Refund policy

General Overview

At Rottalab, we strive to ensure customer satisfaction while also complying with Maltese and EU consumer protection laws. Our store uses a third-party fulfillment partner (Zendrop) for shipping orders, and refunds or replacements are only offered in situations where our fulfillment partner (or Rottalab) is at fault, such as delivery failure, damaged goods, missing or incorrect itemssupport.zendrop.com. Outside of these situations or any mandatory legal requirements, we are not obliged to accept returns or provide refunds for change of mind or buyer’s remorsemccaa.org.mt. However, we will review requests on a case-by-case basis in good faith. This policy is designed to be fully compliant with EU and Maltese laws to protect both our customers and our business from any legal disputes.

Eligibility for Returns

To be eligible for a return or exchange, the item must meet the following conditions:

  • Time Frame: The return request should be made within 30 days of receiving the item (or within any specific legal withdrawal period, as noted for EU customers below).

  • Product Condition: The item must be in the same condition as you received it – unworn or unused, with all tags attached, and in its original packaging.

  • Proof of Purchase: You will need to provide the receipt or proof of purchase (order number, confirmation email, etc.) for the item.

Items that do not meet these conditions (e.g. signs of use or damage not due to our error) may not be accepted for return. We reserve the right to refuse a return if the above criteria are not satisfied.

How to Initiate a Return

To start a return, please contact us at info@rottalab.com with your order details and the reason for the return. If your return is approved, we will provide you with instructions on how and where to send your package. Do not send your item back without first receiving return authorization and instructions from us – any items returned without prior approval will not be accepted.

When a return is authorized, we will either provide you with a return shipping address (which will typically be our fulfillment partner’s warehouse address, not our Malta office) or, in some cases, a return shipping label. Please note that unless stated otherwise or required by law, you will be responsible for the cost of return shipping (we will deduct the return shipping cost from your refund if we provide a prepaid label, unless the return is due to our error or a defective product). We will guide you through the return shipping process once you contact us.

You can always reach out to us at info@rottalab.com for any questions about returns.

Refund and Replacement Conditions for Order Issues

We will gladly offer a refund or replacement in the following cases, in line with Zendrop’s fulfillment policy and your legal rights:

  • Item Not Received (Lost in Transit): If your order fails to arrive or is excessively delayed, we will make it right. In particular, if an order shows no movement in tracking or remains in transit beyond a reasonable timeframe (e.g. 60 days from the shipping date for international orders, or 45 days for U.S. orders), we will consider the package lostsupport.zendrop.com. In such cases, at our discretion, we will reship the product or issue a full refund to you. (For orders to certain regions with known longer customs delays, a slightly longer threshold may apply; for example, up to 110 days for orders to Brazilsupport.zendrop.com.) Please contact us if your order has not arrived within these timeframes. If tracking information confirms delivery to your address, we are generally unable to offer a refund or replacementsupport.zendrop.com. Note: If the tracking shows delivered but you did not receive the package, we may require an official non-delivery certificate or report from the carrier/postal service to process a claimsupport.zendrop.com.

  • Damaged or Defective Products: If your item arrives damaged or with a defect, please notify us within 30 days of deliverysupport.zendrop.com. Provide us with clear photo or video evidence of the damage/defect, including the product itself and the packaging, if applicablesupport.zendrop.comsupport.zendrop.com. Once we verify the issue, you are entitled to a full refund or a free replacement of the productsupport.zendrop.com. In most cases, you will not be required to return a damaged or defective item to us; you may be asked to dispose of it or keep it, as returning such items is generally not necessarysupport.zendrop.com. (If we do need the item back for any reason, we will let you know and cover the return shipping.) This policy aligns with your legal rights: under Maltese and EU consumer law, products that are delivered in a faulty or not-as-described condition come with a legal guarantee of conformity for a period of two years from purchasemccaa.org.mt. This means you have the right to claim a remedy (repair or replacement, or if those are impracticable, a refund) for any lack of conformity that existed at the time of delivery. Please inform us of any such defect within 2 months of discovering itmccaa.org.mt so we can assist you promptly. (Defects that manifest within the first 12 months are presumed to have existed at delivery, unless we prove otherwisemccaa.org.mt.) We will honor all our obligations under these laws to ensure you receive a product that meets the promised standards.

  • Incorrect or Missing Items: If you received the wrong product, or if any item is missing from your order, please contact us as soon as possible (ideally within 30 days of delivery) with a description of the issue and photographs of what you received (including the packaging)support.zendrop.com. We will verify the mistake and arrange for the correct item to be sent to you immediately, or offer you a full refund for the incorrect item. In the case of missing items, we will send the missing item or refund you for it. As with other issues, we will typically not require you to return an incorrect item that you received by mistake; we will provide guidance on what to do with any product you received in error.

  • Order Cancellations (Before Shipment): If you change your mind after placing an order, please contact us immediately. We can cancel your order for a full refund only if the order has not yet been processed or shippedsupport.zendrop.com. Once the fulfillment process has started (especially for made-to-order items or if the item has already been dispatched), cancellation may no longer be possible. We cannot cancel orders for certain products that enter production or fulfillment immediately after purchase (e.g., custom-made items or certain pre-orders), as those may be already in process once payment is madesupport.zendrop.com. We will inform you if an order cannot be canceled when you request a cancellation. If an order is successfully canceled before shipment, we will issue your refund promptly back to your original payment method.

Important: Except for the above situations (or where required by law), we do not offer refunds or returns. In other words, if you simply decide you no longer want the product (outside of your legal right of withdrawal described below), or if you ordered the wrong item by mistake, we are not legally obligated to accept a return or provide a refundmccaa.org.mt. Most retailers only accept change-of-mind returns as a courtesymccaa.org.mt, and while we may choose to assist in such cases at our discretion, we reserve the right to decline a return that does not meet the criteria above. This policy helps us keep prices fair and adhere to our supply chain agreements with our fulfillment partner.

Exchanges

We do not offer direct product-for-product exchanges in the traditional sense. The fastest way to get a different size or variant of a product is to follow the return process for the item you have (if eligible as per this policy), and once your return is accepted, proceed to make a separate purchase for the new item you want. The returned item will be refunded as per our guidelines, and a new order will ensure the desired item is shipped to you quickly. This approach is the quickest way to ensure you get what you want while we process the return of the original item. (Of course, if your original item arrived defective or incorrect, we will send the correct item or replacement at no extra cost, as described above, without needing a separate purchase.)

Exceptions / Non-Returnable Items

Certain types of items cannot be returned under our policy, except if required by law in particular circumstances (such as if the item was defective upon arrival). These include:

  • Perishable goods – Items that can spoil or expire rapidly, such as food, fresh flowers, or plants, are not eligible for returns due to their naturetimesofmalta.com.

  • Custom or personalized products – Any item that is made to order or clearly personalized for you (e.g. custom engravings, special order products) cannot be returned, as these were made specifically to your requirementstimesofmalta.com.

  • Personal care and hygiene items – This includes beauty products, cosmetics, intimates, or any items that are sealed for health/hygiene reasons. Once such a product’s seal is broken or the item is used/applied, it is not returnable due to health protection regulationstimesofmalta.com. (If the item remains unopened and in its original sealed packaging, and you have not used it, you may still return it following the standard policy above.)

  • Hazardous materials or flammable liquids/gases – We cannot accept returns on dangerous goods such as flammable liquids, gases, or other hazardous materials. Shipping regulations often prevent these items from being shipped back, and for safety reasons all sales of such items are final.

  • Digital content – If we offer digital products or downloadable content, once you have downloaded or accessed the digital product, you may not return it. By downloading such content, you acknowledge that you lose any cancellation right for that contentmccaa.org.mt. (This exception applies only to digital goods not supplied on a tangible medium.)

  • Newspapers or magazines – We do not accept returns on individual issues of newspapers, journals or magazines (subscriptions, however, can be managed or canceled per their terms)mccaa.org.mt.

  • Sale items – Clearance or sale items are typically final sale. We cannot accept returns on sale or heavily discounted items under our store policy. (This does not affect your rights in case a sale item is faulty – such items, if defective, are still covered by our “Damaged or Defective Products” policy above and by law.)

  • Gift cards – Gift cards or gift vouchers are non-returnable and cannot be redeemed for cash. Once purchased, a gift card is considered final sale (however, the recipient can of course use it to purchase items from our store).

If you are unsure about whether your item falls into one of these categories, feel free to contact us for clarification. We will let you know if an item is ineligible for return. In any event, if a specific law or regulation provides you a right to cancel or return an item despite the above (for example, certain EU consumer rights for online purchases described below), then those legal rights will prevail over our store policy.

European Union 14-Day Cooling-Off Right (EU Customers)

If you are a customer in the European Union/EEA, or if we are shipping your order into the EU, you are entitled to a statutory 14-day “cooling-off” period for most goods purchased online. This means that you have the right to cancel your order for any reason (or no reason at all) within 14 calendar days after you receive the itemeuropa.eu. If you exercise this right of withdrawal, you can return the product to us and receive a full refund of the price paid for the item. This EU right of withdrawal is in addition to our 30-day return policy (for eligible items) stated above – it provides a minimum legal protection that we honor for EU customers.

Key points regarding the 14-day cooling-off period:

  • How to exercise the right: You must inform us of your decision to cancel the order within 14 days of receiving the goods. You can do this by emailing us at info@rottalab.com with a clear statement that you wish to cancel the contract. You do not have to provide a reasontimesofmalta.com – the whole point of this “cooling-off” period is that you can change your mind. However, we’d appreciate any feedback if you’re willing to share (to help us improve). We will provide you with return instructions once you notify us of a cancellation under this rule. We may ask you to fill out a simple withdrawal form or just to send an email confirmation so we have it in writing (EU law requires that you send some form of communication of the cancellation). It is in your interest to keep a record of your cancellation notice (e.g., save a copy of the email)timesofmalta.com.

  • Return of goods: Once you notify us, you should send back the product within 14 days of your cancellation notice. The item must be in its original condition (you can inspect it as you would in a shop, but any use beyond that which causes wear or damage may affect your refund). You don’t need to return it in the unopened original packaging by law, but you should ensure it’s packaged securely for the return journey – if the item is damaged on the way back to us due to improper packaging, you could be liable for that damagetimesofmalta.com. We will provide you with the address to which you should return the goods (this may be an overseas address, such as our fulfillment center address). You will be responsible for the return shipping costs in exercising the cooling-off right, unless we failed to inform you of this responsibility in advancemccaa.org.mt. (We are informing you now: the cost of returning the unwanted goods under the 14-day rule is to be borne by the consumer, i.e. you, except if we otherwise agree.) If we offer or advertise free returns, or if we did not clearly tell you that you must pay return postage, then we would have to cover the return shipping cost by lawmccaa.org.mt. Please contact us to arrange the return; we may, at our discretion, assist in providing a return label, but unless we have agreed to cover the cost, the cost of postage will be deducted from your refund or otherwise passed on to you.

  • Refund process for cancellations: If you cancel under the 14-day cooling-off period, we will refund you the full price you paid for the product, along with the original delivery charge (if any, for the least expensive delivery option) timesofmalta.com. For example, if you paid €5 for standard shipping, we will refund that €5; but if you paid extra for express shipping, we will only refund what the standard shipping would have cost, not the surcharge for express, as allowed by lawtimesofmalta.com. We will process this refund within 14 days from the day we receive your cancellation notice, though we reserve the right to wait until we have received the returned goods (or proof that you have sent them back) before issuing the refundtimesofmalta.com. (This is permitted by EU law to ensure the goods are returned.) In practice, we typically do wait: we will issue the refund promptly after receiving the returned item or evidence of its shipment to us, whichever is soonertimesofmalta.com. The refund will be made to the original payment method you used.

  • Exceptions to the 14-day right: EU law provides several exceptions where the cooling-off period does not apply. Notably, you do not have a right to cancel in the following cases:

    • Sealed goods that cannot be returned for health or hygiene reasons once unsealed after delivery (e.g. if you opened the seal on certain personal care items or medical supplies)timesofmalta.com.

    • Goods that are made to your specifications or clearly personalized (custom-made items)timesofmalta.com.

    • Goods that are likely to deteriorate or expire rapidly, such as perishable food or fresh flowers, after deliverytimesofmalta.com.

    • Audio, video recordings or computer software supplied in sealed packaging, if you unseal them after delivery (e.g. unsealed CDs/DVDs).

    • Digital content (downloads or streaming) not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. not on a DVD/USB) after you have started downloading or streaming with your consent to immediate supply (i.e. if you agreed to waive the 14-day right when accessing the content)timesofmalta.com.

    • Newspapers, periodicals or magazines (except subscription contracts for these)timesofmalta.com.

    • Contracts for services that have been fully performed (completed) by us with your agreement before you requested cancellation.

    • Goods which have been inseparably mixed with other items after delivery (for example, if goods by their nature get mixed and cannot be separated).

    • Also, any sale that was concluded via a public auction is not subject to the cooling-off right.

    We will inform you at purchase if any item is subject to one of these exceptions (for instance, on a custom-made product page, we’ll note that the 14-day cancellation right does not apply). If you inadvertently attempt to cancel an order that falls under an exception, we will unfortunately have to decline the request, citing the applicable law.

The 14-day EU cancellation right is mandated by the EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, as implemented in Malta by subsidiary legislation (Consumer Rights Regulations, S.L. 378.17). Our inclusion of this policy is to ensure full compliance. If we did not inform you of your withdrawal right, the law extends your right to cancel by up to 12 monthsmccaa.org.mt – therefore we make sure to clearly inform you here. We take consumer rights seriously, so if you ever feel your withdrawal/cancellation rights are not being respected, you may contact the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) or the European Consumer Centre Malta for assistancetimesofmalta.com – though we certainly hope to resolve any issue directly and amicably.

(Note: The EU 14-day cooling-off period applies to consumers (individuals buying for personal use) in the EU/EEA. It may not apply to business-to-business transactions or consumers outside these jurisdictions. If you are a non-EU international customer, our 30-day return policy and other terms in this document will apply to you, but the 14-day no-questions-asked return right might not.)

Refund Processing and Timelines

Once we receive and inspect your returned item (or once you have provided proof of return shipment for EU cancellations), we will notify you of the status of your refund. If the return or cancellation is approved, we will process the refund to your original payment method without undue delay. Typically, we will issue the refund within 10 business days of approval. Please note that your bank or credit card company may take additional time to credit the refund to your account. It can take a further 5–10 business days for the refunded amount to reflect in your account, depending on the payment provider. We will send you a confirmation once we have issued the refund from our side.

  • If you paid by credit/debit card, the refund will be sent to that card.

  • If you paid via PayPal or another payment service, the refund will be sent to your account with that service.

If more than 15 business days have passed since we confirmed your refund and you still haven’t seen the credit appear, please contact us at info@rottalab.com. We will help investigate the delay (sometimes banking processes or holidays can cause minor delays). Rest assured, if you are owed a refund, we will make sure you receive it.

Please remember that for refunds involving returned merchandise, we might wait to receive the item (or proof of shipment) before issuing the refundtimesofmalta.com, as permitted by law – this is to ensure the product is on its way back in good condition. If you have provided the return tracking info or we have confirmation of delivery back to us, the refund should follow very soon after.

Third-Party Fulfillment & Liability

Our store is a Maltese-based online business that partners with a fulfillment service (Zendrop) to source and ship products to you. This means that your orders are typically shipped directly from our suppliers’ warehouses (which may be located outside Malta, e.g. in China or other regions) to your address. We want to clarify how this affects our responsibilities:

  1. Responsibility for Delivery: We guarantee that you will either receive your product or get a proper resolution (refund or replacement) if something goes wrong in transit. However, because the logistics are handled by our third-party fulfillment partner, Rottalab is not directly managing the carriers. While we can’t be held liable for every unforeseen delay or mishap caused by the courier or customs, we will take responsibility for liaising with the fulfillment partner to fix issues that arise. In line with Zendrop’s policy, we only issue refunds/replacements when the issue was on our or our supplier’s side (e.g. item never shipped or got lost, item arrived broken, wrong item sent)support.zendrop.com. If the issue was due to customer error (for example, an incorrect address provided) or if you simply changed your mind, we are not automatically at fault and thus not obligated to refund. That said, we will try to assist you in such situations (perhaps the package can be re-routed or returned at your expense for a partial refund), but we do not assume liability for mistakes or preferences outside our control.

  2. No Additional Warranties by Rottalab: Aside from the obligations explicitly stated in this policy (and your statutory rights), we do not provide any additional commercial warranty or guarantee. The products you purchase are covered by the legal guarantee as explained above, which ensures they conform to the contract (are as described and functional) for up to two yearsmccaa.org.mt. We, as the seller, will honor that. But we do not promise any return/refund rights beyond what is stated here or required by law. In other words, we adhere strictly to the agreed terms and Zendrop’s fulfillment conditions – “no refunds whatsoever” beyond those terms. By purchasing from our store, you agree that our liability for any claim is limited to the amount you paid for the product in question, and we are not liable for any indirect or consequential losses. (This last point is a common condition in terms of sale; it does not override any mandatory consumer protections, but it means we are not, for example, going to compensate for any inconvenience or other costs beyond the product price and shipping.)

  3. Address for Returns: As noted, returns generally will be directed to our fulfillment center or supplier’s address, not to our corporate address in Malta. We will provide you the correct return address when you initiate the process. Do not mail returns to our business administrative address or any address on your package other than the one we confirm, as that may not be processed. We cannot be held responsible for packages that are sent to the wrong address due to not following our return instructions.

  4. Compliance with Shopify and Zendrop Policies: We have crafted this policy to be consistent with Shopify’s requirements for merchant terms and with Zendrop’s refund/return rules, to avoid any conflict. Zendrop’s own policy explicitly states that they will only compensate us (the merchant) for issues where they are at faultsupport.zendrop.com. Therefore, our ability to offer you a remedy is tied to these conditions as well. By aligning our store policy with Zendrop’s policy, we ensure that when we promise you a refund or replacement, we are able to recover the cost from the supplier. This keeps our business sustainable while still protecting you in all the scenarios that are fair (for instance, if you pay for something and it never arrives or arrives broken, you absolutely deserve your money back or a new item). Conversely, if you simply didn’t like the product or ordered mistakenly, we ask for your understanding that a small business like ours cannot easily absorb that loss, especially when the supplier does not take it back. We encourage you to review product details and measurements carefully before ordering. And remember, EU consumers have the 14-day right to change your mind, which we fully honor – we just want to be transparent that beyond that legal requirement, voluntary returns are limitedmccaa.org.mt.

  5. Fraud Prevention and Abuse: We reserve the right to decline refunds/replacements if we detect patterns of abuse or fraud. For example, if someone frequently claims non-delivery or damages without credible evidence, we may investigate further and report potential fraud. We require valid evidence for claims (photos of damage, official loss reports, etc.)support.zendrop.com in order to protect both our business and the integrity of our legitimate customers’ claims. All claims are subject to review and approval in line with the conditions outlined in this policy.

In summary, this policy is intended to be airtight and transparent, grounded in real legal provisions and our supplier’s terms, so you can shop with confidence knowing your rights are protected. We value our customers and will do our best to resolve any issues fairly and lawfully. If you have any questions about this policy or your rights as a consumer, please contact us – we are here to help and ensure you have a positive experience with Rottalab.