Returns Policy

1. Scope of This Policy

This Returns Policy covers all purchases through staylighting.com — retail consumers, trade-account buyers, project contractors, and OEM customers. Each return is evaluated against the category that applies to your order, not against a generic e-commerce rule.

If you are unsure which category applies, contact your sales engineer (or [email protected] for new customers) before shipping anything back. We resolve 90%+ of issues without the goods physically crossing an ocean again.

2. The 30-Day Return Window for Standard Products

If you bought a catalogued stock product (from our standard SKU list, not custom-made) and have not installed it, you may return it for a refund under these conditions:

• Return request submitted within 30 calendar days of delivery (proof of delivery date = courier POD).
• Product is in its original packaging, with all hardware, manuals, and accessories included.
• Product has not been installed, modified, painted, or altered.
• Product is free of scratches, dents, or marks beyond what is normal in shipping inspection.

2.1 Refund calculation

• 15% restocking fee applies to all change-of-mind returns, deducted from the refund.
• Return shipping from your warehouse back to ours in Zhongshan is paid by the buyer unless the product is defective (in which case we cover return shipping).
• Original outbound freight is non-refundable.
• Refund is processed within 5 working days of our warehouse confirming receipt and condition. Card refunds appear in 5–10 days; bank transfers settle in 3–7 days.

3. Return Process — How To Start

4. Custom & OEM Orders — Why These Are Non-Returnable

Custom and OEM lighting is made to your specifications — size, finish, fabric, electrical input, mounting. Once produced, it has no resale market to other buyers. For this order, custom orders are non-cancellable and non-returnable once production has started.

Definition of a "custom order":

• Any finish outside our standard palette (brass, copper, bronze, chrome, matte black, ivory white).
• Any size exceeding or below our standard product dimensions by more than 10%.
• Custom shade fabric, custom silk-wrapped cord, custom engraving or logo.
• Non-standard voltage (e.g. 100V Japan, 110V Taiwan, 277V North American commercial).
• Any product marked with a "Custom" or "OEM" tag on the order confirmation.

To minimize the risk on custom orders, we strongly recommend ordering a pre-production sample for written approval before authorizing bulk production. Sample fee is credited against bulk order value above USD 5,000.

5. Sample Policy

Sample units exist for evaluation. We charge 1.3× the discounted order price for samples (covers the manual build vs. production-line cost). Two paths exist for sample payment:

• Refundable sample: You pay the sample price in full. If you place a bulk order of 5+ units within 90 days, the sample price is credited to your bulk order (effectively free sample).
• Non-refundable sample: We discount the sample unit 30% off the discounted price. No future credit; sample is yours regardless of whether you proceed.

Return shipping for refundable samples is paid by the buyer. Sample must be returned in the original packaging, free of installation marks.

6. Damaged, Defective & Warranty Claims

6.1 Damage in transit (carrier's fault)

• Visible damage: Note on the courier's delivery receipt before signing. Photograph the carton and damage. Email us within 48 hours. We file the carrier claim and ship a free replacement.
• Concealed damage: Report within 7 days of delivery. Same evidence requirement. Same outcome.

6.2 Manufacturing defect (our fault)

Coverage and warranty term are confirmed in your order documentation. Most products are covered for 1–2 years from delivery, depending on the fixture and configuration. Coverage includes:

• Electrical failure (driver, LED module, dimmer incompatibility).
• Structural failure (joints, welds, suspension hardware) under normal use.
• Finish peeling, oxidizing, or fading outside natural aging.
• Misaligned shade, crooked arms, visible QC oversight.

Warranty does not cover: damage from improper installation, voltage mismatch, acts of God, surface scratches from customer handling, normal patina of brass/copper (which is a feature, not a defect), or LED color shift over time (within industry-standard LM-80 spec).

6.3 Warranty process

1. Email [email protected] with order number, photos / short video of the defect, and a description.
2. We respond within 1 working day with a preliminary assessment.
3. If approved, we ship replacement part or full fixture within 5–14 working days (depending on whether we still have stock or need to re-produce).
4. You may also opt for repair instructions + free replacement parts shipped to your electrician.

7. Exchanges (Wrong Size / Finish Ordered by Customer)

If you ordered the wrong size, wrong finish, or wrong configuration and the product is still uninstalled:

• We accept exchanges subject to a 10% restocking fee on the returned unit.
• You pay the freight difference if the new item is heavier / larger / more remote destination.
• You pay the production cost difference if the new item is more expensive (e.g. upgrading finish from chrome to brass).

This applies only when the error is yours. If we sent the wrong product (our error), all costs are on us — no restocking fee, no freight, and we cover return shipping.

8. Refunds — Methods & Timing

9. Disputes & Escalation

If we cannot agree on a return, refund, or warranty outcome:

1. Reply to your sales engineer's email with the issue restated and your proposed resolution.
2. If unresolved, escalate to [email protected] — our commercial director reviews within 2 working days.
3. If still unresolved, mediation is governed by the dispute resolution clause in our Terms of Service.

We have a 92% same-resolution rate at step 1. Long-running disputes are rare — typically when the issue is outside our control (carrier denial of damage claim, country-specific import rules).