt is confirmed.
- Condition already disclosed: If the listing accurately described flaws and you still purchased, those flaws are not grounds for a refund.
- Size disputes: If the size was accurately listed and you ordered incorrectly, this is not the Seller’s responsibility.
- Post-confirmation: Once you tap “Confirm Receipt”, the transaction is final. WishThrift cannot reverse confirmed transactions except in cases of fraud.
- Window expired: If 7 days have passed since estimated delivery and you have neither confirmed receipt nor raised a dispute, funds auto-release and the transaction is closed.
4. How to Request a Refund
To request a refund, you must open a formal dispute through the Platform before confirming receipt. Here’s how:
You may also contact us directly at buyers@wishthrift.com for assistance opening a dispute.
5. The Dispute & Refund Process
When a dispute is opened, funds remain in escrow until WishThrift makes a decision. WishThrift acts as an impartial mediator and will:
- Notify the Seller of the dispute and request their response within 48 hours
- Review all evidence submitted by both parties (photos, tracking, messages)
- Make a binding decision within 5 business days of receiving all evidence
Possible outcomes:
- Full refund to Buyer: If item was not delivered, significantly misrepresented, or confirmed counterfeit
- Partial refund to Buyer: If item has undisclosed flaws but is still of use to the Buyer
- Release to Seller: If the item matches the listing and dispute is not substantiated by evidence
WishThrift’s dispute decision is final. Both parties agree to be bound by it as a condition of using the Platform.
6. Returns & Item Condition
WishThrift does not operate a traditional returns system. Whether a physical return is required depends on the dispute outcome:
- For most disputes, WishThrift will request that the Buyer returns the item to the Seller before the refund is released
- Return shipping costs: if the dispute is resolved in the Buyer’s favour, WishThrift will determine who bears return shipping costs on a case-by-case basis
- For counterfeit items, WishThrift may not require return of the item and may instruct the Buyer to dispose of it
- Items must be returned in the same condition as received — not worn, washed, or further damaged
7. Refund Amounts & Timelines
7.1 Refund Amount
Approved refunds are processed for the full amount paid by the Buyer (item price + any shipping charge collected through the Platform). Stripe’s processing fee (2.9% + $0.30) may be non-refundable depending on Stripe’s current policy — this is outside WishThrift’s control.
7.2 Refund Timeline
Once a refund is approved by WishThrift:
- Refund is initiated to your original payment method within 2 business days
- Card refunds typically appear in 5–10 business days depending on your bank
- WishThrift will send a confirmation email when the refund is processed
8. Seller Cancellations
If a Seller cancels an order or fails to ship within 3 days without communication:
- WishThrift will automatically cancel the order
- You will receive a full refund to your original payment method within 2–5 business days
- The Seller’s cancellation rate will be recorded and may affect their standing on the Platform
You do not need to open a dispute for Seller-initiated cancellations — the refund is automatic.
9. Buyer Cancellations
Once you have placed an order, cancellation is only possible before the Seller ships the item:
- If the Seller has not yet shipped and you request cancellation, the Seller may agree — in which case a full refund is issued
- Once the Seller has shipped and entered tracking, the order cannot be cancelled — you must receive the item and then open a dispute if there is an issue
- Change-of-mind cancellations are subject to the Seller’s agreement and are not guaranteed
To request a pre-shipment cancellation, contact the Seller via the Platform messaging system and notify WishThrift support at buyers@wishthrift.com.
10. Counterfeit Items
If you receive an item you believe is counterfeit or not authentic:
- Do not confirm receipt
- Open a dispute immediately and select “Item not authentic” as the reason
- Submit photo evidence including close-ups of labels, stitching, hardware, and any authentication tags
- WishThrift will investigate and may engage third-party authentication services for high-value claims
Confirmed counterfeit items result in a full refund to the Buyer and permanent account suspension for the Seller. WishThrift takes authenticity extremely seriously.
11. Local Pickup Refunds
For local pickup transactions, the same refund protections apply with one key difference: you must inspect the item at the time of collection, before confirming receipt on the Platform.
- Do not confirm receipt if you are not satisfied with the item at collection
- If the item is not as described, decline to accept it and open a dispute from your phone at the meetup location
- Once you tap “Confirm Receipt” at the meetup, the transaction is final
12. Your Statutory Rights
Nothing in this Refund Policy limits or excludes your statutory consumer rights under applicable law. If you are a consumer based in the United Kingdom, you may have additional rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If you are based in the EU, you may have rights under the EU Consumer Rights Directive.
However, please note that WishThrift is a marketplace platform, not the seller of goods. The individual Seller is the retailer in any transaction. WishThrift facilitates dispute resolution as an intermediary service.
If you are unsatisfied with WishThrift’s dispute decision and believe your statutory rights have been violated, you may seek independent advice from your local consumer protection authority or Trading Standards (UK).
13. Contact Us
For refund queries or help opening a dispute:
- Buyer support: buyers@wishthrift.com
- General: hello@wishthrift.com
- Disputes page: My Orders → Open Dispute
We aim to respond to all buyer queries within 24 hours.