Shipping & Delivery Policy

Shipping & Delivery Policy

Indian Shopping Mela

Effective date: 17 September 2026 | Version 1.0

1. Purpose and Scope

This Shipping & Delivery Policy explains how dispatch, shipping, tracking and delivery are handled for products purchased through Indian Shopping Mela (ISM). It applies to buyers and sellers and forms part of the ISM Buyer Terms & Conditions and Seller Terms & Conditions.

This Policy should be read together with the ISM Returns, Refunds & Exchanges Policy, Privacy Policy and other applicable marketplace policies.

2. Marketplace Shipping Model

ISM is a multi-seller online marketplace. ISM does not operate as the seller's warehouse, fulfilment centre, courier or delivery company and does not take physical possession of seller products for delivery unless ISM expressly agrees otherwise in writing for a specific service.

The independent seller is solely responsible for the complete physical fulfilment of each order it receives. This includes storing stock, picking and packing the correct product, selecting an appropriate courier or postal service, purchasing or arranging shipping, creating labels where required, handing the parcel to the carrier, providing accurate tracking, meeting dispatch commitments and dealing with shipping problems attributable to the seller.

ISM may display shipping options, calculate rates, provide shipping-label functionality, integrate with third-party couriers or logistics platforms, transmit tracking information or provide other technology to assist the transaction. These are marketplace technology services only. They do not mean that ISM has packed, dispatched, carried or delivered the product and do not transfer the seller's fulfilment responsibility to ISM.

Different sellers may use different couriers, dispatch locations, handling times, shipping prices and delivery services. Products purchased from multiple sellers may therefore arrive separately.

For clarity: a buyer's parcel is shipped by the relevant seller using the seller's chosen or arranged carrier. ISM does not receive the parcel from the seller and does not perform last-mile delivery.

3. Seller Dispatch Responsibilities

The seller, and not ISM, is responsible for shipping every product sold by that seller through the marketplace.

The seller must arrange and manage dispatch directly and remains responsible for ensuring the order is properly handed to an appropriate carrier. The seller must also keep stock and dispatch information reasonably accurate, package products safely, dispatch the correct item and quantity, comply with the promised handling time, provide valid tracking where available or required, retain proof of dispatch, and comply with carrier and legal requirements.

Any shipping cost, carrier account, label, pickup, drop-off, packaging material or other fulfilment requirement is the seller's responsibility unless ISM expressly states in writing that a particular cost or service is included in an ISM program.

4. Handling and Dispatch Times

A seller's handling or dispatch time is the period required to prepare an order before it is handed to the delivery provider. It is separate from the carrier's transit time.

Sellers must not advertise dispatch or delivery timeframes they do not reasonably expect to meet. Made-to-order, personalised, pre-order or specially sourced products may have longer handling times where clearly disclosed before purchase.

5. Delivery Estimates

Any delivery date or delivery window displayed by ISM, a seller or a carrier is an estimate unless it is expressly described as guaranteed. Actual delivery can be affected by the seller's dispatch time, destination, courier network, weekends, public holidays, peak periods, weather, transport disruption, customs or other circumstances.

Where a paid product cannot be supplied on time or within a reasonable time, the seller must provide an appropriate solution in accordance with applicable law and ISM policy.

6. Shipping Charges

Shipping charges may vary by seller, product, destination, parcel size or weight, service level and available courier options. Any applicable shipping amount will be displayed or calculated as part of the purchase process where practicable.

Where products from multiple sellers are purchased in one checkout, separate seller shipping charges may apply because products may be dispatched independently.

A seller must not add undisclosed shipping charges after the buyer has completed the purchase unless the buyer expressly agrees to a legitimate additional service or change.

7. Buyer Delivery Address

Buyers are responsible for entering a complete and accurate delivery name, address, postcode, unit or apartment number and other delivery information requested at checkout.

Buyers should check the delivery address before completing payment. Once an order has been dispatched, an address change may not be possible.

If an order is delayed, returned or requires redelivery because the buyer supplied an incorrect or incomplete address, the buyer may be responsible for reasonable additional delivery costs where permitted by law.

8. Address Changes After Purchase

A buyer who notices an address error should contact ISM or the seller immediately. ISM and the seller may attempt to update the address before dispatch but cannot guarantee that a requested change can be made.

For fraud prevention and payment security, ISM or a seller may decline an address change and may instead cancel and require a new order where reasonably necessary.

9. Tracking

Where tracking is available, sellers must provide accurate tracking details through the ISM order process or other approved method. Buyers may receive tracking information through their ISM account, email, SMS, WhatsApp or another communication channel supported by ISM.

Tracking events are generally supplied by independent carriers and may not update in real time. ISM does not control a carrier's scanning systems or tracking website.

10. Delivery Instructions and Authority to Leave

Where a buyer or carrier selects authority to leave, safe-drop or a similar unattended delivery option, the parcel may be left at the nominated location in accordance with the carrier's terms and applicable law.

Buyers should consider whether unattended delivery is suitable for the delivery location and product. ISM may consider tracking, photographs, GPS or other carrier evidence when reviewing a delivery dispute.

11. Failed Delivery and Redelivery

If delivery cannot be completed because no one is available, access is unavailable, the address is incomplete, or another delivery condition prevents completion, the carrier may attempt redelivery, leave collection instructions or return the parcel to the seller.

Where the failed delivery results from buyer-supplied information or a buyer's failure to collect a parcel within the carrier's timeframe, reasonable redelivery or return-to-sender costs may be charged to the buyer where permitted by law.

Where failed delivery is caused by the seller or carrier and is not attributable to the buyer, the buyer will not be required to bear costs that applicable law requires the seller to bear.

12. Orders Marked Delivered but Not Received

If tracking shows an order as delivered but the buyer cannot locate it, the buyer should first check the delivery location, household members, reception or building management, safe-drop areas and any carrier delivery notice, and then report the issue promptly through ISM.

ISM or the seller may review carrier tracking, proof of delivery, delivery photographs, GPS information, address information and other relevant evidence. The seller must cooperate with reasonable carrier enquiries or claims.

A tracking status alone does not prevent ISM or the seller from reviewing credible evidence that the parcel was not delivered to the correct location.

13. Lost Parcels and Non-Delivery

Where a parcel appears lost or has not arrived within the expected timeframe, the buyer should report the issue through ISM. The seller may be required to open an enquiry with the delivery provider and provide valid dispatch and tracking evidence.

Where the seller cannot supply the product or establish proper fulfilment and the buyer is entitled to a remedy, the seller remains responsible for providing the remedy required by applicable law and ISM policy.

Any compensation or insurance claim between the seller and its courier is separate from the seller's obligations to the buyer.

14. Damaged in Transit

A buyer who receives a visibly damaged parcel or damaged product should report it as soon as reasonably possible and retain the packaging. ISM or the seller may reasonably request photographs of the parcel, shipping label, packaging and product.

Where the product was damaged in transit, the seller must provide the remedy required under applicable law. A seller cannot require the buyer to resolve the matter directly with the courier as a substitute for the seller's legal obligations.

15. Incorrect Product or Missing Items

If the buyer receives the wrong product, wrong quantity, wrong variant or an incomplete order, the buyer should report the issue through ISM. The seller must investigate and provide an appropriate remedy.

Seller-attributable reshipping or return costs for an incorrect order are the seller's responsibility where required by law or ISM policy.

16. Multiple-Seller Orders

Products purchased from different ISM sellers may be dispatched separately. Each seller is responsible for its own portion of the order.

A delay affecting one seller's parcel does not necessarily affect another seller's parcel. Tracking, delivery dates and shipping charges may therefore differ across the same checkout.

17. Split Shipments From One Seller

A seller may split an order into multiple parcels where reasonably necessary, provided this does not result in an undisclosed additional charge to the buyer. Where available, tracking should be supplied for each parcel.

18. Regional and Remote Deliveries

Some delivery services may have longer transit times or additional charges for regional, remote or limited-access locations. Where applicable, these should be disclosed or calculated during the ordering process.

Some products may not be deliverable to certain postcodes because of carrier restrictions, product characteristics or legal requirements.

19. PO Boxes and Parcel Lockers

Availability of delivery to PO Boxes, parcel lockers or similar collection addresses depends on the seller's selected carrier and product. Buyers should use an address supported by the delivery option shown at checkout.

20. International Shipping

Unless a listing or checkout option expressly offers international delivery, ISM marketplace orders are intended for delivery to supported Australian addresses.

Where international shipping is offered, the buyer may be responsible for customs duties, import taxes, clearance charges or local fees where lawfully applicable and clearly disclosed. International delivery may also be subject to carrier and destination-country restrictions.

21. Restricted and Dangerous Goods

Sellers must not dispatch prohibited goods and must comply with carrier rules and applicable law for dangerous, restricted, regulated or temperature-sensitive products.

ISM may cancel, restrict or investigate an order or listing where shipping the product would be unlawful, unsafe or contrary to carrier requirements or ISM's Prohibited & Restricted Products Policy.

22. Seller Delays and Stock Problems

If a seller discovers that an ordered product is unavailable or cannot be dispatched within the represented timeframe, the seller must notify ISM or the buyer promptly and must not falsely mark the order as dispatched.

The seller must provide the solution required by applicable law and ISM policy. ISM may monitor repeated late dispatch, stock cancellation or fulfilment failures and may take action under the Seller Terms & Conditions.

23. Courier Delays Outside Reasonable Control

Postal and courier delays may occur because of weather, network congestion, natural disasters, industrial action, transport interruption, peak demand or other events outside the reasonable control of ISM or the seller.

Such circumstances do not automatically mean a legal obligation has been breached. However, sellers must continue to communicate reasonably and provide an appropriate solution if the product cannot ultimately be supplied within the timeframe required by law.

24. Change-of-Mind Return Shipping

Shipping for voluntary change-of-mind exchanges is governed by the ISM Returns, Refunds & Exchanges Policy. Unless ISM or the seller expressly offers free change-of-mind returns, the buyer is generally responsible for the reasonable cost of returning an eligible change-of-mind product and any applicable replacement delivery cost disclosed through the exchange process.

25. Shipping Costs for Faulty Products

Where a product is confirmed to have a problem covered by the Australian Consumer Law, reasonable return costs must be handled in accordance with the law. For products that can reasonably be posted or returned, a buyer may initially return the product; if the product is confirmed to have a problem, reasonable return costs paid by the buyer must be reimbursed where required by law.

For products that are large, heavy or difficult to return, the responsible business may be required to collect the product or pay the reasonable return cost in accordance with the Australian Consumer Law.

26. Risk, Ownership and Consumer Rights

Nothing in this Policy is intended to transfer risk to a buyer in a way that removes rights that cannot lawfully be excluded. Questions about loss, damage, non-delivery or product failure will be handled having regard to the transaction, delivery evidence, seller obligations and applicable law.

27. Seller Proof and Record Keeping

Sellers should retain reasonable records relating to order acceptance, dispatch date, carrier, tracking number, parcel weight where available, delivery evidence and relevant communications.

ISM may request these records when investigating a non-delivery, late-delivery, chargeback, return or other fulfilment dispute.

28. Buyer Cooperation

Buyers must provide truthful information when reporting a shipping problem and reasonably cooperate with investigations. Buyers must not submit false non-delivery claims, manipulate delivery evidence or abuse chargeback or dispute processes.

Nothing in this section prevents a buyer from making a genuine complaint or exercising legitimate rights under Australian law.

29. ISM's Role in Shipping Disputes

ISM's role is limited to operating the marketplace and, where appropriate, facilitating communication or reviewing marketplace information relating to a shipping dispute. ISM does not physically investigate, collect, transport or deliver seller parcels.

ISM may review order records, tracking information and evidence, contact the seller, apply marketplace policies, place legitimate transaction holds or take other action permitted by its Terms. This administrative assistance does not make ISM the carrier, fulfilment provider or seller of an independent seller's product.

The seller remains responsible for its fulfilment and shipping obligations, including resolving seller-attributable dispatch, non-delivery, incorrect-item and transit issues as required by applicable law and ISM policy.

30. Australian Consumer Law

Online purchases are subject to applicable consumer protections. Consumer guarantees and other rights cannot be removed by this Policy. If a seller fails to supply a paid product on time or within a reasonable time, or if a product does not meet applicable consumer guarantees, the buyer may be entitled to a remedy depending on the circumstances.

31. Policy Changes

ISM may update this Policy to reflect changes in marketplace operations, shipping providers, technology or law. Material changes will apply prospectively and will be communicated where required by law.

32. Contact

For shipping, delivery or order support:

Indian Shopping MelaEmail: support@indianshoppingmela.com.auWebsite: indianshopping.online