Shipping Policy

1. Shipping Coverage

We ship physical products (e.g., course kits, materials, branded merchandise) worldwide, with door‑to‑door delivery. All destination countries are supported—except those restricted by international trade regulations. International customers are responsible for customs duties and import taxes. See sections 3 and 5 for more details.

2. Accepted Shipping Addresses

• We deliver to residential and commercial addresses, but do not ship to APO/FPO, P.O. boxes, or parcel lockers.

• Please ensure your address is full and accurate—street, city, postal code, country.

• If delivery fails due to an incorrect address or restricted location (e.g., an apartment building’s security hold), Dorcas Fashion Academy reserves the right to charge additional redirection or re‑delivery fees.

3. Customs, Duties & Taxes

• All international orders may be subject to local customs duties, VAT, or import taxes. These amounts are not included in your order total and are the buyer’s responsibility.

• The delivering courier may contact you directly to collect these fees.

• We recommend contacting your local customs office for guidance before ordering.

4. Shipping Options & Delivery Times

*Estimated from shipment date—subject to customs clearance and local courier delays.

5. Processing Time

• Orders are processed within 1–2 business days after payment confirmation.

• Orders placed after 2 PM (WAT), on weekends, or holidays begin processing the next business day.

• You’ll receive a confirmation email once your order ships, containing tracking details (for all tracked shipments).

6. Shipment Tracking

• For all shipments, you’ll receive a tracking number via email or SMS.

• Use that on the courier’s site to view current shipping status and estimated delivery date.

• If tracking shows no updates after 5 business days, please contact us at shipping@dorcasfashionacademy.com.

7. Shipping Costs

• We use a real-time rate calculator based on total order weight and destination.

• Estimated shipping costs appear at checkout before payment.

• Certain oversized or heavy items may incur an excessive shipping surcharge—any such fee will be clearly displayed.

8. Multiple Packages

Items may ship separately across multiple packages or carriers. If so, you’ll receive separate tracking numbers for each package. Each will have its own estimated delivery timeframe.

9. Lost, Damaged & Delayed Shipments

a. Lost Shipments

• If tracking indicates "delivered" but you haven’t received your order, report to us within 7 days. We’ll initiate an investigation with the courier and work on finding a resolution (replacement or refund.)

b. Damaged Shipments

• If your order arrives damaged or the packaging is compromised, take photos before opening. Notify us within 48 hours, including photos of packaging and contents.

• We’ll send a replacement or refund once photos are reviewed and confirmed.

c. Delayed Shipments

• While estimated delivery times are guidelines, unexpected delays may occur due to customs, transit, or local holidays.

• If your shipment is delayed beyond the upper range (see section 4), contact us—our courier partners will help locate your package or compensate for demonstrable delay.

10. Address Corrections & Redirection

If you need to change your shipping address after placing your order, email us immediately at shipping@dorcasfashionacademy.com.

• If the parcel is in transit, we’ll attempt rerouting—fees may apply.

• Redelivery due to “return to sender” will incur an additional cost.

11. Returns & Exchanges

Please refer to our Returns & Refunds Policy for guidance on how to return or exchange items.

• Upon return delivery to us, we’ll refund the product cost (minus original shipping, unless the return resulted from our error).

• Expedited shipping costs are not refundable unless we caused the delay or error.

12. Contact & Support

For all shipping inquiries—tracking, damage claims, customs questions—reach out:
Email: shipping@dorcasfashionacademy.com
Time zone: WAT (UTC+1) – responses within 1 business day (Mon–Fri).

13. Policy Updates

Dorcas Fashion Academy may update this Shipping Policy to reflect changes in operations, rates, or legal requirements.
Significant changes will be communicated via email and listed with a new “Last Updated” date at the top.

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Accessibility & Transparency:

• ✅ Clearly states coverage (worldwide), exclusions (P.O. boxes, APO/FPO, restricted countries).

• ✅ Defines duties/taxes responsibility.

• ✅ Details processing times, shipping methods, estimates.

• ✅ Provides instructions for tracking, damage, lost items.

• ✅ Adheres to GMC requirements for refunds, returns, and policy clarity.