Cancellations, Refunds & Order Concerns
Our cakes and sweet treats are freshly made to order, and many are personalised specifically for each customer. This policy explains what happens if plans change, an order is cancelled, or something isn't right with your order.
Our approach in plain English
We understand that plans can change. At the same time, custom cakes require advance preparation, ingredients, decorations and production time that often cannot be reused for another order.
If you need to cancel or change an order, please contact us as early as possible. We will assess what work and costs have already been committed and explain what options are available for your particular order.
If Cape to Cake has made a genuine error or supplied a product that materially does not meet what was agreed, please tell us promptly so that we can investigate and put things right where appropriate.
Payment & Booking Confirmation
Unless a quotation, invoice or written booking arrangement specifically states otherwise, full payment is required before an order is confirmed.
For some wedding, corporate or other qualifying orders, Cape to Cake may offer a staged payment arrangement. Where this happens, the payment schedule shown on the relevant quotation, invoice or private order listing applies to that booking.
Cancelling a Confirmed Order
If you need to cancel an order, please notify Cape to Cake in writing as soon as possible.
Because our products are made to order, a cancellation does not automatically mean that the full amount paid can be refunded.
When assessing a cancellation, we may consider:
- How much notice was provided
- Whether ingredients have already been purchased
- Whether custom decorations have been ordered or made
- Whether edible prints or toppers have been produced
- Whether cake preparation or baking has started
- Design and administrative work already completed
- Production time that was reserved for the order
- Whether any ordered items can reasonably be reused
Before significant work begins
Where little or no order-specific cost has yet been incurred, a larger portion of the amount paid may be refundable.
Materials or custom work committed
Costs already reasonably incurred for the order may be taken into account when determining any refund.
Baking or final production underway
Once substantial production has started, the amount capable of being refunded may be significantly reduced.
Custom, Personalised & Perishable Products
Many Cape to Cake products are made specifically for an individual customer and may include personalised wording, colours, themes, edible photographs, logos, custom toppers, handmade decorations or other order-specific elements.
Cakes, cupcakes and other baked goods are also perishable food products.
Custom-made, clearly personalised and rapidly perishable goods are treated differently from ordinary unused retail products under South African consumer and electronic transaction law.
This does not remove a customer's legal rights where goods are defective, unsafe, incorrectly supplied or otherwise fail to meet applicable statutory standards.
Postponements & Date Changes
If your event date changes, contact Cape to Cake as early as possible.
A date change is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
If we can accommodate the new date, amounts already paid may be transferred to the rescheduled order where reasonably possible.
Additional charges may apply where:
- Ingredients or decorations need to be repurchased
- Custom items have already been made
- The new design or order requirements change
- Delivery or setup requirements change
- Pricing has materially changed for a substantially later date
If Cape to Cake Cannot Fulfil Your Order
In the unusual event that Cape to Cake becomes unable to fulfil a confirmed order, we will contact you as soon as reasonably possible.
Depending on the circumstances, we may discuss options such as:
- An agreed alternative
- A revised arrangement
- Rescheduling where appropriate
- A refund of amounts applicable to goods or services Cape to Cake is unable to provide
If Something Is Wrong With Your Order
We want an opportunity to investigate any genuine problem properly.
If you believe your order is defective, materially incorrect or significantly different from what was agreed, please contact Cape to Cake as soon as reasonably possible.
For a perishable cake or baked product, contacting us on the day of collection or delivery, or within approximately 24 hours where reasonably possible, gives us the best opportunity to investigate.
Please provide clear photographs showing the product and the issue you are reporting.
Where reasonably possible, please retain the affected product or a reasonable portion of it until we have had an opportunity to assess the concern.
We will review the order details, photographs and other relevant information before proposing an appropriate resolution.
How We Resolve Valid Concerns
The appropriate resolution depends on the nature and seriousness of the problem, the product involved and the circumstances.
Where a concern is verified, a suitable resolution may include, where appropriate:
- Correcting an issue before the event where possible
- Replacing an affected product where practical
- Providing an appropriate partial refund
- Providing a full refund where warranted
- Another reasonable solution agreed with the customer
Any remedy will also remain subject to rights and remedies available under applicable South African consumer law.
Taste, Colour & Handmade Variations
Cake flavours, sweetness levels, textures and aesthetic preferences can be subjective.
A personal preference alone does not necessarily mean a product is defective.
Similarly, because our products are handmade, reasonable differences in colour shades, piping, decorative placement, fondant modelling and other handcrafted details may occur.
Returns of Cakes & Baked Goods
Cakes, cupcakes, cakesicles, cake pops, cookies and other baked products are perishable food items and cannot generally be returned and placed back into stock for resale.
This is different from saying that customers have no recourse if there is genuinely something wrong with an order.
Where a product concern needs to be investigated, we may ask for photographs and, where reasonably possible, the remaining affected product.
Collection, Transport & Handling Damage
Cakes are fragile products and require careful transport, handling and storage.
Customers collecting an order are responsible for providing a suitable vehicle and following any transport instructions provided by Cape to Cake.
Transport the cake on a flat and stable surface.
Use an air-conditioned vehicle where appropriate.
Avoid sudden braking, sharp turns and excessive speed.
Protect cakes from heat, sunlight and unsuitable storage conditions.
Where damage occurs after handover because of subsequent movement, unsafe transport, incorrect handling, unsuitable storage, heat, direct sunlight or other conditions outside Cape to Cake's control, Cape to Cake may not be responsible for that damage.
This does not affect responsibility for damage or defects that existed before handover or were caused by Cape to Cake.
View Delivery & Setup Information →Delivery & Venue Handover
Where Cape to Cake arranges delivery, we remain responsible for managing the order through our delivery arrangements until the agreed handover has taken place.
Customers must provide accurate:
- Delivery addresses
- Recipient contact details
- Venue access information
- Setup times
- Security or loading requirements
Problems caused by incorrect or incomplete information supplied by the customer may affect delivery and may result in additional costs.
Wedding & Large Custom Orders
Wedding and large custom orders may involve substantial advance planning, specialised ingredients, custom decorations, structural materials and reserved production time.
These orders may therefore have specific cancellation, payment or postponement terms stated on the relevant quotation or invoice.
Cape to Cake recommends finalising wedding cake bookings at least two months before the wedding date, subject to availability.
Corporate & High-Volume Orders
Corporate orders may require bulk ingredient purchases, branded printing, packaging, custom artwork and dedicated production capacity.
A corporate quotation may therefore contain order-specific payment, cancellation and amendment terms.
Where a corporate order has already entered production or customised materials have been produced specifically for the client, those committed costs may be relevant when a cancellation or reduction in quantity is requested.
Where a corporate client's head office is located outside South Africa, or payment is made from an international bank account, an additional international transfer fee may be added to the quotation or invoice to cover SWIFT and related banking charges.
The client is responsible for ensuring that Cape to Cake receives the full invoiced amount after charges levied by the sending bank, intermediary or correspondent banks and the receiving bank have been taken into account.
If banking charges result in Cape to Cake receiving less than the invoiced amount, the outstanding difference remains payable before the order is considered fully paid.
Allergies & Dietary Concerns
Customers should inform Cape to Cake of relevant food allergy concerns before placing an order.
Our kitchen handles common allergens and cannot guarantee a completely allergen-free environment.
If you believe an order does not match allergen or dietary information specifically agreed with Cape to Cake, please stop consuming the product and contact us promptly.
Read our Allergen & Product Information →Approved Refunds
Where Cape to Cake approves a refund, we will confirm the amount and the refund method with the customer.
Where reasonably practical, refunds may be returned using the original payment method. In some circumstances, additional information may be required to process the refund securely.
Payment providers and banks may have their own processing times after a refund has been issued.
Promotions & Discounted Orders
Promotional or discounted orders may have additional conditions relating to booking periods, available dates, quantities or included options.
Promotional pricing does not remove any statutory consumer right relating to defective or incorrectly supplied goods.
Your Consumer Rights
This policy is intended to explain how Cape to Cake handles cancellations, refunds and order concerns in practical terms.
Nothing in this policy is intended to exclude, restrict or waive any consumer right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded under the Consumer Protection Act, Electronic Communications and Transactions Act or other applicable South African law.
Where a statutory consumer right applies, it takes precedence over any inconsistent provision in this policy.
Tell us what happened.
Please include your order name or number, event date, a description of the concern and clear photographs where relevant. The more information we have, the easier it is for us to investigate properly.
Fair to you. Fair to the work already done.
Custom cakes involve real ingredients, real preparation and production time long before collection day. Our aim is to handle cancellations and genuine order concerns reasonably, transparently and in accordance with the circumstances of each order.