Terms of Service

Last updated: [DATE]

Welcome to MaxHealth Pet Diet. These Terms of Service ("Terms") set out the agreement between you and us when you use our website or buy our products. We have tried to keep them plain and friendly, but they are still a legal agreement, so please read them.

1. Who we are and accepting these Terms

"MaxHealth", "we", "us" and "our" mean [MaxHealth Pet Diet (Pty) Ltd], registration number [company registration no.], VAT number [VAT no. if registered], a company based in South Africa that makes vet-formulated, hypoallergenic dog food and treats. We sell directly to you through our website at maxhealth.co.za (hosted on Shopify), and our products are also carried by independent stockists such as vet clinics and pet shops.

By browsing the website, creating an account, or placing an order, you agree to these Terms, our [Privacy Policy], our [Shipping Policy] and our [Returns & Refunds Policy]. If you do not agree, please do not use the website. These Terms apply to purchases made through maxhealth.co.za; purchases from independent stockists are subject to that stockist's own terms.

2. Eligibility and your account

To buy from us you must be at least 18 years old and able to enter into a binding contract. You may need to create an account to place an order. If you do, please keep your login details safe and accurate, and let us know promptly if you think someone else has used your account. You are responsible for activity that happens under your account.

3. Our products and information

We describe our products as accurately as we reasonably can, and all product information, feeding guidance, ingredient lists and other content on the website is provided in good faith and for general information. Photographs are illustrative, and packaging or formulations may be updated from time to time.

Important — this is not veterinary advice. Our content is general in nature and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis or treatment. Every dog is different. Always consult your own veterinarian before changing your dog's diet, and especially before feeding any of our products to a dog that is unwell, very young, pregnant, elderly, or has allergies, sensitivities or a medical condition. If your dog has an adverse reaction, stop feeding the product and contact your vet.

4. Orders and order acceptance

When you place an order you are making an offer to buy. We will send you an order confirmation by email, but this is an acknowledgement that we have received your order — it does not mean we have accepted it. A binding contract is formed only once we accept your order and dispatch the goods.

We may decline or cancel an order (for example, if a product is out of stock, if we cannot verify your payment or delivery details, if there is a pricing or description error, or if we suspect fraud or misuse). If we cancel an order you have already paid for, we will refund you in full.

5. Prices and pricing errors

All prices are shown in South African Rand (ZAR, R) and include VAT where applicable. Shipping is charged separately and shown at checkout — see our [Shipping Policy]. We may change our prices at any time, but changes will not affect orders we have already accepted.

We try hard to price everything correctly, but errors can happen. If we discover that a product was listed at an obviously incorrect price, we are not obliged to supply it at that price. We will let you know, give you the choice to confirm your order at the correct price or cancel it, and refund you if you have already paid and choose to cancel.

6. Payment

Payments are handled securely by our third-party payment providers, Payfast and Shopify. Your payment is subject to their terms and processing. MaxHealth does not see or store your full card details. Your order will be processed once payment has been authorised. If a payment is declined or reversed, we may cancel or hold the order.

7. Shipping and delivery

We deliver nationwide across South Africa using a third-party courier. Delivery, costs and timelines are set out in our [Shipping Policy], which forms part of these Terms. In short, delivery typically takes 2–4 working days, at a flat shipping rate of around R199 [confirm] [, with free shipping on orders over R[____] if offered]. Delivery times are estimates and are not guaranteed, as some factors (such as courier delays or your location) are outside our control. Risk in the goods passes to you on delivery.

8. Returns, cancellations and refunds

Because our products are consumable pet food, food-safety rules apply: we generally cannot accept returns of opened, used or damaged items, except where the law requires it (for example, faulty, unsafe or incorrectly supplied goods).

Under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, you may have a cooling-off right to cancel certain online purchases within the period allowed by law, and you have rights under the Consumer Protection Act for goods that are defective or not as described. Full details of how returns, cancellations and refunds work are set out in our [Returns & Refunds Policy], which forms part of these Terms and does not limit your rights under South African law.

9. Subscriptions and auto-renewal (optional — include only if offered)

If we offer a subscription or repeat-delivery option, you authorise us (through our payment providers) to charge your chosen payment method automatically on each renewal date for the agreed product and price, until you cancel. We will tell you the price, delivery frequency and renewal date before you sign up. You can cancel, pause or change your subscription at any time from your account or by contacting us, and your cancellation takes effect from the next billing cycle. We will give you reasonable notice of any change to subscription pricing.

10. Intellectual property

All content on the website — including our name, logo, branding, text, images, product photography, recipes and design — belongs to MaxHealth or our licensors and is protected by law. You may view and use the website for your own personal, non-commercial purposes. You may not copy, reproduce, republish or use our content or branding for any other purpose without our written permission.

11. Acceptable use

When using the website, please do not: break any law; interfere with or attempt to gain unauthorised access to the website or its systems; introduce viruses or harmful code; scrape, copy or misuse our content; or post anything false, unlawful, abusive or that infringes someone else's rights. We may suspend or close your account if you misuse the website.

12. Limitation of liability and indemnity

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes any rights or remedies you have that cannot be limited or excluded under South African law, including under the Consumer Protection Act. Your statutory rights are not affected.

Subject to that, and to the extent permitted by law: we provide the website "as is" and do not guarantee it will always be uninterrupted or error-free; and we are not liable for indirect, incidental or consequential loss, or for loss arising from your failure to follow product, feeding or veterinary guidance. Where we are found liable, our total liability is limited to the amount you paid for the relevant product.

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify us against reasonable claims, losses and costs arising from your breach of these Terms or your unlawful or improper use of the website.

13. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa, and any dispute will be subject to the jurisdiction of the South African courts. This does not affect any rights you have under the Consumer Protection Act, which may allow you to refer a dispute to the relevant consumer tribunal or ombud.

14. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time, for example to reflect changes in our products, processes or the law. The current version will always be posted here with its "Last updated" date. Changes apply from the date they are posted, but the Terms in force at the time you placed an order will govern that order.

15. Contact us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please get in touch — we are happy to help.

MaxHealth Pet Diet Email: [hello@maxhealth.co.za] Phone: [phone] Address: [physical/return address]