Terms & Conditions

You are required to provide basic information that identifies you as an individual, including your name, email, and postal address, in order for us to provide the service we offer. You may only use our service if you are at least 18 years of age. Additional information may be requested from us for other purposes that have been set out in these terms.

Transferring your account information to another account is strictly prohibited under all circumstances. Packages can only be transferred with our consent.

Using our website means that you acknowledge and agree to comply with all applicable laws and regulations at the local, state, national, and international levels associated with our service. This encompasses adhering to South Korean postal regulations and complying with regulations set out by foreign jurisdictions and postal services.

You are responsible for ensuring the security of your password to prevent unauthorized access to your Korean Buddies account and services. It is your duty to notify us immediately if you suspect any unauthorized use or a security breach. Korean Buddies shall not disclose or distribute your personal information to any third party outside of our service.

You may choose to delete your account at any time, provided that there are no outstanding transactions or parcels in transit. Closing your Korean Buddies account means that this contract will be terminated, and any information collected during the use of our service will be removed. It may not be restored under any circumstances.

Our core service involves purchasing products on your behalf and delivering them to the address provided to us. You are subject to paying the following fees that are necessary as part of our service: cost of purchasing the items and relevant delivery costs to us, Korean Buddies commission fee, and Paypal currency conversion fees or bank transfer fees. You acknowledge that Korean Buddies will only commence purchasing products after payment is confirmed for the corresponding product invoice.

In the event of a change in the cost of goods (such as the end of a sale), which may occur after the payment and during the purchase of products, Korean Buddies will communicate this information and request additional payment for any substantial discrepancy. Minor variances will be charged on the shipping invoice depending on the circumstances. Your understanding is required in such cases, as Korean Buddies cannot take responsibility for changes in the cost of goods that are solely dependent on the seller. Prompt payment is required to minimize the occurrence of such discrepancies.

Promotional benefits and/or discounts will not be applied to orders that are placed prior to, or after the event period. It is your responsibility to ensure that you place your order within the promotional period.

Our Package Forwarding service is only applicable to users registered under the Korean Buddies Priority Membership and is only permitted for products that are not purchasable through our usual Service.

You are responsible for providing relevant receipts for your purchase and for communicating any incoming packages to us. Upon receipt of your package, Korean Buddies shall gather all necessary information associated with accurately identifying and shipping the products. If required, your package may be physically opened and inspected to ensure that the contents match the receipt you have provided.

We are not responsible for any discrepancies between the items you ordered and received. Under no circumstances will we be held responsible or liable for a package we have not received. If a package is lost in transit to our facility, we cannot take action, and you will be responsible for communicating any relevant issues with the retailer, sender, or courier. We are not responsible for packages that are damaged in transit to our business address, but we will notify you if damaged goods are found. However, it is your responsibility to contact the associated seller regarding such issues.

Packages may be removed from their original parcel when shipped from Korean Buddies to reduce shipping costs for you. If you wish to retain the original box, you must communicate this to us in advance.

We will store your package(s) for up to 2 months. If you have not claimed your package or provided any form of communication within these 2 months, Korean Buddies reserves the right to dispose of your package. This limit of 2 months may be extended upon agreement between you and Korean Buddies.

You can request to combine your order with one or more orders at no additional cost. If you request a repack after the shipping invoice has been issued, Korean Buddies will consolidate your selected items into one shipment to help save on shipping costs. We do not prioritize consolidating and repackaging over our day-to-day operations, and it can take up to 2–3 business days (typically) or more.

Your package(s) will be shipped to you after payment is confirmed for the corresponding shipping invoice. Korean Buddies reserves the right to add, change, or remove a courier service at any time from our service.

We will provide photographs of your goods free of charge before final shipment to ensure accurate delivery of your items. Photos will be attached to the shipping invoice. It is your responsibility to carefully inspect these photos, as items cannot be exchanged or returned once shipped. Paying the shipping invoice means that you consent to the contents of the photo.

If an item in your order is unavailable after payment, we will issue a credit to your Korean Buddies account based on the amount of the item. You may use the credit to pay for any future invoices or choose to redeem it. Credits can only be redeemed after all your active orders have been fulfilled in the form of refunds.

Credits will be issued for items that are purchased at a lower price than the amount stated on the product invoice. This may occur if a sale has started for a product after the product invoice was issued.

If all the items in your order are unavailable, you can choose to receive a full refund to your original payment method, or retain them as Korean Buddies credit.

Korean Buddies is not a currency exchange business and is not legally authorized to modify the currency of your credits. The currency of your credit is determined by the currency you select to pay your invoice. We recommend that you consider all relevant factors before finalizing your decision.

Our dedicated customer service team is able to assist with any inquiries or concerns regarding our services. You can contact us by clicking “Message Staff” on your account page or by emailing us at support@koreanbuddies.com.

Our commitment is to respond to all your enquiries in a prompt and timely manner. You can expect to receive a response from our team within the same day (1-2 hours during business hours depending on the congestion of enquiries). However, responses may be delayed due to time zone differences or if contacted during the weekend.

Your package may be disposed of or returned due to the inclusion of prohibited items. This may incur additional fees, such as a return shipping fee, repacking, and a split service fee to arrange your package for reshipment. We are not responsible for any shipping delays and costs that arise out of, or are caused by, the inclusion of restricted or prohibited items. However, we will notify you if we identify a restricted and/or potentially prohibited item. These include, but are not limited to:

• Fake luxury goods
• Perfume
• Batteries (allowed if shipped via DHL)
• Other hazardous materials (flammable items, toxic chemicals, etc.)
• Depending on the destination, certain food items may be restricted.

Such prohibited items may be disposed of at local customs, and a disposal fee may be charged during this process. Recipients are strongly advised to consult with their local customs prior to receiving the package.

Our shipping rate calculator is readily available to users, and acts as a quick and easy method to estimate the shipping cost. To use this calculator, you will need to enter your package weight (in kg), country of destination, shipping method, and preferred currency. The calculation is based on the actual shipping fees that are applied to the shipping invoice.

Shipping costs are determined by taking into account the comparison between the actual package weight and its volumetric weight. The volumetric weight is defined as the size of your package in volumetric kilograms and is calculated by multiplying the length, width, and height of the package and dividing that value by the given dimensional factor (dimensional factors vary depending on the courier). Shipping costs are based on the larger figure, as in between the actual weight and the volumetric weight.

If a package fails to be delivered for any reason (e.g., incorrect address, non-delivery, failed customs clearance, etc.), the package will either be returned to us or disposed of at a courier’s facility in accordance with their policies and procedures. We will notify you if your package is returned to Korean Buddies. However, if you wish to receive the package, you are responsible for covering the shipping costs associated with the reshipment.

To avoid the occurrence of such situations, we strongly advise exercising due diligence by regularly monitoring the package through the courier's tracking system and by addressing any issues that may arise in a timely manner.

We reserve the right to update the shipping rates as necessary. This aligns with standard industry practices that generally involve annual pricing adjustments. We are committed to keeping our customers well informed of any modifications and passing on these increases where deemed necessary. In addition, the availability and methods of shipping may change at any given time due to the shipping industry being susceptible to price fluctuations throughout the year.

If you require any assistance with changing or correcting the address of your package (even after shipment), we will make every effort to liaise with the courier and facilitate the requested modification. If an error, inaccuracy, or omission was caused by us, we will cover any fees incurred during this process.

In circumstances where you receive a damaged or missing package or item(s), we strongly advise you to file a claim directly with the courier company. If the situation allows, we can assist in filing a claim with the courier company. If you encounter any difficulties during this process, you can contact us, and we will make every effort to provide the necessary guidance and assistance.

While we always prioritize the secure packaging of items, we understand that incidents where you receive a package with damaged contents may occur at any time. In such cases, you can send us a photo at support@koreanbuddies.com. By doing so, we can look for measures by filing a claim. However, we cannot guarantee the outcome of the claim, as this is solely dependent on the courier companies’ policies.

If the tracking status of your package states that it has been delivered but you have not received it, you should contact the courier as soon as possible. While we can try to get compensation for any lost packages, we cannot guarantee a refund.

Any damage or loss to an item within our facility will be compensated by us. This includes the cost of a replacement and any additional costs.

If you wish to cancel an order, you must notify us as soon as possible. We may not be able to cancel your order if it has already been dispatched by the seller. In such cases, a return must be processed after your order arrives at our facility. Returns are not applicable in every situation, especially in the case of custom-made items. In addition, returns within Korea must be made within 7 days from the receipt of the item. To comply with the given timeframe, you are advised to monitor the status of your items through your account page. Please note that fees may be deducted from the refundable amount when a refund is processed.

The standard cancellation processing fee required by Korean Buddies is 10 USD, in addition to the domestic shipping fee incurred for processing the return as stated by the seller. This domestic shipping fee is most commonly between 3 USD and 6 USD. However, this fee is charged to cover back-and-forth transit even if the order was shipped under free delivery terms.

If you receive items that turn out to be defective or incorrect, please contact us and we will take the appropriate measures to resolve the situation. We will not be held responsible for return and shipping fees if it is evident that you did not review the product photos that we sent prior to the shipment of your package. However, in circumstances where the item could be identified as defective or incorrect by viewing the photo, Korean Buddies will hold responsibility for the related fees.

The Korean Buddies Priority Membership and its benefits are available to any individual who subscribes to the program. As a member, you will be given priority handling of orders and messages, highly personalized services, and, in some cases, access to second-hand merchandise platforms, such as Bunjang or Kream. Further, you are eligible to use our Package Forwarding service (see Section 2.2).

The monthly membership fee is 15 USD and can be canceled at any time without incurring any penalties. Failure to renew your payment will result in the termination of your membership. To guarantee the highest standard of service, we have a limit on the number of members we can accommodate due to staff and resource limitations. Membership accounts cannot be shared with other users.

The pricing and conditions of the Korean Buddies Priority Membership are subject to change. Members will be notified of the changes prior to the effective date.

We welcome orders of all sizes, including those for small items, without a minimum value requirement. Each order is handled with equal care and attention. However, you must note that diminutive items, such as stickers and nail art decorations, may potentially be lost during the shipping process. We will not be held responsible for the loss of items valued at less than 3,000 KRW per item. Further, we cannot provide detailed photos for items priced under 3,000 KRW.

We will not be held responsible or liable for any losses or damages that arise out of, or are caused by, circumstances beyond our control. These include, but are not limited to:

• Natural disasters (or "acts of God"), such as fires, hurricanes, floods, storms, and fog.
• "Force Majeure" events, including embargoes, aircraft accidents, wars, civil disturbances, and riots.
• Electrical or magnetic damage to, or erasure of, electronic or photographic images, data, or recordings.

At Korean Buddies, customer satisfaction is of utmost importance to us. We highly regard your feedback and continuously strive to enhance our Service. Our aim is to ensure your experience with us is optimal. If you have any suggestions, ideas, or insights on how we can improve our Service, we would love to hear from you. We consider your input invaluable and will implement changes that benefit all of our valued users. Please do not hesitate to contact us at support@koreanbuddies.com, or send us a message by clicking “Message Staff” on your account page.

We reserve the right to modify, amend, or terminate these Terms & Conditions as deemed necessary. If we make material changes to these terms, we will provide notice via email or other appropriate communication methods. Your continued use of our service means that you consent to the updated terms as of their effective date.