Refund Policy

1. Overview

This Refund Policy applies to all products and services purchased through epicentre.org.za or at any Epicentre Walk-In Labs branch in Hillcrest (Durban), Observatory (Cape Town), or Parktown North (Johannesburg).

This policy is issued by Epicentre Research NPC (Registration No. 2007/003117/08) and Epicentre Aids Risk Management (Pty) Ltd (Registration No. 2006/008080/07, VAT No. 4370234918), collectively referred to as "Epicentre", "we", "us", or "our".

This Refund Policy should be read together with our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, both of which are available on the Website and form part of your agreement with us.

We are committed to fair and transparent refund practices in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 ("CPA") and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 ("ECTA").

2. Your Rights Under the Consumer Protection Act

As a consumer in South Africa, you have rights under the CPA that we respect and uphold.

2.1 Right to Cool Off (Section 44)

If you purchase a home test kit through our website (an electronic transaction), you have the right to cancel the order and return the goods within 5 (five) business days of receiving the kit, without penalty and without giving a reason, provided the kit is:

• Unopened and in its original sealed condition
• Unused, with all collection materials intact
• Returned in its original packaging

This cooling-off right applies only to electronic transactions (online purchases) and does not apply to walk-in purchases made at our physical branches.

2.2 Right to Safe, Good-Quality Goods (Section 55)

You are entitled to receive goods that are reasonably suitable for their intended purpose, of good quality, in good working order, and free of defects. If a home test kit fails to meet these standards, you are entitled to a remedy as set out in Section 5 below.

2.3 Right to Return Unsafe or Defective Goods (Section 56)

If a home test kit is found to be unsafe or defective within 6 (six) months of delivery, you may return it for a full refund, replacement, or repair at your choice, regardless of whether the kit has been opened.

3. Home Test Kits Purchased Online

3.1 Cancellations Before Dispatch

If you wish to cancel your order before the kit has been dispatched, please contact us as soon as possible. We will cancel the order and issue a full refund, including any delivery fees paid.

3.2 Cooling-Off Returns (Unopened Kits)

To exercise your cooling-off right within 5 business days of delivery:

• Contact us at loading, WhatsApp +27 72 843 7564, or call the relevant branch
• Provide your order number and reason for return (a reason is not required but helps us improve)
• We will arrange collection of the kit at no cost to you, or you may return it to your nearest Epicentre branch

Upon receipt and inspection of the returned kit, we will issue a full refund of the kit price. The original delivery fee will also be refunded for cooling-off returns.

3.3 Opened or Used Kits

Once a kit has been opened, the sterile collection materials are considered compromised and cannot be restocked, resold, or reused. We therefore cannot accept returns of opened kits under any circumstances, except where the kit is defective (see Section 5).

3.4 Kits Not Returned Within the Cooling-Off Period

If you do not exercise your cooling-off right within 5 business days of delivery, and the kit is not defective, the sale is considered final. We encourage you to inspect your kit promptly upon delivery.

4. Walk-In Laboratory Services

4.1 Before Sample Collection

Walk-in laboratory appointments may be rescheduled or cancelled at no charge by contacting the relevant branch before your appointment time. If you have paid in advance and wish to cancel before any sample is collected, a full refund will be issued.

4.2 After Sample Collection

4.3 Incomplete or Failed Collections

In the rare event that a sample collection is unsuccessful (for example, a difficult blood draw that does not yield a usable sample), our nursing staff will discuss options with you on-site:

• A second attempt at no additional charge
• Rescheduling the appointment at no charge
• A full refund if you prefer not to proceed

5. Defective, Damaged, or Incorrect Products

5.1 Reporting a Problem

If you receive a home test kit that is damaged in transit, defective, or not what you ordered, please contact us within 48 hours of delivery with:

• Your order number
• A clear photograph of the damage, defect, or incorrect item
• A brief description of the problem

You can report the issue via email (loading), WhatsApp (+27 72 843 7564), or by calling the relevant branch.

5.2 Our Remedies

Where we confirm the kit is defective, damaged, or incorrect, you may choose one of the following remedies at no cost to you:

• Replacement: We will dispatch a replacement kit as soon as possible via medical courier at no additional charge.
• Refund: If a replacement is not available or you prefer a refund, we will issue a full refund of the kit price and delivery fee.

Collection of the defective or incorrect kit will be arranged at our cost.

5.3 Defects Discovered After Opening

If a defect is only discoverable after opening the kit (for example, missing components, expired reagents, or compromised collection materials), the restriction on opened-kit returns in Section 3.3 does not apply. Please contact us immediately and do not attempt to use the compromised materials. We will arrange a replacement or refund as described above.

6. Compromised Samples and Inconclusive Results

6.1 Samples Compromised Due to User Error

If a sample is compromised because the collection instructions were not followed (for example, incorrect collection technique, sample contamination, or failure to return the sample within the required timeframe), a replacement kit may be required at your cost. We will not charge for laboratory processing of the unusable sample.

6.2 Samples Compromised in Transit

If a sample is compromised during courier transit through no fault of yours, we will provide a replacement kit at no charge, including free return courier logistics.

6.3 Inconclusive Laboratory Results

In the rare event that a laboratory produces an inconclusive result due to a technical or processing issue (not related to sample quality), we will offer you a replacement kit and free re-testing at no additional cost.

7. Buy Now Pay Later (Payflex) Refunds

If you purchased a home test kit using Payflex (Buy Now, Pay Later), refunds are subject to Payflex's own refund and cancellation procedures in addition to this policy.

When a refund is approved for a Payflex order:

• If no instalments have been deducted yet, the order will be cancelled with no charge to you
• If one or more instalments have been deducted, the refund will be processed by Payflex and returned to the payment method used for those instalments
• The timeline for Payflex refunds is determined by Payflex and may differ from our standard refund processing times

For any questions about the status of a Payflex refund, please contact Payflex directly at loading or contact us and we will assist in liaising with Payflex on your behalf.

8. Medical Aid Claims

Where a test was paid for via medical aid at one of our walk-in branches:

• If the medical aid claim was submitted and paid by your scheme, any refund must be processed as a credit or reversal through the medical aid claims process, not as a direct refund to you
• If you paid a co-payment or shortfall out of pocket, any refund of that portion will be made directly to you
• We cannot refund amounts paid by a medical aid scheme directly to you, as this would constitute a duplicate payment

Medical aid refund queries should be directed to the branch where the test was performed.

9. How Refunds Are Processed

9.1 Refund Method

Refunds will be processed using the same payment method used for the original purchase:

9.2 Information Required for EFT Refunds

Where a refund is to be paid via EFT (for cash or EFT purchases), we will require your full name as it appears on your bank account, your bank name, branch code (or universal code), account number, and account type (cheque/savings). We will verify this information before processing the refund to protect against fraud.

9.3 Refund Confirmation

Once a refund has been processed, we will send a confirmation to the email address associated with your order. Please allow the full processing period before contacting us about a missing refund, as processing times are determined by your bank or payment provider.

10. What Is Not Refundable

The following are not eligible for a refund:

• Home test kits that have been opened, used, or had their tamper-evident seal broken (except where defective per Section 5)
• Walk-in laboratory tests where the sample has already been collected and sent for processing
• Delivery fees on non-defective orders returned outside the 5-day cooling-off period
• Courier fees for sample return (these are included in the kit price and are non-separable)
• Services fully rendered, including completed test results that have been delivered to you
• Voluntary add-on services (such as ODX functional health reports) where the report has been generated and delivered

11. Discounted Purchases

If you purchased a test or kit using a promotional discount, student discount (Varsity Vibe), or pensioner discount, any refund will be calculated based on the amount you actually paid after the discount was applied, not the original retail price.

12. Complaints and Escalation

12.1 Internal Resolution

Contact our management team at loading with the subject line "Refund Complaint" and your order number. We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 business days and aim to resolve it within 10 business days.

12.2 External Resolution

If you remain unsatisfied after our internal process, you may refer the matter to:

• Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO): www.cgso.org.za | 0860 000 272
• National Consumer Commission (NCC): www.thencc.gov.za | 012 428 7000
• National Consumer Tribunal (NCT): www.thenct.org.za | 012 663 5615

These bodies can assist with disputes relating to consumer rights under the CPA at no cost to you.