Fulfillment Policies
Shelf Merch-approved vendors will ship orders according to Digital Store’s fulfillment guidelines. Orders must be marked as "Awaiting Collection" within two business days of order submission. "Awaiting Collection" indicates the order is ready for pick-up and that the tracking number has been provided.
Once a shipping label is created, the carrier is required to scan the order within 24 hours. Performance Metrics.
Shelf Merch vendors must meet the following performance metrics set by the Digital Store:
Seller Fault Cancellation Rate (SFCR): This is the percentage of confirmed orders canceled due to the seller's fault before reaching the "Transit to Ship" (TTS) or "Shipped" status. All sellers must maintain an SFCR of 2.5% or lower.
Late Dispatch Rate (LDR):
The percentage of orders not dispatched on time. Sellers are expected to maintain an LDR of 4% or lower.
Valid Tracking Rate (VTR):
The percentage of orders with accurate and verifiable tracking information. Sellers using the "Ship by Seller" option must input the correct tracking IDs, shipping provider, and service details. The required VTR is 95% or higher.
Return and Refund Error Rate:
The rate of seller-related return and refund errors must be less than 1.0%.
Customer Service Policies
All sellers on the Digital Store platform must adhere to the Customer Order Cancellation, Return, and Refund Policy. This policy is periodically updated, so sellers are responsible for staying informed of any changes to ensure compliance.
Note: As the Digital Store regularly updates its policies, any new guidelines not explicitly outlined will require review and approval by the Shelf Merch team.
Customers may request order cancellations under the following circumstances:
If the shipping method is "Ship by Seller," a cancellation request made within one hour of ordering during the "Pending" period will be automatically processed without a refund requirement.
• If the order status has not changed to "Shipped" after three business days and the seller adjusts the Order Processing Time, extending the Estimated Delivery Time range, Shelf Merch will issue a refund upon customer request.
• If the order is not delivered within the Estimated Delivery Time, Shelf Merch will provide a refund for orders within the contiguous 48 states (excludes Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories, or APO/FPO addresses).
• Orders cannot be canceled once they reach the "Ready to Ship" (RTS) status ("Shipped" in Shelf Merch’s system). For cancellation requests before the RTS status, the seller must either upload the tracking number or approve the customer's cancellation request within 24 hours. If the tracking information is not uploaded within this period, the Digital Store will automatically cancel the order.
Note: Shelf Merch cannot guarantee cancellations for items already in production. If an item is in production, the seller can request a cancellation, but the production cost will still apply.
Refunds and Returns
Customers may request a return and refund only after the order status is marked as "Shipped." They have 30 calendar days from the "Delivered" status update to initiate a return and refund request.
Shelf Merch does not accept physical returns. Digital Store will auto-approve valid return requests, and Shelf Merch will issue refunds according to the outlined policies. Any returns outside this scope are the seller’s responsibility to refund. Full refunds will include applicable Digital Store processing fees.
For any customer refund requests, sellers must comply with the following guidelines:
• Customers must provide reasonable supporting materials (e.g., photos or videos of the product) when submitting refund requests.
• Sellers have two business days (excluding weekends) to review refund-only requests. If no action is taken within this period, the Digital Store will auto-approve the refund request.
• Sellers must not reject a refund or return request without a valid reason. If a refund request is accepted, the seller must submit a ticket to Shelf Merch with all photo and video evidence for processing the refund.
| Reason | Responsible Party |
|---|---|
| The customer no longer needs the product | Seller will refund |
| The customer received a product that did not match the product description provided at the time of purchase. | Seller will refund. Shelf Merch will refund for a wrong or defective item. |
| Product with missing parts or accessories was delivered | Shelf Merch will refund |
| The product's condition upon delivery was defective. This includes poor print quality that does not result from poor-quality image files or incorrect image placement. | Shelf Merch will refund |
| The wrong product was delivered | Shelf Merch will refund |
| The package was not received within the Estimated Delivery Time, and the customer did not consent to the delay. TikTok will issue an automatic refund to the customer. | Shelf Merch will refund |
| The shipping box was damaged, but the product is in good condition | Seller will refund |
| The product was damaged, but the shipping box is in good condition | Shelf Merch will refund |
| The product doesn't fit properly | Seller will refund. Shelf Merch will refund if the wrong size is delivered. |
| The product's fabric, material, or style is not as expected | Seller will refund. Shelf Merch will refund if the item is defective. |
| The colour or pattern of the product is not as expected | Seller will refund. Shelf Merch will refund if the item is defective. |
| If a product is out of stock, the seller may notify the customer and cancel the order. However, these cancellations will negatively impact SFCR. | Shelf Merch will refund if the order is OOS and the customer cancels. |
| Lost in Transit Shipments | Shelf Merch will refund |
| Invalid tracking numbers | Shelf Merch will refund |
| The package wasn't received after the order status was marked as delivered | This is at the seller's discretion to refund. Shelf Merch will not refund if the order is marked "delivered." |
Production Timeframes
95% of our orders are delivered within the estimated timeframes. The production times listed below apply to stocked apparel items. In some cases, items may be temporarily unavailable at the manufacturer, which could result in extended production times.
The percentages in the table reflect the share of orders completed at each specific stage or number of production days, based on data from the past two weeks.
| Product Category | 0-2 Business Days spent in Production | 3-4 Business Days spent in Production | 5-6 Business Days spent in Production | 7-9 Business Days spent in Production | 10+ Business Days spent in Production | Contact us if your order is in production longer than __ business days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accessories - General | 95% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Accessories - Totes and Bags | 78% | 22% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Apparel - All Over Print | 0% | 0% | 7% | 93% | 0% | 12 |
| Apparel - DTF | 97% | 3% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Drinkware - Mugs | 94% | 6% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Drinkware - Other | 90% | 10% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Embroidery | 58% | 30% | 9% | 0% | 2% | 12 |
| Home Decor - General | 86% | 14% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Home Office Decor | 70% | 8% | 6% | 13% | 3% | 12 |
| Kids & Baby | 50% | 47% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 12 |
| Prints | 94% | 6% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Stationery | 85% | 14% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Wall Art & Canvas Products | 41% | 42% | 17% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
Shipping Timeframes
We collaborate closely with our shipping providers to continually monitor and optimize delivery timelines. Shipping durations may vary depending on the product type and specific variants. Variations in shipping times can occur due to factors such as:
• Extended shipping times during peak holiday seasons.
• Delays in international orders due to customs processing or transport via sea/air with limited tracking.
• The percentages in the table indicate the share of orders at each stage or number of days in transit. The data reflects standard shipping within India over the past two weeks.
| Product Category | 0-2 Business Days spent in Production | 3-4 Business Days spent in Production | 5-6 Business Days spent in Production | 7-9 Business Days spent in Production | 10+ Business Days spent in Production | Contact us if your order is in production longer than __ business days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accessories - General | 95% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Accessories - Totes and Bags | 78% | 22% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Apparel - All Over Print | 93% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Apparel - DTG | 97% | 3% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Drinkware - Mugs | 94% | 6% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Drinkware - Other | 90% | 10% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Embroidery | 58% | 30% | 9% | 0% | 2% | 12 |
| Home Decor - General | 86% | 14% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Home Decor - Holiday | 82% | 17% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Home Office Decor | 70% | 8% | 6% | 13% | 3% | 12 |
| Kids & Baby | 50% | 47% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 12 |
| Pets | 90% | 10% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Phone Cases | 88% | 11% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 12 |
| Prints | 94% | 6% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Stationery | 85% | 14% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
| Wall Art & Canvas Products | 41% | 42% | 17% | 0% | 0% | 12 |
Claims for Reprints, Refunds, and Returns
All claims for reprints, refunds, or returns must be submitted within 4 weeks of receiving your order or from your expected delivery date. Requests made after this timeframe may not be eligible for review.
Order Cancellations and Address Changes:
Orders cannot be canceled or have their address changed once they have entered the production phase. Due to the customized nature of our products, vendors typically begin production within 24 hours of order submission. At this stage, we cannot guarantee that the manufacturer will process any changes or cancellations.
To allow modifications, orders can be held in a pending status before being sent to production. Utilize this feature to make necessary adjustments before production begins.
If an order is flagged with an Address Issue and no changes are made within 45 days of submission, it will be automatically canceled. Please ensure that any address changes are completed within this period or before the order proceeds to production.
Reprint & Refund Policy
We strive to deliver perfect orders every time. However, if an issue arises, we can offer reprints or refunds based on the situation. Photo evidence is required when submitting a reprint or refund request. Depending on the issue, the cost will be covered by either Shelf Merch or you, the seller. Upgraded shipping costs are not covered and must be borne by the seller.
Scenarios Where Shelf Merch Covers Reprint/Refund Costs:
• Manufacturing issues with the product.
• Damage during shipping or broken items upon delivery.
• Incorrect product received by the customer.
• Orders lost in transit without any address changes.
• Shipping times that exceed the general timeframes for orders.
Scenarios Where Shelf Merch Does Not Cover Reprint/Refund Costs:
• Dissatisfaction with the product that meets manufacturing standards.
• Errors in product creation, such as incorrect image placement or design uploads.
• Incorrect size selection by the customer.
• Mislinked SKU variants on integrated platforms like Shopify or Etsy.
• Orders still within specified production and shipping timeframes.
• Orders lost in transit where address changes are requested during the reprint process.
• Tracking shows "Delivered," but the package was not received.
Lost in Transit
An order is considered lost in transit if it fails to arrive at the provided shipping address within the maximum specified shipping timeframe. If a customer reports a missing package and the shipping duration has exceeded standard timeframes, Shelf Merch may honor refund requests. Please note that shipping updates may vary, especially with standard shipping methods.
Returns Policy
Shelf Merch does not accept returns. However, the following options are available:
• Some vendors may accept returns if the return address is the vendor’s location.
• Sellers can choose to accept returns to their own address and decide how to handle returned items.
• Refunds are not issued for returned orders. Instead, Shelf Merch may offer a reshipment or reprint based on the vendor’s policies.
Exchange Policy
Shelf Merch does not offer exchanges due to the personalized nature of print-on-demand products. There is no inventory kept for exchanging items.
Apparel Substitution Policy
If an ordered product is out of stock, Shelf Merch may substitute it with a similar item. Substitutions will only be made if the replacement item matches the color and is of equal or higher quality than the original.
Bulk Discount Policy
Shelf Merch does not provide bulk discounts on product or shipping costs, nor do we offer wholesaling services. For bulk orders, items will be shipped in a single box or consolidated into multiple boxes based on the order size.
Custom Packaging Policy
Shelf Merch does not offer custom inserts or packaging for orders. Due to the high volume of orders processed by our vendors, any disruption to standard packaging is not feasible.
For more details on policies such as Apparel Substitution or current production and shipping times, please refer to the relevant sections on our website.
Claims for Reprints, Refunds, and Returns
At Shelf Merch, we are passionate about enabling you to create and print amazing products that showcase your creativity. We are here to empower your designs, foster your imagination, and help drive success for your business!
While we respect your right to free expression, we also have guidelines in place to ensure a positive experience for everyone using our platform. We review uploaded content to ensure compliance with these standards, and Shelf Merch reserves the right to remove any content that does not meet our guidelines.
Prohibited Content Categories:
• Illegal Content
• Hateful Content
• Intellectual Property Violations
Illegal Content
Shelf Merch will not accept or print any content that is illegal. This includes, but is not limited to:
• References to illegal drugs or activities
• Obscene or explicit content promoting illegal acts
• Sexual content depicting penetration, child pornography, child abuse, or rape
While nudity is allowed, it must not depict the aforementioned scenarios. Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and it is your responsibility to ensure your designs comply with all applicable local laws, including those of the destination where your products are shipped.
Hateful Content
At Shelf Merch, we value diversity and inclusivity. We do not accept any content that promotes or incites hatred, harassment, or violence against any individual or group based on protected characteristics, including but not limited to:
• Age
• Caste
• Disability
• Ethnicity
• Religion
• Race
• Nationality
• Sex
• Sexual orientation
• Gender identity and expression
• Victims of major events
We do not tolerate content that depicts racism, defamation, or any form of harassment. We strive to create a safe and welcoming environment for all our partners and their customers.
Intellectual Property Rights
Shelf Merch supports your creativity and self-expression. However, we expect you to respect the intellectual property rights of others. We do not accept content that infringes on copyrights, trademarks, or rights of privacy and publicity. When you upload content, it should either be your own original design or a design for which you have full usage rights.
Ensure that your content does not violate any third-party rights, including:
• Copyrights (e.g., artwork, photos, music)
• Trademarks (e.g., logos, brand names)
• Rights of privacy and publicity (e.g., images of celebrities without permission)
Reminder
All the content you upload to Shelf Merch remains your intellectual property. However, it is subject to review, and we reserve the right to decline or remove any content at our discretion if it violates our guidelines.
Before uploading your design, please review it carefully to ensure it meets our standards. By uploading content to Shelf Merch, you agree that your design complies with our Terms of Service and these Acceptable Content Guidelines.
We are excited to see your creative ideas come to life while maintaining a respectful and positive environment for all!