Returns & Refunds Policy
Not the right size? Not the right present? Don't worry.
On this page you will find information on:
- Cancelling your order
- The "Cooling off" period
- Unwanted Item Returns
- Processing Refunds
- Faulty or Defective Item Returns
- Special Orders
- International Returns and Refunds
- Damaged or Missing Item Returns & Refunds
Please contact us with your order # and name before organising any return to:
Underwater Explorers – Returns
Unit 1 Maritime Business Centre
Mereside, Portland
Dorset DT5 1FD
United Kingdom
CANCELLATIONS BEFORE DISPATCH
You can cancel your order for products listed and sold through our online store at any time prior to dispatch towards a full refund. We will reimburse you payments received from you within 24 hours (no later than 2 days) using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction.
Purchases for items manufactured to order, including clearly personalised items such as drysuits, wetsuits or thinsulates, products not listed online but ordered in by special request and products marked as "Special Order" on our website cannot be cancelled or returned once the purchase is confirmed by us and ordered in from the manufacturer on your behalf.
COOLING OFF PERIOD
We have a goodwill extended returns policy for up to 30 days at our discretion from the date of delivery towards a refund (less the standard shipping cost charged at checkout) provided the items are returned with original packaging, tags and are unused.
Please note any cooling off period described above does not apply to:
- Any goods made to order, tailor-made or clearly personalised (including but not limited to suits)
- Items not stocked but listed and obtained as Special Order which cannot be restocked
- Goods that have been mixed inseparably with other items
- Any part of a combination of goods listed under a single package price on special offers
- Digital content including PIN codes and software upgrades
- Sealed goods which you have unsealed upon receipt.
Please request a Returns Form by emailing to sales@dirdirect.com before any return with your order details.
Note that all returned items are shipped at the customer's own risk and remain the customer's property until received by Underwater Explorers, so please ensure they are packaged well and use reliable postal services with tracking facilities. The goods will be inspected on arrival.
Return postages are at your own cost and our outbound shipping costs (if items are sold with integrated basic shipping charges and described as free UK Mainland Shipping) may be deducted from any UK mainland refund unless linked to a fault/defect claim.
* Please note any annual "Christmas New Year Extended Returns" offer until the end does not include products listed in the exceptions above.
PROCESSING REFUNDS
Once we have received and inspected any returned goods in unused and "as new" condition, we will process a refund of the price paid. If you return part of an order, we will recalculate any applicable delivery charge for the remaining part of the order and deduct this from the refund.
You will be liable for any diminished value of goods resulting from handling other than what is absolutely necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods prior to any return. A deduction can be made in any refund if the value of the goods has been reduced as a result of you handling the goods more than was necessary. It's reasonable for you to handle the goods only to the same extent that you could do so in our shop.
DELIVERY CHARGES
If returned product(s) initially qualified for our UK special delivery offer (delivery charge integrated in advertised product price for a minimum spend of £45) or the product was only part of a number of goods qualifying for free delivery (delivery charge integrated in price of products based on total value) a deduction not exceeding the basic delivery charge of £4.90 will be made from any refund at our discretion.
Should any shipment be returned to us due to failure to receive and accept delivery of items already dispatched, you will be responsible for any and all additional outbound and inbound shipping fees as stated in article 12 of our Shipping Policy.
REIMBURSEMENTS
We will make any reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless we have expressly agreed otherwise, without undue delay and most likely on the same day the returned goods are received by us and not later than 14 days after the day we receive back from you any goods supplied.
EXCHANGES
We are currently unable offer an automatic exchange for returned items. If you require an alternative item (and/or size) we will issue you a refund for the price paid for the original item(s) purchased as soon as it is returned to us (less our shipping cost). You can order the alternative item from our site before or after the refund.
INTERNATIONAL RETURNS AND REFUNDS
International customers are responsible for outbound and inbound shipping costs as well as any handling or customs fees incurred during import of the returned item(s) to the United Kingdom.
If any international order is returned to DirDirect as un unwanted item or because of a customer's failure to clear it through their own customs, failure to cover the required tax/duties/handling fees in their country, failure to clear any delivery through and with the relevant courier service and/or due to the customer providing a mistaken/insufficient address or failing to receive and/or collect the item from any courier or postal delivery service for the provided address:
Any refund on the purchase will be made only after the product is returned in unused and new condition, and any relevant duties, customs, penalties or additional fees, in addition to any shipping charges, whether outbound or inbound, have been deducted from the original price of the goods. Please note that depending on country of return and courier services uses, and the time it takes for customs to clear the goods, it may take around two weeks for us to determine any additional charges prior to a refund.
DEFECTIVE PRODUCT RETURNS & REFUNDS
We do our very best to ensure that products supplied by us are as described and fit for purpose. Despite these measures, there may be isolated incidents where a product could arrive to you damaged during transit, with a defect or fault. If you believe a product you have purchased from us is faulty or defective, contact us as soon as you can before doing anything else.
Please contact us in writing before returning any good you believe to be faulty/defective. Failure to do so will void any right you have towards covering any return postage. Should we decide to organise a return using a courier service at our cost, any returned items have to be handed over to the courier in person.
Only pre-arranged/approved return costs can be covered if the product is found to be faulty or defective. If you purchase a product that turns out to be faulty or defective within 14 days after delivery, you can choose to reject it and return the product for inspection towards a replacement or refund.
If any product returned to us in a reasonable time beyond the 14 day period after delivery is found to be faulty or defective, we will organise for a repair or replacement free of charge at our discretion. The provision of a repair/replacement is conditional on our service engineers, agents and/or the manufacturer.
If any product(s) returned to us are not found to have a manufacturing fault or defect, all postage costs paid for on our part will be added to any repair authorised by you or charged to you separately should you not wish to proceed with a repair.
Please note that all returned items until received by Underwater Explorers, so please ensure they are packaged well and use reliable postal services with tracking facilities. The goods will be inspected on arrival.
For manufacturer warranty, please remember that while your statutory rights are unaffected, we deal with manufacturers on your behalf if any warranty issue arises within the first 6 months after your purchase and thereafter at our discretion. Whether an issue is under warranty is ultimately up to the manufacturer (and authorised agents) of that specific product to be decided under the terms of their warranty and pending an inspection of the product. This does not affect your statutory rights.
The time a manufacturer or distributor handles a warranty claim differs between manufacturer/distributor and can also be affected by their location. Regardless of location or manufacturer any warranty claim we receive will be considered and replied to within a maximum of thirty (30) days.
You agree to take reasonable steps as requested by us to resolve the situation including, but not limited to, providing images of the said fault or defect, returning the item to us for assessment through a courier or postal service we authorise, or ensuring its availability for collection.
SPECIAL ORDERS
If a product or its variant on our site is listed as a Special Order, it means it will be ordered specifically for you from the manufacturer or distributor, and it is not a regular stock item. We retain the right not to accept any returns of said product(s) outside of any defect and warranty issues, given such item(s) would not be part of the stock we keep in store, and returns exceptions will apply.
DAMAGED OR MISSING ITEMS
At Underwater Explorers - DirDirect, we take customer service seriously and strive to deliver all items ordered in impeccable condition. However, we understand that exceptions can occur for various reasons. As we rely on courier services for delivery, there is a slim chance that some items may be damaged during shipment or missing from the delivery. Let us assure you that in such cases, we are committed to resolving the issue promptly and ensuring your satisfaction.
CONTACTING US: TAKING ACTION
Damaged or Tampered Parcels: If a delivery attempt is made and a parcel is visibly damaged or appears to have been tampered with, our first recommendation would be not to sign for it and refuse delivery, then inform us by email what the issue is. The consignment will be returned to us at our cost, inspected upon arrival, and we will then arrange for a re-delivery.
Damaged or Missing Contents: If any item or part of a purchased item is missing from the delivery due to any oversight or other reason, or if you notice any damaged items after receiving the delivery, we strongly encourage you to contact us as soon as possible. This will enable us to immediately address the situation and take appropriate measures to have any damaged item returned to us for replacement or refund at our discretion. Should any missing part or missing or damaged item dispatched as part of the original order be out of stock, we will let you know when new stock is available or refund you.
Please note that refunds can only be processed once any damaged items or components of the missing items are returned to us.
A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words
To expedite the resolution process, we request that you take a picture of the damaged item and the shipment with any missing items and provide it to us. This visual evidence will significantly assist us in understanding the nature of the issue and appropriately addressing the matter.
Please rest assured that we consider your feedback invaluable, and by promptly reporting any such incidents to us, you enable us to enhance our services and take corrective actions where necessary. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and look forward to rectifying any unfortunate situation that may arise during the delivery process beyond our control.
If you have any further inquiries or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to ensure that your shopping experience with us is nothing short of exceptional.