- Home /
- Return and Refund Policy
Off Trail Market – Return and Refund Policy
Effective Date: May 1, 2026
offtrailmarket.com
Important: Off Trail Market is a multi-vendor marketplace. When you purchase on this Platform, you are buying directly from an independent vendor — not from Off Trail Market. Return and refund eligibility is governed first by the individual vendor’s shop policy, and second by the Platform Minimum Standards described in this Policy. Please review a vendor’s shop policy before completing your purchase.
1. How Returns Work on Off Trail Market
Because Off Trail Market connects buyers with independent vendors, the return and refund process involves two layers of policy: the individual vendor’s shop policy and Off Trail Market’s Platform Minimum Standards.
Vendors are required to publish a clear return and refund policy in their shop profile. Off Trail Market enforces minimum standards that all vendor policies must meet. In cases where a vendor’s policy is silent, ambiguous, or conflicts with these minimum standards, the Platform Minimum Standards apply.
This Policy is the controlling returns and refunds document for physical product purchases made through the Gear Shop and Makers Market. For bookings made through The Outfitter, the Off Trail Market Outfitter Booking Terms are the controlling document. In the event of any conflict between this Policy and the Outfitter Booking Terms regarding a booking, the Outfitter Booking Terms control. Section 7 of this Policy sets out supplementary context and platform minimum standards that apply to Outfitter bookings alongside — and subject to — the Outfitter Booking Terms.
2. Checking a Vendor's Return Policy
Before completing a purchase, we strongly encourage you to:
- Visit the vendor’s shop profile page.
- Review their posted return and refund policy.
- Note the return window, any item condition requirements, and who is responsible for return shipping costs.
- Contact the vendor directly through the Platform’s messaging system if you have any questions before purchasing.
Off Trail Market is not responsible for a buyer’s failure to review a vendor’s return policy prior to purchase. However, all vendor policies must comply with the Platform Minimum Standards described in Section 3, regardless of what the individual policy states.
3. Platform Minimum Standards
All vendors on Off Trail Market — regardless of their individual shop policy — are required to meet the following minimum standards. These standards exist to protect buyers and cannot be waived or superseded by a vendor’s posted policy.
3.1 Items That Are Not as Described
If you receive an item that is materially different from what was listed — including wrong item, wrong size, wrong color, or a description that was significantly inaccurate — you are entitled to a full refund regardless of the vendor’s stated return policy.
“Materially different” means a meaningful, objective discrepancy between the listing and the item received. Minor variations in color due to photography lighting, natural variation in handmade items, or differences in personal preference do not constitute a material difference.
3.2 Items Damaged in Transit
If your item arrives damaged due to inadequate packaging by the vendor, you are entitled to a refund or replacement at the vendor’s election. Damage caused by the carrier after proper packaging may require a carrier insurance claim rather than a vendor return. Off Trail Market will assist in evaluating damage claims and determining appropriate next steps.
3.3 Items That Never Arrive
If your order does not arrive within 30 days of the estimated delivery date, and tracking information does not show delivery, you are eligible to open a non-delivery dispute. Off Trail Market will work with the vendor and carrier to investigate. If the item cannot be confirmed as delivered, a full refund will be issued.
3.4 Vendor Non-Response
If a vendor fails to respond to a legitimate buyer return or refund request within 5 business days, Off Trail Market may step in to facilitate resolution. In cases of vendor non-response combined with a qualifying return reason, Off Trail Market reserves the right to issue a refund to the buyer from funds held or owed to the vendor.
3.5 Vendor-Initiated Cancellations
If a vendor cancels your order after it has been placed and confirmed, you are entitled to a full refund of all amounts paid, including any shipping charges. Vendor-initiated cancellations are tracked and may result in account review.
4. Standard Return Process
To initiate a return or refund request, follow these steps:
Step 1: Contact the Vendor
Your first step is always to contact the vendor directly through the Off Trail Market messaging system. Include:
- Your order number.
- A clear description of the issue.
- Photographs of the item if it arrived damaged or is not as described.
Vendors are required to respond to return requests within 5 business days.
Step 2: Follow the Vendor's Return Instructions
If the vendor approves your return, they will provide return shipping instructions. Do not return an item without first receiving return authorization from the vendor, as unauthorized returns may not be accepted or refunded.
Step 3: Ship the Item Back
Unless the return is due to vendor error (wrong item, damaged item, item not as described), the buyer is generally responsible for return shipping costs unless the vendor’s policy states otherwise. We recommend using a trackable shipping method for all returns. Off Trail Market is not responsible for items lost during return shipping.
Step 4: Refund Processing
Once the vendor confirms receipt of the returned item in acceptable condition, the refund will be processed. Refunds are issued to the original payment method. Processing times vary:
- Vendor-approved refunds are typically processed within 5 business days of return confirmation.
- Once issued by Off Trail Market, refunds may take an additional 3 to 10 business days to appear on your statement depending on your financial institution.
5. Escalating to Off Trail Market
If you are unable to resolve a return or refund issue directly with the vendor, you may escalate to Off Trail Market for assistance. To open a dispute with Off Trail Market:
- Contact us at Admin@OffTrailMarket.com with your order number, a description of the issue, and documentation of your communication with the vendor.
- Disputes must be opened within 30 days of the original delivery date or expected delivery date. This window does not apply to latent defects that could not reasonably have been discovered within 30 days of delivery, or to claims involving fraud, counterfeit goods, or regulatory violations, which may be escalated to Off Trail Market outside this window at Off Trail Market’s discretion.
- Off Trail Market will review the dispute and may request additional documentation from both the buyer and the vendor.
- Off Trail Market will issue a resolution determination within 10 business days of receiving all requested information.
Off Trail Market’s dispute resolution process is a courtesy service. We reserve the right to make final determinations regarding dispute outcomes at our sole discretion. In cases where Off Trail Market determines a refund is warranted and the vendor is non-compliant, we may issue the refund directly from funds held or owed to the vendor.
6. Non-Returnable Items
Certain categories of items are not eligible for return under any circumstances unless they arrive damaged or are materially not as described. These include:
- Perishable goods, food items, and consumables.
- Custom or personalized items made to the buyer’s specifications.
- Digital downloads and electronic content once accessed.
- Intimate apparel, undergarments, and similar items for hygiene reasons.
- Hazardous materials, flammable items, or other regulated substances.
- Items that have been used, worn, washed, or altered after receipt.
- Items that are missing original packaging, tags, or components at the time of return, if the vendor’s policy requires these for returns.
Vendors may designate additional items as non-returnable within their individual shop policy, provided such designations do not conflict with the Platform Minimum Standards in Section 3.
7. The Outfitter: Cancellations and Refunds for Bookings
The Outfitter operates differently from the Gear Shop and Makers Market. Because booked experiences involve guide scheduling, permits, capacity planning, and advance costs, cancellation and refund terms are necessarily more complex. Always review an Outfitter’s specific cancellation policy before booking. For all Outfitter bookings, the Off Trail Market Outfitter Booking Terms are the controlling document. In any conflict between this Policy and the Outfitter Booking Terms regarding a booking, the Outfitter Booking Terms control. The standards in this Section 7 apply as a floor alongside the Outfitter Booking Terms and do not supersede them.
7.1 Outfitter Cancellation Policies
Each Outfitter service provider sets and discloses their own cancellation and refund policy at the time of listing. These policies may vary significantly between providers. Common policy structures include:
- Full refund if cancelled more than [X] days before the trip date.
- Partial refund (or deposit forfeiture) if cancelled within [X] to [Y] days.
- No refund for cancellations within [X] days of the trip date.
The specific terms applicable to your booking will be displayed during the booking process and must be acknowledged before payment is processed.
7.2 Platform Minimum Standards for Outfitter Bookings
Regardless of individual Outfitter policy, the following minimum standards apply to all bookings through The Outfitter:
- If an Outfitter cancels a booked experience for any reason, the buyer is entitled to a full refund of all amounts paid, including any non-refundable deposit.
- If an Outfitter materially misrepresents a booking — for example, the experience described differs significantly from what is provided — the buyer may request a partial or full refund through Off Trail Market’s dispute process.
If a booked experience cannot proceed due to circumstances solely within the Outfitter’s control (equipment failure, staffing issues, loss of permits), the buyer is entitled to a full refund.
7.3 Buyer-Initiated Cancellations
Buyer-initiated cancellations of Outfitter bookings are governed by the individual Outfitter’s disclosed cancellation policy, as presented at checkout and in the booking confirmation. The Outfitter Booking Terms are the controlling document for all booking cancellations and refunds. The standards in this Section 7 apply as a floor alongside the Outfitter Booking Terms and do not supersede them.
Notwithstanding the Outfitter’s cancellation policy, a buyer is entitled to a full refund of all amounts paid, including any deposit, in the following platform-level circumstances:
- The Outfitter cancels the confirmed booking for any reason.
- The experience cannot proceed due to circumstances solely within the Outfitter’s control, including equipment failure, staffing issues, or loss of required permits.
- The booked experience is materially different from the listing description, such that the experience as delivered does not substantially match what was represented at the time of booking.
In documented exceptional-circumstances situations, including serious illness or injury, death of an immediate family member, government-declared emergencies, or natural disasters as described in the Outfitter Booking Terms, buyers should contact Off Trail Market at Admin@OffTrailMarket.com as soon as possible with supporting documentation. Off Trail Market may, but is not obligated to, facilitate rescheduling, credit, partial refund, or full refund based on the specific facts and any non-recoverable costs already incurred by the Outfitter.
7.4 Force Majeure
If an experience cannot proceed due to circumstances beyond either party’s reasonable control — including severe weather, natural disasters, government restrictions, or acts of God — Off Trail Market will work with both the Outfitter and the buyer to find a fair resolution, which may include rescheduling or a partial refund. Neither Off Trail Market nor the Outfitter guarantees a full refund in force majeure situations, though both are expected to act in good faith.
8. Refund Methods and Timing
All refunds are returned to the original payment method used at the time of purchase. Off Trail Market does not issue refunds by check, cash, store credit (unless a vendor specifically offers this), or alternative payment methods not used in the original transaction.
Refund processing times: Once a refund is approved and initiated by Off Trail Market or the vendor, please allow:
- 3 to 5 business days for the refund to be processed through Stripe.
- An additional 3 to 10 business days for the refund to appear on your bank or card statement, depending on your financial institution.
- Debit card refunds may take longer to process than credit card refunds in some cases.
Off Trail Market is not responsible for delays caused by financial institutions in posting refunds to your account. If your refund has not appeared within 15 business days of the refund confirmation, please contact your bank before reaching out to us.
9. Chargebacks
We strongly encourage buyers to contact Off Trail Market and attempt to resolve issues through our return and dispute process before initiating a chargeback with their financial institution. Our team is committed to fair resolution and can typically resolve issues more quickly than the chargeback process.
Initiating a chargeback while a dispute is under active review by Off Trail Market may complicate resolution. If a chargeback is initiated, Off Trail Market will cooperate with the card network’s dispute process and may provide transaction documentation to contest chargebacks that do not meet the Platform Minimum Standards for refund eligibility.
10. Multi-Vendor Orders
When you purchase items from multiple vendors in a single transaction, each item is subject to the return and refund policy of its respective vendor. You may need to initiate separate return requests for items from different vendors. Shipping costs for returns in a multi-vendor order are handled on a per-vendor basis.
Refunds for individual items in a multi-vendor order do not affect the rest of your order. Each vendor’s portion of your transaction is handled independently.
11. Vendor Obligations Under This Policy
By selling on Off Trail Market, all vendors agree to:
- Publish a clear and accurate return and refund policy in their shop profile before listing any products.
- Honor all commitments made in their shop policy.
- Meet the Platform Minimum Standards described in Section 3 regardless of their individual policy.
- Respond to buyer return and refund requests within 5 business days.
- Process approved refunds within 5 business days of receiving returned items.
- Cooperate with Off Trail Market’s dispute resolution process when escalations occur.
Vendors who repeatedly fail to meet these obligations are subject to account review, suspension, or termination in accordance with the Vendor Agreement.
12. Changes to This Policy
Off Trail Market reserves the right to update this Return and Refund Policy at any time. When material changes are made, we will notify registered users via email and post the updated Policy on the Platform with a new effective date. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.
13. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Policy or need assistance with a return, refund, or dispute, please contact us at:
Off Trail Market — Customer Support
Email: Admin@OffTrailMarket.com
Website: offtrailmarket.com
Response Time: Within 2 business days
—
Last Updated: May 1, 2026 | Off Trail Market | offtrailmarket.com