Shipping Policy

This Shipping Policy (“Policy”) of Ceedmart General Merchandise (“Ceedmart,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) governs the handling, dispatch, transit, and delivery of all products — specifically wholefoods/grains, patio furniture, and electronics — purchased within Nigeria via our website, sales agents, or commercial procurement channels.

This Policy forms a legally binding agreement between Ceedmart and the purchaser, whether an individual retail consumer, a corporate procurement partner, a wholesaler, or a distributor (collectively “Customer” or “Buyer”).

1. Scope of Domestic Operations & Handling

Our logistics and distribution framework covers:

• Wholefoods and Grains: handled as perishable or semi-perishable items. These require dry, climate-appropriate transit to prevent moisture or pest damage.
• Patio Furniture: categorised as oversized/heavy freight. Requires specialised haulage (flatbed or box trucks) and coordinated offloading.
• Electronics: categorised as fragile, high-value cargo requiring secure packaging, shock-resistant transit, and serial number tracking.

2. Delivery Locations & Regional Restrictions

• We ship to addresses within designated commercial and residential zones across Nigeria.
• We reserve the absolute right to refuse, restrict, or cancel deliveries to specific geographic areas or local government areas (LGAs) facing severe security challenges, civil unrest, or completely inaccessible road infrastructure. In such instances, we may coordinate with the Buyer to deliver to the nearest secure regional hub or carrier warehouse.

3. Processing & Dispatch Timelines

“Processing Time” refers to the time it takes to verify payment, complete quality control checks, package the items, and hand them over to our internal logistics team or third-party carriers. Processing timelines are separate from transit times.

Processing times may be extended during national public holidays, periods of severe fuel scarcity, or internal corporate audits for bulk purchases.

4. Transit Timelines & Estimated Delivery SLAs

All delivery timelines are non-binding estimates. While we aim to deliver promptly, we do not guarantee exact delivery dates due to external infrastructural variables (road conditions, traffic congestion).

• Lagos Metropolitan Area: 1–3 Business Days.
• Major Regional Hubs (Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Ibadan, Enugu): 3–5 Business Days.
• Tier 2 Cities and Remote Locations: 5–10 Business Days.

5. Shipping Fees, Bulk Freight, & Surcharges

• Fee Calculation. Standard delivery fees are calculated based on deadweight, volumetric dimensions (Length×Width×Height), and the specific delivery zone.
• Bulk/Wholesale Logistics. Shipping fees calculated online for bulk/tonnage items (e.g. multiple metric tons of grain or commercial quantities of furniture) are provisional. Final freight rates will be locked in and issued via a formal Commercial Invoice.
• Ancillary Surcharges. The Buyer is responsible for any additional costs incurred during delivery, including:
  • Offloading Labour: Buyers must provide labour to offload heavy patio furniture or bulk grain bags from the delivery vehicle.
  • Demurrage: Delays caused by the Buyer holding a delivery truck at their offloading site for more than two (2) hours will attract a daily delay fee.

6. Transfer of Risk and Delivery Protocol

• Verification upon Delivery. For high-value electronics and commercial bulk orders, goods will only be released to the named Buyer or an explicitly authorised representative. The recipient must present a valid government-issued photo ID or an official corporate stamp/sign-off.
• Transfer of Risk.
  • Company-Managed Delivery: risk of loss, theft, or damage transfers to the Buyer immediately upon physical handover at the designated address.
  • Buyer-Managed / Self-Collection: if the Buyer uses their own preferred transport provider or dispatch rider, risk transfers to the Buyer the exact moment the goods leave our warehouse gates.

7. Failed Delivery Attempts & Storage Fees

If a delivery cannot be completed because the Buyer provided an incorrect address, is unreachable, or is absent during the agreed delivery window:

• The carrier will make a maximum of two (2) delivery attempts.
• If both attempts fail, goods will be returned to our nearest regional holding warehouse.
• The Buyer must pay a re-delivery fee before another attempt is scheduled.
• We reserve the right to charge a daily storage fee for items left uncollected at our warehouse for more than seven (7) calendar days. Perishable wholefoods left uncollected for more than fourteen (14) days may be sold or disposed of to recover costs, without any refund to the Buyer.

8. Inspection Standards & Claims Cutoff

The Buyer must visually inspect all packaging and products before signing the Waybill or Delivery Note. Claims submitted outside the windows below will not be accepted.

8.1 Wholefoods and Grains

• What to look for: moisture, pest infestation, or torn bags.
• Claim Window: must be noted on the Waybill at the point of delivery and reported to customer care within 24 hours. We are not liable for spoilage or pest issues resulting from improper storage after delivery.

8.2 Patio Furniture

• What to look for: structural damage, deep scratches, or missing structural parts.
• Claim Window: must be reported within 48 hours of delivery.

8.3 Electronics

• What to look for: outer box damage, signs of impact, or missing box contents.
• Claim Window: must be reported within 48 hours of delivery. Claims are subject to serial number/IMEI verification to ensure the product matches the exact unit dispatched.

9. Limitation of Liability for Transit Delays

While Ceedmart may engage third-party delivery service providers, we are entirely separate from these transport providers and therefore not liable for any direct, indirect, or consequential losses (including loss of business profits, factory downtime, or operational penalties) resulting from transit delays caused by carrier operational issues, vehicle breakdowns, or local traffic authorities.

10. Force Majeure

Ceedmart is exempt from any liability for shipping delays or delivery failures caused by events entirely beyond our control. This includes acts of God, severe flooding, collapsed road infrastructure, fuel scarcities, sudden market trade union actions, labour strikes, civil unrest, curfews, or sudden regional regulatory bans on transit vehicles.

11. Amendments & Contact Details

We reserve the right to modify this Shipping Policy at any time to reflect updated local logistics conditions or operational realities. Changes take effect immediately upon being published on our website.

12. Contact

For delivery updates, bulk haulage coordination, or damage claims, please contact us: