Return and Refund Policy

Third-Party Merchant Transactions: The ICBS platform itself does not sell physical goods or services directly to users; rather, it facilitates transactions between Common Bond Groups or their members and third-party vendors/merchants. A group may use its pooled funds or ICBS-issued digital vouchers to purchase groceries, pay for a funeral service, or acquire equipment from external suppliers connected through the platform's marketplace. Any returns, refunds, or exchanges for such purchases are subject to the return and refund policy of the respective merchant or service provider from whom the goods and services were bought. Each vendor will have its own terms regarding returns such as allowable return periods, conditions for accepting a return, and refund methods. Platform Role: ICBS will honor and facilitate any valid refund or cancellation that a merchant approves in connection with a platform-mediated purchase. If a group requests a refund for a transaction made via an ICBS voucher or group fund transfer, the platform will coordinate with the relevant merchant according to that merchant's policy. The refunded amount, once confirmed by the merchant, will typically be credited back to the group's digital wallet or reissued as a voucher, as appropriate. ICBS encourages all users to review the vendor's return and refund terms before committing group funds to a purchase. Any disputes or issues with a purchase such as a defective product or non-delivery of a service should be raised with the merchant directly, but the ICBS customer support team is available to assist in communications or dispute resolution if necessary. Keep in mind that because policies vary by vendor, refund eligibility and processing times will differ case by case. The platform itself does not impose additional refund guarantees beyond those of the merchant, but it will ensure that merchants on the platform abide by basic consumer protection standards as required by South African law. Note: In cases where a transaction fails on the platform side, ICBS will work to reverse or correct the transaction promptly. Any fees deducted in error will be returned, and any ICBS-specific service issues will be resolved in line with our internal terms of service. These platform-level corrections do not depend on a merchant's policy and will be handled by ICBS directly as part of our commitment to a fair user experience.