Returns, Refunds & Exchanges Policy

AQNOVA MARKETPLACE

Global Legal Footer Framework

Comprehensive Compliance & Platform Governance Reference

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Global Returns Framework — Consumer Rights, Platform Standards & Food Product Policy

Effective Date: April 7, 2026 | Version 1.0 | Arivon Holding Corporation

This Returns, Refunds & Exchanges Policy ("Returns Policy") sets out the complete framework governing all return, refund, exchange, and remedy requests on the AqNova Marketplace. It applies to all Buyers and Vendors. This Policy is designed to: meet or exceed statutory consumer protection requirements in all jurisdictions where AqNova operates; provide a consistent and trustworthy shopping experience; protect Arivon Holding Corporation and AqNova from return fraud and abuse; and address the specific challenges posed by food and perishable product returns.

This Policy is a supplemental document to Section 4.0 (Orders, Payments & Consumer Rights) and the Buyer Terms & Protection Policy (Section 2.1). In the event of any conflict between this Policy and those documents on returns-specific matters, this Policy governs. Vendor-specific return policies that are more favorable to Buyers than this Policy are permitted; policies that are less favorable are void to the extent of the inconsistency.

4.2.1 Standard 30-Day Return Window — AqNova Platform Policy

AqNova's standard return window is 30 calendar days from the date of delivery of the goods to the Buyer's delivery address. This 30-day window exceeds the mandatory minimum return periods under the EU Consumer Rights Directive (14 days) and UK Consumer Contracts Regulations (14 days) and is AqNova's platform-wide commitment to Buyers globally.

A. Condition Requirements for Returns

For change-of-mind returns (returns that are not due to a defect, damage, or misdescription), items must be returned in a condition that is substantially equivalent to their original condition at the time of delivery. Specifically:

The item must not have been used beyond what is necessary to determine its nature, characteristics, and functioning (consistent with EU CRD Art. 14 — the consumer is responsible for any diminished value resulting from handling the goods beyond what is necessary to establish their nature).

Original tags, labels, and accessories should be present and attached where these were part of the original product.

Original packaging should accompany the return where practicable, as it assists the Vendor in reselling the item. The absence of original packaging does not void the return right for statutory return requests; however, for change-of-mind returns under AqNova's voluntary policy, Vendors may deduct a reasonable restocking fee (not to exceed 15% of the item price) for items returned without original packaging.

The item must not have been washed, altered, or repaired by the Buyer.

For electronics: the item must not have been registered (where registration activates a warranty) or have had software installed that cannot be reversed, unless the return is due to a defect.

B. Opened Items

Opening an item's retail packaging does not automatically disqualify it from return under AqNova's 30-day policy, provided the item itself has not been used in a manner that diminishes its value. However, the following categories are non-returnable once opened:

Sealed hygiene products (sanitary items, cosmetics with hygiene seals, personal care devices): once the hygiene seal is broken, these items cannot be returned unless they are defective.

Sealed digital software and media: once opened (seal broken) or activated, cannot be returned.

Perishable and food items: return eligibility governed by Section 4.2.8 (Food Products Policy).

4.2.2 Statutory Rights of Withdrawal — Jurisdiction Matrix

The following table maps the statutory withdrawal or return rights available to Buyers in each principal AqNova operating jurisdiction. AqNova's 30-day platform policy exceeds the statutory minimum in all jurisdictions. Where local mandatory law provides a longer or more favorable right than AqNova's policy, the mandatory right prevails.

4.2.3 Non-Returnable Items — Comprehensive Categories

The following categories of items are non-returnable under AqNova's platform policy, consistent with the exceptions permitted under applicable statutory law. These exceptions apply to change-of-mind returns only. Non-returnable exceptions DO NOT apply where an item is defective, significantly not as described, or damaged in transit — in those cases, the Buyer's full statutory and Buyer Protection rights apply regardless of category.

A. Disclosure Requirement for Non-Returnable Items

Vendors listing non-returnable items must clearly and prominently disclose the non-returnable status on the product listing page, in proximity to the price and "Add to Cart" button. A non-returnable item may not be designated as non-returnable only in the returns policy fine print or after the Buyer has placed the order. Failure to disclose non-returnable status pre-purchase results in the non-returnable exception being void for that specific transaction — the Buyer retains the full 30-day return right.

4.2.4 Return Shipping Costs — Who Pays & When

The allocation of return shipping costs between the Buyer and Vendor depends on the reason for the return and the applicable legal requirements in the Buyer's jurisdiction. The following framework applies:

A. Return Label Issuance

Where the Vendor is responsible for return shipping costs, AqNova facilitates the return label process as follows:

Platform-Facilitated Return Label: AqNova generates a prepaid shipping label through its carrier partner network and provides it to the Buyer via email and in the order management interface. The cost is charged to the Vendor's payout account.

Vendor-Provided Return Label: where Platform-Facilitated Return Labels are not available in the origin country, the Vendor must provide a prepaid return label to the Buyer within 3 Business Days of the return request being approved.

Buyer Self-Arranged Return: for change-of-mind returns where the Buyer bears the cost, the Buyer arranges and pays for return shipping independently, using any carrier of their choice that provides proof of postage and tracking.

4.2.5 Returns Process — Step by Step

A. Returns Without Physical Return Requirement

In certain circumstances, AqNova may authorize a full refund without requiring the Buyer to return the item. This applies where:

The item is damaged or defective and has no resale value — requiring the Buyer to return it at carrier cost is economically irrational.

The item is a food product that has spoiled, expired, or arrived in an unsafe condition — returning spoiled food creates health risks and is not required.

The item is counterfeit — returning a counterfeit item to the Vendor enables continued fraudulent use.

The cost of return shipping materially exceeds the value of the item (de minimis threshold: where return shipping cost exceeds 25% of item value, AqNova may authorize a no-return refund at its discretion).

The Vendor is non-responsive or has been suspended from the Platform and cannot receive returns.

A. Statutory Refund Timelines by Jurisdiction

The following statutory refund timelines apply in each jurisdiction. AqNova's platform standard aims to process all refunds within 7–14 Business Days of returned goods receipt — meeting or exceeding all statutory minimums.

B. Refund Amounts — What Is Refunded

C. Payment Method-Specific Refund Timelines

After AqNova initiates the refund (within 7–14 Business Days of return receipt), the credit appears in the Buyer's account based on the payment method's settlement speed. See Section 4.5.3 of Section 4.0 for the full payment-method refund settlement matrix.

4.2.7 Exchanges — Policy & Coordination Process

AqNova supports exchange requests for eligible items subject to Vendor stock availability. An exchange is an arrangement where the Buyer returns an original item and receives a different item (different size, color, variant) from the same Vendor in its place.

A. Exchange Eligibility

Items must be within the 30-day return window.

Items must meet the condition requirements in Section 4.2.1.A.

The replacement item requested must be available in the Vendor's current inventory.

Exchanges are only available within the same product listing (different size/color/variant). Cross-product or cross-Vendor exchanges are not available — the Buyer must return the original item and place a new order.

Non-returnable items are not eligible for exchange under the general exchange policy. Defective non-returnable items (e.g., a defective food product) may receive a replacement under the defective goods framework (Section 4.2.9).

B. Exchange Process

To request an exchange:

Initiate through My Orders > [Order Reference] > Request Exchange.

Select the desired replacement variant (size, color, etc.).

AqNova checks Vendor stock availability and confirms within 2 Business Days.

If the requested variant is available: the return process is initiated simultaneously with the new order for the replacement item. AqNova coordinates dispatch of the replacement concurrent with or immediately after return confirmation, at the Vendor's discretion.

If the requested variant is not available: AqNova notifies the Buyer and offers a full refund as an alternative.

C. Exchange Shipping Costs

For change-of-mind exchanges: the Buyer bears the return shipping cost (same as for change-of-mind returns). The Vendor ships the replacement item at the standard shipping rate displayed on the listing — if the Buyer originally qualified for free shipping, the replacement shipment is also free. For defective/damaged exchanges: all shipping costs (return and replacement) are borne by the Vendor.

4.2.8 Food Products & Perishables Policy — Recommended Global Framework

This section sets out AqNova's recommended comprehensive returns and refunds framework for food products and perishables listed on the Platform. This framework is designed to: (a) comply with applicable food safety law in all operating jurisdictions; (b) protect Arivon Holding Corporation and AqNova from liability arising from returned food products that could create public health risks; (c) provide fair and practical remedies to Buyers who receive substandard food products; and (d) hold Vendors accountable for the food safety and quality of the products they list.

A. Food Product Return Categories — Eligibility Matrix

B. Food Product Shelf Life Policy

All Vendors listing food and perishable products on AqNova are required to comply with the following minimum shelf life standards. These standards protect Buyers from receiving products that will expire before they can reasonably be consumed, and protect AqNova from liability associated with short-dated food sales:

Minimum remaining shelf life at time of dispatch: AqNova requires that all food products have a minimum remaining shelf life of at least 50% of the total stated shelf life, or a minimum of 30 days remaining until the use-by / best-before date (whichever is greater), at the time of dispatch. Example: a product with a 6-month total shelf life must have at least 3 months remaining when dispatched.

For products with short total shelf life (less than 7 days): same-day or next-day dispatch is required. Product listing must clearly state "Perishable — Ships Same Day" or equivalent.

Express shipping mandate for perishable items: all fresh, frozen, refrigerated, or otherwise perishable food products that require temperature maintenance must be shipped via express courier with appropriate cold chain packaging, not via standard economy postal services.

Disclosure requirement: the listing must clearly display the minimum remaining shelf life at dispatch (e.g., "Dispatched with minimum 90 days to use-by date") so the Buyer can make an informed purchase decision.

Vendors who systematically dispatch food products close to expiry — defined as more than 10% of food orders resulting in expiry-related refund claims — will have their food category listings suspended pending an inventory and dispatch process review.

C. Food Safety Reporting Obligations

AqNova takes food safety seriously. Where a Buyer report indicates a food product may present a genuine public health risk — including: presence of foreign objects; confirmed allergen misdescription; microbiological contamination; or widespread adverse reactions — AqNova will:

Immediately suspend the affected product listing(s).

Notify the Vendor and require a formal response within 24 hours.

Report the incident to the applicable food safety authority where required by law: FDA (US — under FSMA mandatory recall cooperation); EFSA/national food safety authorities (EU — under Reg. 178/2002 General Food Law); FSA (UK); ANVISA (Brazil); NAFDAC (Nigeria); FSSAI (India); FSANZ (Australia); and equivalent authorities globally.

Cooperate fully with any product recall investigation or mandatory recall order issued by a competent authority.

Preserve all records related to the Vendor account, order history, and product listings for the duration of any regulatory investigation.

D. Jurisdiction-Specific Food Returns Law

E. AqNova's Limitation of Liability for Food Products

AqNova acts as a marketplace intermediary and is not the seller of record for food products listed by independent Vendors. Accordingly, AqNova expressly disclaims primary product liability for food safety failures attributable to Vendor products. The following framework governs AqNova's exposure:

AqNova is not a food business operator in the traditional supply chain sense for the products it hosts. AqNova's role is limited to facilitating the transaction, vetting Vendor listing compliance, and operating the Platform.

Vendors assume sole and exclusive responsibility for the food safety, labeling, regulatory compliance, and quality of all food products they list on the Platform, as set out in the Vendor Agreement (Section 2.2.4).

AqNova's Buyer Protection Program provides financial remedies (refunds) to Buyers for food product failures, funded through Vendor payout reserves. The availability of BPP remedies does not create AqNova product liability — it is a consumer protection service.

AqNova indemnification: each Vendor indemnifies Arivon Holding Corporation and AqNova against any third-party claims, regulatory fines, penalties, or enforcement actions arising from the Vendor's food products, including food safety failures, labeling violations, allergen misdescription, and unauthorized sales of regulated food items (see Vendor Agreement Section 2.2.5.H and Platform T&C Section 2.12.3).

Notwithstanding the above, AqNova acknowledges that certain jurisdictions (including EU under the revised Product Liability Directive 2024/2853/EU; Brazil under CDC absolute liability; Nigeria under FCCPA) may impose direct platform operator liability for food safety failures where the manufacturer or importer is unidentifiable or inaccessible. AqNova mitigates this risk by: maintaining complete Vendor identification and contact data; ensuring food Vendors are registered with applicable regulatory authorities; and cooperating promptly with regulatory investigations.

4.2.9 Defective, Damaged & Misdescribed Items — Enhanced Rights

Where an item is defective, damaged in transit, or significantly not as described, the Buyer is entitled to enhanced rights that go beyond the standard 30-day change-of-mind return policy. These enhanced rights apply regardless of whether the item falls into a non-returnable category for change-of-mind purposes.

A. What Constitutes a "Significant" Misdescription

An item is significantly not as described where the material characteristics of the item received differ from what was represented in the listing. This includes:

Wrong item entirely: a completely different product was delivered (wrong model, wrong product category).

Wrong specification: material specification differences — wrong size, wrong color, wrong material composition — where specification was a principal feature of the listing.

Missing components: the item is delivered incomplete (missing stated accessories, chargers, manuals, or parts that are functionally necessary).

Different sustainability certification: product claims certification it does not hold (e.g., listed as certified organic but no certificate exists).

Counterfeit or inauthentic: the product is a counterfeit of a branded item.

The following do NOT constitute significant misdescription: minor color variation due to photography/screen display (unless the variation is material to the item's purpose); minor size variation within industry-standard tolerance ranges; packaging differences where the product itself is identical.

B. Remedies for Defective / Misdescribed Items

For defective or significantly misdescribed items, the Buyer is entitled to the following remedies, in order of preference:

Repair: where the item can be economically repaired to bring it into conformity with the listing description. The Buyer must consent to repair as a remedy; the Buyer cannot be forced to accept repair instead of refund.

Replacement: a new item of the same type, specification, and quality. Subject to Vendor stock availability.

Full refund: purchase price plus original shipping. The Buyer is entitled to a full refund: (a) where repair and replacement are not available; (b) where repair/replacement would take an unreasonable time; (c) where the Buyer has a strong interest in immediate remedy. EU Sale of Goods Directive Art. 13; UK CRA 2015 s. 24; ACL Australia; and equivalent national frameworks.

The Buyer selects their preferred remedy through the return request process. AqNova coordinates the remedy with the Vendor. Where the Vendor disputes the defect claim, AqNova's Trust & Safety team makes the final determination.

C. Time Limits for Defective Item Claims

4.2.10 Partial Returns & Split Orders

AqNova supports partial returns where a Buyer wishes to return only some items from a multi-item order, or where an order from a single Vendor included multiple products but only some are unsatisfactory.

Each item in a multi-item order is treated as a separate return request for purposes of eligibility, condition requirements, and refund calculation.

For orders with items from multiple Vendors: each Vendor's return policy applies to that Vendor's items independently.

Shipping refund on partial returns: where the original order qualified for free shipping based on a minimum order value, and the partial return reduces the retained order value below the free shipping threshold, the original shipping fee is not refunded but is also not retroactively charged to the Buyer. The Buyer simply retains the items they chose to keep.

Partial returns are initiated through the same process as full returns: My Orders > [Order] > Return Individual Items.

4.2.11 Return Fraud Prevention & Consequences

AqNova actively monitors for return fraud and takes proportionate enforcement action against Buyers and Vendors who engage in fraudulent return practices. The following practices constitute return fraud and are strictly prohibited:

A. Prohibited Return Fraud Practices

Returning a different item: returning an item other than the one purchased (e.g., substituting a defective older version of the same product for the one purchased, or returning an empty box).

Wear and return / use and return: purchasing items with the deliberate intent to use them and then return them as "unused," particularly high-frequency in apparel, electronics for special events, and other seasonal or occasion-specific purchases.

False damage or defect claims: claiming an item is defective or damaged when it was not, for the purpose of obtaining a return and refund while retaining a functional product.

Counterfeit substitution: returning a counterfeit item in place of the genuine item purchased, claiming the genuine item was never received or was defective.

Refund farming: systematically submitting false return claims across multiple Vendor accounts or products to exploit the refund system.

Coordinated return ring: organized groups of users submitting coordinated fraudulent return claims to drain Vendor payout reserves.

B. Enforcement Consequences

Buyers found to have engaged in return fraud are subject to the following enforcement actions:

First confirmed violation: formal warning; mandatory account review; enhanced scrutiny of future return requests for 12 months.

Second confirmed violation: account suspension for 30 days; loss of Buyer Protection Program privileges for 90 days.

Third confirmed violation or systematic fraud: permanent account ban; forfeiture of any pending refunds subject to applicable law; referral to law enforcement for theft or fraud.

Financial recovery: AqNova may seek recovery of funds lost to return fraud through civil proceedings or by offsetting against any Platform credits or outstanding orders in the Buyer's account, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

AqNova uses automated fraud detection models to identify suspicious return patterns, including: high return rates per Buyer; clustering of return claims within hours of delivery; pattern mismatches between claimed defects and product category; and account-level return rate anomalies. Automated flags are always reviewed by a human analyst before enforcement action is taken.

4.2.12 Vendor Return Policy Requirements

All Vendors on the AqNova Platform must maintain return policies that comply with the following Platform minimum standards, as a material term of the Vendor Agreement:

4.2.13 Contact Information — Returns & Refunds

AqNova Marketplace | Global Legal Footer Framework | Section 4.2: Returns, Refunds & Exchanges Policy

© 2026 Arivon Holding Corporation. All rights reserved. Effective April 7, 2026. Version 1.0.