COMPANY POLICIES
To clear up any confusion, the following policies are in place to protect the company as well as the customer from any prevarications when it comes to what we offer and how we offer it.
PAYMENT TERMS
Almost all of our sales is "make-to-order." That means that we have to queue our customer orders according to intention to purchase. This is simply determined by first-come-first-serve along with deposit paid. Where we can manipulate the production timelines to benefit all, we will do so to speed up delivery.
However, it is a long-standing policy that we require a deposit of 50% until goods are ready, thereafter the balance paid before goods are despatched. Our reputation of 35 years in business, as well as welcomed site-visits and goods inspections, should put all fears of fraud to rest.
Cheques are welcome; However, they will only reflect once the clearance period is covered. They will not be acceptable to use when paying the balance and collecting goods.
There are no on-site credit card facilities. Electronic transfers may be used, But the goods will only be released once the payment reflects in the account. Use of online PayPal / credit payments will include a 5% charge, which is simply the charge due to the credit card companies.
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Since goods are manufactured to order, cancellations of orders will incur penalties. If it is a "top-selling" item, the penalty will be 10%. If the product is custom-ordered, only 10% will be refunded. Deviations from this policy will be at the discretion of management and each case will be reviewed in fairness.
WARRANTY
All machinery is warranted to function as intended for a period of 1 year. This does not include wear and tear. Our manufacture process incorporates quality testing at various stages of production. We are confident in our products and have our process audited annually by SABS for ISO9001 certification. In the event of a machine fault, we will offer the repair or replacement of faulty items. Upon special requests, if circumstances allow it, we will have an outsourced consultant rectify the problem.
If a problem is being experienced, it is extremely important to firstly keep in mind that the operation is at fault; It is in our experience that almost all reported issues are resolved through a change in mixing, operating procedure, or machine settings. We are striving for a sigma 6 defect ratio.
In the case of a warranty claim, goods must be returned to the factory for inspection. After the fault is determined, actions will be taken to rectify or replace the affected parts or products. Unfortunately, transport is not covered by the warranty. In the case of a valid warranty claim, credit will be extended as compensation where applicable.
SHIPPING & TRANSPORT
Both domestic transport and export freight will be quoted at the best rate achievable from our various preferred suppliers. In many export cases, sea freight is selected over road or air freight. With all local deliveries, insurance is not included. In the event of damage, we will place a claim on your behalf from the delivery companies. For export shipping, the terms are FOB and insurance is included in the quotation unless otherwise stated. Claims will be made through / against the freight forwarders directly and Doubell Machines is not liable.
The machinery shipped is usually rugged, but packaging will attempt to prevent damage in anticipation based on historical non-conformances and where obvious dangers are identified.
RETURNS
Since almost all sales are made to order, penalties will be incurred. For products in demand, 10% penalties will be incurred to off-set handling and paintwork repairs. For custom-sized orders or "cold-sellers", management will need to make a decision on a case-by-case scenario.
LAY-BY
Doubell Machines makes provision for handling money in lay-by terms. Installments can be made over a 6-month period, after which the balance of a machine is due. Money may be withdrawn and the lay-by cancelled after a 1-week notice period. Machinery is reserved for a customer and the price held steadfast.