Terms Of Service

SmartCart Shipping and Delivery Policy

This Shipping and Delivery Policy explains how we process, ship, and deliver your orders on the SmartCart Platform. By placing an order, you agree to the terms outlined below.

1. Shipment Processing and Timeframes

A. Order Processing Time

The time required to process and prepare your order for shipment is separate from the transit time.

  • Processing: Most orders are processed and handed over to our logistics partners within 1 to 2 business days (Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays).
  • Ready-to-Ship Items: Products marked as "In Stock" or "Ready to Ship" are processed fastest.
  • Procurement Time: For some specialized or heavy items, the Seller may require additional time (e.g., 3-5 business days) to procure or custom-package the product before shipping. This will be specified on the product page.

B. Estimated Delivery Date (EDD)

The Estimated Delivery Date (EDD) provided at checkout is an estimate and is calculated based on the Seller's location, the product availability, and your shipping address (pincode).

  • Check Serviceability: Always enter your pincode on the product page to check if the item is serviceable and to get the most accurate EDD.
  • Business Days: EDDs are based on business days, which exclude Sundays and public holidays.

2. Shipping Charges and Structure

Shipping charges are calculated based on the following factors:

A. Product Value

  • Free Delivery: SmartCart generally offers free standard delivery for orders exceeding a certain cart value (e.g., ₹500 or ₹1,000).
  • Standard Charges: For orders below the free delivery threshold, a nominal delivery fee (e.g., ₹40 or ₹50) will be applied per item or per order, depending on the Seller and product category.

B. Product Weight and Dimensions

Shipping costs are determined by the greater of the product's actual weight or its volumetric weight (which accounts for the space the item occupies).

C. Delivery Zones (Geographical Distance)

We use a zone-based model for calculation:

  1. Local (Intra-City): Shipment within the same city.
  2. Zonal (Intra-Region): Shipment within the same geographical zone (e.g., North, South, East, West).
  3. National (Inter-Region): Shipment across different geographical zones.

The final, calculated shipping charge will be displayed transparently in your Order Summary at the checkout page.

3. Delivery Methods and Services

A. Standard Delivery

  • Timeline: Typically takes 3 to 7 business days from the date of dispatch, depending on the destination pincode.
  • Remote Locations: For certain remote or non-standard service areas, delivery may take longer and may be facilitated via Registered Post or other specialized services (1-2 weeks).

B. Express Delivery / Hyperlocal Services (If applicable)

  • SmartCart MINUTES: (If you offer 10-minute/quick delivery). This service is available only on select products and in specific pincodes. Delivery is completed within the advertised timeframe (e.g., 10 minutes) from the time the order is placed.

C. Cash on Delivery (COD) Fee

A nominal handling fee (e.g., ₹5) may be charged for orders placed using the Cash on Delivery (COD) option to cover additional handling costs incurred by logistics partners. This fee is non-refundable.

4. Order Tracking and Communication

A. Shipment Confirmation

Once your order is shipped, you will receive a Shipment Confirmation email and/or SMS containing:

  1. The estimated delivery date.
  2. Your order tracking number.
  3. A link to the logistics partner's website for real-time tracking.

B. Delivery Attempts

Our logistics partners will generally attempt to deliver your order up to three times. If delivery is unsuccessful after three attempts, the product will be returned to the Seller, and the order will be considered cancelled. A refund for prepaid orders will be processed after deducting applicable shipping and return fees.

5. Inspection and Damages

A. Open Box Delivery (OBD)

For high-value or fragile items (where available), we offer Open Box Delivery. The delivery executive will open the package in your presence.

  • Action Required: If you find the product is missing, damaged, or entirely different from the item ordered, you must refuse to accept the product immediately and inform the delivery executive to take it back.
  • Post-Acceptance: Once you sign for and accept an OBD order, SmartCart cannot accept returns for missing or physically damaged products.

B. Non-OBD Orders

If the product is delivered without OBD, and you discover it is damaged or defective after opening, you must raise a return request through the SmartCart platform within the applicable return window (refer to the SmartCart Return Policy).

6. Shipping Restrictions

  • We currently offer delivery only within [Insert Country, e.g., India]. We do not ship to international addresses.
  • We reserve the right to restrict delivery to certain pincodes due to legal restrictions, logistics constraints, or safety concerns. This will be communicated at the time of pincode entry or checkout.
  • Bulk/Commercial Orders: SmartCart Sellers may limit the quantity of products ordered, and orders exceeding typical individual consumption limits may be subject to cancellation.