Terms & Privacy

1. Introduction & General Terms

• Company Information: These Terms govern your relationship with The Plonk Shop (Pty) Ltd, (Registration No: 2026/504979/07). We operate under Liquor Licence No: FSGL/02/08/48/19, issued by the Free State Liquor Authority. A full list of company directors is available upon request.

• Contact & Legal Service: Our physical address and domicilium citandi et executandi (for service of legal documents) is 212 Boundary Road, Parys District, 9585, South Africa. Legal documents must be served via email to legal@plonk.co.za.

• Policies & Platform Use: Your data is protected per our Privacy Policy. Access to our records is governed by PAIA; view our PAIA Manual. By using our site, you agree not to engage in illegal activities or transmit malware. We may utilize AI assistants; please independently verify critical information like pricing before relying on it.

• Amendments & Privacy: We reserve the right to update these terms at any time without prior notice. Your personal data is protected in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).

• Termination: We reserve the right to terminate your account or access to our services at any time if we suspect a breach of these Terms. Where we do so, we will refund in full any amount you have paid for goods not yet delivered.

2. Use of Our Platform

• Acceptable Use: You are prohibited from using our site for illegal purposes, transmitting malware, scraping data, or harassing others.

• Third-Party & AI Tools: Our site features third-party links and may utilize AI assistants. You use these tools at your own risk; always independently verify critical information like pricing before relying on it.

• User Submissions: Any comments, feedback, or creative ideas you submit may be edited, published, and utilised by us without restriction or obligation for compensation. This does not apply to your personal information, which is dealt with under our Privacy Policy.

3. Sales & Products

• Age Restriction:

  Alcohol is sold strictly to individuals 18 years of age or older. Valid proof of identification will be required upon delivery.

  By placing an order you warrant that:

  (a) you are 18 years of age or older;

  (b) the person who will receive the delivery is 18 years of age or older;

  (c) you are not purchasing liquor for or on behalf of any person under the age of 18; and

  (d) the information you have given us regarding your age and identity is true.

  We may at any time require you to confirm your date of birth, require production of a valid South African identity document, driver’s licence or passport before releasing an order, and refuse, hold or cancel any order where we have reasonable doubt as to age or identity.

• Pricing & Accuracy: All transactions are processed in South African Rand (ZAR). We reserve the right to cancel orders if an obvious system or pricing error occurs. We reserve the right to cancel orders and refund you if an obvious system or pricing error occurs on our site.

• Ownership: All goods remain the sole property of The Plonk Shop until full payment has been received and cleared.

Product availability

• All products are subject to availability. Where we are unable to supply an item after payment, we will notify you and you may elect to await restocking, to substitute another item of your choosing, or to cancel and receive a refund.
• We do not substitute products without your consent.
• Where we are unable to perform because the goods are unavailable, we will notify you immediately and refund any payment received within 30 days of that notification, as contemplated in section 46(3) of the ECT Act.
• We will execute your order within 30 days of receipt unless a different period has been agreed with you. Failing that, you may cancel on seven days’ written notice.

Product descriptions

• Images are for illustration only. Wine, spirits and other agricultural products are not manufactured to fixed specification, and vintages, alcohol content, labels, closures and packaging vary between releases. Older bottles may show ullage, label wear, staining or fading consistent with age and cellaring; this is not a defect. Where we are aware of a particular condition issue we will disclose it on the product page, and that description forms part of what you agree to purchase.
• Tasting notes, scores, awards and reviews are expressions of opinion and are not warranties as to the characteristics of the goods.

4. Legal, Liability & Disputes

• Limitation of Liability: Our platform and products are provided on an “as is” basis. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the site.

• Subject to the above, our total liability arising from any order is limited to the amount you paid for that order.

• Force Majeure: We are not liable for delay or failure caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including load-shedding, network or carrier failure, strikes, extreme weather, fire, flood, civil unrest, epidemic or government action. Where such an event prevents delivery, we will notify you and refund you in full.

• Severability & Indemnification: If any specific clause is deemed unenforceable by a court, the remaining provisions remain valid. You agree to indemnify us against any third-party claims arising from your breach of these Terms, and in particular against any loss, claim or liability arising from any misrepresentation by you as to your age or the age of the person receiving a delivery, or from your purchase of liquor for a person under the age of 18.

• Governing Law & Disputes: These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. If a complaint (sent to info@plonk.co.za) remains unresolved after 15 business days, you may refer it free of charge to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO).

• Electronic communications: You agree that we may communicate with you electronically, and that electronic records and communications satisfy any legal requirement of writing or signature under the ECT Act.

5. Payments and Security

• Currency & Accepted Methods: All transactions are processed in South African Rand (ZAR). We accept online payments via Visa and MasterCard.

• Secure Processing: Card transactions are acquired for The Plonk Shop via our approved payment gateway, Paystack.

• Data Protection & Encryption: We prioritize your financial security. Your personal customer information is stored securely and strictly separate from your payment details. The Plonk Shop does not store any credit card details on our website. All payment data is processed using strict Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption directly by our payment gateway.

• Further Security Info: For more information on payment security and certification, please review the security policy directly on our payment provider’s website.

6. Delivery and Returns

Delivery Terms

• South Africa Only: We currently only offer delivery within the borders of the Republic of South Africa.

• Timelines & Logistics: Subject to availability and payment confirmation, orders are processed within 2 business days. Deliveries are fulfilled by our chosen distributor.

Cancellations & Unwanted Goods

• Pre-Dispatch: You may cancel your order at no charge for a full refund at any time before it is dispatched.

• 7-Day Cooling-Off (ECT Act): You have 7 days after receiving your order to cancel without penalty. You will receive a full refund within 30 days, but you are responsible for the direct cost of returning the goods.

• 30-Day Voluntary Return: We accept returns of unwanted items within 30 days of delivery, provided they are unopened, unused, and in their original packaging. The customer bears the return shipping cost.

• Exclusions: We cannot accept returns on personalized items, perishables, or goods that have been unsealed, opened, or tasted. We also cannot accept returns on gift cards and vouchers, on goods which by their nature cannot be returned.

Damaged, Incorrect, or Defective Goods

• Transit Damage & Errors: If your order arrives damaged, short, or incorrect, please note it on the courier’s waybill and email us at onlineorders@plonk.co.za with photos within 48 hours. We will replace or refund the affected items at our expense.

• Defective Goods: Under the Consumer Protection Act, you have a 6-month warranty against defects. Where goods are unsafe, defective, of poor quality or not fit for their ordinary purpose, you may return them to us within six months of delivery, without penalty and at our risk and expense, and we will repair, replace or refund. For wine or spirits, you must notify us within 30 days of noticing the defect and retain the bottle, cork/closure, and at least half the contents for assessment. We will arrange the collection at our cost.

• Incorrect or Misdescribed Goods: Where the goods delivered do not correspond with those ordered, or do not conform to the description under which they were offered, you may reject and return them within 10 business days of delivery. Collection is at our risk and expense, and we will at your election supply the correct goods or refund you in full.

• Matters Not Constituting a Defect: We are not obliged to accept the return of, or to refund, goods by reason of:

  (a) subjective dissatisfaction with the taste, aroma or character of the goods;

  (b) variation between vintages, batches or production runs;

  (c) characteristics disclosed on the product page prior to purchase, including ullage, label wear, staining or fading;

  (d) damage caused by misuse or by failure to observe the manufacturer’s instructions; or

  (e) deterioration attributable to the manner in which the goods were stored after delivery.

  Where we have specifically drawn your attention to the particular condition of goods before you purchased them and you accepted them in that condition, the implied warranty does not apply to that particular condition, but continues to apply in all other respects (section 55(6) of the CPA).

Refund Processing

• Timelines: Approved refunds are processed to your original payment method within 5 to 10 business days.

• Exchanges: We do not process direct exchanges. Please return the unwanted goods in accordance with this policy and place a separate, new order.