Advertising & Cancellation Policy

1. Package periods

Advertising packages run for the period you choose (for example 3, 6 or 12 months). Social media management runs month to month. Magazine placements apply to the specific issue booked. Website and creative work is a once-off project unless a care plan is agreed. No package renews automatically — we will only continue with your express agreement.

2. Start dates

A package period starts on the date your listing or first content goes live, not the date you ordered, so you receive the full period. Work begins once payment is confirmed and we have the information and materials needed. If your materials are delayed, the start date moves with them.

3. Publication and approval

Where a service includes a draft or proof, we will share it for approval before publishing where practical. We publish once you approve it. If we do not hear back within 7 days of sending a proof, and the content only uses information you supplied, we may publish it so your package is not wasted — you can still ask for reasonable corrections afterwards.

4. Late assets and client delays

Please send logos, photos, text and approvals by the requested date. If they arrive late, we will do our best, but we may not be able to meet a particular publication date or magazine issue. Where publication is missed because of client delay, this is not treated as a failure to deliver: we will move the placement to the next available slot or issue, or offer a credit, rather than a refund.

5. Cancellations by you

Before work starts: you may cancel and receive a full refund of any amount paid.

After work has started but before publication: you may cancel; we may keep a fair amount for work already done (for example design time) and refund or credit the balance.

After publication or once a period is running: the service for the current period is considered delivered, so we do not normally refund the remainder, but we may offer a credit towards a future service at our discretion. Monthly social media management can be cancelled with notice before the next month begins.

Magazine placements cannot be refunded after the artwork deadline for that issue, because the space has been reserved and cannot be resold.

6. Cancellations by us

If we cannot deliver a service we have accepted, we will tell you as soon as possible and refund the unused portion or, if you prefer, provide a credit or an alternative placement. We may decline or cancel a booking for content that is unlawful, misleading, offensive or inconsistent with Melkbos Buzz’s editorial standards, and will refund any amount paid for work not done.

7. Refunds and credits

Approved refunds are paid by EFT (or back through the original payment provider where possible) within a reasonable time, normally 14 days. Credits are valid for 12 months and can be used towards any Melkbos Buzz service.

8. No guaranteed reach, sales or leads

Our packages give visibility — placements, features, posts and design. We do not guarantee any particular reach, engagement, enquiries, leads, bookings or sales, and a lack of results is not in itself grounds for a refund.

9. Platform outages and changes

We are not responsible for downtime, account restrictions, reach changes or policy changes on third-party platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, hosting or payment providers. If an outage on our own website affects your listing for an extended period, we will extend your period by the same amount of time.

10. Your statutory rights

This policy does not limit any rights you have under South African law, including the Consumer Protection Act and, for online bookings, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (including any cooling-off rights that apply). Where the law gives you more protection than this policy, the law applies.

11. Questions

If you need to cancel or have a concern about a booking, contact us by email or WhatsApp with your order reference and we will help.