Refund and Cancellation Policy

AncientTao provides a personal sourcing and purchasing service for products sourced from China.

Because each product is purchased specifically in response to an approved customer request, our cancellation and refund rules differ from those of a traditional online retailer.

1. Cancellation Before Payment

You may cancel a sourcing request at any time before making a payment.

Submitting a request, receiving product confirmation, and receiving an initial quote are free. There is no cancellation fee before payment.

2. Cancellation After Payment but Before Purchase

Contact us as soon as possible if you wish to cancel after making the Stage 1 payment.

If AncientTao has not yet placed the order with the Chinese seller, we will cancel the request and refund the amount paid.

3. Cancellation After the Seller Order Has Been Placed

Once an order has been placed with the Chinese seller, cancellation is not guaranteed.

We will attempt to cancel or return the product according to the seller’s cancellation and return policy.

Any approved refund may be reduced by actual costs already incurred, including:

• China domestic shipping
• Return shipping within China
• Seller cancellation or restocking fees
• Other non-refundable seller charges

The sourcing service fee shown in your approved Stage 1 quote becomes non-refundable once the seller order has been placed.

Any remaining refundable amount will be issued after the seller completes the refund to AncientTao.

4. Inspection Before International Shipping

After the product arrives at our China office, we perform a basic visual inspection and provide unedited photos or videos for your review.

The inspection may include:

• Product type
• Quantity
• Visible condition
• Color, size, or model when reasonably verifiable
• Packaging
• Obvious differences from the approved listing

Our inspection is not a laboratory test, technical safety inspection, professional authenticity certification, or expert appraisal.

5. Problems Found During Inspection

Contact us before approving international shipping if the inspection shows:

• An incorrect product
• An incorrect quantity
• Visible damage
• A materially different color, size, or model
• A significant visible difference from the approved listing
• Another substantial visible problem

We will contact the Chinese seller and assist with a return, exchange, or refund request.

All returns and exchanges remain subject to the seller’s policy, acceptance period, and available remedies.

Any seller return fees, China domestic shipping charges, or other deductions will be explained before the return is processed.

6. Customer Approval

When you approve the inspection photos or videos, you confirm that you accept the product’s visible condition based on the inspection materials provided.

After approval, AncientTao will securely pack the order and calculate international shipping based on the final packed weight, dimensions, destination, and selected shipping method.

Approval normally cannot be withdrawn after the package has been dispatched internationally.

7. Cancellation of International Shipping Before Dispatch

If you have paid the Stage 2 international shipping invoice but the package has not yet been dispatched, contact us immediately.

The international shipping payment may be refunded unless the shipping carrier has already charged a booking, label, handling, or cancellation cost.

Any non-refundable carrier cost will be explained before the remaining refund is issued.

8. Returns After International Dispatch

Because products are purchased specifically for each customer and inspected before international shipping, AncientTao does not normally accept returns after dispatch for:

• Change of mind
• Personal preference
• Ordering the wrong size, color, model, or specification
• Minor color differences caused by lighting or screen settings
• Minor variations in handmade products
• Packaging differences that do not affect the product
• Delivery delays outside AncientTao’s reasonable control
• Issues clearly visible in the inspection photos or videos
• Products approved by the customer before shipping

This section does not apply to verified shipping damage, package loss, or an item that is materially different from the product approved before dispatch.

9. Products Damaged During International Shipping

Contact us within 48 hours of delivery if a product arrives damaged.

Please provide:

• Your order number
• Photos of the outer packaging
• Photos of the shipping label
• Clear photos or videos of the damaged product
• An unpacking video, when available

Keep the product, internal packaging, and outer packaging while the claim is under review.

We will assist with submitting a claim to the shipping carrier.

Any refund or compensation depends on:

• The evidence provided
• The carrier’s investigation
• The cause of the damage
• The selected shipping service
• Available shipping insurance
• The carrier’s compensation rules

AncientTao cannot guarantee that a carrier will approve a claim.

10. Lost Packages

A package is not considered lost solely because tracking temporarily stops updating.

A lost-package claim may be submitted after the shipping carrier confirms that the package is lost or otherwise permits a formal claim.

Any compensation depends on the carrier’s investigation, the selected shipping service, available insurance, and the carrier’s compensation limits.

11. Incorrect Product Delivered

Contact us within 48 hours of delivery if the delivered product is materially different from the product you approved before shipping.

Provide clear photos or videos showing the product and the shipping packaging.

We will review:

• Your approved sourcing request
• Seller order information
• Inspection photos and videos
• Packing records
• Shipping information

If our review confirms that a different product was shipped from the one you approved, we will work with you to determine an appropriate resolution.

12. Customs Rejection, Return, or Seizure

Customers are responsible for confirming that products can legally be imported into the destination country.

Refunds are not guaranteed when a shipment is:

• Rejected, detained, seized, or destroyed by customs
• Returned because of local import restrictions
• Refused because required duties or taxes were not paid
• Delayed because the customer did not provide requested customs information
• Returned because incorrect recipient or customs information was supplied

Customs duties and import taxes are the customer’s responsibility unless they are expressly included in the selected shipping method and written shipping quote.

13. Incorrect Address or Failed Delivery

AncientTao is not responsible for delays, returns, additional charges, or losses caused by:

• An incorrect or incomplete delivery address
• An unavailable recipient
• Failure to collect the package
• Refusal of delivery
• Failure to respond to the carrier or customs authority
• Incorrect customer contact information

Additional shipping, return, storage, or redelivery costs are the customer’s responsibility.

14. Refund Method and Timing

Approved refunds will normally be issued to the original payment method.

The time required for a refund to appear depends on the payment provider, bank, card issuer, and payment method.

Currency conversion differences caused by the customer’s bank, card issuer, or payment provider may affect the final amount received.

PayPal states that refunds are normally returned to the original payment method and that processing time varies according to that method.

15. Rights Under Applicable Rules

Nothing in this policy limits any customer rights that cannot legally be excluded or restricted under applicable consumer protection laws or payment-provider rules.

16. Contact Us

For cancellation, refund, shipping claim, or product issue requests, contact:

Email: service@ancienttao.org

Please include your order number and a clear description of the request or problem.