Our aim
We want you to be pleased with what you buy from us. If a book arrives damaged, if we sent the wrong title, or if you simply change your mind, this page tells you what happens and how long it takes.
This policy covers books, digital publications and other items bought through our platform or from our office. It forms part of our Terms of Use, and it does not reduce any right you have under Zambian consumer law.
Proof of purchase
We need to be able to identify your order. Any one of the following is enough:
- Your order number or order confirmation email.
- Your platform account, where the order is already on record.
- An original receipt or invoice.
- A mobile money or bank record of the payment.
- If you cannot produce any of these, contact us anyway. If we can trace the sale in our records, we will deal with your request.
If something is wrong with your order
This covers a book that arrives damaged, a printing or binding fault such as missing pages, misbound sections or illegible print, and a case where we sent you the wrong item.
Tell us within seven (7) days of delivery or collection, with your order details and a photograph of the item and its packaging. We will either collect the item or reimburse reasonable return postage, and you choose between a replacement, an exchange for another title of the same value, or a full refund including the original delivery charge.
A production fault is always our responsibility. It is not affected by the change-of-mind conditions below, and we would rather you told us late than not at all.
If you change your mind
You may return a printed book within fourteen (14) days of delivery or collection, provided it is in original condition — unread, unmarked, undamaged and with any shrink-wrap intact.
Return postage is at your cost. We refund the price of the item but not the original delivery charge. Where a book has been read, marked or returned without its packaging, we may reduce the refund to reflect the loss in value.
Items we cannot take back for a change of mind
None of these exclusions applies where the item is faulty. A faulty item is always covered by the section above.
- Digital publications, once the download has begun.
- Print-on-demand, special-order and personalised titles produced specifically for you.
- Signed, dedicated or limited edition copies.
- Gift vouchers.
- Items returned after the fourteen-day period.
- Items damaged after delivery through accident or misuse.
Digital publications
A digital file cannot be returned, so the change-of-mind right ends once your download begins. If the file is corrupted, will not open, is the wrong title or does not match its description, tell us within seven (7) days and we will re-supply it or refund you in full.
If your download link expires before you have used it, contact us and we will reissue it at no charge.
How to return an item
- Email info@sotranepublishers.com or call us with your order details and the reason for the return.
- We issue a return reference. Please do not send an item back without one, as it may not be matched to your order.
- Send or bring the item, with the reference enclosed, to SOTRANE Publishers Limited, Room 601, 6th Floor, Kulima Tower Building, Katunjila Road, Lusaka.
- Keep your proof of posting. Until the item reaches us it remains your responsibility, unless we arranged the collection.
How refunds are made
We refund to the method you paid with. A card payment is refunded to the same card, a mobile money payment to the same number, and a bank transfer to the same account.
We process refunds within fourteen (14) days of receiving the returned item, or of agreeing the refund where no return is needed. How long it then takes to appear depends on your bank or mobile money provider.
If your order does not arrive
Contact us if your order has not arrived. We will trace it with the carrier. If it cannot be found we will resend it or refund you in full, whichever you prefer.
Publishing and editorial services
Fees for appraisal, editing, ghostwriting, design, printing, publishing and consultancy are governed by the signed agreement for that engagement. In general, and subject to that agreement:
- An advance paid to begin work is not refundable once work has started, because it reserves capacity and covers preparatory work already done.
- If you cancel partway through, you are charged for the work completed and the balance is returned.
- If we cannot deliver what we agreed, we refund the fees paid for the part not delivered.
- Dissatisfaction with an editorial opinion is not a ground for refund. An appraisal is a professional judgement, and we give it honestly whether or not it is the answer an author hoped for.
Events and book fair registrations
You may transfer a registration for the FITABO International Book Fair or our other events to another named person at no charge. If we cancel or postpone an event, you may move your registration to the new date or take a full refund.
Your legal rights
Nothing in this policy limits your rights under the Competition and Consumer Protection Act or any other applicable law. Where this policy offers you more than the law requires, the more generous position applies.
For questions about a return or refund, email info@sotranepublishers.com or call +260 76 346 5255.