Effective Date: October 15, 2026 Version: 1.0 Applies to: All Buyers who raise a problem with an Order, a return, or a refund through the Platform.
Article 1: Introduction and Scope
1.1 This document states the Buyer's path for resolving a problem with an Order when the ordinary process has not resolved it: contact with the Seller, escalation to the Company, a determination by the Company on the evidence, and review of that determination. This document governs a service escalation. A service escalation is a request for the Company to resolve a transaction problem; it is not a legal proceeding.
1.2 Legal disputes between the Buyer and the Company, including a dispute over a determination under this document that remains unresolved after review, are governed exclusively by the Dispute Resolution Policy. Completion of the escalation and review stated in this document is required before a legal dispute concerning the same transaction is commenced under the Dispute Resolution Policy.
1.3 If a provision of this document conflicts with the Terms of Use, this document controls for the subject it governs. If a provision of this document conflicts with the terms of a program in which the Buyer participates, the program terms control for that program. Policies and help pages explain this document; they do not amend it, and in any conflict this document prevails.
Article 2: Definitions
2.1 The definitions in the Terms of Use are incorporated into this document by reference and apply to this document. This article defines only the additional terms used in this document, in alphabetical order.
2.2 Determination: the Company's written decision on an escalation, stating the outcome, the evidence relied on, the rule applied, and the remedy.
2.3 Escalation: a Buyer's request, made under Article 4, that the Company resolve a problem with an Order after contact with the Seller has not resolved it, or after the Seller has not responded within the period stated in this document.
Article 3: Matters That May Be Escalated
3.1 The Buyer may escalate: a denial of a return or a finding on the condition of a returned Product; the amount or the timing of a refund; an item not received; an item that is not as described, damaged, defective, or incorrect; delivery after the Delivery Promise; a cancellation of an Order; and misconduct in a communication concerning an Order, including harassment or misrepresentation.
3.2 The Buyer shall not use an escalation for: a chargeback, which is governed by the Chargeback Policy; an appeal of a measure taken against the Buyer's own Account, which is governed by Article 11 of this document and the Buyer Account Policy; a request concerning personal information, which is governed by the Privacy Policy; or a notice of copyright infringement, which is governed by the DMCA and Copyright Policy. An escalation filed in the wrong process does not stop the period for filing in the correct process.
3.3 If a problem does not fall within a category in clause 3.1, the Buyer shall describe the problem in full; the Company shall classify the escalation and shall not dismiss it solely because the Buyer selected an incorrect category.
Article 4: The Escalation Path
4.1 Step one: contact with the Seller. The Buyer shall first message the Seller through the Order, describing the problem and the remedy sought, including a refund, a replacement, or a correction. The Buyer shall state the facts with particularity, including the date of delivery, the condition of the Product, and the respect in which the Product or the fulfillment differs from the listing or the Order.
4.2 Step two: escalation to the Company. If the Seller does not respond within seventy-two (72) hours of the Buyer's message, or the Seller's response does not resolve the problem, the Buyer may escalate by notice to support@aapawz.com or through the Account, identifying the Order and attaching the message exchange with the Seller. The Buyer does not require the Seller's permission to escalate. The seventy-two (72) hours run from the timestamp of the Buyer's message. For a live animal that arrives in distress, and for a suspected counterfeit Product, the Buyer may escalate without completing the seventy-two (72) hour period.
4.3 Step three: determination. The Company shall assign the escalation to a reviewer who did not make the decision under escalation, where a prior decision exists. The Company shall decide the escalation on the preponderance of the evidence. Where the evidence is genuinely balanced, the Company shall give the Buyer the benefit of the doubt in an item-not-received claim in which the delivery address matches the Order, in a damaged-on-arrival claim supported by contemporaneous photographs, and in a not-as-described claim supported by contemporaneous photographs.
4.4 Step four: remedy. The Determination shall state the outcome, the reasoning, the evidence relied on, the rule applied, and the remedy. Where the remedy is a refund and the Seller does not pay it, the Company shall issue the refund and recover the amount from the Seller under the Selling Terms of Service, or shall pay the refund under the Buyer Protection Program where that program applies. The Buyer's remedy does not depend on the Seller's cooperation after the Determination.
4.5 Step five: review of the Determination. Either party may request review of a Determination within fourteen (14) calendar days of the Determination, by notice to support@aapawz.com, on one or more of the following grounds: (a) a material error of fact, law, or policy; (b) evidence that is genuinely new and that was not available, with reasonable diligence, during the escalation; (c) an irregularity in the procedure that affected the outcome; or (d) a remedy beyond the remedy the governing document authorizes. A request that states only disagreement with the outcome, without a ground in this clause, shall be dismissed. Review is decided by a reviewer senior to the original reviewer who did not participate in the Determination. The decision on review is final as a service escalation; Article 1, clause 1.2 governs a legal dispute that remains after review.
4.6 The Buyer and the Seller may settle an escalation at any time before the Determination. A settlement accepted by both parties in writing ends the escalation, and the Company shall record the settlement; each party is bound by an accepted settlement.
Article 5: Filing Periods and Evidence
5.1 The Buyer shall file an escalation within thirty (30) calendar days of the event that gives rise to it, measured: (a) from the Delivery Date for a damaged, defective, incorrect, or not-as-described claim; (b) from the Seller's denial or condition finding for a return claim; (c) from the Delivery Promise date for an item-not-received claim; and (d) from the decision or act complained of for any other claim.
5.2 A late escalation may be denied as untimely, except where the delay was caused by an error of the Company, by an event beyond the Buyer's reasonable control, by a requirement of applicable law, or where the claim is established on the face of the records the Buyer files.
5.3 Where the Buyer awaits evidence from the Seller or from a carrier, including a trace investigation or a proof-of-delivery record, the Buyer shall request an extension in the escalation. On such a request, the filing period is extended by up to thirty (30) additional calendar days while the evidence is pending. An extension is not automatic and shall be requested before the period expires.
5.4 The Buyer shall file the escalation through the Account or by notice to support@aapawz.com, shall describe the events in chronological order, and shall attach the evidence relied on. Evidence is weighed in the following order of reliability: records of the Platform, the payment processor, and the carrier; contemporaneous photographs of the Product and of the Product against the listing; the message exchange with the Seller; and the statements of the parties. An escalation that states no facts and attaches no evidence shall be dismissed.
5.5 The Seller shall respond to an escalation within three (3) business days of notice of the escalation. The Buyer may reply within two (2) business days of the Seller's response. No further exchange is permitted except at the reviewer's direction. Filing an escalation is without charge to the Buyer.
5.6 A frivolous, abusive, or duplicative escalation may be dismissed on filing. A pattern of such filings, including an escalation filed to harass a Seller or the same decided claim refiled under a different category, is a violation of this document.
Article 6: Communications During an Escalation
6.1 Communications between the Buyer and the Seller concerning an Order or an escalation shall be truthful and civil and shall be confined to the transaction. Harassment, a threat, abuse, or a misrepresentation in such a communication is a violation of this document and may itself be escalated under Article 3.
6.2 The Buyer shall not threaten a negative review, and shall not promise a positive review, to obtain a refund, a discount, or another concession. Such conduct is review extortion under the Buyer Reviews Policy and is a violation of this document; the conduct also bears on the credibility of the Buyer's escalation.
Article 7: Chargebacks and Escalations
7.1 A chargeback filed with the Buyer's payment issuer is a separate card network process governed by the Chargeback Policy. Filing a chargeback suspends the escalation for that Order while the network process is pending, as stated in the Buyer Order and Payment Terms.
7.2 If the network decides a chargeback against the Buyer, the Buyer may pursue or resume an escalation for a remaining remedy under this document, subject to the filing periods in Article 5. An adverse network decision does not by itself extinguish a claim under this document.
Article 8: Records and Confidentiality
8.1 The evidence, deliberations, and internal notes of an escalation are confidential to the extent permitted by law. The Determination, with its reasoning, is disclosed to the Buyer and the Seller.
8.2 Personal information in an escalation record is handled under the Privacy Policy. The Buyer may request redaction of personal information in a filed record that is not relevant to the escalation.
8.3 The Buyer has access to the record of the Buyer's own escalations, including the filing, the evidence the Buyer submitted, the Seller's response, and the Determination. The Buyer has no right of access to the escalation record of another Buyer.
Article 9: Liability
9.1 To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither party is liable to the other for indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages, or for lost profits, lost revenue, or loss of goodwill, arising out of or relating to this document, even if the party has been advised of the possibility of those damages.
9.2 To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company's total liability arising out of or relating to this document shall not exceed the greater of (a) the amounts the Buyer paid for the Order giving rise to the claim, or (b) one hundred dollars ($100).
9.3 This article does not limit (a) a party's indemnification obligations under this document; (b) liability for fraud or willful misconduct; (c) amounts the Buyer owes for Orders, fees, chargebacks, or refunds under this document; or (d) liability that cannot be limited under applicable law.
9.4 The parties agree that this article allocates risk between them, that it is an essential part of the basis of their bargain, and that it applies even if a limited remedy fails of its essential purpose.
Article 10: Indemnification
10.1 The Buyer shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Company and its members, managers, employees, and agents from and against every claim, demand, action, loss, liability, judgment, settlement, cost, and expense (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) the Buyer's breach of this document, including a false statement or fabricated evidence in an escalation; (b) the Buyer's User Content submitted in an escalation; (c) the Buyer's misuse of the escalation process; and (d) the Buyer's violation of any law or of the rights of any person.
10.2 The Company shall give prompt written notice of a claim under this article. The Buyer shall control the defense with counsel reasonably acceptable to the Company. The Company may participate in the defense at its own expense. The Buyer shall not settle a claim in a manner that imposes any obligation or restriction on the Company, or that does not release the Company fully, without the Company's prior written consent.
10.3 This article survives the termination of this document.
Article 11: Enforcement and Appeals
11.1 The Company may investigate any suspected violation of this document. The Buyer shall cooperate with an investigation and shall produce the records this document requires the Buyer to keep, including the message exchange with the Seller, photographs, and carrier records in the Buyer's possession.
11.2 If the Company determines that the Buyer has violated this document, the Company shall give written notice stating the provision violated and the facts relied on, except where notice would compromise an investigation of fraud, a safety risk, or a legal obligation.
11.3 Where a violation is capable of cure, the Buyer has ten (10) business days from notice to cure it and to confirm the cure in writing. No cure period applies to fraud, counterfeiting, a risk to the safety of a person or an animal, unlawful conduct, or a violation that by its nature cannot be cured.
11.4 If a violation is established and is not cured within the period allowed, the Company may, proportionate to the violation: (a) issue a written warning; (b) dismiss or restrict the abusive escalation; (c) remove or suppress the Buyer's User Content; (d) cancel an Order or a booking; (e) suspend the Account or a program participation, in whole or in part; (f) terminate this document and the Account; and (g) exercise any other right or remedy available under this document or at law.
11.5 The Buyer may appeal a measure under this article by written notice to legal@aapawz.com within thirty (30) days of the measure, stating the grounds and attaching the records relied on. The appeal is decided by a person who did not make the original decision. The Company's decision on appeal is final. A measure remains in effect during an appeal unless the Company directs otherwise in writing. An appeal under this article concerns a measure against the Buyer; a request for review of a Determination is made under Article 4, clause 4.5, and is not an appeal under this article.
11.6 The Company's delay in acting on a violation is not a waiver of the violation or of any later violation of the same kind.
Article 12: Term and Termination
12.1 This document takes effect when the Buyer first raises an escalation through the Platform and continues until terminated under this article.
12.2 The Company may terminate this document and the Account on thirty (30) days' written notice for any reason, and immediately on written notice if the Buyer materially breaches this document, engages in fraud, or becomes ineligible to participate.
12.3 The Buyer may terminate this document on thirty (30) days' written notice to support@aapawz.com, provided the Buyer has no Order, booking, or investigation outstanding. Termination does not extinguish an escalation filed before termination; the Company shall complete an escalation pending at termination and shall pay a remedy awarded in it.
12.4 On termination: (a) the rights granted under this document end, subject to clause 12.3; (b) obligations that arose before termination: including payment, refund, chargeback, record-keeping, and indemnification obligations: survive until satisfied; and (c) the Company shall disburse amounts owed, less amounts the Company may set off under this document, within thirty (30) days, except amounts held in connection with an open investigation or dispute.
12.5 The Definitions, Liability, Indemnification, Enforcement and Appeals (for measures taken before termination), Dispute Resolution, and General Provisions articles survive termination.
Article 13: Dispute Resolution
13.1 Any dispute arising out of or relating to this document, or to the relationship it governs, is governed by the Dispute Resolution Policy, which is incorporated into this document by reference.
Article 14: General Provisions
14.1 The Company may amend this document by posting the amended document in the Document Center and giving notice to the Buyer at the email address in the Account. An amendment that materially increases the Buyer's fees or obligations takes effect thirty (30) days after notice; other amendments take effect on posting. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date of an amendment is acceptance of it. If the Buyer does not accept an amendment, the Buyer's remedy is to terminate under the Term and Termination article before the amendment takes effect.
14.2 Legal notices under this document shall be sent to legal@aapawz.com. Operational notices and all other communications shall be sent to support@aapawz.com. A notice to the Company is effective when the Company acknowledges receipt or, for email, one business day after sending, whichever is earlier. Notices to the Buyer are effective when sent to the email address in the Account or posted to the Account's notice facility in the portal, whichever occurs first. The Buyer shall keep the email address in the Account current. Notices under the DMCA and Copyright Policy are given as provided in that policy, to the designated agent at legal@aapawz.com.
14.3 This document is governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. Subject to the Dispute Resolution Policy, any proceeding arising out of this document shall be brought in the state or federal courts located in Shelby County, Tennessee, and the parties consent to personal jurisdiction there.
14.4 If any provision of this document is held unenforceable, the provision shall be enforced to the fullest extent permitted, and the remaining provisions continue in full effect.
14.5 This document, together with the documents it incorporates by reference, is the entire agreement between the Company and the Buyer for the subject it governs and supersedes every prior or contemporaneous statement, communication, or agreement on that subject, whether written or oral.
14.6 The Buyer shall not assign this document or any right or obligation under it without the Company's prior written consent, and an assignment without consent is void. The Company may assign this document to an affiliate or in connection with a sale of all or part of its business, on notice to the Buyer.
14.7 A waiver of any provision of this document is effective only in writing and only for the instance stated. No waiver is a waiver of any other provision or instance.
14.8 Headings are for convenience only. "Including" means "including without limitation." This document shall not be construed against a party on the ground that the party prepared this document. The English-language text controls over any translation.
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