Refund policy
Refund & Returns Policy
Essential Online Traders (“EOTrader”)
At EOTrader we want you to be happy with every purchase. This policy explains how returns, refunds and cancellations work alongside your statutory rights under UK consumer law. Nothing in this policy affects those rights.
How to Start a Return
Please contact us at shopify@eotrader.co.uk to start a return, or you can begin the return process through the My Orders page on your Shop Account.
Please ensure all returns are sent to the following address (this is not our registered business address). We cannot acknowledge or accept parcels sent to any other location:
EOT Returns
Costwise Group
Merrivale Road
Exeter Road Industrial Estate
Okehampton
EX20 1UD
Cooling-Off & Change-of-Mind Returns
For orders placed online, you have a 14-day cooling-off period starting the day after you receive your order, during which you may cancel for any reason. Once you notify us of your intention to cancel, you then have a further 14 days to return the goods.
We will refund the product price and the cost of our standard delivery service for your order:
- For most orders, our standard service is Royal Mail Tracked 48, which is provided free of charge and therefore carries no refund value.
- For heavy or bulky orders where Pallet Freight is the only available delivery method, pallet delivery is treated as the standard service and will be refundable if you cancel under the cooling-off period.
Return postage remains your responsibility for change-of-mind returns. Returned goods must be in unused, undamaged and resalable condition, and should include all accessories and packaging where reasonably possible. You are entitled to handle the goods to the extent necessary to assess their nature, characteristics and functioning, but if items are returned with excess wear, missing parts or damage beyond this, we may make a fair deduction to reflect the reduced resale value. We will always explain any deduction in writing before completing your refund.
Conditional Discounts and Promotions
Where an order qualifies for a promotional, bundle, volume, or threshold-based discount (for example, “10% off orders over £250” or “Buy X for £Y”), that discount applies only while the qualifying conditions are met.
If you return items and, as a result, your remaining items no longer meet the promotion criteria, we will remove the promotion and recalculate the final price based on the items you keep. Your refund will be adjusted accordingly. This is not a penalty; it simply reflects that the promotional conditions are no longer satisfied.
Where the promotion criteria remain met after the return (for example, the remaining order value still exceeds the qualifying threshold), the promotional discount will remain applied and your refund will be calculated consistently with that discount.
Faulty, Damaged or Incorrect Items
If an item is faulty, damaged, or not as described, you are entitled to a remedy under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Within the first 30 days of delivery you have the right to reject the goods and receive a full refund. After this period, you are entitled to request a repair or replacement, and if that is not possible or unsuccessful, you may then ask for a refund.
When returning faulty or incorrect items, we will either provide a prepaid return label or reimburse you for reasonable return postage costs. In these cases, we will refund both the product price and any delivery charges you actually paid, including pallet delivery where applicable.
To help us resolve issues more quickly, please notify us of any transit damage as soon as reasonably possible, ideally within 48 hours of delivery, and provide photographs of the packaging and the item if requested. This request is intended to speed up investigations with the courier and does not affect your legal right to reject faulty goods within 30 days.
Return Procedure
All returns must be clearly identifiable so that we can process them without delay. If the original postage label is obscured or missing, please ensure that paperwork is included inside the parcel showing your order number, name, address and contact details. Goods should be packaged securely to prevent damage during transit, and all returns must be sent using a tracked postal or courier service. You must retain the tracking number as evidence of return until we have confirmed receipt of the goods.
If you cannot provide tracking evidence and the parcel is lost or not delivered to us, we will not be able to issue a refund or replacement. If you have sent us a return and it has not been processed within two working days (Monday to Friday), please contact us with your order reference and the return tracking number so that we can investigate promptly.
Refund Processing
We aim to inspect all returns within two working days of receipt. Once the inspection is complete, refunds will be issued to your original payment method within 14 calendar days. This timeframe applies either from the date we receive the goods back or from the date you provide evidence that the goods have been sent, whichever is earlier. Please note that your bank or card issuer may take additional time to process the credit and display it on your account.
If a return is found to be ineligible—such as items not originally supplied by us, goods with missing essential components, or products that show signs of misuse—we will inform you of the reason and outline what options are available.
Refunds will only be processed once the goods have been returned to us or you provide acceptable proof of posting from a tracked service.
If you believe there is an issue with your order, please contact us first so we can resolve it quickly. Chargebacks raised without prior contact may delay resolution. We reserve the right to dispute chargebacks that are not consistent with this Refund & Returns Policy.
Refunds Without Return or Partial Refunds
In certain circumstances we may decide, at our discretion, to issue a refund without requiring the item to be returned. This may apply, for example, where the cost of return shipping would be disproportionate to the value of the goods. We may also offer a partial refund as an alternative to returning the product, for instance if an item arrives with minor damage but remains usable. If a partial refund is offered, it will only be applied if you agree to accept it instead of a full return and refund.
Please note that these options are provided at our discretion and do not affect your statutory rights to a refund, repair or replacement where goods are faulty, not as described or unfit for purpose.
Return Costs Summary
For change-of-mind cancellations, you are responsible for covering the return postage. We will refund the product price and, where applicable, the cost of our standard delivery service:
- Royal Mail Tracked 48: Provided free of charge, so no delivery cost is refundable.
- Pallet Freight (for heavy/bulky orders): Treated as the standard delivery service and will be refundable under cooling-off cancellations.
Undeliverable Parcels & Return to Sender (RTS)
If a parcel is returned to us because delivery could not be completed (for example, due to an incorrect or incomplete address, non-collection, refusal of delivery, or other circumstances within your control), the order will be treated as a cancellation.
In such cases, we will issue a refund for the item price. Delivery charges are non-refundable, except where required under consumer law (i.e. the cost of the standard delivery option where applicable).
We will also deduct the direct return-to-sender (RTS) costs incurred by us as a result of the return. These are not penalty fees, but a pass-through of the actual costs charged by our carriers, fulfilment providers, or delivery partners.
RTS charges are applied at cost as follows:
- Standard / expedited deliveries: £3.99 for small parcels; higher rates may apply for medium and large parcels depending on size and weight
- Freight / pallet deliveries (including consignments sent as multiple oversized parcels): £60 per shipment
Warranty
All products purchased from EOTrader carry a six-month manufacturer’s warranty against defects in materials or workmanship, unless a different warranty period is clearly stated on the product page. This warranty is designed to give you additional assurance should an item develop a fault under normal use.
The warranty does not cover issues caused by misuse, improper installation, normal wear and tear, or modifications made after purchase. If you believe your product has developed a fault within the warranty period, please contact us so we can advise on the next steps.
For claims made beyond the initial six months, you may be asked to provide reasonable proof that the fault was due to a manufacturing defect rather than normal wear or accidental damage. In some cases, the item may need to be returned to the manufacturer for independent assessment. Please note that such assessments can take six months or longer to complete, depending on the product and manufacturer response times.
This warranty is provided in addition to your statutory rights under UK consumer law. In particular, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 entitles you to a repair, replacement or refund if goods are faulty, and these rights may apply for up to six years depending on the expected lifespan of the product.
Our Right to Cancel Before Dispatch
We reserve the right to cancel your order before it has been dispatched in certain circumstances. These may include situations where the product is out of stock or discontinued, where a pricing or description error has been identified, where payment authorisation cannot be obtained, where delivery restrictions apply to your address, or where we reasonably suspect fraudulent activity.
If we do need to cancel an order, we will notify you as soon as possible and issue a full refund, including any delivery charges you may have paid. Refunds will be processed promptly, and we will not be liable for any additional compensation unless required by law.
Statutory Rights
This Refund & Returns Policy is provided in addition to your rights under UK consumer law and does not affect them in any way. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, you have the right to cancel most online purchases within 14 days of receiving the goods. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you are entitled to a refund, repair or replacement if the goods you receive are faulty, not as described, or unfit for purpose. Depending on the expected lifespan of the product, these rights may apply for up to six years (five in Scotland).
For further guidance on your legal protections, you can visit Consumer Rights Act 2015 – GOV.UK or Cancelling goods or services – Citizens Advice.
Summary of Your Rights and Return Periods
To avoid confusion, please note that UK consumer law provides two distinct rights when it comes to returns and refunds, and in both cases the goods must be returned to us before a refund can be issued:
14-Day Cooling-Off Period (Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013): This applies to online purchases where the goods are not faulty but you have changed your mind or no longer want them. You must notify us within 14 days of receiving your order if you wish to cancel, and then return the goods within a further 14 days. You are responsible for the cost of return postage. We will refund the product price and, where applicable, the cost of our standard delivery service (Royal Mail Tracked 48 or Pallet Freight).
30-Day Right to Reject (Consumer Rights Act 2015): This applies if the goods are faulty, damaged, or not as described. You have 30 days from delivery to reject the goods and request a refund. In this case, we will cover the cost of return postage and refund the full product price along with any delivery charges you actually paid, including Pallet Freight.
In both situations, refunds will only be processed once the goods have been returned to us or you provide evidence of posting using a tracked service. Returns without proof of posting or tracking cannot be refunded if they are lost in transit.
Effective date: 13th January 2026. We review this policy periodically and may update it to reflect operational or legal changes.