Return & Refund policy

Return & Refund Policy

At Japan Plaza UK, we aim to provide high-quality products and fair service to all customers. This policy explains how returns, refunds, cancellations, and delivery issues are handled. Nothing in this policy affects your statutory rights under UK consumer law.

1. Your Right to Cancel

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, customers purchasing online may cancel eligible orders within 14 days of receiving their goods.

To exercise this right:

  • You must notify us in writing within 14 days of delivery.
  • Returned goods must be sent back within 14 days of cancellation notice.
  • Orders cancelled after supplier procurement or dispatch may be subject to a deduction reflecting any non-recoverable costs incurred by us.
  • Customer is responsible for return postage in the event of a change-of-mind cancellation.

Customers may inspect goods as they would in a shop. However, where goods have been handled or used beyond what is reasonably necessary to establish their nature, characteristics and functioning, any actual diminution in value resulting from such handling or use may be deducted from the refund, in accordance with applicable consumer law.

2. Return Conditions & Packaging

Returned items should:

  • Be returned complete with all accessories, manuals, free gifts and original packaging where reasonably possible.
  • Be securely and adequately packaged to protect the product from damage during return transit.

Where a product is required to be returned to us for inspection, repair, replacement or other assessment, the customer is responsible for ensuring that the product is suitably packaged and protected for return transit.

Where the original packaging, protective polyform tray or other protective materials are no longer available, the customer should use suitable alternative packaging and sufficient protective materials appropriate to the nature, size and weight of the product.

If a product is returned without adequate protection and is damaged during return transit as a result, we may take the resulting damage into account when assessing the appropriate remedy. Where such damage makes the product unsuitable or impossible to repair, or materially affects its condition, we may take the resulting damage and any applicable loss or diminution in value into account, subject always to applicable UK consumer law.

We reserve the right to make appropriate deductions from refunds where returned goods are damaged, incomplete, or have been handled beyond what is reasonably necessary to establish their nature, characteristics and functioning, where permitted by law.

Nothing in this section limits or excludes any statutory rights the customer may have under UK consumer law.

Warranty Documentation & Manufacturer Labels

  • For products requiring manufacturer or authorised service centre assessment or repair, customers should retain and return any manufacturer warranty certificate, warranty label, warranty sticker, serial number, model identification label and other documentation supplied with the product, where reasonably possible.

These documents may be required by the manufacturer or authorised service centre to verify the product and process a warranty or repair claim. Customers should not remove, damage or discard any manufacturer warranty labels, certificates or product identification labels.

3. Pre-Order / Special Import Items

Certain products sold by Japan Plaza UK are specially sourced or imported to fulfil your order, including but not limited to:

  • Rice cookers
  • Electronics
  • Limited import appliances
  • Supplier back-order items

Where cancellation is requested after procurement or import arrangements have begun, we reserve the right to deduct any reasonable non-recoverable costs incurred in relation to the order where permitted by law, including supplier cancellation charges, courier fees, or import-related charges.

4. Non-Returnable Items

Unless faulty, we cannot accept returns for:

  • Personalised or bespoke items
  • Sealed hygiene/Cosmetic/Food-Contact products once opened
  • Consumable goods once opened
  • Any other goods exempt from cancellation rights under applicable law

For health protection or hygiene reasons, certain sealed hygiene-sensitive products, including eligible cosmetic, personal-care or food-contact products, may not be eligible for a change-of-mind return once unsealed after delivery, where the statutory conditions under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 are met.

This may include eligible sealed cosmetic or personal-care products. Food-contact products will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the product, its packaging and the applicable legal requirements.

Food-Contact items or other Food-Contact Appliances

For food-contact appliances, including rice cookers, the product should not be used for cooking or food preparation where it is being returned as a change-of-mind return.

Due to the nature of these products, once a rice cooker or other food-contact appliance has been used for cooking or food preparation, it may no longer be suitable for resale as new for food-contact and hygiene reasons. We may therefore refuse to treat a used food-contact appliance as a standard change-of-mind return, or make an appropriate deduction to reflect any reduction in value, where permitted by applicable UK consumer law.

Opening the packaging and carrying out reasonable inspection of the product is permitted. However, cooking food, adding rice or other food ingredients, or otherwise using the appliance beyond what is reasonably necessary to establish its nature, characteristics and functioning may result in a reduction in the refund to reflect any diminished value, where permitted by law.

Where a returned appliance shows evidence of cooking or food preparation, such as food residue, rice residue, food odour, water marks associated with use, or other signs of operation, we may take this into account when assessing the condition of the product, any reduction in value and the appropriate refund.

This does not affect your statutory rights where the product is faulty, not as described, or otherwise does not conform to the contract.

5. Faulty, Damaged, or Incorrect Items

If your item arrives faulty, damaged, or incorrect:

  • Please notify us within 48 hours where possible to assist with investigation and courier claims
  • Provide clear photographs/videos of:
    • External packaging
    • Shipping label
    • Internal packaging
    • Product issue/damage

Failure to report promptly may delay investigation but does not affect your statutory rights.

Where a fault or damage is verified, we will provide an appropriate remedy in accordance with UK consumer law, which may include repair, replacement, or refund.

6. Return Shipping Costs

For cancellations or change-of-mind returns:

  • Customers are responsible for arranging and paying for the safe return of goods unless the item is faulty, damaged, or incorrect
  • If an order is cancelled after dispatch or after being handed to our overseas courier, any direct courier interception or return shipping costs already incurred may be deducted from the refund amount.
  • We strongly recommend using a tracked and insured delivery service
  • Returned goods remain the customer’s responsibility until received by us

Where required by law, standard outbound delivery charges will be refunded. Premium or upgraded delivery charges beyond standard shipping are non-refundable.

7. Missing or Undelivered Parcels

If tracking shows delivered but your parcel cannot be located:

Customers must:

  • Check neighbours, safe places, reception, or building management
  • Notify us within 3 days of the marked delivery date
  • Cooperate fully with courier investigation
  • Provide any requested supporting information
  • Where appropriate, provide a police crime reference number if theft is suspected

We will investigate the matter with the courier and request available delivery evidence, including GPS/delivery confirmation where applicable.

Failure to cooperate with the investigation process may affect the outcome of the claim.

8. Fraud Prevention, Security & Inspection

To protect against fraudulent or abusive claims:

We reserve the right to:

  • Request photographic/video evidence before approving claims
  • Require return of goods for inspection before refund/replacement
  • Verify serial numbers and dispatch records
  • Refuse claims where evidence suggests misuse, accidental damage, tampering, or false reporting
  • Dispute fraudulent chargebacks and report suspected fraud to relevant authorities/payment providers
  • Security and Payment Checks

To protect our customers and our business against fraud, unauthorised transactions and payment-related abuse, we may carry out reasonable security and payment checks on orders before dispatch.

Where we reasonably identify a security, payment or fraud-prevention concern, we may decline or cancel an order before dispatch. We may be unable to disclose the specific checks or criteria used as part of our security review.

Where an order is cancelled and payment has already been received, we will refund the payment to the original payment method, subject to any rights we may have under applicable law. Nothing in this section affects your statutory consumer rights.

9. Refused / Failed Deliveries

Where an order is refused, uncollected, or returned due to customer error (including incorrect address provided), we may deduct any return courier charges or other reasonable direct costs incurred.

10. Refund Process

Once returned goods are received and inspected:

  • We will notify you of the outcome of your return/refund request
  • Approved refunds will be processed to the original payment method within 7–10 working days

11. Warranty Repairs & Manufacturer Service Assessments

  • Japan Plaza UK is an online retailer and is not a repair centre. Where a product requires technical assessment, diagnosis or repair, we may need to arrange for the product to be inspected or repaired by the manufacturer or the manufacturer's authorised service centre.

    Depending on the nature of the issue, the product may therefore need to be returned to us and/or forwarded to the relevant manufacturer or authorised service centre for assessment or repair.

    Where transportation to an overseas manufacturer or authorised service centre is required, international transportation costs for assessment or repair may typically be in the region of **£140–£200 for the return journey**, based on an estimated one-way transportation cost of approximately £70–£100. The actual cost may vary depending on the product size and weight, destination, courier and service selected.

    Where a fault is confirmed as a manufacturing defect covered by the applicable warranty, the appropriate remedy will be provided in accordance with applicable UK consumer law and the relevant warranty terms.

    Where the manufacturer or authorised service centre determines that the issue is outside the applicable warranty or is not covered by the manufacturer's warranty terms, any applicable assessment, repair or transportation charges will be explained to the customer before such costs are incurred.

    Where the issue falls within your statutory consumer rights, any necessary costs associated with a repair or replacement will be handled in accordance with applicable UK consumer law.

  • Estimated transportation deposit

    Where a product needs to be sent to a manufacturer or authorised service centre outside the UK for assessment or repair, we may require an estimated transportation deposit before arranging shipment.

    The estimated amount will be based on the anticipated transportation costs and may vary depending on the product, destination and courier.

    The final treatment of any transportation amount paid will depend on the outcome of the manufacturer or authorised service centre assessment, the applicable warranty terms and the customer’s statutory consumer rights.

    Where the issue is confirmed to be covered by applicable statutory consumer rights or warranty terms, any transportation costs that we are required to bear will be refunded or otherwise handled in accordance with those rights.

    Where the issue is determined to be outside the applicable warranty or statutory rights, any applicable transportation, assessment or repair costs may be payable by the customer, subject to applicable law.