Refund policy

Last updated: 21 May 2026

This Returns, Refunds & Exchanges Policy explains how returns, refunds, exchanges, incorrect orders, damaged goods, defective products, and special-order items are handled by S-Optics.

S-Optics is operated by Hardware Distribution (Pty) Ltd, registration number 2001/008689/07, trading as S-Optics.

Legal entity: Hardware Distribution (Pty) Ltd
Registration number: 2001/008689/07
Trading as: S-Optics
Website: s-optics.co.za
Telephone: 011 467 9325
Email: sales@s-optics.co.za
Physical address: Fourways Golf Park, Sandton, Gauteng, 2191, South Africa

This policy applies to products purchased from S-Optics through our website, quotations, email communication, purchase orders, or any other sales channel.

Nothing in this policy is intended to limit any rights that customers may have under applicable South African law, including the Consumer Protection Act, 68 of 2008, and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 25 of 2002, where these laws apply.

1. General Return Requirements

Before returning any product, customers must contact S-Optics and request return authorisation.

Products returned without prior written approval may be refused, delayed, or returned to the customer at the customer’s cost.

To request a return, please contact:

Email: sales@s-optics.co.za
Telephone: 011 467 9325

Please include the following information:

  • Customer name and company name.
  • Invoice number, quotation number, sales order number, or purchase order number.
  • Product part code or SKU.
  • Quantity being returned.
  • Reason for return.
  • Photos, test results, error logs, or supporting information where applicable.
  • Confirmation that the product is complete and in its original condition, where applicable.

2. Inspection on Delivery

Customers must inspect all products as soon as they are delivered or collected.

Any damaged, missing, incorrect, or visibly defective products must be reported to S-Optics in writing within 48 hours of delivery or collection.

The report should include clear photos of the product, packaging, courier label, serial number, and any visible damage.

Failure to report delivery-related issues within this period may affect our ability to investigate the matter with the courier, supplier, or insurer.

3. Incorrect Product Supplied by S-Optics

If S-Optics supplies the incorrect product, customers must notify us in writing as soon as possible, preferably within 48 hours of delivery.

Where the incorrect product was supplied due to an error by S-Optics, we will arrange one of the following, depending on the circumstances:

  • Replacement with the correct product.
  • Exchange for the correct product.
  • Credit note.
  • Refund, where applicable.

The product must be returned unused, undamaged, complete, and in its original packaging, unless otherwise agreed in writing.

S-Optics will cover reasonable return courier costs where the incorrect product was supplied due to our error.

4. Damaged Goods on Delivery

If goods are delivered damaged, customers must notify S-Optics in writing within 48 hours of delivery.

Customers must keep the original packaging, courier packaging, labels, and all accessories until the matter has been resolved.

S-Optics may require photos, inspection, courier investigation, or supplier assessment before approving a replacement, exchange, credit, or refund.

If the damage is confirmed to have occurred before delivery or during courier transit arranged by S-Optics, we may arrange repair, replacement, exchange, credit, or refund, depending on the circumstances.

5. Defective Products

If a product appears to be defective, customers must notify S-Optics in writing and provide full details of the fault.

Depending on the product and circumstances, S-Optics may require:

  • Fault description.
  • Device make and model.
  • Switch, router, firewall, server, or network equipment details.
  • Port details.
  • Error messages or logs.
  • Photos of the product and label.
  • Serial number.
  • Test results.
  • Confirmation of installation environment.
  • Confirmation of whether the product was tested in another compatible device.

Defective products may need to be inspected, tested, or assessed by S-Optics, the supplier, manufacturer, or warranty partner before a return, replacement, repair, credit, or refund is approved.

Where a product is confirmed to be defective and applicable law or warranty terms apply, S-Optics will handle the matter in accordance with the customer’s legal rights, supplier warranty terms, and our Warranty Policy.

6. Non-Defective Products Ordered Incorrectly by the Customer

Where a customer orders the incorrect product, wrong compatibility, wrong connector type, wrong cable length, wrong fibre type, wrong distance, wrong wavelength, wrong vendor coding, wrong speed, or wrong specification, the return will be handled as a customer-error return.

Customer-error returns are not automatically accepted.

S-Optics may, at its discretion, approve a return, exchange, or credit where:

  • The product is unused.
  • The product is unopened or in original packaging.
  • The product is complete with all accessories, labels, documentation, and packaging.
  • The product has not been installed, programmed, damaged, modified, or altered.
  • The product is not a special-order, imported, custom-configured, vendor-coded, clearance, or non-stock item.
  • The original supplier accepts the return, where applicable.

Where a customer-error return is approved, the customer may be responsible for:

  • Return courier costs.
  • Any supplier handling fee.
  • Any restocking fee.
  • Any testing fee.
  • Any repackaging fee.
  • Any difference in price for an exchange.
  • Any loss in value caused by opened, damaged, incomplete, or used packaging.

S-Optics reserves the right to refuse customer-error returns where the product cannot be resold as new, is special-order, has been opened, has been installed, or is no longer in original condition.

7. Change-of-Mind Returns

Change-of-mind returns may be accepted only where required by law or where approved by S-Optics in writing.

For eligible online consumer transactions, customers may have a statutory cooling-off right under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, where applicable. Where this right applies, the customer may cancel the eligible transaction within 7 days after receiving the goods, and the customer may be responsible for the direct cost of returning the goods.

This cooling-off right may not apply to all transactions or all products, including certain business-to-business transactions, special-order goods, custom-configured goods, or products made or sourced according to the customer’s specific requirements, where exclusions are permitted by law.

Where S-Optics approves a change-of-mind return, the product must be:

  • Unused.
  • Undamaged.
  • Complete.
  • In original packaging.
  • In resalable condition.
  • Returned with all accessories, labels, manuals, protective caps, anti-static bags, and packaging.

Change-of-mind returns will not be accepted for products that have been installed, used, damaged, modified, programmed, coded, opened in a way that affects resale, or returned incomplete.

8. Special-Order, Imported, Custom and Vendor-Coded Products

Many S-Optics products are technical networking products and may be sourced, imported, configured, or vendor-coded based on customer requirements.

The following products may be treated as special-order or non-returnable, unless defective or unless return rights apply by law:

  • Imported products sourced specifically for a customer.
  • Products not normally held in local stock.
  • Vendor-compatible transceivers coded for specific equipment brands.
  • Custom-coded optical transceivers.
  • Custom cable assemblies.
  • Custom lengths.
  • Special-order DACs, AOCs, patch leads, MPO/MTP products, or fibre products.
  • Products ordered in non-standard quantities.
  • Products sourced against a confirmed purchase order.
  • Clearance, discontinued, end-of-life, or once-off deal items.
  • Products where the supplier does not accept returns.

Once a special-order, imported, custom, or vendor-coded product has been ordered from the supplier, cancellation or return may not be possible.

If a supplier cancellation fee, restocking fee, exchange-rate loss, courier fee, customs fee, or handling fee applies, this may be passed on to the customer where permitted by law.

9. Compatibility-Based Products

Some products supplied by S-Optics may be compatible or coded for specific OEM equipment brands.

Customers must ensure that the correct compatibility, part code, speed, distance, connector type, cable type, fibre type, wavelength, and form factor are selected before placing an order.

Where S-Optics provides compatibility guidance, such guidance is based on the information available at the time and on the customer’s supplied requirements.

S-Optics will not be responsible for incorrect compatibility caused by incomplete, inaccurate, or incorrect information supplied by the customer.

Where S-Optics expressly confirms compatibility in writing and the product does not perform as confirmed, S-Optics will investigate and assist with replacement, exchange, technical support, warranty assessment, or other appropriate remedy.

10. Products Not Eligible for Return

Unless defective or required by law, the following products may not be eligible for return:

  • Products damaged after delivery.
  • Products damaged due to incorrect installation.
  • Products damaged due to misuse, abuse, negligence, static discharge, power issues, liquid damage, contamination, or improper handling.
  • Products installed in incompatible or faulty equipment.
  • Products with removed, damaged, or altered labels, serial numbers, or warranty seals.
  • Products that have been opened and cannot be resold as new.
  • Products missing accessories, caps, packaging, manuals, labels, or documentation.
  • Products that have been modified, altered, programmed, or tampered with.
  • Special-order, imported, custom-configured, vendor-coded, clearance, discontinued, or end-of-life items.
  • Products returned outside the approved return period.
  • Products returned without return authorisation.

11. Return Courier Costs

Return courier costs will depend on the reason for return.

Where the return is due to an error by S-Optics, an incorrect product supplied by S-Optics, or a confirmed defect covered by applicable law or warranty, S-Optics may cover reasonable return courier costs.

Where the return is due to customer error, incorrect order, change of mind, incorrect compatibility selected by the customer, or cancellation of an approved non-defective return, the customer will be responsible for return courier costs.

Customers must not return goods using their own courier without written approval from S-Optics.

S-Optics is not responsible for goods lost, damaged, or delayed in transit where the return courier was arranged by the customer.

12. Testing and Assessment

Returned products may be tested or assessed before a refund, replacement, exchange, credit, or warranty claim is approved.

If a product is tested and no fault is found, S-Optics may return the product to the customer and may charge the customer for courier, handling, testing, or assessment costs where permitted by law.

If the product fault is confirmed and the return is approved, S-Optics will proceed with the appropriate remedy.

13. Refunds

Refunds will only be processed once the return has been approved and the returned goods have been received, inspected, and accepted by S-Optics or the relevant supplier.

Approved refunds may be processed using the original payment method, bank transfer, credit note, or another agreed method.

Refunds may exclude courier fees, handling fees, supplier fees, customs charges, or other non-refundable costs where the return is due to customer error, change of mind, or cancellation of a special order, and where permitted by law.

Where a statutory refund is required, S-Optics will process the refund in accordance with applicable South African law.

14. Exchanges

Exchanges may be approved where:

  • The returned product is accepted by S-Optics.
  • The replacement product is available.
  • The original product is unused, undamaged, complete, and in original packaging.
  • The product is not excluded from return.
  • Any price difference, courier fee, supplier fee, or restocking fee has been paid by the customer, where applicable.

If the replacement product is more expensive than the original product, the customer must pay the difference before the replacement is released.

If the replacement product is less expensive, S-Optics may issue a credit note or refund the difference, depending on the circumstances.

15. Credit Notes

S-Optics may issue a credit note instead of a refund where:

  • The customer agrees to a credit note.
  • The return is a customer-error return.
  • The return is a business-to-business transaction.
  • The product is approved for return but a refund is not applicable.
  • The customer prefers to use the amount toward a future order.

Credit notes are not transferable unless agreed in writing by S-Optics.

16. Order Cancellations

Customers must request order cancellations in writing as soon as possible.

Cancellation may not be possible where:

  • The order has already been dispatched.
  • The product has already been ordered from a supplier.
  • The product is being imported.
  • The product is custom-configured or vendor-coded.
  • The product is a special-order item.
  • The supplier refuses cancellation.
  • Costs have already been incurred.

Where cancellation is approved, any supplier fees, courier fees, customs charges, exchange-rate losses, handling charges, or other costs already incurred may be deducted where permitted by law.

Where products become unavailable or S-Optics is unable to fulfil an order, S-Optics will notify the customer and arrange an alternative, credit, refund, or cancellation as appropriate.

17. Delivery Delays and Lead Times

Any delivery dates or lead times provided by S-Optics are estimates unless expressly confirmed otherwise in writing.

Delivery may be affected by supplier availability, courier delays, customs clearance, public holidays, payment delays, stock movement, international shipping, or other circumstances outside our reasonable control.

A delay does not automatically entitle the customer to cancel a special-order or imported product once the order has been placed with the supplier, unless cancellation rights apply by law or S-Optics agrees in writing.

18. Warranty Claims

Warranty claims are handled separately from standard returns and may be subject to supplier, manufacturer, or brand-specific warranty terms.

Warranty cover may be refused where the product has been damaged due to misuse, incorrect installation, incompatible equipment, power surges, static discharge, liquid damage, physical damage, tampering, unauthorised repair, or use outside the product specifications.

Please refer to our Warranty Policy for full warranty terms.

19. Proof of Purchase

S-Optics may require proof of purchase before processing any return, refund, exchange, credit, or warranty claim.

Acceptable proof may include:

  • Tax invoice.
  • Sales order.
  • Quotation reference.
  • Purchase order.
  • Delivery note.
  • Payment confirmation.
  • Serial number or product label, where applicable.

20. Condition of Returned Products

Returned products must be properly packed to prevent damage during transit.

For optical transceivers, DACs, AOCs, patch leads, MPO/MTP products, and other networking products, customers must ensure that:

  • Dust caps are fitted where applicable.
  • Anti-static packaging is used where applicable.
  • The product is protected from dust, moisture, bending, crushing, and electrostatic discharge.
  • All original packaging and accessories are included.
  • The product is not written on, marked, relabelled, damaged, or altered.

S-Optics may refuse a return or reduce the refund or credit amount if the product is returned damaged, incomplete, used, altered, or not in resalable condition.

21. Business-to-Business Sales

S-Optics primarily supplies technical networking products to businesses, resellers, ISPs, enterprise customers, and professional buyers.

Certain consumer-law rights may apply differently depending on whether the customer is an individual consumer, a juristic person, a reseller, or a business customer.

Nothing in this policy limits any rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

22. Abuse of Returns Process

S-Optics reserves the right to refuse returns, exchanges, refunds, or future orders where there is suspected abuse of the returns process, fraudulent claims, repeated unsupported defect claims, product tampering, false information, or misuse of products.

23. Contact Us

For returns, refunds, exchanges, incorrect deliveries, damaged goods, or defective product queries, please contact:

S-Optics
Operated by Hardware Distribution (Pty) Ltd
Registration number: 2001/008689/07
Website: s-optics.co.za
Email: sales@s-optics.co.za
Telephone: 011 467 9325
Address: Fourways Golf Park, Sandton, Gauteng, 2191, South Africa