Refund policy

THE EMPORIUM RETROGAMING SHOP - GLOBAL RETURN & CANCELLATION POLICY

PART A: FOR EUROPEAN UNION (EU/EEA) CUSTOMERS ONLY

This section applies strictly to consumers residing within the European Union and European Economic Area (EEA) in accordance with the EU Consumer Rights Directive.

1. Statutory Right of Withdrawal

You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 calendar days without giving any reason. The withdrawal period expires exactly 14 days from the day on which you, or a designated third party (other than the carrier), takes physical possession of the goods shipped from Japan.

To exercise this right, you must notify us of your unequivocal decision to withdraw. You can do this instantly by utilizing our electronic "Withdraw from contract here" link located in our website footer, or by sending an explicit written declaration via email to:

Company Name: The Emporium Retrogaming Shop
Address: 5-4-8 NISHI-IKUTA, TAMA-KU Kawasaki Kanagawa - 2140037, Japan
Email: Japanamusement@gmail.com

2. Legal Exemptions & Excluded Goods

Pursuant to Article 16 of the EU Consumer Rights Directive, the right of withdrawal is completely void and non-applicable for:

Customized/Personalized Goods: Items tailored, custom-engraved, structurally modified, or uniquely refurbished to your specific specifications.
Unsealed Media & Games: Sealed retro video games, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, software, cassettes, or vinyl records that have been opened (taken out of the original plastic wrap/seal) by the consumer after delivery.
Exempt electronic elements: Separate sensitive internal electronic components or downloadable digital software products once the download/performance has begun.

3. Anti-Fraud & Value Depreciation Penalties (The "Try-On Only" Rule)

The Physical Retail Store Standard: You are legally permitted to handle and inspect the retro items, consoles, and accessories only to the exact same extent you would be allowed to inside a physical brick-and-mortar retail shop (e.g., viewing cosmetic condition).
Diminished Value Liability: If the returned goods show any signs of usage exceeding a basic visual inspection, you are legally liable for the diminished value of the item. This includes:
- Missing, cut, or detached original shop tags, security seals, tamper-proof stickers, or serial number labels.
- Consoles or accessories that have been plugged in, turned on, played, scratched, or modified.
- Ripped, written-on, unsealed, or heavily damaged original vintage Japanese boxes, manuals, or protective inserts.
Deduction Matrix: We reserve our statutory right to deduct up to 100% of your refund value if the item is returned in a non-resellable condition. The exact deduction will be calculated upon physical inspection at our facility in Japan.

4. Direct Cost & Legal Ownership of Returns

Return Shipping Fees: The consumer must bear the full, direct cost of returning the goods internationally to our facility in Japan. We do not provide prepaid return labels. If you received free shipping at checkout but return an item, and your remaining order total no longer qualifies for free shipping, an amount equivalent to our standard outbound shipping cost will be deducted from your final refund.
Risk of Loss: Returned merchandise remains the legal property, liability, and risk of the consumer until it is physically signed for at our designated warehouse.
Fraudulent Returns: All inventory items are securely marked, photographed, and serial-tracked before leaving Japan. If a customer returns an empty package, a substituted item, a counterfeit product, or internal components are stripped, no refund will be issued. A formal criminal fraud report will be filed automatically with the consumer's regional law enforcement, Europol, and transit authorities.

5. Verification Gate & Reimbursement Rules

Right to Withhold Funds: We will withhold all reimbursements until we have physically received the merchandise at our facility in Japan and subjected it to a complete inspection.
Exclusion of Premium Shipping Rates: We will only refund our lowest-cost standard baseline shipping fee. Any optional surcharge paid for premium/express shipping is non-refundable.
Processing Timeline: Eligible refunds will be issued within 14 days of physical package verification. No merchant transaction fees (like PayPal rates) will be deducted from valid EU statutory returns.

6. Statutory Model Withdrawal Form Text

(Complete and return this form via email only if you wish to withdraw from the contract without using our footer button)

To: The Emporium Retrogaming Shop
Address: 5-4-8 NISHI-IKUTA, TAMA-KU Kawasaki Kanagawa - 2140037, Japan
Email: Japanamusement@gmail.com
I/We (*) hereby give notice that I/We (*) withdraw from my/our (*) contract of sale of the following goods: [Insert Items Here]
Ordered on (*)/Received on (*): [Insert Dates Here]
Name of consumer(s): [Insert Name]
Address of consumer(s): [Insert Address]
Date: [Insert Date]
(*) Delete as applicable.

PART B: FOR NON-EUROPEAN CUSTOMERS (Rest of World)

This section applies to all purchases originating outside of the European Union/EEA (e.g., United States, Australia, Canada, etc.).

1. 7-Day Return Policy Window

Our policy for international returns lasts strictly 7 days from the date of delivery. If 7 days have gone by since your delivery, unfortunately, we cannot offer you a refund or exchange. To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused, in the same pristine condition that you received it, and must be in its original vintage packaging.

2. Restocking Fee Schedule

All returned items under this section are subject to a 25% restocking fee depending on type of item and condition when it is returned.

Buyer changes mind, buyer remorse, or price difference: 25% Restocking Fee Applied.
Buyer refuses delivery: 25% Restocking Fee Applied.
Order is returned as undeliverable: No restocking fee applied, but an amount equivalent to all outbound and return international shipping costs will be deducted from the refund.
Opened Media/Software: The buyer returns a CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record within the return window that has been opened or taken out of the original plastic wrap. A restocking fee of up to 50% of the item's price will be applied.
Damaged/Materially Different Returns: If an item is returned damaged, defective, or missing parts for reasons not due to our error, a partial refund or restocking fee will be assessed at our sole discretion based on the value loss.

3. Order Cancellations Per Buyer's Request

If a non-EU buyer requests to cancel a transaction before shipment, the cancellation option remains entirely at the sole discretion of the seller. Any approved refund will be the total cost minus a 5% processing fee to cover non-refundable PayPal/merchant processor fees. If the cancellation is due to an item being unavailable or defective on our end, a 100% full refund is issued.

4. Shipping, Customs, and Free Shipping Reversals

You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are completely non-refundable.
If you received free shipping on your order but return an item and no longer qualify for the promotion threshold, you are responsible for paying the original actual cost of shipping. For example, if you spent 11,000 yen but returned an item(s) that cost 6,000 yen in shipping, your true order total is now 5,000 yen. The 6,000 yen shipping fee will be deducted from your return credit.
Import duties, taxes, and customs charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges and are the buyer's responsibility. We strictly adhere to international laws and will not mark merchandise below its value or label items as "gifts".
We will not reimburse any customs clearance or import fees charged by the destination country.

5. Final Sale, Gifts, and Exchanges

Sale Items: Only regular-priced items may be refunded; unfortunately, sale items cannot be refunded or exchanged.
Exchanges: We only replace items if they are defective or damaged upon arrival. Contact us at japanamusement@gmail.com for instructions.
Gifts: If the item was marked as a gift when purchased and shipped directly to you, you’ll receive a store gift credit for the value of your return once the package is received in Japan. If it wasn't marked as a gift, the refund will be sent directly to the original gift giver.

If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.