Returns & Refunds Policy

Returns & Refunds Policy

Need to return an item? We’re here to help.

Contact Us Before Returning Goods

Please contact us before arranging any return. Include your name, order number and the reason for the return so we can advise you correctly and, where required, issue a returns form or return instructions.

Email: sales@dirdirect.com

Returns address:

Underwater Explorers – Returns
Unit 1 Maritime Business Centre
Mereside, Portland
Dorset DT5 1FD
United Kingdom

Cancellations Before Dispatch

You may cancel an online order before dispatch for a full refund, unless the order includes a confirmed special order, custom-made item, made-to-measure item, modified item or any product ordered from a manufacturer specifically for you.

Where cancellation is accepted before dispatch, we will normally refund you within 24 hours and no later than 2 working days, using the original payment method.

Change of Mind Returns

UK customers: In addition to your statutory rights, we offer a goodwill returns period of up to 30 days from delivery for eligible unused products.

International customers: Eligible change-of-mind returns must be requested within 14 days of delivery unless a longer period is confirmed in writing by us.

To qualify for a change-of-mind return, the item must be unused, complete, undamaged, and returned with its original packaging, labels, tags, manuals, and accessories.

Change of mind returns do not affect your statutory rights if goods are faulty, defective or misdescribed.

Items Excluded From Change of Mind Returns

The following items cannot be returned for a change of mind, unless faulty or covered by a valid warranty claim:

• Goods made to order, tailor-made, modified, configured, or clearly personalised, including, but not limited to, drysuits, wetsuits, undersuits, and thinsulates.
• Products specially ordered or sourced for you that are not normally held as standard stock and cannot reasonably be restocked.
• Goods that have been used in water, including pool, freshwater, saltwater or test use.
• Sealed goods that have been opened where the seal is relevant for safety, hygiene, software, activation or resale condition.
• Digital content, PIN codes, software upgrades, downloads and activation codes.
• Dive computers or similar electronics that have been activated, registered, updated or used, unless the return relates to a defect or warranty issue.
• Goods that have been mixed inseparably with other items.
• Part of a package, bundle or combination of goods sold together at a single special package price, unless we agree otherwise.

How to Return Goods

Before returning any item, please email sales@dirdirect.com with your order number and request a returns form or return instructions.

Returned items are sent at your own risk and remain your responsibility until received by Underwater Explorers. Please package items carefully and use a reliable postal or courier service.

All returned goods are inspected on arrival. We may reduce or refuse a refund where goods are used, incomplete, damaged, missing packaging or handled beyond what would reasonably be necessary to inspect them in a shop.

Refund Processing

Once returned goods have been received and inspected, we will refund the eligible amount to the original payment method where possible.

Refunds are normally processed without undue delay, and often on the same day the returned goods are inspected. PayPal refunds usually appear quickly, while card refunds may take longer depending on your bank or card provider.

If you return only part of an order, we may recalculate any delivery charge or free delivery threshold that applied to the original order and deduct the relevant amount from the refund.

Delivery Charges & Return Costs

For change-of-mind returns, return postage is your responsibility.

If your order qualified for our UK free delivery offer and you make a change-of-mind return, we will only deduct the original basic delivery cost if the value of the items you keep would no longer have qualified for free delivery.

For example, if you purchased several items and the remaining items after your return still exceed the free delivery threshold, no delivery deduction will be made. Any delivery deduction applied will not exceed the standard UK mainland basic delivery charge.

If a shipment is returned to us because delivery was refused, not collected, not accepted, or because an incorrect or insufficient address was provided, you will be responsible for the outbound and inbound shipping costs, as explained in our Shipping Policy.

Where an item is confirmed as faulty, defective, or incorrectly supplied by us, we will cover approved reasonable return costs. You must contact us before returning faulty or defective goods, as unapproved return methods or costs will not be reimbursed.

Exchanges

We do not currently offer automatic exchanges. If you need a different item, size or colour, please place a new order. Once the original eligible item is returned and inspected, we will process the applicable refund.

Special Orders, Custom Products, Bundles & Sets

Products marked as Special Order, custom orders, tailored configurations, modified products, made-to-order products and any product specially sourced for you are ordered or prepared specifically in response to your request.

Where an item is made to your specification, customised, modified, manufactured to order, or otherwise specially obtained and not normally held as standard stock, it is excluded from the statutory cancellation right and from our standard goodwill returns policy, except where the item is faulty, defective or subject to a valid warranty claim.

Products sold together as a package, system, set, bundle or other combined offer are treated as a single product purchase for returns purposes. These items remain subject to our standard returns policy; however, the complete package, including all supplied products, parts and accessories, must be returned together. We do not accept partial returns of individual items from a package, system, set or bundle. 

The automated electronic withdrawal or cancellation function, including any two-step cancellation button provided by the online platform, cannot be used to cancel confirmed special orders, customised products, made-to-measure dive wear, once they have been accepted or put into progress. We reserve the right to decline cancellation, withdrawal or return requests for these items, except where your statutory rights apply.

Faulty Products, Defects & Warranty Claims

We aim to supply products that are as described, fit for purpose and free from defects. If you believe an item is faulty, defective or incorrectly supplied, please email us before returning it.

Please include your order number, a clear description of the issue and, where helpful, photographs or video showing the problem. We may ask you to return the item for inspection, make it available for collection, or follow manufacturer-approved checks before a return is arranged.

If a product is faulty within 30 days of delivery, you may have the right to reject it for a refund, repair or replacement, subject to inspection and confirmation of the fault.

If a fault is confirmed after the initial 30-day period, we will normally arrange repair or replacement free of charge where required by law or warranty terms. The final remedy may depend on inspection by us, our service engineers, the manufacturer or an authorised agent.

Where a returned product is not found to have a manufacturing fault or defect, you may be responsible for inspection, return postage, repair costs or any costs already incurred by us, depending on the circumstances.

Manufacturer warranty claims are handled in accordance with the relevant manufacturer's warranty terms. We will normally liaise with manufacturers on your behalf for warranty issues arising within the first 6 months after purchase, and thereafter at our discretion. This does not affect your statutory rights.

The time required to assess warranty claims varies by manufacturer, distributor and location. We will consider and respond to any warranty claim submitted to us within 30 days.

Damaged, Tampered or Missing Deliveries

We aim to deliver all items in perfect condition, but courier damage, tampering or missing contents can occasionally occur. Please report any delivery problem to us as soon as possible.

Damaged or tampered parcels: If a parcel is visibly damaged or appears to have been tampered with at the point of delivery, we recommend that you do not accept it. Please contact us immediately so the consignment can be returned, inspected and resolved.

Damaged or missing contents: If you notice damaged goods, missing items or missing parts after delivery, please contact us promptly with your order number and photographs of the parcel, packaging and affected items.

Providing photographs helps us resolve the issue more quickly with the courier and, where appropriate, arrange replacement parts, a replacement item, repair, collection or refund.

Refunds for damaged goods may require the damaged item or affected part to be returned to us first, unless we confirm otherwise.

International Returns

International customers are responsible for return shipping costs and any customs, import, export, duty, tax, handling, or clearance charges associated with returning goods to the United Kingdom, unless the return is due to a confirmed fault or our error.

If an international order is returned because it is unwanted, refused, not collected, not cleared through customs, affected by unpaid taxes or duties, or because an incorrect or insufficient delivery address was provided, any refund will only be processed once the goods have been returned to us in unused and resaleable condition and all related costs are confirmed.

Any outbound shipping costs, return shipping costs, courier charges, customs duties, taxes, penalties, clearance fees or handling charges incurred may be deducted from the refund. Please note that, depending on the courier, country, and customs processing involved, it may take additional time for these charges to be reported to us and for a final refund amount to be calculated.

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