Shipping policy
Black Friday Shipping Policy -
Due to the high volume of orders during the Black Friday period, we may experience delays in receiving and dispatching stock. Items listed as "available to order" may take 4–5 days to receive and send out. We strive to process and ship all orders as quickly as possible.
General:
When you place an order through our online store, a member of our Coastal Pets team will promptly confirm stock and availability through our retail outlet or the relevant supplier. If there are any changes to your order, we will notify you immediately. Our customer service motto is: "Keep the customer informed at all times and get their goods to them fast."We accept all forms of payment offered through Payfast, as well as COD (Cash on Delivery) for deliveries and pick-up-and-go options. For COD, please ensure you have the exact amount ready, as our drivers may not carry change.Your order will be processed immediately after payment has cleared through our payment providers.Our driver will contact you if no one answers the doorbell via WhatsApp call or message. If there is no response, our driver will unfortunately need to leave to attend to other deliveries. Your order can then be collected from the store or rescheduled for delivery the following working day.We do not ship over weekends or on public holidays. Clients can expect delays if public holidays fall within the week.
In-Store Collection:I
f the items are available from our retail store in Port Elizabeth (Coastal Aquariums and Pet Supplies), your order can be picked up immediately upon cleared payment and after we have sent you a notification confirming that your order is ready for collection. If stock needs to be sourced from warehousing, delivery times will vary, and this will be communicated to you.The client must wait until they receive a notification that the order is ready for collection. It is essential to contact us before visiting our premises—please only do so after receiving our "Ready for Collection" notification. Collection is available during Coastal Aquariums' retail hours. Please have your order number ready. Orders must be collected at the pet counter.
Shipping via Post Office:
Coastal Pets does not use the South African Postal Service. Please ensure you provide a physical delivery address at checkout.
Shipping via Door-to-Door Courier:
Our door-to-door courier service through The Courier Guy is fast and reliable, delivering to any destination in South Africa. Other door-to-door courier examples: Pargo, Ram, Internet Express, Skynet—expect delays. Please visit our online store to review the shipping charges.We will communicate delivery times and any changes, and provide tracking information.
Delivery Items labeled 'in stock':
These will be delivered within 3–4 working days.
- Same-day deliveries for clients in PE, J-Bay, St Francis Bay, and Humansdorp (Monday–Friday; purchases must be made before 11:00 AM). We regret no deliveries on weekends due to high store traffic.
- Deliveries within 24 hours (Monday–Thursday) for clients in Boknes, Kenton-On-Sea, Port Alfred, and East London (purchases must be made before 11:00 AM).
- Deliveries within 24 hours for clients in Grahamstown (collections by couriers only on Mondays and Wednesdays; purchases must be made before 11:00 AM).
Items labeled 'available to order':
These will be delivered within 3–8 working days. For items labeled 'available to order', please confirm stock availability with us before placing your order, as these are low-inventory items held by our suppliers. If an order is placed and the supplier unfortunately does not have stock, we will contact you to suggest a replacement. If no suitable replacement is found, a refund or credit can be issued. Refunds can take up to 3–5 working days to process.Aquarium Tank Orders:
These can take 10–12 working days. Couriers do not guarantee the delivery of glass tanks, which are sent at the client's own risk. Orders are handled on a case-by-case basis.Live Stock:
Livestock shipping will be charged per poly-box for overnight shipping (1–3 working days). Terms and conditions apply for excessive volumes and destinations—please contact us for an estimate. Livestock orders can only be sent out from Monday to Wednesday. Livestock can only be sent weather dependent—clients will be contacted if conditions are unsuitable. All fish are packed with pure O2 and heat packs in winter.If items with varying delivery dates are ordered together, the latest date will apply unless special instructions are provided.Items marked as "ship free," and orders over the qualifying amount, ship free of charge unless otherwise stated.FREE Shipping on selected products.
Orders over 20kg will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Live Arrival Guarantee (DOA Policy):
We offer a 48-hour Live Arrival Guarantee for all livestock, effective from the time of courier pickup. If any livestock arrives deceased (Dead on Arrival - DOA), you must submit a clear photo of the affected item still sealed in its original packaging within 1 hour of delivery or pickup. Credits will be issued solely for the value of the livestock; shipping fees are non-refundable.
PAXI:
Using PAXI is at your own risk. If any unauthorized person obtains the OTP in any manner, they will be regarded as your proxy with full authority to collect the parcel on your behalf, unless you can prove that the OTP was obtained due to PAXI's gross negligence or willful misconduct.Parcels must fit within the available bags: Standard (45cm x 37cm) or Large (64cm x 51cm).
Depending on the selected PAXI service, parcels will be delivered in 3–5 business days or 7–9 business days. PAXI does not guarantee delivery within these time frames—these are estimates subject to PAXI’s terms and conditions.Parcels will be held for up to 14 days from arrival at the collection site. If not collected within 14 days, they will be returned to the original site.We do not send livestock through the PAXI service due to delivery times.For full terms: https://www.paxi.co.za/terms-conditions
Pudo:
From the moment you receive notification that your package has arrived at a Pudo locker, you have 48 hours to pick it up. If you do not collect it within this time, it will be sent to the closest Pudo Kiosk/Depot. You may request to resend it to a Pudo locker nearest to you or an alternative address at an additional cost.
Pargo:
For full terms: https://pargo.co.za/terms-and-conditions/Collections:
- When a parcel is available for collection, the client’s customer will receive notification via email and/or SMS. The notification will contain a unique Pargo code that must be produced, along with the client’s customer’s identity document or driver’s license, upon collection.
- The client’s customer may arrange for a third party to collect a parcel on their behalf, in which case the third party must produce the unique Pargo code and the requisite identity documentation (or copy thereof) of the intended recipient.
- If the client’s customer (or third party nominee) fails to produce the requisite identity documentation or Pargo code, Pargo may refuse collection, and this will be deemed a failure to collect. Parcels may be released without identity documentation at Pargo’s discretion.
- If a parcel is not collected within 8 days of the first delivery notification, Pargo may return it to the client or destroy it. Collection periods may be extended with Pargo’s written consent, but additional fees may apply.
Overnight Shipping Policy (Dry Products)Order Cut-Off Time:
Orders for overnight shipping must be placed before 11:00 AM to ensure booking by the 12:00 PM deadline.
Delivery Days: To guarantee delivery within the same week to main city centers, orders must be placed between Monday and Wednesday.
Late-Week Orders: Orders placed on Friday will be booked for overnight shipping the following Monday.
Nationwide Shipping:
Coastal Pets uses live shipping rates to provide the cheapest possible rates from our partners. For orders up to R1,500, shipping charges are determined by these live rates.
Orders over R1,500 qualify for FREE shipping nationwide (terms and conditions apply—if over 20kg or excessive volume, we will contact you for shipping costs).
Local Shipping in Port Elizabeth
- Orders over R350 within an 8km radius of the shop = FREE shipping.
- Orders up to R349 within an 8km radius = R65 flat-rate delivery fee.
- Orders over R350 within an 8–15km radius = R65 flat-rate delivery fee.
- Orders over 15km radius: Select Courier Guy rates apply.
Orders will only be delivered on weekdays, not weekends. After your order has shipped, we will provide your waybill number for easy online tracking. Outlying and remote areas unfortunately incur an additional delivery fee, calculated manually on a case-by-case basis. Orders of this nature are subject to final approval. Certain products do not qualify for free delivery and will be indicated where applicable. Large or overweight items requiring delivery will be arranged on a case-by-case basis. National main center fees will be calculated at checkout by our live courier system. Regional, remote, and outlying area fees will be calculated at checkout by our live courier system.