Terms & Conditions

1. About us

Section 43 of ECTA requires us to give you the following information:

Trading name

Lotus Crown

Legal name

Lotus Crown

Legal status

Sole proprietor

Email

support@lotuscrown.co.za

Website

lotuscrown.co.za

As a supplier of consumer goods, we follow the Consumer Goods and Services Industry Code of Conduct. Unresolved complaints can be referred to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (see section 15).

2. Using our website

• You must be 18 or older to buy from us, or have the consent and supervision of a parent or guardian.
• Please give us accurate, up-to-date information when you order or create an account, and keep your password private.
• Don't use our website for anything unlawful or fraudulent, to interfere with how it works, or to copy its content in bulk.
• We work hard to keep the website available and accurate, but we can't promise it will always be uninterrupted or error-free.

3. Our products

We sell curated Korean skincare and beauty products made by third-party brands.

Cosmetics, not medicines

Our products are cosmetics. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. Product descriptions are general information and are not medical advice.

Ingredients and allergies

We show the ingredient list on each product page where the brand provides it. If you have allergies, sensitivities or a skin condition, please check the ingredients before you buy. Brands sometimes reformulate, so if the ingredient list on the packaging differs from our website, rely on the packaging and let us know.

Imported products and packaging

Many of our products are imported from South Korea and may carry packaging in Korean. Key information — ingredients, directions and warnings — is provided in English on the product page. Packaging design may change when a brand updates it.

Shelf life

The expiry date or the period-after-opening symbol (an open jar with a number, such as "12M") is shown on the packaging. We don't knowingly send expired products. If you receive one, we treat it as defective (section 8.4).

Images and availability

We try to show products accurately, but colours and textures can look different on screens. All products are subject to availability; if something sells out after you order, we'll tell you and refund you for it in full.

4. Prices & VAT

• All prices are in South African Rand (ZAR).
• Lotus Crown is not registered for VAT, so no VAT is added to our prices.
• Delivery fees are shown at checkout before you pay.
• We may change prices at any time, but a change won't affect an order we have already accepted.
• If a price is clearly and obviously wrong because of an honest mistake (for example, a missing digit), we'll contact you before dispatch. You can then buy at the correct price or cancel for a full refund, as section 23 of the CPA allows.

5. Orders

Placing an order

Before you pay, checkout shows a summary of your order, including products, quantities, delivery fee and total price. You can review it, correct any mistakes or cancel before you submit.

When the contract is formed

After you order, we email you an order confirmation. This confirms that we've received your order; it doesn't yet mean we've accepted it. The contract between us is formed when we email you to confirm that your order has been dispatched.

When we may decline an order

We may decline or cancel an order if a product is unavailable, if there is an obvious pricing error, if we suspect fraud, or if we can't deliver to your address. If we do, we'll let you know and refund everything you paid within 30 days. We may limit the quantities of a product per order.

Your record of the transaction

Your order confirmation and dispatch emails are your record of the transaction; please keep them. If you need a copy, email us. We keep order records for at least five years.

6. Payment & security

• We accept major credit and debit cards and Instant EFT.
• Payments are processed through our secure Shopify checkout and its payment providers, which are certified to PCI DSS (the payment card industry security standard). Your connection is encrypted, and we never see or store your full card number.
• We dispatch an order only once payment has been received in full.
• If a payment is reversed or found to be fraudulent, we may cancel the order or recover the amount owed.

7. Shipping & delivery

• We deliver within South Africa only.
• Most orders are delivered within 2–5 working days. Outlying and rural areas can take longer, and delivery times are estimates rather than guarantees.
• The delivery fee is shown at checkout before you pay.
• We email you a tracking number once your order has been dispatched.
• If we haven't agreed a delivery date with you, we will deliver within 30 days of receiving your order, as section 46 of ECTA requires. If we can't, we'll tell you and refund you in full within 30 days.
• Please check your delivery address carefully. If a parcel can't be delivered because the address was incorrect or nobody was available, the courier may charge to redeliver, and we may pass that cost on to you.
• Ownership and risk pass to you once the order is delivered to the address you gave us.
• If your parcel arrives damaged or something is missing, please tell us as soon as possible, ideally within 48 hours and with photos. This helps us claim from the courier. It does not limit your rights under section 8.4.

8. Returns & refunds

8.1 Cancelling before dispatch

Email us before your order is dispatched and we'll cancel it and refund you in full.

8.2 Your 7-day cooling-off right (ECTA section 44)

You may cancel your order within 7 days after receiving it, without giving a reason and without penalty. Tell us in writing (email is fine) within that period, then return the products to us. The only cost you may be charged is the direct cost of returning them. We will refund all payments you made for the order, including the original delivery fee, within 30 days of your cancellation.

For hygiene and safety reasons, skincare that has been opened, unsealed or used can't be returned unless it is defective (see section 8.4), to the extent the law allows this exclusion.

8.3 Our 30-day money-back guarantee

In addition to your legal rights, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. If a product isn't right for you, contact us within 30 days of delivery. The product must be unopened, unused and in its original sealed packaging. Once we receive the product back, we refund the price you paid for it to your original payment method.

You pay the cost of sending a product back under this guarantee, unless it is defective or we made a mistake with your order.

8.4 Defective, damaged, expired or incorrect products (CPA sections 55 and 56)

You have the right to receive products that are safe, of good quality, free of defects and as described. If a product doesn't meet this standard, you may return it within 6 months of delivery, at our risk and expense. You choose whether we replace it or refund you. This covers products that arrive damaged, leaking, expired or not what you ordered. It doesn't apply if a product was damaged after delivery by misuse or by not following its directions.

8.5 How to return a product

• Email support@lotuscrown.co.za with your order number, the products you're returning and the reason. For damaged or defective products, please include photos.
• We'll reply with the return address and instructions. Please don't send a parcel before hearing from us, so we can track it.
• Use a trackable delivery method and keep your proof of postage.

8.6 Refunds

Refunds are paid to your original payment method. Cooling-off refunds are paid within 30 days of your cancellation; other refunds within 10 working days of receiving your return. Your bank may take a few extra days to show the refund.

9. Skin reactions & safe use

• Patch test new products on a small area, such as the inner arm, for 24–48 hours before using them on your face.
• Follow the directions and warnings. Our products are for external use only; keep them away from the eyes unless directed, and out of reach of children.
• If you're pregnant, breastfeeding or have a skin condition, ask your doctor before using products with active ingredients such as retinoids or strong acids.
• If a product irritates your skin, stop using it, seek medical advice if needed, and tell us. It may be covered by section 8.3 or section 8.4.

These guidelines don't limit your rights under the CPA, including section 61 (harm caused by unsafe or defective goods).

10. Promotions, discount codes & reviews

• Unless stated otherwise, you can use only one discount code per order. Codes have no cash value, can't be exchanged, and expire on the date shown.
• A discount can't be applied to an order after it has been placed.
• We may end a promotion at any time, but we'll honour orders already accepted.
• Competitions run under their own rules, which we publish with each competition.
• Reviews on our website come from customers. We don't change what reviewers write. We may remove reviews that are unlawful, offensive or contain personal information, but not simply because they are negative.

11. Intellectual property

The content on this website — including text, photos, graphics and our logo — belongs to us or the people who license it to us. Product names and brand logos belong to their respective brands. You may not copy or use our content commercially without our written permission.

12. Our liability

• Nothing in these Terms limits liability that the law does not allow us to limit. This includes our liability under the CPA (including section 61, for harm caused by unsafe or defective goods) and liability for gross negligence or deliberate wrongdoing.
• Subject to the point above, and to the extent the law allows, we are not liable for indirect or consequential loss (such as loss of income) arising from your use of our website or products.
• Subject to the same limits, our total liability for any claim about an order is limited to the amount you paid for that order.
• Links to other websites are provided for convenience. We aren't responsible for their content or practices.

13. Privacy policy (POPIA)

This policy explains how we collect, use and protect your personal information under the Protection of Personal Information Act.

13.1 Who is responsible

Lotus Crown is the responsible party for your personal information. Our Information Officer is The owner of Lotus Crown, contactable at support@lotuscrown.co.za.

13.2 What we collect

• Contact and identity details: your name, email address and phone number.
• Order details: delivery and billing addresses, products bought and order history.
• Payment details: handled by our payment providers. We receive only limited information, such as the card type and last four digits.
• Account and communications: account details, messages you send us, and reviews you post.
• Technical details: IP address, device and browser information, and pages visited, collected through cookies (section 14).
• Marketing preferences: whether you have opted in to our emails or messages.

We don't ask for health information. If you choose to tell us about a skin condition or allergy — for example, when asking which product suits you — we use it only to answer your query, with your consent, and don't keep it longer than we need to.

13.3 Why we use it

• To process, deliver and support your orders, as part of our contract with you.
• To meet legal obligations, such as tax records and consumer protection requirements.
• To protect our store and customers against fraud, and to keep our website secure and working well (our legitimate interests).
• To send you marketing, only where you have agreed or where the law allows it (see 13.7).

13.4 Who we share it with

We share your information only as needed with: Shopify, which hosts our store and checkout; payment providers; courier companies; email and messaging providers, if you subscribe to marketing; and professional advisers or authorities where the law requires. Our service providers must keep your information secure and confidential. We never sell your personal information.

13.5 Information sent outside South Africa

Shopify and some of our other service providers store and process information on servers outside South Africa. As section 72 of POPIA requires, we transfer information only where the recipient is bound by law or by an agreement that gives it an adequate level of protection, or where the transfer is needed to perform our contract with you.

13.6 How we protect it

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including encrypted connections and restricted access. If we believe your information has been accessed without authorisation, we'll notify you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.

13.7 Marketing

We send marketing emails or messages only if you have opted in or, where the law allows, if you are an existing customer and we're telling you about similar products. Every marketing message includes a simple way to unsubscribe, free of charge.

13.8 How long we keep it

We keep personal information only as long as we need it for the purposes above. We keep order and financial records for at least five years, as tax law requires, and marketing details until you unsubscribe.

13.9 Your rights

You have the right to:

• ask whether we hold your personal information and request a copy of it;
• ask us to correct, update or delete it;
• object to our use of it, and withdraw your consent at any time;
• opt out of marketing; and
• complain to the Information Regulator (inforegulator.org.za) if you believe we have mishandled your information.

To use any of these rights, email us. We may need to confirm your identity first.

13.10 Children

Our store isn't aimed at children, and we don't knowingly collect information from anyone under 18 without a parent's or guardian's consent.

14. Cookies

Cookies are small files stored on your device. We use essential cookies to run our store (for example, to remember your cart and keep checkout secure), and may use analytics and marketing cookies to understand how the website is used. Where required, we ask for your consent before using non-essential cookies. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings, although some parts of the store may then not work properly.

15. Complaints & disputes

• If something goes wrong, please contact us first — most problems can be sorted out quickly.
• If we can't resolve your complaint, you can refer it free of charge to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (cgso.org.za), or to the National Consumer Commission.
• Privacy complaints can be made to the Information Regulator (see 13.9).
• These Terms are governed by South African law. You can also approach a South African court with jurisdiction.

16. General

• We may update these Terms from time to time. The version on this page when you place an order applies to that order.
• If any part of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the rest remains in effect.
• If we don't enforce a right straight away, we haven't given it up.
• If events beyond our reasonable control — such as extended power outages, courier strikes or natural disasters — delay your order, we'll let you know. You can then cancel for a full refund.
• We may send you notices by email, to the address you gave us when ordering.

17. Contact us

For questions about these Terms, your order, a return or your personal information, contact us:

Email

support@lotuscrown.co.za