Important Update on Orders, Refunds, Delivery Options and Customer Support

At APES Pet Shop, we are always working to improve how we support our customers, especially when an order does not go exactly to plan.

We recently had a situation where a customer ordered an item from a manufacturer that had sadly gone into administration. This meant the product was no longer available, so we had to either offer a suitable substitute or cancel and refund the item.

There was also a delivery issue, as the customer selected Liverpool Local Delivery despite the order needing to go to Wales. This meant extra postage was required before the order could be sent.

The customer then requested a refund, which we processed on the same day. Our automated system also sent an official email confirming that the refund had been issued.

However, despite there still being time remaining for the refund to reach their bank account, the customer opened a payment dispute.

Why the refund did not complete straight away

We contacted Shopify, as Shopify Payments is responsible for processing payments and refunds through our online store.

Shopify explained that the customer’s bank had declined the refund. This can happen for several reasons, including:

1. The original payment card has been cancelled
2. The card has been frozen
3. The bank account has changed
4. The account linked to the payment is no longer accepting refunds

When this happens, the refund can fail even though we have processed it correctly from our side.

Please contact us before opening a dispute

We kindly ask that customers do not open a bank dispute, Stripe claim or chargeback if they have already requested a refund and received an official automated refund notification from our system.

Please allow at least 72 hours for us to investigate and respond before escalating the matter through your bank or payment provider.

Opening a dispute while a refund is already being processed can delay the matter further and create unnecessary complications for both the customer and our support team.

Please do not change your payment card during a refund

When you request a refund and receive an official notification from our system, please do not cancel, freeze or change the payment card or bank account linked to the order while the refund is still processing.

Changes to the original payment method can cause the refund to fail or be declined by the bank.

Changes to our order procedures

To help prevent similar issues in future, we are making changes to how orders are reviewed and processed.

1. Orders with the incorrect delivery option selected will no longer be processed at the incorrect delivery price. This includes customers selecting St Helens Local Delivery or Liverpool Local Delivery when the delivery address is outside those areas.
2. Products that are no longer available will be cancelled and refunded at item level.
3. If a product is out of stock, we will contact the customer and ask how they would like us to proceed.

Customers may be offered options such as:

1. Cancelling the out of stock item
2. Sending the available items first
3. Sending the out of stock item later at no extra delivery cost
4. Choosing a suitable substitute
5. Discussing another suitable solution with our team

Our aim is to increase customer engagement and make sure any order issues are identified and resolved as early as possible.

Website improvements are coming

We will also be making changes throughout the APES Pet Shop website to improve your experience.

Product pages will include clearer information about:

1. How our order process works
2. What happens if a product is out of stock
3. Which delivery options are available
4. When local delivery can be used
5. How click and collect works

These updates are designed to make ordering clearer, simpler and more transparent for everyone.

New reptile and avian food ranges

We are also pleased to share that a new Frozen Reptile and Avian Foods page will be available soon.

New collections will be added for reptile and avian keepers, with fresh ranges of foods becoming available through APES Pet Shop.

Improved customer support

Our live chat will now be monitored by more than 10 staff members, helping us respond to customer queries more efficiently.

Our emails will also now come from:

info@apesshop.co.uk

This means customers can reply directly to our emails and receive support through our ticket software.

Thank you for your support

We understand that delays, substitutions and refunds can be frustrating. However, our team will always do its best to communicate clearly, act fairly and resolve issues as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your patience, understanding and continued support of APES Pet Shop.

APES Pet Shop is part of the Association of Protecting Exotic Species CIC, a non profit organisation regulated by the CIC Commission.