Frequently Asked Questions
Have a Question?
Below are some of the questions we think you might have as well as some we have been asked. This is so that you hopefully don’t need to wait for an answer. In the case where you can’t find an answer to your question, definitely send us an email and we will be happy to help.
Safety, Privacy & Anonymity -
Absolutely! We prioritise your confidentiality and security here at Elegantly Devious. We use a safe and secure online payment system that ensures that your personal data and payment details are protected during transactions. And all our Sellers have been vetted to guarantee that they are real humans.
All packages are delivered through our PUDO locker system. This ensures that your package is secure, safe and discreet, so nobody knows what you received.
Not at all. Your email and cellphone number is visible only to employees of Elegantly-Devious and is used only for system notifications. The only place where you have to give your real details is during the payment process but none of that is accesible to Elegantly Devious or Sellers on Elegantly Devious.
From our side (i.e the Elegantly Devious Platform) only your Alias, Shop name, the listings (products) you load.
Once you start to communicate with someone else via the platform, your email address will be visible to them. So please make sure that you do not use a work email or personally identifiable email address!!
Payments are processed securely through our payment gateway. The description on your bank statement will not reveal the nature of your purchase.
We only deal with genuine sellers offering high-quality, legal products that are allowed in South Africa. We take illegal transactions or items very seriously. We rely on both buyers and sellers to inform us of anything concerning.
Any illegal items, non-consensual content or items that voilate South African law or which are strictly prohibited by our platform rules.
Absolutely! Most of our sellers love fulfilling unique and personal requests. All we ask is that all requests are made respectfully and that if a seller declines you rather approach a different seller. (NO REQUESTS FOR ILLEGAL ITEMS or ACTIONS WILL BE ENTERTAINED)
We take these kinds of situations really seriously. Please report it to us immediately with the “Report Something” form. You will have the option to report it anonymously, however, in some cases we might need more information so we would appreciate if you opt for a contact method you are comfortable with and we will keep you anonymous. But if you are not we will gladly take an anonymous tip off over none at all 🙂
How Payment Protection Works -
Buyer payments are held securely until the item has been successfully delivered. Funds are only released to the Seller once the order is completed.
We will do an EFT directly into your South African bank account.
Part of the process of keeping both the Seller and the Buyer safe requires us to make sure that the money is in our account before you send your items to the Buyer. Once the item has been received by the Buyer your order will be marked as Complete. All Completed orders will be paid on the next/following Monday.
We accept Mastercard and Visa debit and credit cards as well as instant EFT’s. We do not store or have access to your payment details, and all transactions are processed through our secure payment gateway provider Paystack.
Yes. Elegantly Devious operates exclusively within South Africa.
Delivery & Discretion -
All packages are delivered through the PUDO locker system. This ensures that your package is secure, safe and discreet, so nobody knows what you received.
You can mark an order as completed on your Dashboard. Then you need to take a screenshot of the message you received from PUDO letting you know that the parcel has been collected from the locker and send it to us on the WhatsApp number. We will mark it as complete on our side and add it to the Monday payment roll.
If you are unsure or forget, you can contact us and we will help you verify the delivery.
PUDO lockers hold parcels for a limited period of time. PUDO gives you 36 hours from the time you get your notification that your packages has arrived at the locker to collect it. If a parcel is not collected in time it is returned to the closest PUDO depot. You will be able to have it redelivered or sent to an alternative address at an additional cost. All of this will be between yourself and PUDO directly.
In a case where something like this happens we will contact both the buyer and the seller to establish whether it was a misunderstanding or a malicious transaction. We promise that in the unfortunate event of this happening, each case will be dealt with individually and fairly. Should one of the parties be found to have been dishonest we will ban their account permanently.
In rare cases where an item is delivered to an incorrect recipient, a return may only be possible if the unintended recipient voluntarily agrees to return the item in an unaltered condition. Due to hygiene and resale considerations, a return cannot be guaranteed.
SElling Safely -
This is so that we can keep our platform safe by ensuring that all sellers are 18 or older.
This is a letter you can get from your bank to confirm that the bank account details that you have given us are correct and that the bank account belongs to you and not someone just pretending to be you. You can get details on how to get yours here.
Then you can decline. We would like to keep this space open and non-judgmental so if you aren’t comfortable or interested in a request we simply ask that you be polite and respectful when declining. There will definitely be someone else who will be happy to help them. Keep in mind that just because they asked for something you don’t offer, doesn’t always mean that there isn’t something they might want to buy from you already or in the future.
Luckily this does not happen often, but it does happen. If this happens to you, we suggest that you let us know (report something). It is very important that we are aware of something like this. Often this kind of behaviour effects multiple Sellers, creating a stressful environment on our platform. The more information we have the faster and easier we can react.
Any attempt to misuse the refund or return process may result in the claim being denied and the account being suspended or permanently removed from the platform.
You can sell anything you are comfortable selling. There is no requirement to what you need to have in your “shop”. Preferences vary wildly, you are free to sell only what you are comfortable with. As long as it is legal, it is fine. Anything illegal will be removed and the account will be reported and banned.
Make sure that you have sent us clear copies of your ID and Bank Account Confirmation Letters to this email or our WhatsApp number
063 221 6380 (Office Hours). Please include your shop name and the order number for easier processing.
We are constantly refining our categories as the community grows.
If you feel none of the categories are appropriate, contact us and we’ll happily assist and may even create a new category if needed.
seller community questions -
Yes! Consistency, good communication, and clear boundaries help create trust. We encourage long-term, respectrful connections within the platform.
Absolutely! You don’t need any prior experience to start. We encourage you to begin with what you are comfortable with and then grow at your own pace. We are here to guide you if you have questions.
Successful Sellers are clear, respectful, consistent and honest in their listings, boundaries and they communicate respectfully. This builds trust and repeat buyers.
Yes, you have full control over pricing. Stay fair and realistic to build trust with your customers.
Yes, you can edit or remove listings at any time, provided there is no active order in progress. Do remember to remove an item that was unique and has been sold.
No! Your personal information is never shared with a buyer or 3rd party (in the case of a 3rd party only where you have expressly agreed or where it is legally required.)
We take inappropriate behaviours seriously. Reports are revied quickly, and accounts that violate our rules are removed.
Please contact us and we will handle it immediately.
Yes, we actively monitor listings and behaviours to maintain a safe and respectful environment.
community & culture questions -
Elegantly Devious is built on discretion and consent. We value individuality and we encourage Sellers and Buyers to engage respectfully and safely.
Communication must always remain respectful. No harassment, pressure or inappropriate behaviour is tolerated. For this reason, we highly encourage you to keep all communication on this platform via the in-app chat functionality and do no give out any personal details.
Absolutely. You can pause or step away at any time. Just make sure to cancel your subscription and to remove all of your listings. (Subscriptions are non-refundable)
Listings that violate our rules or South African law will be removed. If you are unsure why something was taken down, you can contact us and we will explain.
If you value discretion, respect and clear boundaries, then you are in the right place.
No! Your personal information is never shared with a buyer or 3rd party (in the case of a 3rd party only where you have expressly agreed or where it is legally required.)
We take inappropriate behaviours seriously. Reports are revied quickly, and accounts that violate our rules are removed.
Please contact us and we will handle it immediately.
Yes, we actively monitor listings and behaviours to maintain a safe and respectful environment.
Buying Safely -
Orders can only be cancelled before the Seller ships the item. Once an item has been sent via PUDO, cancellations will no longer be possible.
If you receive the wrong item or order, the Seller will generally be given the opportunity to send the correct item. A refund may only be considered if both parties agree or where the issue cannot be resolved.
No. Due to the intimate and personal nature of the products sold on Elegantly Devious, all sales are final and returns are not accepted for hygiene, health, and safety reasons.
Refunds are exceptional and are only considered in limited, verified circumstances. These include confirmed non-delivery or verified delivery errors, in accordance with our Refunds & Returns Policy.
Where a refund is approved, funds are released back to the original payment method after verification has been completed. Refunds are typically processed within 3-5 business days after verification.
Any delivery issues must be reported as soon as reasonably possible and no later than 24 hours after confirmed collection from PUDO together with clear photographic evidence of the item and packaging.
If a return is approved in a rare eligible case, all reasonable return shipping costs will be covered by the Seller. Returns are not guaranteed and remain subject to verification.
Absolutely! Most of our sellers love fulfilling unique and personal requests. All we ask is that all requests are made respectfully and that if a seller declines you rather approach a different seller. (NO REQUESTS FOR ILLEGAL ITEMS or ACTIONS WILL BE ENTERTAINED)
PUDO lockers hold parcels for a limited period of time. PUDO gives you 36 hours from the time you get your notification that your packages has arrived at the locker to collect it. If a parcel is not collected in time it is returned to the closest PUDO depot. You will be able to have it redelivered or sent to an alternative address at an additional cost. All of this will be between yourself and PUDO directly.
Payments are processed securely through our payment gateway. The description on your bank statement will not reveal the nature of your purchase.
In rare cases where an item is delivered to an incorrect recipient, a return may only be possible if the unintended recipient voluntarily agrees to return the item in an unaltered condition. Due to hygiene and resale considerations, a return cannot be guaranteed.
Have a Weird Edge Case -
We take these kinds of situations really seriously. Please report it to us immediately with the “Report Something” form. You will have the option to report it anonymously, however, in some cases we might need more information so we would appreciate if you opt for a contact method you are comfortable with and we will keep you anonymous. But if you are not we will gladly take an anonymous tip off over none at all 🙂
You can email us at anytime – email here. Please give us some time to reply, but we do try and reply within 2 hours during office hours. After hours might take a little longer.