Refund policy

Contents

1. General Return Rule

Some apparel, accessories, and custom items are made to order, while other Products, including certain scuba, snorkeling, water-sports, and general merchandise items, may be stocked, distributed, or fulfilled by independent Third-Party Providers. A Product is not treated as made to order unless its description, order details, production method, or other written transaction information indicates that it is.

Subject to any return right expressly stated in a Product listing, promotion, accepted order, or other written offer, we generally do not accept discretionary returns, refunds, or exchanges solely for buyer's remorse, preference changes, an incorrect size or specification selected by the Customer, or incompatibility that was reasonably disclosed before purchase. This rule is especially important for made-to-order, custom, personalized, final-sale, hygienic, used, opened, installed, and safety-sensitive Products.

Return and cancellation eligibility for made-to-order and custom Products is also subject to Section 7 of the Terms of Service, including the custom-order payment provisions in Section 7.1.

2. Damaged, Defective, Incorrect, or Nonconforming Products

Please inspect each shipment promptly after delivery. Contact us at support@neptunesvanguard.com if a Product:

• arrives damaged;
• contains a verified manufacturing defect or material production error;
• is materially different from the Product ordered;
• is missing a paid-for component;
• is subject to a safety recall affecting the Customer; or
• otherwise fails to conform to a mandatory warranty or consumer-protection requirement.

Visible shipping damage, an incorrect item, or a missing component should be reported within seven (7) calendar days after delivery so that we can preserve available carrier, manufacturer, distributor, and fulfillment-provider claims. Other defects should be reported promptly after discovery.

The seven-day period is an administrative reporting request intended to assist investigation and preserve third-party claims. Failure to meet that reporting window does not eliminate or shorten a right that applicable law does not permit the Company to restrict.

3. Information Required for a Product Claim

To investigate a return, replacement, damage, defect, delivery, or other Product claim, we may reasonably request:

• the order number and Customer contact information;
• a description of the issue and when it was discovered;
• clear photographs or video of the Product, packaging, shipping label, damage, defect, or discrepancy;
• the Product's serial number, lot number, size, model, or other identifying information, when applicable; and
• reasonable cooperation with a carrier, manufacturer, distributor, fulfillment provider, recall process, or other applicable investigation.

4. Non-Returnable and Non-Refundable Situations

Except where a Product is damaged, defective, incorrect, recalled, nonconforming, covered by an applicable written warranty, or applicable law requires otherwise, we generally do not accept returns or provide refunds or exchanges for:

• made-to-order, custom, personalized, or Customer-approved Products;
• an incorrect size, color, model, fit, configuration, or specification selected by the Customer;
• buyer's remorse, preference changes, or an item no longer being wanted or needed;
• used, worn, washed, altered, installed, assembled, programmed, contaminated, serviced, or damaged Products;
• opened hygienic, personal-use, life-support, or safety-sensitive Products that cannot reasonably be resold;
• ordinary wear, cosmetic variation within disclosed production tolerances, or screen-to-Product color differences;
• damage caused by misuse, improper care, improper storage, modification, incorrect assembly, incompatible use, failure to inspect, or failure to follow instructions or warnings;
• Products marked "Final Sale" where that restriction is lawful; or
• shipping or production delays that remain within a disclosed estimate or result from circumstances outside the Company's reasonable control, except where an applicable written agreement or law requires a remedy.

5. Scuba, Snorkeling, and Water-Sports Equipment

Equipment return eligibility depends on the Product's condition, safety characteristics, manufacturer or distributor restrictions, and the written terms disclosed for that Product. Equipment that has been used in water, breathed from, worn against the body, assembled, installed, programmed, modified, serviced, filled, contaminated, or removed from sealed safety packaging may be nonreturnable except for a verified defect, recall, nonconformity, applicable written warranty, or other non-waivable right.

Equipment purchases are also subject to Section 11.2 of the Terms of Service, including the Customer's responsibility for appropriate selection, fit, assembly, configuration, inspection, maintenance, storage, and qualified servicing.

6. Order Changes and Cancellations

Contact us as soon as possible if you request an order change or cancellation. Certain Products may enter production, allocation, or fulfillment shortly after submission. We will attempt to accommodate a request that arrives before production, allocation, customization, procurement, or shipment begins, but we do not guarantee that a requested change or cancellation can be completed.

Once a made-to-order or custom Product enters production, or once a standard Product has been allocated, processed, or shipped to an extent that cancellation is no longer reasonably available, the order may no longer be changeable or cancelable, subject to mandatory law and any written transaction-specific terms.

A payment authorization, automated order confirmation, deposit, or receipt remains subject to the order-acceptance provisions in Section 6 of the Terms of Service. Custom-order deposits and remaining balances are additionally subject to Section 7 of the Terms.

7. Lost, Damaged, Stolen, or Marked-Delivered Packages

Shipping and delivery claims are governed by our Shipping Policy, Section 9 of the Terms of Service, and applicable law.

A carrier's delivery scan is evidence of delivery but does not eliminate any right or responsibility that applicable law assigns to the Company, Customer, carrier, or other responsible party.

If tracking shows delivery but the package cannot be located, promptly check the delivery location, household or business recipients, mailroom or reception areas, neighboring locations where appropriate, and any carrier notice. Then contact the carrier and Neptune's Vanguard promptly.

We may require reasonable documentation and cooperation with a carrier or fulfillment investigation. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company is not responsible for theft or loss occurring after correct delivery to the address supplied by the Customer, except where applicable law assigns responsibility to the Company.

8. Approved Remedies and Refund Processing

After reviewing an eligible Product claim, the available remedy may include repair, replacement, replacement of a component, store credit, refund to the original payment method, or another remedy appropriate to the circumstances, depending on the nature of the issue, Product availability, accepted transaction terms, written warranty, manufacturer or provider requirements, and applicable law.

Where mandatory law gives the Customer a specific remedy or choice of remedies, that law controls.

Authorized Returns

If a return is authorized, we will provide return instructions and identify who is responsible for return shipping. Do not ship a Product until authorization and instructions have been provided.

We will cover reasonable return or replacement shipping when the return results from the Company's error or a verified damaged, defective, incorrect, or nonconforming Product, except where a manufacturer, distributor, carrier, or other responsible provider supplies the remedy directly. Otherwise, return and reshipment costs are the Customer's responsibility to the extent permitted by law.

Refund Timing and Method

Approved refunds are issued to the original payment method unless applicable law requires, or the parties expressly agree to, another method. Financial institutions and payment processors control the time required for a credit to appear after the Company issues the refund.

Original shipping charges are nonrefundable unless the refund results from the Company's error, a qualifying defect or nonconformity, an applicable written agreement, or applicable law.

9. Gift Cards and Store Credits

Gift cards and store credits are not redeemable for cash except where required by applicable law. They are subject to the terms disclosed at purchase and applicable restrictions concerning expiration, fees, fraud, resale, transfer, and replacement.

A refund for a purchase originally paid in whole or in part with a gift card or store credit may be returned to the same payment form unless applicable law requires another method.

10. Dive Trip Customer Cancellations

Dive Trips are hosted, organized, coordinated, or facilitated travel experiences and are not governed by the merchandise return rules in Sections 1 through 9. Trip deposits, installment payments, cancellations, transfers, and related remedies are governed by the accepted Booking, any trip-specific written terms, this Policy, and Section 14 of the Terms of Service.

A Participant's failure to make a required payment, provide required documentation, satisfy certification or medical requirements, obtain necessary travel documents, arrive as required, or remain eligible to participate may be treated as a Participant cancellation as provided in the accepted Booking, trip-specific terms, and the Terms of Service.

Any unpaid amount that remains legally owed after a cancellation, missed payment, or other transaction remains subject to the payment and collection provisions of Section 8.1 of the Terms of Service.

11. Company, Provider, and Force Majeure Trip Changes or Cancellations

Company-Controlled Cancellation

If the Company cancels a Trip for reasons within its reasonable control, the Company's responsibility is limited to the remedy stated in the accepted trip-specific terms and any remedy required by mandatory law.

Third-Party Provider or Force Majeure Changes

If a Trip or included activity is delayed, modified, substituted, rescheduled, or canceled because of a Third-Party Provider or a Force Majeure Event, refunds or credits may be limited to amounts the Company actually recovers after nonrecoverable Third-Party Provider commitments, subject to applicable written terms and mandatory law.

The Company is not required to advance or refund money that remains committed to or has not been recovered from an independent provider except where applicable law requires otherwise.

Reasonable substitutions to accommodations, operators, transportation, schedules, sites, or activities may be made as permitted by the accepted Booking, Section 14 of the Terms of Service, and Section 28 (Force Majeure).

Except where applicable law or accepted trip-specific terms require otherwise, the Company is not responsible for separately purchased airfare, lodging, visas, passports, Equipment, insurance, optional excursions, transportation, lost wages, or other personal expenses resulting from a Trip change or cancellation.

12. Chargebacks and Payment Disputes

Before initiating a chargeback, you agree to contact the Company and provide a reasonable opportunity to investigate the transaction, unless applicable law gives you an immediate right to dispute a charge.

Nothing in this Policy restricts a lawful billing-error, card-network, banking, or consumer-protection right. The Company may contest, document, and respond to fraudulent, inaccurate, or abusive disputes and may seek lawful recovery of amounts that remain owed.

A payment dispute, chargeback, or reversal does not by itself eliminate an underlying payment obligation that remains legally enforceable. Past-due balances and lawful collection remedies are governed by Section 8.1 of the Terms of Service, and disputes remain subject to Section 29 of the Terms.

13. Relationship to the Terms of Service

This Policy is incorporated into and should be read together with the Terms of Service. It provides additional detail concerning returns, refunds, replacements, merchandise cancellations, Dive Trip cancellations, and related procedures.

The Terms continue to govern matters including order acceptance, custom-product payment obligations, Product safety, Third-Party Providers, Force Majeure, warranties, limitation of liability, dispute resolution, governing law, claim deadlines, and general contractual interpretation unless this Policy expressly provides additional procedures that are consistent with those Terms.

Any applicable limitation of liability is determined under Section 26 of the Terms of Service. This Policy does not create a separate or greater liability cap.

Any dispute arising from or relating to this Policy is subject to the informal dispute and court procedures in Section 29 and the governing-law and venue provisions in Section 30 of the Terms, to the fullest extent enforceable.

Customer and Participant claims arising under or relating to this Policy are also subject to the contractual claim-period provisions in Section 31 of the Terms of Service, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

14. Contact Us

Submit return, refund, replacement, cancellation, delivery, and related Product or Trip claims to: