Orders and Shipping Policy

Order creation

• When a customer completes a purchase, a separate order and shipment are created for each merchant.
• Products from the same merchant are combined into one order and shipment, even when purchased in a cart containing products from other merchants.
• The order appears in the Orders section of the Merchant Portal as soon as it is created, and the merchant is notified.
• A confirmed order obliges the merchant to provide the product in the specifications and quantity listed on the platform.

Order stages

1. The order is created and appears to the merchant on the portal.
2. The merchant prepares and packages the product and prints the shipping label.
3. The shipment is handed to the shipping company's courier at the merchant's address.
4. The order is shipped and delivered to the customer, with its status tracked on the portal.
5. Delivery is confirmed and the period after which merchant proceeds become due begins.

The order status appears at every stage on the Merchant Portal, and the merchant is notified of each change.

Preparation deadlines

• The shipping company makes one daily pickup run, visiting merchants at midday.
• Orders received by 6:00 p.m. are included in the following day's run.
• Standard products must be ready for pickup on the first run after the order notification.
• Large products, such as strollers, car seats, and room furniture, may be prepared by the second run.
• The preparation deadline for each order appears in the order details on the portal.
• Repeated delays in meeting preparation deadlines affect the merchant's performance rating on the platform.

Shipping label

• The merchant prints the shipping label from the Merchant Portal after preparing the order.
• The label must be clearly affixed to the outside of the parcel so that it cannot be obscured or removed.
• No shipment may be handed to the courier without a label generated by the system.
• A label for one order may not be used on a shipment for another order.
• The information on the label is the authoritative record for proof of delivery and any subsequent claim.

Packaging

Before handing a product to the shipping company, the merchant is fully responsible for packaging it safely and appropriately for its nature so that it is protected during transit from:

• Breakage, impact, and pressure.
• Leaks, liquids, and moisture.
• Dust and scratches.
• The package opening or any parts or accessories being lost.

The merchant must also:

• Secure accessories inside the package and prevent them from moving.
• Seal the product and package securely.
• Apply any required product labels and warnings.
• Confirm that the shipped product matches the order in type, colour, size, and quantity.
• Package a single order in one parcel whenever possible. If this is not possible, number the parcels and associate them with one shipping label.

Outer packaging does not release the merchant from responsibility for safe inner packaging. If a product is damaged in transit, responsibility is determined by the cause: the merchant is responsible where packaging was inadequate; the shipping company is responsible where packaging was compliant and the shipping company caused the damage.

Piperona flyer and parcel contents

• No order may be shipped without a Piperona flyer. Shipping without it is a breach of this policy.
• The flyer must be included with the shipment in the approved manner shown on the portal.
• The flyer fee is included in the handling fee in accordance with the Fees and Settlements Policy.
• No merchant-specific printed materials, cards, or promotional materials may be placed inside or on the parcel.
• No direct merchant contact information, links, or offers directing the customer to purchase outside the platform may be included.
• Packaging or labels carrying another brand may not be used in a way that suggests the sale took place outside Piperona.

This provision protects the relationship between the platform and the customer and ensures a consistent delivery experience. A breach is treated as an attempt to divert the transaction outside the platform under the Seller Terms and Conditions.

Shipping restrictions

• Some products are subject to transport restrictions because of their nature, including batteries, pressurised containers, liquids, and perishable materials.
• The merchant must review the shipping restrictions published on the portal before listing these products.
• The merchant must provide any permits or documents required by law or by the shipping company to transport the product.
• Products with a defined shelf life must be shipped with sufficient remaining validity in accordance with the product page.

Handover to the courier

• Shipments are collected from the merchant's preparation address registered on the portal.
• The merchant is responsible for the accuracy of this address and must update it immediately if it changes.
• The merchant must ensure that someone is present to hand the shipment to the courier at the scheduled pickup time.
• If the courier arrives on time and the shipment is not ready, a fee of EGP 30 is charged.
• Repeated failed pickups affect the merchant's performance rating and may result in limits on receiving orders under the Performance Policy.

Shipping zones and delivery times

• The platform provides shipping within the Arab Republic of Egypt through its contracted shipping company.
• Delivery locations are divided into six zones, with shipping cost and delivery time varying by zone.
• Cost is calculated using the greater of actual or volumetric weight and includes the fuel surcharge.
• The merchant contributes part of this cost in accordance with the Fees and Settlements Policy.
• Shipments valued above EGP 600 are subject to insurance, calculated per shipment.

• The period is calculated from the date the shipment is handed to the courier, not from the date the order is created.
• These periods are estimates and may be affected by exceptional circumstances, an inaccurate address, or inability to reach the customer.
• Large products may require additional time to arrange a delivery appointment with the customer.
• The zone and shipping cost applied to each order appear in the order details on the Merchant Portal.
• A list of the governorates in each of the six zones is available in the Help Center and is updated whenever the shipping company changes its zone classifications.

Delivery attempts and proof of delivery

• Two attempts are made to deliver the shipment to the customer at the address registered in the order.
• The customer is contacted at the registered telephone number before each attempt.
• If both attempts fail because the customer is absent or cannot be reached, the shipment is returned and treated as a refused shipment.
• The delivery record maintained by the shipping company is proof that the customer received the shipment.
• The delivery record includes the shipping-label number, delivery date and time, delivery address, and recipient details.
• Proof-of-delivery information appears in the order details on the Merchant Portal.
• Piperona retains delivery records for at least 18 months from the date of each sale.
• These records are used to respond to disputes or payment objections and shipping-related claims.
• The period after which merchant proceeds become due begins on the proof-of-delivery date.

The 18-month retention period is required by Piperona's obligations to the electronic payment-service provider. The records are used when a bank or card network raises a payment dispute.

Cash on delivery

• The platform accepts cash on delivery as well as electronic payment.
• Cash-on-delivery orders are not confirmed by telephone before shipment.
• The shipping company collects the order value from the customer and transfers it to Piperona.
• High-value orders are subject to collection fees under the Fees and Settlements Policy.
• The merchant may not collect any payment directly from the customer outside the platform.

Customer refusal

• The customer may refuse to accept the shipment from the courier without opening it.
• In that case, the shipment is returned to the merchant and the product is restored to the merchant's platform inventory.
• The merchant must accept and inspect the returned shipment and confirm receipt on the portal.
• The product value is not deducted from the merchant because no completed sale took place.
• The merchant bears the shipping costs of a refused shipment, including its shipping contribution and the cost of returning the shipment.
• These costs appear as a separate line item on the account statement linked to the order number.
• No commission is calculated on a refused order because no sale took place.

Cases in which the merchant does not bear refusal costs

• The shipment arrives damaged or open and the customer refuses it for that reason, provided the packaging is proven to have been sound.
• The published delivery period is exceeded for reasons attributable to the shipping company.
• An error by the shipping company, such as visiting an address other than the one on the shipping label.
• A refusal or cancellation caused by the platform or an error in its system.

Example: In Cairo and Giza, the merchant bears its EGP 23 shipping contribution plus an EGP 30 return-shipping fee, for a total of EGP 53 on the refused shipment. The same rule applies in other zones according to their respective shipping cost.

Lost or damaged shipments

• If a shipment is lost or damaged after the shipping company receives it, Piperona handles the claim with the shipping company.
• Compensation is limited to the cap set by the shipping company and varies depending on whether the shipment was insured.
• The merchant must provide documents supporting the claim, including photographs of the product before shipment, the label number, and the serial number or barcode, where applicable.
• Recording the serial number or unique barcode before shipping is mandatory for products that carry one, such as electronics and baby monitors, to protect both parties in cases of loss or product substitution.
• Insurance does not mean that the product's full value is covered; coverage is limited to the prescribed compensation cap.

Order cancellation

• The customer may cancel an order before it is dispatched, and no fee is charged to the merchant in that case.
• The merchant may not cancel a confirmed order except for an acceptable reason that is reported to Piperona as soon as it arises.
• Cancellation because stock runs out after an order is confirmed is a breach of the merchant's obligation and affects its performance rating.
• The merchant is responsible for continuously updating inventory quantities on the platform to prevent this situation.

Shipping performance metrics

The merchant obligations in this policy are measured using published metrics shown in the merchant's performance profile on the portal, so that evaluation is based on defined figures rather than subjective judgement:

• Metrics update automatically and are available to the merchant at any time through the Merchant Portal.
• If a threshold is exceeded, the merchant is notified of the breach, the orders included in the measurement, and a period to improve before any action is taken.
• Actions progress from a warning to limits on order volume and then suspension of certain products. The agreement is terminated only for serious or repeated breaches.
• The merchant may challenge any action in accordance with the published appeal process.

When the metrics become enforceable

• Metrics appear from the merchant's first order so they are known from the outset.
• No action is taken based on them until 60 days have passed since the merchant's first order and the merchant has fulfilled at least 50 orders.
• Until both conditions are met, the metrics are provided for information and monitoring only.

A minimum order count is required because a percentage based on a small number is not meaningful. If a merchant fulfils three orders and is late on one, the late rate is 33%, which does not represent actual performance. The thresholds above are benchmarked against Amazon's published thresholds for self-shipping sellers, the closest model to how the platform operates.

Shipment tracking

• The shipment status and tracking number appear in the Tracking section of the Merchant Portal.
• The status is updated automatically by the shipping company's system.
• If updates stop or a status is unclear, the merchant may open a ticket in the Support section and include the order number and shipping-label number.