Last updated: November 15, 2026. These policies describe the proposed Westside Alley marketplace at westsidealley.com.
Your vendor’s return and exchange policy
Vendors are independent sellers and set their own change-of-mind return window, whether exchanges are offered, final-sale exclusions and any restocking fees. Their policy must be clearly displayed on the store page and on individual product pages where possible before purchase. Some goods cannot reasonably be exchanged. If a vendor has not published a policy, our default is a 14-calendar-day return/exchange request window after delivery for unused, complete items in original condition and packaging with proof of purchase. Exchanges under that default depend on stock; an eligible return can be refunded if a replacement is unavailable. No universal 14-day minimum overrides a clearly disclosed vendor policy, except where applicable law requires otherwise.
For change-of-mind requests, the disclosed seller policy controls. A buyer who accepted a clearly disclosed final-sale or no-return policy cannot use Buyer Protection to overturn it just because they changed their mind. Restocking fees must be disclosed before purchase and cannot be imposed on a valid protected claim where prohibited by law.
Westside Alley Buyer Protection
Regardless of the vendor’s return policy, Buyer Protection covers only items not received, significantly not as described, damaged in transit or counterfeit. A no-return or final-sale label does not excuse these issues or nonwaivable legal rights. Buyer Protection does not cover ordinary dissatisfaction, a change of mind, sizing preferences accurately described, or an exchange that the seller never offered.
Contact the vendor first
Use the order contact method, identify the order and item, and describe the requested outcome. Include photos for damage or an item materially not as described. Keep proof of correspondence and shipping. Never send full payment-card details. Vendors must work toward resolution promptly. If the issue is not resolved within 3 business days of your first documented contact, you can open a dispute with Westside Alley using the contact address below. Business days exclude weekends and US federal holidays.
Dispute review and remedies
Provide your order reference, contact history, delivery information and relevant evidence. We review both sides and may request more information. For items not received, significantly not as described, damaged in transit or counterfeit, Westside Alley can require the vendor to refund the buyer, including applicable original delivery charges and required reasonable return costs. We do not require an unsafe or unlawful return. This review is not insurance and does not limit card-network, payment-provider or statutory rights. Do not seek duplicate recovery through multiple channels.
Returns shipping and refund timing
For a change of mind, the buyer normally pays reasonable tracked return shipping unless the vendor offers free returns. Original shipping charges are normally nonrefundable for a change of mind unless law requires otherwise. The vendor pays required reasonable return costs for a protected non-delivery, significantly misdescribed, transit-damaged or counterfeit item as applicable. Vendors should inspect an authorized return within 3 business days of receipt and initiate an approved refund within 5 business days of receipt or a dispute decision. Apply a disclosed restocking fee only to eligible change-of-mind returns and never to a valid protected claim where prohibited by law. Payment-provider posting times vary. Refunds go to the original payment method where supported; store credit cannot be forced instead of a refund owed.
Disclosed exclusions and seller terms
A vendor may exclude change-of-mind returns or exchanges for custom/personalized items, perishables, final-sale items or other clearly disclosed categories, or offer a no-return policy. Read the store and product policy before checkout. If no policy is disclosed, the 14-day default applies. Seller terms never remove protection for non-delivery, significant misdescription, transit damage or counterfeit goods, or any rights required by law.
Vendor accountability
Westside Alley does not hold vendor funds. Vendors are paid through their own Stripe accounts as soon as the buyer’s payment completes. Each shop sets its own return policy, and buyers and vendors resolve returns, refunds and disputes directly through on-site messaging. Vendors are responsible for refunds, chargebacks and fees on their sales, which come out of the vendor’s Stripe balance. Vendors must cooperate with reviews. Repeated failures, misleading disclosures, refusal to honor Buyer Protection or abuse may result in selling restrictions or suspension.
For how vendor payments, refunds and negative balances work, see Payments, Refunds & Negative Balances in the Vendor Agreement.
Fair use and preventing buyer abuse
Return requests must include proof of purchase. For change-of-mind returns, items must be unused, in original condition and packaging, and include all original parts and accessories. Vendors may refuse a return that arrives used, buyer-damaged or incomplete, with an explanation and evidence; they cannot use this rule to reject the damage or defect reported in a valid original claim. Photo or video evidence is required for damage or not-as-described claims where reasonably obtainable; contact us if accessibility or safety makes that impossible. Proof of non-delivery may instead include tracking and delivery information.
Open a dispute within 14 calendar days of delivery, or the last promised delivery date if the item never arrives. Contact the vendor promptly. If the 3-business-day vendor resolution period would run past the deadline, record the dispute with Westside Alley before the 14 days expire; substantive escalation may await that response period. Opening a payment chargeback while a Westside Alley dispute is open ends our internal dispute review so the same claim is not decided in parallel. It does not remove payment-provider, chargeback or statutory rights, and no double recovery is permitted.
The buyer pays change-of-mind return shipping unless the vendor offers otherwise. The vendor pays required reasonable costs for valid protected claims, including significantly misdescribed, transit-damaged or counterfeit goods, or where law requires. Vendors can confidentially flag suspicious buyer activity with supporting facts. Westside Alley monitors return and dispute frequency per account and reviews the context, not just a raw count. Evidence of excessive abusive returns, wardrobing (using an item then returning it), false claims or abusive chargebacks may lead to denial of abusive claims, restrictions on discretionary returns or account suspension/closure. A high return rate alone does not establish abuse. We provide an explanation and a support review path; enforcement cannot override valid Buyer Protection claims or nonwaivable legal rights.
This monitoring and review process must be implemented before launch; these policies do not claim that automated fraud detection already exists.
Contact Westside Alley
Email thewestsidealley@gmail.com for marketplace support, policy questions, privacy requests or dispute escalation. Include your order or listing reference, not passwords or complete payment details.