[Hong Kong] Buyer Protection refund policy – Carousell Help Centre

Eligibility

Dispute Reason

Under the Buyer Protection refund policy, buyers may raise a dispute for:

Item(s) not received* for tracked shipping**
The item is significantly not as described
Examples of cases where the item is significantly not as described
- The item is of a different variation, such as size, colour, model or version
- The item is incomplete or has missing parts
- The item is damaged or has one or more undisclosed defect(s)
- The item received deviates extensively from the listing photo

*Item(s) not received refers to the situation when the seller failed to deliver the item according to the selected courier method.

**Sellers are strongly advised to opt for tracked shipping. You can find the list of recommended courier partners which we provide tracked shipping here: List of couriers with in-app tracking

Criterias which Buyer Protection will not cover
An item that is essentially the same as the seller’s listing and description but has minor and insignificant differences.	Not covered. ✘ Items showing signs of wear but accurately described as used ✘ Minor variations, such as: Item listed as light pink but received as rose pink Item listed as palm-sized but received as 15cm Item listed as 8/10 but received as more of a 6/10
Change of mind	Not covered. Will include cases where buyer claims order was placed incorrectly by mistake.
Refund/request request raised after the dispute window.	Not covered.
The buyer makes a claim for something that is not in the original listing/what was agreed upon.	Not covered.
The item gets stolen/damaged post successful delivery	Not covered. It is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure that the receiving address can receive the item securely Parcel and packaging that has creases, lines, wrinkles or dents as a result of shipping or tempered of packaging upon delivery will not be covered unless the item itself is damaged.
The items are reported for surface wear and tear that does not affect functionality	Not covered. For “Brand New” items, orders will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis
Payment arrangements that were not through the ‘Buy’ button.	Not covered. Partial payment or full payment of items completed outside of the platform (transactions that occur not through the ‘Buy’ button)
Excluded items Sellers are responsible for listing their products in the correct categories, should not be enabling on-platform payment for items that are not eligible	Not covered. Items which Carousell prescribes to fall under these categories: regardless if it was initially listed in BP enabled categories Services Inclusive of customisable products (services with tangible outcomes) Prohibited items list Cars, Motorcycles, Property Tickets & Vouchers Virtual items Items that require more than 6 days to ship Additional agreements/warranty from seller that falls outside of dispute window
Additional Exclusions	Exclusions when an item is not received Exclusions when an item is not significantly as described

Dispute Window

The dispute window starts when the seller confirms the order and ends when the order is marked as completed by the buyer or autocomplete triggered by the system after the expiration of the dispute window, whichever occurs first.

The order will be marked as completed by the buyer when he/she clicks “Order Received”.

The order will be marked autocomplete in accordance with the following timeline:

For tracked mail (Carousell Official Delivery): 4 days after delivery date
For tracked mail (Custom): 2 days after delivery date
For untracked mail (i.e tracking does not appear on the app): 10 + x days after the expected delivery date
For meet-ups: 9 days after the confirmed meet-up date (Seller would need to tap on 'Confirm meet-up' on their end)

x days = maximum shipping duration

How can I get a refund?

If you feel that you are entitled to a refund, raise a dispute request in the app. You can find the return/refund button on your Order details page. We encourage you to raise your issue with your seller as well via Chat to let them know what’s wrong. Here’s more information on How to raise a return/refund request.

To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition and packaging as you received it. Any tags on the item should be intact and not damaged. Please ensure all free gifts, warranties, tags, manuals, and any other accessories that were delivered to you are included in your return. Note that Carousell/ the seller reserves the right to reject the return and any request for a return if the returned item does not meet the above requirements.

The refund will be processed when the seller has given consent for a refund (in full or part). In the case of a full refund, the refund will only be processed once the item has been returned to the seller in the right condition.

How long does it take for me to receive my refund?

The refund will only be processed once a resolution has been met. If it's a full refund and return, the refund will be issued once the seller confirms the return or receives the item.

The processing timeline for the refund varies according to the payment method.

For payments made via debit/credit cards, refunds may take 5-10 working days to reach your bank account.

For payments made via AlipayHK method, please log in to your AliPay app to check the status of the refund. The refund should show immediately.

Note: Working days are from Monday to Friday, excluding weekends and public holidays.

If you don't receive your refund within the stated timeline, you may contact our team for assistance.

Are delivery fees refunded?

Full refund for whole order

Delivery fees and any other buyer-incurred fees will only be refunded if a full refund is given for the whole order.
Example:
Item Price: HKD$90
Delivery fee: HKD$10

Total refund for the whole order: HKD$100

Partial refund for the order

Delivery fees and any other buyer-incurred fees will not be refunded if a partial refund for a single item is given as the resolution outcome.

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