Returns & Refunds Policy

Last updated: 1 September 2026

At Tech4Tails we stand behind what we sell and we want you to buy with confidence. This policy explains exactly what you can return, when, who pays the courier and what our warranty does and does not cover. It applies to purchases made directly from tech4tails.co.za. Purchases made through Takealot or any other marketplace must be returned through that marketplace's own returns process.

Nothing in this policy limits your rights under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) or the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (ECTA).

At a glance

Situation	Window	Return courier	What you get back
Faulty or damaged on arrival, or wrong item sent	Report within 7 days of delivery	We pay	Replacement, or full refund including delivery
Device stops working (warranty)	6 months from delivery	We pay, both ways	Your choice: repair, replacement or refund
Didn't work for your dog (30-Day Guarantee)	30 days from purchase	We pay	Refund of the product price (original packaging and resaleable condition required)
Cancel for any reason (ECTA cooling-off)	7 days from delivery	You pay	Full refund of the price paid
Changed your mind (after day 7)	Up to 30 days, unopened, at our discretion	You pay	Refund of the product price less a 10% restocking fee

1. Faulty on arrival, damaged in transit, or wrong item

Please check your order as soon as it arrives. If anything is broken, not working out of the box, or not what you ordered, email info@tech4tails.co.za within 7 days of delivery with your order number and photos (or a short video of the fault). We will arrange a courier collection at our cost and send a replacement, or refund you in full including any delivery charge you paid. Your choice.

2. Warranty: 6 months against defects

Every Tech4Tails device is covered for 6 months from the date of delivery against manufacturing defects and component failure under normal domestic use, as provided for in section 56 of the CPA.

The warranty is for "the device stopped working". It is separate from the 30-Day Guarantee, which is for "it didn't work for my dog".

What we do

We arrange and pay for courier collection of the faulty unit and delivery of the repaired or replacement unit.
You choose the remedy: repair, replacement, or a refund of the price you paid.
We reply to warranty emails within 2 business days and test returned units within 7 business days of receiving them.

What is not covered

The warranty covers defects in the product. It does not cover damage caused by how the product was used or kept. Specifically, we will not repair, replace or refund under warranty where the fault was caused by:

Water or liquid damage on a product that is not rated waterproof. Our automatic bark control devices are splash-proof, not waterproof. They are designed for indoor use or sheltered outdoor spots (under an eave, on a veranda, inside a patio). Leaving a device in direct rain, sprinkler spray, or standing water is outside its intended use and any resulting water ingress is not a defect. Our collars and remotes are water-resistant against rain and splashes but must not be submerged, worn while swimming or bathing, or washed under a tap.
Physical damage: drops, crushing, cracked casings, or a device or collar that has been chewed by a dog.
Opening, modifying or attempting to repair the product, or having anyone other than Tech4Tails do so.
Charging with anything other than a standard 5V USB port, or damage from power surges or faulty chargers or cables not supplied by us.
Normal wear: collar straps, buckles, contact points, cosmetic marks and scratches and gradual loss of battery runtime. A rechargeable battery is a consumable; gradual reduction in runtime is expected and is not a defect. A battery that will not charge or hold a charge at all within the 6 months is covered.
Loss or theft.
Results. A device that is working correctly but has not changed your dog's behaviour is not faulty. That situation is covered by the 30-Day Guarantee, not the warranty.

To be clear about the water rule: we tell you the water rating of each product on its product page and in the FAQ, and the exclusion above only applies where the product was exposed to more water than that rating allows.

How to claim

Email info@tech4tails.co.za with your order number, a description of the fault and a short video showing it. Your order number is your proof of purchase; you do not need a paper receipt.
We will confirm the claim and book a courier collection at our cost.
We test the unit. If the fault is confirmed and covered, we repair, replace or refund as you choose. Approved replacements ship within 7 business days.
If testing finds no fault, or the fault was caused by something listed under "What is not covered", the claim is declined. We will explain why, with photos where relevant, and return the unit to you at your cost, or you may ask us to recycle it.

After 6 months the warranty ends unless you have an extended warranty option in place. We are still happy to help with troubleshooting and we may offer a discounted replacement at our discretion.

3. The 30-Day Guarantee: "it didn't work for my dog"

Every dog is different, so we give you 30 days from your purchase date to try the product with your dog, in your home, at your real trigger points. If you have followed the included training guide and you are not seeing results, you can return it for a refund of the product price, and we cover the return courier.

Conditions

Email us within 30 days of purchase with your order number and a short note on how you used the product and what happened. We ask this so we can first check whether a settings change would solve it, which it often does.
Condition is a strict requirement. The product must come back complete, with all accessories, charging cable and free gifts, in its original packaging, and in resaleable condition with no signs of use or wear and tear: no scratches, chew marks, cracked or marked casing, frayed or stretched strap, dirt, or odour. A product that does not meet this condition, or that comes back without its original packaging, does not qualify for the 30-Day Guarantee and the return will be declined.
Photos before approval. We will ask you for clear photos of the device (all sides) and of the packaging before we approve a return. No return is approved, and no courier booked, until we have reviewed the photos.
We book the courier collection for you. Please do not send anything before we have confirmed the return in writing.
The guarantee applies to one unit per household. If you bought a twin pack or bundle and want to return part of it, we refund the difference between what you paid and the current single price of the items you keep.
If your order included a free gift and the gift is used or not returned, its retail value is deducted from your refund.
Refunds go to the original payment method within 5 business days of the return being received and checked.

The 30-Day Guarantee is a voluntary guarantee offered by Tech4Tails in addition to your statutory rights. It is not a hire scheme. We will decline a return under this guarantee where the conditions above are not met, where the same household has already used it, or where the product has been damaged. If a product arrives with us in a condition that does not match the approved photos, we will contact you and, at our discretion, either return it to you at your cost or refund less the cost of restoring it to resaleable condition.

4. Cooling-off: cancel within 7 days for any reason

Under section 44 of ECTA you may cancel an online purchase within 7 days of receiving it, without giving a reason. To do this, email us within the 7 days, then return the product to us complete, in its original packaging and in the condition you received it. You are responsible for the direct cost of returning the goods to us. We refund the full price you paid within 30 days of your cancellation, and usually within 5 business days of receiving the return.

5. Changed your mind after day 7

After the 7-day cooling-off period there is no legal right to return goods simply because you no longer want them, and we are not obliged to accept such a return. We will, however, consider change-of-mind returns at our discretion on these terms:

You contact us within 30 days of purchase.
The product is unopened and unused, with seals and packaging intact.
You pay the return courier.
A restocking fee of 10% of the product price is deducted from the refund. This covers the outbound delivery we paid for and the cost of inspecting and re-stocking the item.

Buying a second device you later decide you do not need, choosing the wrong product, or no longer wanting the product are all change-of-mind returns. If you are unsure which product suits your dog, email us before you order and we will help you choose.

6. Rules that apply to every return

Contact us first. All returns need our written go-ahead and a returns reference before anything is sent. Returns that arrive without a reference may be refused or delayed.
Pack it properly. Where you arrange the courier, the goods are your responsibility until we receive them. Use a trackable service and keep your tracking number.
Refunds are for the amount actually paid. Discounts and promotional pricing are not refunded, and refunds are made to the original payment method only.
Inspection. Every returned item is checked on arrival against the photos you sent. If a return does not match the condition described above, we will contact you before doing anything else.
Free gifts and bonuses that came with an order must be returned with it or their retail value is deducted.

7. Your statutory rights and complaints

This policy adds to, and does not reduce, your rights under the CPA and ECTA. If you are unhappy with how we have handled a return or warranty claim, tell us and we will escalate it internally. If we still cannot resolve it, you may refer the matter to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (www.cgso.org.za).

Questions?

Email info@tech4tails.co.za or phone 021 879 2591. We are happy to help with training tips, settings and choosing the right product before you buy.