Terms and conditions of sale

These general terms and conditions of sale govern all services provided by Africonnect SRL, registered with the Belgian Crossroads Bank for Enterprises under number BE 1032.997.639 (hereinafter "Africonnect"), to any natural or legal person (hereinafter "the Client").

The services offered include, in particular, parcel shipping, air and sea freight, international transport, the consolidation of goods and the service of purchasing products on behalf of the Client.

Any order placed with Africonnect, any parcel handed over or any shipping slip signed constitutes the Client’s full, complete and unreserved acceptance of these terms, to the exclusion of any other document.

Africonnect offers, in particular, the following services:

• The shipping and delivery of parcels and freight between Europe and Africa.
• The transport of goods by air and by sea.
• Temporary storage, handling and consolidation of goods.
• A purchasing service, meaning the purchase of products on the instructions and on behalf of the Client.
• Assistance and support with the administrative formalities relating to export and import.

Africonnect is free to choose the carrier, the mode of transport and the route, as well as all subcontractors and partners required for the optimal performance of the service.

The Client is solely responsible for the accuracy, precision and completeness of the information provided when placing an order, in particular:

• The full and exact identity of the sender and of the recipient.
• The precise delivery address and reachable phone numbers, including the country code.
• A detailed and truthful description of the nature, quantity and value of the goods.
• The actual weight and exact dimensions of each parcel.

Africonnect may under no circumstances be held liable for delays, delivery errors, losses or additional costs arising from incorrect, incomplete or imprecise information provided by the Client.

4.1. Permitted goods. Africonnect accepts the transport of goods that comply with the regulations applicable in the countries of shipment, transit and destination. Certain goods may be accepted subject to specific conditions: declaration, authorization, specific packaging or prior approval by Africonnect.

4.2. Prohibited goods. The Client shall not entrust Africonnect with any goods whose transport is prohibited by applicable law or by carrier regulations. The following are prohibited, without this list being exhaustive:

• Explosives, fireworks and ammunition.
• Firearms and their components.
• Flammable, toxic, corrosive or radioactive materials.
• Narcotics and illegal substances.
• Counterfeit goods.
• Biological or infectious products.
• Currency, banknotes, precious metals and items of very high value, unless agreed in writing beforehand.
• Any goods requiring an administrative authorization that has not been provided.

Africonnect reserves the right to refuse any goods it considers dangerous, non-compliant or likely to present a risk to people, property or the transport operation.

4.3. Inspection of parcels. Where regulations allow or require it, Africonnect may open, inspect or have a parcel inspected by the competent authorities in order to verify its compliance.

4.4. Packaging. The Client warrants that the goods are packed and packaged adequately to withstand the manual and mechanical operations involved in transport and handling.

5.1. Price calculation. Applicable rates are calculated on the basis of the actual weight or the volumetric weight, whichever is higher under the standard industry formula, as well as the destination, the type of transport and the options selected.

5.2. Verification and adjustment. Africonnect reserves the right to check the weight and the volume of parcels when they are received at the warehouse. Where there is a discrepancy between the Client’s declarations and the measurements recorded, the price is adjusted automatically and the balance must be paid before shipment.

5.3. Payment. Unless otherwise agreed in writing beforehand, the full price of the service must be paid before the goods are shipped.

5.4. Additional charges. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the price does not include customs duties, import taxes, storage fees or fines imposed by the administrative authorities, which remain entirely payable by the Client or the recipient.

Delivery times communicated by Africonnect are given for information only. Africonnect cannot be held liable for transport delays caused by:

• Administrative and customs inspections, clearance procedures or holds.
• Cancellations, changes or delays of flights or vessels operated by third party companies.
• Adverse weather conditions, strikes, blockades or cases of force majeure.

No indicative delay may automatically give rise to the cancellation of an order, a refund or any compensation whatsoever.

The Client undertakes to provide all supporting documents, purchase invoices and administrative papers required to complete the customs formalities.

Any hold, seizure or additional cost (custody, handling or storage fees) resulting from missing documents on the Client’s side or from an in-depth customs inspection will be re-invoiced to the Client in full.

8.1. Storage charges. From the moment the parcel is made available at the destination depot or after notice of arrival, the recipient has a free period of 7 calendar days to collect the goods. After that period, daily storage charges, set according to the rates in force, are invoiced.

8.2. Abandoned goods. If the parcel is not collected or the amounts due are not paid within 30 calendar days following the notice of arrival, the goods are deemed abandoned. Africonnect is then entitled to dispose of the parcel freely, to sell it at auction or to destroy it in order to cover the transport and storage costs incurred, without the Client being able to claim any compensation.

8.3. Right of retention. Africonnect holds a right of retention over the goods in its possession until full payment of all amounts owed by the Client: outstanding invoices, shipping charges, customs charges or penalties.

9.1. Exclusions. Africonnect cannot be held liable for loss, damage or deterioration resulting from defective packaging supplied by the Client, from an inherent defect of the goods, from a false declaration or from a case of force majeure.

9.2. Compensation cap. Where no additional insurance has been taken out, any compensation owed by Africonnect for proven loss or damage is strictly capped at the legal limits set by the applicable international transport conventions, or at a flat rate per kilogram set in the company’s rate schedule.

9.3. Ad valorem insurance. The Client is strongly encouraged to take out additional insurance covering the actual declared value of the goods when the parcel is handed over, subject to providing the original purchase invoice.

On receipt of the goods, the recipient must check the condition of the parcel in the presence of the delivery driver or the front desk agent. Any anomaly (damaged parcel, missing items, broken seal) must be recorded as precise, detailed written reservations on the delivery slip.

Any claim must be notified to Africonnect in writing within a maximum of 48 hours following receipt, together with clear photographs, the original purchase invoice and a copy of the delivery slip issued with reservations. Failing this, no claim will be admissible.

Where Africonnect makes purchases for the Client on the Client’s instructions, the amount invoiced includes the purchase price of the product, any local delivery charges, the Africonnect service commission and the international transport rate.

Africonnect acts solely as an agent. Its liability is strictly limited to carrying out the purchase ordered and to the transport. As it is neither the manufacturer nor the original seller, it cannot be held liable for manufacturing defects, hidden defects, breakdowns or discrepancies in size, color or model attributable to the third party seller. No return or exchange with the original supplier will be handled without prior written agreement, and the costs remain payable by the Client.

The personal data collected by Africonnect is used to manage orders, organize shipments and comply with legal and customs obligations.

In accordance with the GDPR and Belgian law, the Client has a right of access to, rectification, erasure and portability of personal data on simple request addressed to Africonnect customer service.

These general terms and conditions are governed by Belgian law.

In the event of a dispute, the parties undertake to seek an amicable solution first. Failing agreement, any dispute arising from the validity, the interpretation or the performance of these terms will be submitted to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the judicial district of the registered office of Africonnect SRL, subject to any mandatory legal provisions applicable to consumers.