Samarkand Food Market
Refund & Cancellation Policy
Online Grocery Delivery
Effective Date: June 10, 2025 | Last Updated: June 10, 2025
1. Introduction & Scope
This Refund and Cancellation Policy (“Policy”) governs all purchase transactions made through the Samarkand Food Market online ordering platform, including our website and any associated mobile applications (collectively, the “Platform”). By placing an order through our Platform, you (the “Customer”) acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the terms of this Policy.
This Policy applies exclusively to orders placed through our online delivery service. Samarkand Food Market reserves the right to amend this Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on our Platform and will take effect immediately upon publication.
This Policy has been drafted in compliance with applicable federal consumer protection guidelines and Ohio state commercial law.
2. At-a-Glance Summary
| Order Stage | Cancellation | Refund Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Just Placed (≤ 15 min) | ✅ Allowed | Full Refund |
| Being Prepared | ❌ Not Allowed | No Refund |
| Out for Delivery | ❌ Not Allowed | No Refund |
| Wrong Item Delivered | N/A | Partial Refund |
| Damaged / Expired Item | N/A | Partial Refund* |
| Entire Order Damaged | N/A | Full Refund |
| Store-Caused Delay / Cancellation | N/A | Full Refund |
| Missed Delivery Date | N/A | Full Refund |
* Partial refunds for damaged or expired items require in-store verification. See Section 5 for full details.
3. Order Cancellation & Full Refund Eligibility
Samarkand Food Market will issue a full refund to the original payment method under the following circumstances. Each condition is assessed independently, and the Customer need only satisfy one qualifying condition to be eligible.
3.1 Customer-Initiated Cancellation Within the Eligible Window
A Customer may cancel an order and receive a full refund only if the cancellation request is submitted within whichever of the following occurs first:
- Within fifteen (15) minutes of the confirmed order placement timestamp; or
- Before the order status changes to “Being Prepared” on our Platform.
3.2 Significant Delivery Delay Caused by Samarkand Food Market
If a delivery delay is caused directly by Samarkand Food Market — including staff error, dispatch failure, internal operational issues, or inadequate driver assignment — the Customer is entitled to a full refund. This provision does not apply to delays caused by weather, force majeure, incorrect addresses, customer unavailability, or traffic conditions outside our control.
3.3 Delivery Not Made on the Scheduled Delivery Date
If an order is not delivered by the end of the scheduled delivery date and such failure is attributable to Samarkand Food Market, the Customer is entitled to a full refund. The Customer must notify us within twenty-four (24) hours of the scheduled delivery date.
3.4 Entire Order Consists of Damaged or Spoiled Products
If upon delivery all items are damaged, spoiled, or unfit for consumption, the Customer is entitled to a full refund. The Customer must: (1) notify us within 24 hours of delivery, (2) provide photographic evidence of all damaged items, and (3) retain all items and packaging for potential inspection.
3.5 Order Canceled by Samarkand Food Market
If we cancel an order for any reason attributable solely to the store — including inventory shortages, system errors, or internal operational failure — the Customer shall receive a full refund without requiring any action from the Customer.
4. Refund Processing — Full Refunds
- Refunds will be issued to the original method of payment used at checkout.
- Processing time is typically three (3) to seven (7) business days, depending on your financial institution.
- Samarkand Food Market does not issue cash refunds for online orders.
- Customers will receive an email confirmation once the refund has been initiated.
5. Partial Refund Eligibility
5.1 Individual Item(s) Found to Be Damaged, Spoiled, or Expired
If one or more — but not all — delivered items are found to be damaged, spoiled, or past their expiration date, the Customer may request a partial refund for those specific items only.
IMPORTANT — Verification Requirement:
To qualify, the Customer is required to: (1) bring the affected item(s) with original packaging physically to the Samarkand Food Market store location, (2) present them to an authorized representative for inspection, and (3) complete this within forty-eight (48) hours of the original delivery. Refunds will not be issued based solely on photographs or verbal descriptions.
5.2 Incorrect Item Delivered
If the Customer receives an item that was not ordered (and no substitution was agreed upon), the Customer is entitled to a partial refund for that specific item. The Customer must contact us within twenty-four (24) hours of delivery and provide the order number, item received, and item ordered.
6. Partial Refund Processing
- Partial refunds will be calculated based on the unit price of the affected item(s) as reflected in the Customer's order receipt.
- Refunds will be issued to the original payment method within three (3) to seven (7) business days following verification and approval.
- Samarkand Food Market will notify the Customer by email of the approved refund amount and expected processing timeline.
7. Non-Refundable Situations
Except as expressly provided in Sections 3 and 5 of this Policy, Samarkand Food Market does not issue refunds. The following situations are explicitly non-refundable:
- Change of mind after the cancellation window has closed (Section 3.1)
- Partial dissatisfaction where the majority of items are delivered correctly and in good condition
- Delivery delays caused by factors outside Samarkand Food Market's control (weather, traffic, etc.)
- Incorrect delivery addresses provided by the Customer
- Customer unavailability during the scheduled delivery window
- Refund requests submitted after the applicable notice period specified in this Policy
- Damage to items caused by improper storage or handling by the Customer after delivery
- Failure to present physical items for in-store verification where required under Section 5.1
8. Dispute Resolution
If a Customer believes a refund request has been incorrectly denied, the Customer may escalate the matter by contacting Samarkand Food Market's management team in writing. We are committed to resolving all disputes in good faith and in a timely manner.
Nothing in this Policy limits a Customer's rights under applicable Ohio state consumer protection law or federal law. If a dispute cannot be resolved through our internal process, the Customer may seek assistance from the Ohio Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section or file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
9. Policy Acceptance
By placing an order through the Samarkand Food Market online platform, the Customer confirms that they have read, understood, and agreed to this Refund and Cancellation Policy in its entirety.