Returns, Refunds & Commission Reversal Policy

1. Purpose

This Returns, Refunds & Commission Reversal Policy explains how customer returns, refunds, cancellations, exchanges, chargebacks, and other post-purchase events affect affiliate commissions earned through the WarmNest Affiliate Program.

This policy forms part of the WarmNest Affiliate Program Terms & Conditions and should be read together with the Commission Policy and Payment & Payout Policy.

2. General Principle

Affiliate commissions are earned only on genuine, completed, and eligible customer purchases.

A commission is considered final only after:

• The customer's payment has been successfully received.
• The order has been delivered.
• The applicable return and refund period has expired.
• No fraud or policy violations have been identified.

WarmNest reserves the right to review any transaction before confirming a commission.

3. Order Cancellation

No commission will be paid if an order is cancelled before completion.

This includes cancellations:

• By the customer.
• By the vendor.
• By WarmNest.
• Due to payment failure.
• Due to stock unavailability.
• Due to suspected fraud.

If a commission has already been recorded as Pending, it will be cancelled.

4. Returned Products

If a customer returns an eligible product within the applicable return period:

• Any related Pending commission will be cancelled.
• Any Approved commission that has not yet been paid may be reversed.
• Any commission already paid may be recovered or deducted from future earnings.

Commission is payable only on completed sales that remain valid after the return period.

5. Full Refunds

Where a customer receives a full refund:

• The related affiliate commission becomes ineligible.
• Any unpaid commission will be removed.
• Previously paid commission may be reversed or offset against future payouts.

6. Partial Refunds

Where only part of an order is refunded:

• The affiliate commission may be recalculated.
• WarmNest may reduce the commission proportionally based on the final value of the completed purchase.

7. Product Exchanges

Where a customer exchanges a product:

• The original commission may be adjusted.
• If the replacement product has a different commission rate, WarmNest may recalculate the commission accordingly.
• If no commission adjustment is required, the original commission may remain unchanged.

8. Chargebacks

If a payment is reversed through a bank or payment provider (chargeback):

• The related commission becomes ineligible.

• Pending commissions will be cancelled.
• Paid commissions may be recovered.
• WarmNest may place future commissions on hold while the chargeback is investigated.

9. Failed Payments

No commission is earned where:

• Card payments fail.
• EFT payments are unsuccessful.
• Payment authorisation is declined.
• Payment is reversed before completion.

Only successfully completed payments qualify for commission.

10. Fraudulent Transactions

WarmNest may reverse commissions where fraud is identified, including but not limited to:

• Fake customer accounts.
• Stolen payment methods.
• Identity fraud.
• Fake orders.
• Self-referrals.
• Artificial traffic.
• Bot-generated purchases.
• Coupon abuse.
• Refund abuse.
• Commission manipulation.

Fraudulent activity may also result in suspension or permanent removal from the Affiliate Program.

11. Vendor Cancellations

If a marketplace vendor cannot fulfil an order due to:

• Stock shortages.
• Pricing errors.
• Product discontinuation.
• Operational issues.

Any associated affiliate commission will not be payable.

12. Shipping Issues

Where an order cannot be delivered because of:

• Incorrect customer information.
• Customer refusal to accept delivery.
• Courier failure resulting in cancellation.
• Undeliverable addresses.

WarmNest will determine commission eligibility based on the final outcome of the order.

13. Commission Recovery

Where commissions have already been paid for transactions that later become ineligible, WarmNest may:

• Deduct the amount from future affiliate payouts.
• Offset future approved commissions.
• Request repayment where necessary.

WarmNest will make reasonable efforts to notify affiliates before recovering overpaid commissions.

14. Commission Hold Period

To protect all parties, commissions may remain in Pending status until:

• Delivery has been confirmed.
• The applicable return period has expired.
• Fraud checks have been completed.
• Payment has been fully settled.

WarmNest may extend the review period where exceptional circumstances require additional investigation.

15. Affiliate Responsibility

Affiliates must not encourage customers to:

• Abuse return policies.
• Place fake orders.
• Cancel purchases after commissions are earned.
• Submit fraudulent refund requests.
• Manipulate promotional offers.

Any affiliate found encouraging such behaviour may face immediate suspension or termination.

16. Customer Rights

Nothing in this policy limits a customer's legal rights under applicable South African consumer protection laws.

Customers remain entitled to request returns, refunds, repairs, replacements, or other remedies where provided by law or the applicable WarmNest customer policies.

17. Disputes

If an affiliate believes a commission has been incorrectly reversed, they may submit a dispute within 30 days of the adjustment.

WarmNest may request supporting information during its investigation.

Following its review, WarmNest's decision will be final.

18. Policy Updates

WarmNest reserves the right to amend this policy at any time.

Any updates will take effect from the published effective date. Continued participation in the Affiliate Program constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

19. Contact

Questions regarding commission reversals, returns, refunds, cancellations, or chargebacks should be directed to the WarmNest Support Team through the official support channels available on the WarmNest website.

WarmNest is committed to maintaining a fair and transparent affiliate program by ensuring commissions are paid only for genuine, completed, and eligible customer purchases while protecting affiliates, vendors, customers, and the integrity of the marketplace.