Set clear return and exchange rules for your sales model

The legal risk usually comes from using a one-size-fits-all approach where the underlying facts are more specific than that. A generic policy may not match what you actually sell, how orders are fulfilled, whether goods are customised, or how digital access, subscriptions or memberships work. That mismatch can create customer complaints, inconsistent staff handling and wording that is hard to apply in practice. It can also leave gaps around exclusions, exchange conditions, return shipping, faulty items or how store credit and refunds are dealt with across different sales channels.

It commonly sets out when a customer can request a return or exchange, what conditions apply, how the request process works, what happens with faulty items, whether exchanges, repairs, refunds or store credit may be offered, and any categories that are excluded or treated differently. Depending on the business, it may also need wording for sale items, hygiene-sensitive goods, made-to-order products, digital products, subscriptions or cancellation of recurring services. The aim is to make the customer-facing process clear while keeping the policy aligned with New Zealand consumer law.

The drafting depends on your sales model and the practical way customer requests are handled. We look at what you sell, whether products are physical or digital, whether items are customised, how delivery works, whether you operate through your own website or a third-party platform, and whether your team offers refunds, exchanges, repairs or credits in different situations. If you run subscriptions or memberships, we also need to understand billing cycles, cancellation points and what a customer receives immediately on sign-up, because those facts can change the wording significantly.

After you engage, we collect the key details about your products or services, sales channels and how you currently handle returns or exchanges. Your lawyer then drafts the policy or reviews your existing wording and identifies any areas that need clearer treatment. Timing depends on how quickly instructions are confirmed and how complex the sales model is. For example, a simple retail store is usually more straightforward than a business combining physical goods, digital access and recurring subscriptions. The fixed-fee covers the policy work described on this page, not ongoing representation.

Yes. Those business models often need more careful wording because the customer experience is different from a standard shipped-product sale. A digital download, paid membership or recurring subscription may raise questions about immediate access, partial use, cancellation timing, renewal billing and what happens once content or benefits have already been delivered. We can draft the policy to reflect those commercial realities. If your setup also involves app terms, website terms or platform rules, those documents may need separate review so the wording works together consistently.

Submit an enquiry on this page or click 'Get started'. One of our legal consultants will review it within 1 business day and get in touch to understand what you need.

Your consultant will then email you a fixed-fee quote setting out the cost, scope and timing. If you're happy with it, you can accept the quote and sign our engagement letter online.

Once you've accepted, one of our Australian-qualified lawyers will work with you to complete your project. They'll contact you by email or phone if they need anything.

Sprintlaw works on fixed-fee pricing wherever possible, so you can review the scope and cost before you decide whether to proceed. For the Returns And Exchanges Policy service, pricing starts from $900.00.

After you enquire, a legal consultant will confirm what is included, the expected timing and whether any extra work is needed before you engage us.

We work online, so we can help wherever you are in New Zealand. Our team works remotely, mainly from Australia.

Your work is done by our Australian-qualified lawyers, who hold Australian practising certificates and specialise in business law. None of them are New Zealand lawyers or hold a New Zealand practising certificate.

Sprintlaw NZ Limited is a legal consultancy, not a law firm, and is not regulated by the New Zealand Law Society. We don't act in court or tribunal matters, conveyancing (including leases and business sales) or other reserved areas of work. Communications with Sprintlaw are unlikely to be protected by legal professional privilege. We still keep everything confidential under our engagement letter.