Complaint Resolution

1. Purpose

FreshMeat4U is committed to delivering the highest quality fresh meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs to our customers in Vadodara, Gujarat. We understand that occasionally things may not go as expected — whether it is a product quality concern, a delivery delay, or a billing discrepancy. This Complaint Resolution Policy outlines how customers can raise complaints, the process we follow to investigate and resolve them, and the timelines we commit to at each stage of resolution.

Our goal is to ensure every complaint is handled fairly, transparently, and promptly. We value your feedback as it helps us improve our platform, our partner shops, and the overall customer experience.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all complaints raised by customers who have placed orders through the FreshMeat4U platform — including our website, mobile application, and any associated services. It covers issues related to:

• Product quality and freshness of meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs delivered through the platform.
• Delivery delays, missed deliveries, or incorrect delivery addresses.
• Payment-related concerns including duplicate charges, failed refunds, or incorrect billing amounts.
• Behaviour of delivery riders, shop staff, or customer care representatives.
• Pricing discrepancies between the listed price and the charged amount.
• Order accuracy concerns such as wrong items, wrong quantities, or missing items.
• Any other service-related issue arising from the use of the FreshMeat4U platform.

This policy does not cover general product return requests that fall under our Refund & Cancellation Policy, though there may be overlap where both policies apply. In such cases, the policy offering the greater benefit to the customer shall prevail.

3. How to File a Complaint

We offer multiple convenient channels for filing a complaint. You may choose the one most accessible to you:

3.1 In-App Complaint

The fastest way to raise a complaint is through the FreshMeat4U mobile application. Navigate to your order history, select the relevant order, and tap on "Report an Issue." You will be prompted to select a complaint category, provide a description, and optionally attach photographs. In-app complaints are automatically logged in our system with your order details and customer information, enabling the quickest resolution.

3.2 Phone / Call

You may call our customer care team directly at +91 90161 80583. Our customer care representatives are available during business hours and will log your complaint, provide you with a complaint reference number, and guide you through next steps. Please have your order ID ready when calling.

3.3 Email

You may also send a detailed email to hello@freshmeat4u.com. Please include your name, registered mobile number, order ID, a clear description of the issue, and any supporting photographs or documents. You will receive an acknowledgment email with your complaint reference number within 2 hours during business hours.

4. Complaint Categories

To help us route and resolve your complaint efficiently, all complaints are classified into one of the following categories:

4.1 Quality Complaints

Concerns about the freshness, appearance, odour, texture, or overall quality of the meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs received. This includes issues such as discoloured meat, foul smell, spoiled or stale products, presence of foreign objects, and products that do not meet the expected freshness standards of FreshMeat4U. Photographic evidence must be provided within 30 minutes of delivery for quality-related complaints.

4.2 Delivery Complaints

Issues related to the delivery process, including late deliveries exceeding the estimated delivery time, missed or undelivered orders, orders delivered to the wrong address, damaged packaging, tampered parcels, or failure of the delivery rider to follow delivery instructions. If your order has not arrived and the tracking shows it as delivered, please report this immediately.

4.3 Payment Complaints

Concerns related to payment processing, including duplicate or multiple charges for a single order, amounts charged that differ from the order total shown at checkout, failed refunds that have not been credited to the original payment method, or unrecognised charges on your bank or wallet statement. Please include a screenshot of the transaction or bank statement when filing a payment complaint.

4.4 Behaviour Complaints

Reports of unprofessional, rude, or inappropriate behaviour by any individual associated with your order — including delivery riders, shop staff during order preparation, or FreshMeat4U customer care representatives. We take all behaviour complaints seriously and investigate them thoroughly. Such complaints may result in warnings, training requirements, or removal of the individual from our platform.

4.5 Pricing Complaints

Discrepancies between the product price displayed on the platform at the time of order placement and the amount actually charged. This also includes complaints about unexpected charges such as delivery fees, packaging fees, or platform fees that were not clearly communicated during checkout. We are committed to transparent pricing and will investigate and rectify any genuine pricing errors.

5. Escalation Levels

Every complaint follows a structured escalation process to ensure fair and thorough resolution. If a complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction at a given level, you may request escalation to the next level.

5.1 Level 1 — Automated Resolution & Customer Care

At the first level, complaints are reviewed by our customer care team and, where applicable, our automated resolution system. Many common complaints — such as simple refund requests for cancelled orders, delivery fee adjustments, or straightforward order replacements — can be resolved at this stage. The customer care representative has the authority to process refunds up to ₹500, arrange product replacements, issue delivery fee waivers, and provide account credits. For in-app complaints, the system may also suggest predefined resolutions based on the complaint category.

5.2 Level 2 — Supervisor Review

If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction at Level 1, or if the complaint involves a refund amount exceeding ₹500, the matter is escalated to a Customer Care Supervisor. The supervisor conducts a deeper investigation, which may include reviewing order logs, delivery GPS data, communication records with the shop, and any photographic evidence provided. Supervisors have the authority to approve full refunds, order re-dispatches at no additional cost, goodwill credits, and formal apologies on behalf of FreshMeat4U.

5.3 Level 3 — Management Review

Complaints that remain unresolved after Level 2, or those involving systemic issues, repeated complaints from the same customer, disputes involving significant amounts (generally above ₹2,000), allegations of serious misconduct, or matters with potential legal implications, are escalated to the FreshMeat4U Management team. Management-level review involves a comprehensive assessment of the situation, consultation with the relevant shop partner or delivery partner, and a determination of the appropriate resolution. Management decisions are final and binding for all parties within the FreshMeat4U ecosystem, though they do not affect your rights under applicable consumer protection laws.

6. Response Timelines

We are committed to resolving complaints within defined timelines. The following response and resolution timelines apply at each escalation level:

• Level 1 (Customer Care): Acknowledgment within 1 hour of filing during business hours. Initial response or resolution within 4 hours. Complete resolution within 24 hours for standard complaints and 48 hours for complaints requiring shop partner coordination.
• Level 2 (Supervisor): Escalation review begins within 4 hours of escalation request. Resolution or decision communicated within 48 hours. If additional investigation is required, the supervisor will provide an interim update within 24 hours with an estimated resolution date.
• Level 3 (Management): Review begins within 24 hours of escalation. A detailed response with the resolution decision is provided within 5 business days. For complex cases requiring external verification or legal review, management will provide a status update every 48 hours until resolution.

These timelines are measured during business hours (9:00 AM to 9:00 PM IST, Monday to Saturday). Complaints filed outside business hours will be considered received at the start of the next business day. In cases where timelines cannot be met due to exceptional circumstances, we will proactively communicate the delay and revised timeline to you.

7. Resolution Methods

Depending on the nature and severity of the complaint, FreshMeat4U may employ one or more of the following resolution methods:

7.1 Refund

A full or partial refund may be issued to the original payment method used for the order. Refunds for UPI, credit cards, and debit cards are processed within 5-7 business days. Wallet refunds are typically processed within 24 hours. For detailed refund procedures and eligibility criteria, please refer to our Refund & Cancellation Policy.

7.2 Replacement

For quality-related complaints where the product did not meet freshness or quality standards, we may arrange a free replacement of the same product from the same or an alternative shop. Replacements are subject to product availability and shop operating hours. The replacement order will be dispatched on a priority basis.

7.3 Apology

For service failures that caused inconvenience but did not result in a financial loss — such as delayed deliveries, communication gaps, or minor service disruptions — we will provide a formal apology through the complaint channel. We take every complaint as an opportunity to improve and will take corrective action to prevent recurrence.

7.4 Account Credit

In certain situations, FreshMeat4U may offer a goodwill credit to your account. This credit can be applied toward future orders on the platform. Account credits are typically offered as a gesture of goodwill for service failures, repeated issues, or when a full refund is not applicable. Credits have a validity period of 90 days from the date of issuance unless otherwise stated.

8. Investigation Process

Every complaint filed with FreshMeat4U undergoes a structured investigation process to ensure fairness and accuracy:

1. Complaint Registration: Upon receipt, the complaint is assigned a unique reference number and logged in our complaint management system along with all relevant details including order information, customer profile, and the nature of the complaint.
2. Initial Assessment: A customer care representative reviews the complaint, categorises it, and determines the appropriate resolution path. For straightforward issues, resolution may be offered immediately.
3. Evidence Collection: We collect and review all relevant evidence, which may include order logs, delivery GPS tracking data, rider communication records, shop preparation records, photographs provided by the customer, and any other pertinent information.
4. Stakeholder Consultation: For complaints involving shop partners or delivery riders, we consult with the relevant parties to gather their perspective and any additional information. Shops and riders are given a fair opportunity to respond to the complaint.
5. Analysis & Decision: Based on the collected evidence and stakeholder inputs, the assigned resolution authority analyses the complaint and determines the appropriate resolution in accordance with this policy and our Terms & Conditions.
6. Communication of Resolution: The resolution decision, along with the rationale, is communicated to the customer through the same channel used to file the complaint (in-app notification, email, or phone call). If the customer is dissatisfied, they are informed of their right to escalate.
7. Corrective Action: Where the investigation reveals systemic issues or vendor non-compliance, FreshMeat4U takes appropriate corrective action, which may include issuing warnings to shop partners, requiring additional training for delivery staff, updating operational procedures, or in severe cases, removing a shop or rider from the platform.

9. Data Retention

All complaint records, including the complaint details, evidence submitted, investigation notes, and resolution outcomes, are retained by FreshMeat4U for a period of 24 months from the date of final resolution. After this period, complaint records are securely deleted or anonymised in accordance with our data retention practices.

Complaint data is stored securely and is accessible only to authorised FreshMeat4U personnel involved in the resolution process. We do not share individual complaint data with third parties except where required by law, for fraud prevention, or to the extent necessary for resolving the specific complaint (such as sharing details with the relevant shop partner). For more information on how we handle your personal data, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

10. Customer Satisfaction Follow-Up

Following the resolution of a complaint, FreshMeat4U will initiate a customer satisfaction follow-up to ensure the resolution was satisfactory. This follow-up may take the form of:

• An in-app satisfaction survey sent within 24 hours of resolution, asking the customer to rate their experience on a scale of 1 to 5 and provide optional comments.
• A brief follow-up call or email from our customer care team for complaints that were escalated to Level 2 or Level 3.
• A review of the customer's subsequent ordering patterns to identify any lingering dissatisfaction.

Feedback received through the satisfaction follow-up process is analysed regularly and used to identify areas for improvement in our products, services, and complaint handling processes. If a customer indicates dissatisfaction with the resolution, the complaint may be reopened for further review at the appropriate escalation level.

11. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Complaint Resolution Policy or need assistance with filing or tracking a complaint, please do not hesitate to reach out to us:

• Phone: +91 90161 80583
• Email: hello@freshmeat4u.com
• Address: Vadodara, Gujarat, India
• Website: freshmeat4u.com