Refund policy

Return & Refund Policy

This policy outlines the conditions under which orders may be cancelled, returned, or refunded. Please read it carefully before placing an order.

Important: This policy includes our general cancellation and return conditions and additional provisions concerning statutory consumer rights. Consumers in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), and United Kingdom (UK) may have statutory rights of withdrawal or cancellation as described in Section 8. Where applicable mandatory consumer law provides greater protection, those statutory rights prevail over our general policy.

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1) Order Cancellation

Orders may be cancelled only before shipment under our general cancellation policy. Once an order has been dispatched or handed over to the carrier, cancellation requests will be treated as return requests instead.

Customer-requested cancellations under our general cancellation policy are subject to a USD $15 processing and handling fee. This fee helps cover administrative work, payment processing costs, and currency exchange handling.

The remaining balance will be refunded to the original method of payment.

If Japan Knife Shop is unable to fulfill an order due to product unavailability or other circumstances attributable to us, the order may be cancelled with a full refund and no cancellation fee.

The USD $15 cancellation fee does not apply where a consumer is exercising a statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation under applicable mandatory consumer law, including the rights described in Section 8.

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2) Returns (Change of Mind)

Under our general return policy, we accept return requests within 14 days of delivery, provided that all of the following conditions are met:

• The item is unused, unwashed, unsharpened, and unaltered.
• The item is in the same condition as received, without scratches, chips, corrosion, or other damage caused after delivery.
• All original packaging and accessories are intact and included with the return.
• You contact us in advance to obtain return instructions.

Customers are responsible for return shipping costs to Japan. Under our general return policy, original shipping charges are non-refundable.

Any additional customs duties, taxes, or clearance charges arising from the return shipment may also be the customer's responsibility, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Items that do not meet the conditions above may be ineligible for a refund under our general return policy.

These conditions do not limit any statutory right of withdrawal, cancellation, or other mandatory consumer rights under applicable law. Where such rights apply, including in the EU/EEA and the United Kingdom, the relevant statutory provisions take precedence over this Section.

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3) Defective, Damaged, or Incorrect Items

If you receive an item that is defective, damaged during transit, or different from what you ordered, please contact us as soon as possible at support@japan-knifeshop.com, providing your order number, a description of the issue, and supporting photos where possible.

For visible shipping damage or an incorrect item, we ask that you contact us preferably within 7 days of delivery so that we can investigate the issue promptly with the carrier or other relevant parties.

If an item is confirmed to be defective, damaged during transit, or incorrect, we will provide an appropriate remedy, which may include replacement, repair, or refund, depending on the circumstances and applicable law.

Where the issue is attributable to Japan Knife Shop or occurred during shipping for which we are responsible, reasonable return shipping costs will be covered by us or waived as appropriate. Please contact us before returning any item so that we can provide suitable return instructions.

The 7-day notification request does not limit any statutory rights or legal guarantees available to consumers under applicable law. Consumers in the EU/EEA may be entitled to a legal guarantee of at least two years for goods that are faulty or do not conform to the contract, subject to applicable national law. Consumers in other jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, may also have statutory remedies under applicable consumer protection laws.

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4) Refund Processing

For returns under our general return policy, once the returned item has been received and inspected, we will notify you of the status of your refund.

Approved refunds will be processed to the original payment method unless otherwise agreed or required by applicable law.

The refund amount may be subject to applicable cancellation fees, non-refundable shipping charges, or other deductions expressly provided for in this policy, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Once we have processed your refund, please allow several business days for the amount to appear in your account, depending on your bank, card issuer, or payment provider.

For consumers exercising a statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation under applicable mandatory consumer law, including consumers in the EU/EEA and the United Kingdom, the applicable statutory refund requirements in Section 8 take precedence over this Section.

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5) Import Duties, Taxes & Refused Deliveries

Import Duties, Taxes, and Customs Charges

International orders may be subject to import duties, VAT, customs clearance charges, carrier handling fees, or other local taxes and charges.

Unless expressly stated otherwise at checkout or confirmed in writing by Japan Knife Shop, these charges are not included in the product price or shipping charges and are the responsibility of the recipient.

Charges Paid to Third Parties

Import duties, VAT, taxes, customs clearance charges, or carrier fees paid directly by the customer to customs authorities, DHL, or another third party are not payments received by Japan Knife Shop and therefore are generally not refundable by us.

Customers should contact the relevant customs authority, carrier, or tax authority regarding any possible reimbursement of these charges following a return or cancellation.

Refused Deliveries and Unpaid Import Charges

If a shipment is refused, unclaimed, or returned because the recipient fails to pay applicable import duties, VAT, customs clearance charges, or carrier handling fees, such refusal does not, by itself, constitute a valid return request or exercise of a statutory right of withdrawal.

Under our general return policy, where a shipment is returned to Japan due to the recipient's refusal or failure to pay applicable import charges, Japan Knife Shop may deduct reasonable costs actually incurred as a direct result, including return shipping charges, carrier fees, storage charges, and customs-related expenses, from any refund otherwise due, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

If a shipment is not returned to us, or is lost, abandoned, or disposed of following a refusal or failure to pay applicable import charges, any refund request will be assessed based on the circumstances, the status of the shipment, and applicable law.

Exceptions and Statutory Rights

Where additional charges or delivery problems arise from an error attributable to Japan Knife Shop, we will review the circumstances and provide an appropriate remedy in accordance with applicable law.

Nothing in this Section limits any mandatory statutory right of withdrawal, cancellation, refund, or other consumer protection available under applicable law.

Consumers wishing to exercise a statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation, including those in the EU/EEA and the United Kingdom, should clearly notify us of their decision in accordance with the applicable statutory requirements. Please see Section 8.

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6) Non-Returnable Items

Under our general return policy, the following items are not eligible for return due to a change of mind:

• Items for which a return request is made outside the applicable return period.
• Items that have been used, washed, sharpened, altered, damaged after delivery, or returned with missing original packaging or accessories.

Sale or discounted items are eligible for return under the same conditions as regularly priced items, provided they meet the requirements set out in Section 2.

These exclusions do not apply where they would conflict with mandatory consumer rights under applicable law, including statutory rights relating to defective, damaged, or incorrect items and rights of withdrawal or cancellation available to consumers in the EU/EEA and the United Kingdom.

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7) Return Instructions

To request a return under our general return policy, please contact us at support@japan-knifeshop.com within the applicable return period, providing your order number and the reason for your return.

We will provide the appropriate return address in Japan and instructions for returning your item.

Please do not send returns to any address shown on a shipping label or commercial invoice unless we specifically instruct you to do so, as the appropriate return address may differ.

For international returns, please follow our return shipping and customs documentation instructions to help avoid unnecessary delays or additional charges. We recommend using a trackable shipping service and retaining proof of shipment.

Under our general return policy, returns sent without prior contact or without following the provided instructions may be refused where we are unable to identify or properly process the return.

For consumers exercising a statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation under applicable mandatory consumer law, including consumers in the EU/EEA and the United Kingdom, prior approval from Japan Knife Shop is not required. A valid exercise of such rights is subject to the applicable statutory notification requirements and deadlines. Please contact us for return shipping instructions after notifying us of your decision to withdraw or cancel.

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8) EU/EEA and UK Consumers – Statutory Right of Withdrawal or Cancellation

If you are a consumer in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), or United Kingdom (UK), and applicable consumer law grants you a statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation, the following provisions apply in addition to the rest of this policy.

Where applicable mandatory consumer law provides greater protection, those statutory rights will prevail.

Right to Withdraw or Cancel

You have the right to withdraw from or cancel an eligible distance purchase without giving any reason within 14 days.

For an order consisting of a single item, the withdrawal or cancellation period generally expires 14 days after the day on which you, or a third party designated by you other than the carrier, takes physical possession of the item.

If multiple items from the same order are delivered separately, the period generally expires 14 days after the day on which you, or a third party designated by you other than the carrier, takes physical possession of the last item.

You may also exercise your statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation before receiving the goods, where permitted by applicable law.

How to Exercise Your Right

To exercise your statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation, you must inform us of your decision by an unequivocal statement before the applicable period expires.

You may contact us at:

Japan Knife Shop
Email: support@japan-knifeshop.com

You may send us an email clearly stating your decision to withdraw from or cancel your purchase. You may also use the Model Withdrawal Form provided in Section 9, although use of that form is not mandatory.

No reason is required, and no USD $15 cancellation or processing fee will be charged for exercising this statutory right.

Returning the Goods

After notifying us of your decision, you must send the goods back without undue delay and no later than 14 days from the date on which you notified us, unless applicable law provides otherwise.

The return deadline is met if you send the goods before the 14-day period expires.

Please contact us for the appropriate return address in Japan and return shipping instructions.

You are responsible for the direct cost of returning the goods to Japan, provided that we have informed you of this responsibility as required by applicable law, unless we have expressly agreed otherwise or applicable law requires us to bear that cost.

International return shipping costs may be significant. We recommend using a trackable shipping service and retaining proof of shipment.

Condition of Returned Goods and Diminished Value

You may inspect the goods to the extent reasonably necessary to establish their nature, characteristics, and functioning.

You may be responsible for any diminished value resulting from handling beyond what is necessary for such inspection.

For knives, activities such as using the knife to cut food or other materials, sharpening the blade, modifying the knife, or causing scratches, stains, chips, corrosion, or other damage may result in diminished value.

Where permitted by applicable law, any reduction in the refund will reflect the actual loss in value resulting from such handling and will not be imposed as a fixed restocking or processing fee.

Any assessment of diminished value will be subject to applicable statutory requirements, including requirements concerning the information provided to consumers before purchase.

Refunds Following Withdrawal or Cancellation

If you validly exercise your statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation, we will reimburse the payments received from you for the goods covered by the withdrawal or cancellation, including applicable original standard delivery charges, as required by law.

If you selected a more expensive delivery method than the least expensive standard delivery option offered by us, additional delivery costs above that standard option will not be reimbursed, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

For consumers in the EU/EEA, reimbursement will be made without undue delay and generally no later than 14 days after we are informed of your decision to withdraw. Where permitted by applicable law, we may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back or you have supplied evidence that you have sent them back, whichever occurs first.

For consumers in the United Kingdom, where we have not offered to collect the goods, reimbursement will be made without undue delay and no later than 14 days after we receive the returned goods or, if earlier, receive evidence that you have sent them back, in accordance with applicable law. Different statutory timing may apply where goods are collected by us or have not yet been delivered.

Refunds will be made using the same means of payment used for the original transaction unless you expressly agree otherwise. You will not be charged a refund processing fee for exercising your statutory right.

For partial returns or cancellations involving multiple items, the refund of original delivery charges will be determined in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances of the order.

Import Duties, VAT, and Third-Party Charges

Import VAT, customs duties, customs clearance charges, or carrier handling fees paid directly by you to customs authorities, DHL, or another third party, and not collected by Japan Knife Shop, are not payments received by us and are generally not refundable by Japan Knife Shop.

You may need to contact the relevant customs authority, carrier, or tax authority to determine whether such charges are eligible for reimbursement following a return or re-export.

Where import-related charges were collected by Japan Knife Shop or included in the amount paid to us, their refund treatment will be determined in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances of the transaction.

Exceptions

The statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation does not apply where an exception under applicable consumer law applies, including, where relevant, goods made to the consumer's specifications or clearly personalized goods.

A sale or discounted price does not, by itself, exclude an otherwise applicable statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation.

Other Statutory Rights

Nothing in this Section limits any other mandatory consumer rights or legal guarantees available under applicable EU, EEA, UK, or national law.

Where applicable law provides greater protection than the terms stated here, the applicable statutory protection will prevail.

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9) Model Withdrawal Form for EU/EEA and UK Consumers

You may use the following form to exercise your statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation, but its use is not mandatory. You may also notify us by email using any other clear statement of your decision to withdraw or cancel.

The business address above is provided for statutory withdrawal or cancellation notices. Please request the appropriate return shipping address in accordance with Section 7 before sending goods back.

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10) Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding order cancellations, returns, refunds, defective or damaged items, or your statutory consumer rights, please contact us at:

Japan Knife Shop
Email: support@japan-knifeshop.com

For information on how to return an item, please refer to Section 7. For statutory withdrawal or cancellation rights applicable to consumers in the EU/EEA and the United Kingdom, please refer to Sections 8 and 9.