Shipping & Returns Policy

KEY POINTS

  • We only list products which are available or for which we have an ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) on our website (BY ORDER products are those that are never held in stock and must be ordered in)
  • Prices and availability information on our website are generally updated at least once every business day
  • The price and availability information on our website is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time the information is updated
  • Available products are generally delivered within 2-4 days of receipt of payment (often next day in metro areas if payment received before 2pm AEST)
  • All products are generally shipped from the closest warehouse (i.e. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth) to minimise shipping time and cost where possible
  • Deliveries to Perth may take up to 5 days for some items
  • Order Status is available from the My Accounts area of our website. Please check this before calling, initiating a chat or emailing. (For tracking information please contact us)

Product Prices

All prices displayed on our website are GST-inclusive.

Prices are updated on our website regularly and can be subject to change.

Order Processing

Order Acceptance Policy

All orders placed with us are subject to our acceptance. We reserve the right to decline (i.e. not accept) any order up to the point of the point of delivery of the order to you and an invoice for the order being issued to you. We will not dispatch an order until we have received payment in full for the total value of the order. Automatic confirmation of successful order placement and/or receipt and/or processing a payment for the order does not constitute acceptance of the order by us. If we decline your order after a payment for the order has been received/processed we will contact you with the details and refund the payment in full.

Product Availability

The availability information displayed on our website is extracted from our real-time inventory management and order processing system. Our website is updated with up-to-date stock information up to 4 times per day. Hence, if our website indicates that an item is in stock, it generally means that it is (i.e. There is no need to confirm this by email or phone). We do however recommend that you contact us about stock availability if you see on the website that our stock levels for the item you want to purchase are low (i.e. less than 5 items in stock) or you intend to purchase a large quantity of the same item (i.e. more than 5).

If an ordered item is out of stock or marked with ETA/BY ORDER it will be placed on backorder or partial backorder (which you will be able to see on the Order Information page accessed from the My Account page). An estimated time of arrival (ETA) will be specified in the Order History where available. BY ORDER means an item is never held in stock and must be ordered in specifically for your order, which means it will generally take a bit longer. Please contact us for details of your specific item. If you do not wish to wait, please contact us and we will refund you for the items (although we may pass on any cost associated with ordering the item in specifically for you).

Backorders

Backorders can occur when:

  • You purchase a quantity of products which is greater than available in stock
  • You purchase a product which has stock as “ETA” or “BY ORDER”
  • You purchase a product which has been sold out and quantity information on the website has not yet been updated since the last website update

When one of these conditions occurs at the time of purchase and you see your order status remaining as Shipping, Back Order or Partial Back Order for a period of more than 3 days without further information on the ETA, please contact us to discuss available options (i.e. Keep the order and wait for the item to arrive in stock or cancel the order (or part) and immediately receive a full refund for the unshipped items). Please note, there may be additional shipping costs if you request a partial shipment of your order.

Order Tracking

To track your order, please log into our website with your account and look at the My Account page. You will be able to see the status of all your orders. We also use the My Account page to display any additional information about your order. Please check the order progress regularly and contact us if there are any issues or concerns.

Order Cancellations

We are very flexible with order cancellation and allow to cancel the order up to the point when you receive and sign for the goods. However, if we incur costs as result of the cancellation, we will pass these on to you, so please research and choose the products carefully and consider how you pay for your purchase. Also, please note that all cancellations must be done or confirmed by email. The following policies apply on order cancellations where the order is cancelled as a result of the customer changing their mind:

  • Credit Card Handling Fees – For order cancellations paid for by Credit Card (NOT PayPal), the Credit Card Handling Fee of 2.5% is not refundable, as this fee is charged by the bank and is not refunded to us when an order is cancelled and we have to issue a refund.
  • Freight Costs & Shipping Insurance – If you cancel an order that has been shipped but not yet delivered, the freight cost and shipping insurance will not be refunded, as we will not be refunded this cost by the courier. Please note that an order in the status of Shipping may have already been shipped but not yet updated on our website.
  • Restocking Fees – Although unlikely, a 20-25% re-stocking fee may apply, as depending on the item and supplier we may be charged this fee.

A phone call or an email requesting cancellation of the order does not constitute cancellation of the order. We must confirm all cancellations in writing or by a change of order status on the website. We have this policy to ensure that if an order has been shipped or is preparing to be shipped it is stopped before we confirm the order cancellation.

The only time cancellations are not flexible is when you place an order for a made to order item. This is because upon you placing the order we are using resources to make your order. When an item is made to order it is clearly explained in the product description

Payment Methods

We must receive cleared payment in full for the total value of the order before we will accept and start processing your order. The following methods of payment are accepted:

  • Credit/Debit Card (Immediate clearance)

    2.5% handling fee (as a percentage of the total) applies

  • PayPal or Credit/Debit Card via PayPal (Immediate clearance)

    2% – 3% handling fee (as a percentage of the total) applies

  • Electronic Bank Transfer (1 day clearance, depending on your bank)

    Bank: Westpac
    Acct Name: Otaku Garage
    BSB: 034 077
    Account Number: 430549

  • Direct Bank Deposit into our account – Over the Counter (Immediate clearance)

    Bank: Westpac
    Acct Name: Otaku Garage
    BSB: 034 077
    Account Number: 430549

Otaku Garage takes no responsibility for any delays associated with processing your payment by third-party financial institutions.

Otaku Garage or JDM RACING ENTERPRISES PTY LTD will appear on your credit card statement for orders placed with us.

Fraud Prevention

For certain Credit Card orders (i.e. based on fraud risk as determined by our automated fraud risk assessment procedures), we will undertake additional steps (as determined by our fraud prevention policies) to ensure the transaction is not fraudulent. These steps may include, but are not limited to:

  • Calling the customer and/or the owner of the credit card on a landline number
  • Verifying the landline number as belonging to the delivery or billing address
  • Validating the billing address specified on our website as matching the billing address provided to the credit card issuer
  • Requesting the courier to verify and record the identity of the recipient on delivery
  • Requesting a photocopy of the credit card to be faxed to us (to verify physical possession of the card)
  • Preventing shipping address changes to the order after it has been placed

Data Security

Otaku Garage uses the industry standard security protocol Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to encrypt all sensitive information (like your credit card details) that passes between your computer and the Otaku Garage website. We employ the latest 128-bit encryption technology in all areas of the site which require you to provide your personal or account information. This means that the credit card information you send is encrypted by your computer, and then encrypted again on our side, preventing others from accessing your private information in transit. So, when using an SSL capable browser, shopping on the Otaku Garage website is perfectly safe.

Also, when your provide credit card information on our website, it is passed directly to the bank via an SSL secured payment gateway and is at no stage stored on our website or in our database. This means there is no risk of your credit card information being stolen, even in the highly unlikely event of someone gaining access to our database.

Shipping

Shipping charges apply to all orders placed. Our shipping cost is calculated on the weight, volume and delivery post code for every order. Shipping and dispatch times on our website are indicative only. To avoid delays and possible second delivery charges, we strongly recommend that you provide an attended business address (such as a work address), where someone you trust will be available to receive and sign for the order during normal business hours.

We only use person-to-person delivery services (i.e. Where the recipient must sign for the delivery) to ensure orders can be tracked all the way through to delivery. For certain orders (i.e. as determined by our fraud prevention policies), we may also request for the courier to verify the identity of the recepient.

Shipping address changes are strictly not allowed. When you place your order you must make sure you enter the correct shipping address. Minor changes to correct small typos are fine. But complete shipping address changes are not. This is to prevent fraud.

Delivery Times

Normal delivery times for items in stock are 1-2 days from payment clearance. These timelines are guidelines only. Otaku Garage does not take any responsibility for any delays in shipping. Where possible we provide consignment details and courier tracking numbers to customers (in the order status), so please contact the corresponding courier to track your shipments. You should check the Order History on the Order Information page accessible from the My Account area for information on your order.

Loss and Damage

Shipping Insurance – Shipping Insurance is available for your goods, and must be specified when you are ordering. Insurance is optional and charged at 2% of the value of goods. We strongly recommend insuring your goods against transit damage.

Signing for Delivery – The customer is responsible for ensuring that either they or their authorised representative inspect the goods prior to accepting the delivery and signing the Proof Of Delivery (POD) document. Each delivery should be checked for completeness (i.e. Enclosed goods as per accompanying Consignment Note) and any transit damage. Failure to inspect the goods prior to signing the POD will result in voiding of any insurance against loss or transit damage.

  • Signing of a Proof of Delivery (POD) document confirms that the consignment has been delivered in full and in good condition (i.e. no visible physical damage). POD should only be signed once the goods have been inspected as a clean signed POD will void any insurance against loss or transit damage.
  • If a shipment arrives with a damaged carton or item, the delivery should either be rejected with POD not signed or the POD must have the exact damage noted on it including any carton identifier available, signature, name and date as above. If this information is not provided the POD will be treated as clean and will void any ability to claim loss or transit damage against shipping insurance.

Additional Fees and Charges

If we incur extra delivery charges as a result of your action or inaction, these may be passed on to you at our discretion. An example of such charges are second delivery charges by couriers as a result of you or someone who can receive the goods not being in attendance at your nominated delivery address when you have specified that the address is attended during normal business hours.

Manufacturer Promotions

Manufacturer promotions are offered at the discretion of the manufacturer. This may include cash-back offers, free items, or any other promotion. These promotions are only valid on products that are obtained through the Australian channel from stores such as ourselves. Generally any products purchased from us will be valid for manufacturer cash-backs and other promotions being advertised in Australia, provided any other additional criteria are met.

These promotions are in no way under the direct or indirect control of Otaku Garage. Manufacturers will place set time frames in which these promotions are current and valid, and we have no ability to extend these times. We may still offer products for sale after the promotion has expired, and the promotion shall not be redeemable.

Should any more information be required about any given promotion, we are happy to assist with queries where possible, however the manufacturer should be contacted as they will be better equipped to answer queries about their promotions.

Refund and Return Policy

Statutory Rights

No part of the Refunds and Returns Policy is intended to limit any rights or remedies customers may have under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) or equivalent State and Territory legislation.

Refunds

Please research the products carefully before placing an order. We generally do not provide refunds or exchanges for incorrectly ordered goods or if you change your mind once you have received the goods. We take no responsibility for incorrect choice of product or for any compatibility issues. The customer is ultimately responsible for researching the product specifications from the manufacturer and other resources and selecting the appropriate product to meet their requirements. For your convenience, we do provide manufacturer’s links for the majority of products sold in our store. If at our sole discretion, we decide to accept non-faulty goods for a refund, a re-stocking fee of 20%-25% may be charged and other non-refundable costs incurred by us (i.e. Credit Card Handling Fee and Freight Costs) will be passed on.

Return of Faulty Goods (Under Warranty)

BEFORE returning any faulty goods to us you must initiate a return / warranty claim with our Service Department. You must call us on 07 5400 5674 & tell us the problem you are having to evaluate the situation. If we agree that this is a fault with the item we will ask you to ship the item back to us.

A refund for the amount paid for the item or a replacement item will be provided at our discretion for any goods returned under Express Store Warranty where the Express Store Warranty provide a remedy over and above the rights you have under Statutory Warranty provided for by the ACL. For claims under Statutory Warranty your rights are as provided by the ACL depending on whether the goods have suffered a major or a minor failure. A refund or replacement item will only be issued once the faulty item has been received and tested for the specific fault / problem specified in the Return / Warranty Claim and found to be faulty.

If a product is sold in a bundle with another product only the faulty product will be replaced or refunded with the non-faulty products valued at the individual product price as at the time of the purchase.

Dead-On-Arrival (DOA) Products

You must go through Return / Warranty Claim procedure outlined above in order for us to process your return / warranty claim. If the item is found faulty, we will either replace the item or refund the full amount of the order based on your choice. To ensure expedient handling of your DOA return please initiate the DOA return within 7 days of receiving the product.

Return of Non-Faulty Goods

Our Service Centres test for declared faults thoroughly, however, if they find the item to have no faults or intentional damage to the item, a $45 service fee may be charged and the non-faulty item will be shipped back to you at your expense If the item is found to be not faulty and the service fee is charged, you will be required to pay the service fee prior to the goods being shipped to you. If payment is not received within 30 days, the goods will be sold to recover the service fee and any difference will be refunded to you.

Warranty

All products sold by Otaku Garage are covered by Statutory Warranty, Express Store Warranty and/or Express Manufacturer Warranty. Most of the goods carry 12 months Return-To-Base Store Warranty or Express Manufacturer Warranty, but some, like monitors, could have an Extended Manufacturer Warranty. Please contact the product manufacturer for Extended Manufacturer Warranty details. As provided by the ACL it is up to you as the consumer to decide whether to deal with us or directly with the manufacturer with respect to your warranty claim under Statutory Warranty. However, where the manufacturer has a service centre network in Australia you may find it more efficient to handle the warranty claim directly with the manufacturer as we may not have the facilities or the expertise to test the product for the specified fault and would ultimately have to return the product to our supplier who may in turn need to return it to the manufacturer for testing and dealing directly with the manufacturer will avoid the delay of the product being handled through the entire supply chain. This process may add up to 4 weeks of extra handling time.