Sometimes an order cannot be fulfilled as originally expected. A product may become unavailable, a buyer may request cancellation, or an unexpected problem may delay shipment.
As a Rootsy seller, you're responsible for managing orders accurately, meeting your fulfilment obligations, and promptly reporting problems that may affect customers.
This guide explains how to handle buyer cancellation requests, seller-caused cancellations, preparation delays, and orders that have already entered the shipping process.
1. Where to Find Your Customer Orders
To review an order:
Visit www.rootsy.ca.
Sign in to your seller account.
Open your Seller Dashboard.
Select Orders from the navigation menu.
Locate the relevant customer order.
Open the order to review its status and fulfilment details.
Check the order's current status before taking any action.
2. Understanding Buyer Cancellation Requests
A buyer may request cancellation before an order ships.
However, cancellation is not automatically guaranteed.
Eligibility depends on factors such as:
Whether the order has already shipped.
Whether a shipping label has been generated.
Whether the seller has begun processing the order.
Whether the product is personalized or made to order.
Applicable Rootsy policies.
Rootsy's Refund & Dispute Resolution Policy generally does not permit cancellation once an order has shipped or a shipping label has been generated.
If cancellation is no longer available, an eligible order may need to be handled through the return process instead.
3. How to Handle a Buyer Cancellation Request
If a buyer requests cancellation:
Open the affected order in your Seller Dashboard.
Review the order status.
Check whether the product has entered preparation or production.
Determine whether a shipping label has been generated.
Confirm whether the package has been handed over to a carrier.
Follow the cancellation process available for that order.
Contact Rootsy Customer Support if the request requires further review.
Do not assume an order has been cancelled until the cancellation is confirmed through the authorized process.
4. What Is a Seller-Caused Cancellation?
A seller-caused cancellation occurs when an order cannot be completed because of the seller's action, error, inaction, or inability to fulfil.
Examples include:
Incorrect inventory information.
Selling an item that is no longer available.
Failure to prepare or ship an order.
Refusal or inability to fulfil a valid order.
Other seller-related fulfilment failures.
Sellers should take reasonable steps to prevent these situations.
5. What if a Product Is Out of Stock?
If a customer purchases an item that you cannot supply:
Review the order and available inventory.
Confirm that the product is genuinely unavailable.
Do not substitute a different product without authorization.
Contact Rootsy Customer Support promptly.
Follow the applicable cancellation and refund procedure.
Update the inventory information in your product listing.
Accurate stock management helps prevent repeated seller-caused cancellations.
6. What Happens When a Seller Cannot Fulfil an Order?
If an order or item is cancelled before delivery because the seller cannot fulfil it, Rootsy's policy generally provides for a full refund of the cancelled item or order.
This generally includes applicable taxes and shipping amounts charged for the cancelled item, subject to payment-provider processing times.
For multi-seller orders, the refund may apply only to the affected seller's items.
Other items in the same customer checkout may continue through their normal fulfilment process.
7. Are There Fees for Seller-Caused Cancellations?
Rootsy's Refund & Dispute Resolution Policy provides for a potential Seller-Caused Cancellation Fee of $15 CAD per affected order, plus applicable non-recoverable costs.
This fee may apply when an order is cancelled because of seller-related issues such as unavailable inventory or failure to fulfil.
Repeated seller-caused cancellations may also result in:
Seller account warnings.
Listing restrictions.
Payout holds.
Account suspension.
Account termination.
Sellers should contact Rootsy Support promptly when they identify a fulfilment problem.
8. What if You Need More Time to Prepare an Order?
Unexpected delays may occur because of:
Production difficulties.
Material shortages.
Personalization requirements.
Inventory discrepancies.
Packaging problems.
Operational interruptions.
If you expect to miss the applicable preparation or dispatch timeframe:
Review the order's expected fulfilment timeline.
Determine the reason for the delay.
Estimate when the order could realistically be ready.
Contact Rootsy Customer Support as soon as possible.
Follow any instructions regarding customer communication or order resolution.
Do not change shipment information or mark an order as shipped simply to avoid showing a delay.
Important: An additional preparation estimate does not automatically extend an agreed fulfilment deadline or override a buyer's applicable rights.
9. What if a Personalized Order Is Delayed?
Personalized or made-to-order products may require additional preparation.
If a personalized order is delayed:
Review the buyer's submitted customization information.
Confirm whether production has started.
Identify the cause of the delay.
Determine whether the item can still be completed.
Contact Rootsy Support if the stated fulfilment timeline cannot be met.
Do not substitute personalization details or alter the buyer's requested design without appropriate authorization.
Custom-made products may have special cancellation and return restrictions, but those restrictions do not automatically excuse seller error or non-fulfilment.
10. Can an Order Be Cancelled After a Shipping Label Is Generated?
Under Rootsy's Refund & Dispute Resolution Policy, cancellation is generally unavailable after a shipping label has been generated or the order has shipped.
If the package has not yet been handed over to the carrier, contact Rootsy Support to determine whether any correction or exception is available.
Do not assume that deleting or voiding a label automatically cancels the order or triggers a refund.
11. What if the Package Has Already Shipped?
Once the package has been shipped, a cancellation request may need to be handled as a return request, if eligible.
If a buyer requests cancellation after shipment:
Review the order and tracking information.
Confirm that the carrier has accepted the package.
Do not promise that the shipment can be stopped or recalled.
Direct the issue through Rootsy's authorized support process.
Follow the applicable return and refund rules.
Return eligibility depends on the product, seller policy, Rootsy policy, and applicable consumer protection rights.
12. What if the Carrier Causes a Delivery Delay?
A shipment may be delayed after the seller has handed it over to the carrier.
Possible causes include:
Weather disruptions.
Carrier processing delays.
Delivery network interruptions.
Incorrect or incomplete address information.
Missed delivery attempts.
Other shipping exceptions.
If a shipment is delayed:
Open the order and review the tracking information.
Confirm the carrier's latest reported status.
Retain any proof of carrier handoff.
Contact Rootsy Support if an investigation or intervention is needed.
Cooperate with any shipping or delivery investigation.
Rootsy may coordinate with the relevant logistics provider or carrier, but delivery dates and claims remain subject to applicable service terms.
13. What if the Buyer Provided an Incorrect Address?
An incorrect or incomplete address can cause delays, failed delivery attempts, or returned shipments.
If you identify a possible address problem:
Review the order's delivery information.
Do not independently change the address based on an unverified request.
Contact Rootsy Support before dispatching the parcel, where possible.
Follow the approved shipping correction process.
Under Rootsy's policy, buyers may be responsible for certain additional costs arising from buyer-provided address errors, subject to applicable law.
14. How Are Refunds Processed After Cancellation?
When an eligible cancellation is approved, the refund is processed through Rootsy's authorized payment workflow.
Refunds are generally returned to the original payment method.
The time required for a buyer to receive the money may depend on:
Refund approval and processing.
Stripe or other applicable payment-provider processing.
The buyer's card issuer.
Banking network timelines.
Sellers should not issue separate payments outside Rootsy's authorized process to resolve marketplace cancellations.
15. What Happens With Multi-Seller Orders?
A buyer may purchase items from more than one Rootsy seller in the same checkout transaction.
If one seller cannot fulfil their portion:
The affected item may be cancelled.
Other sellers' items may continue to be fulfilled.
Shipping amounts may be recalculated.
Applicable taxes and discounts may be adjusted.
Refund amounts may be calculated for the affected items.
Sellers are responsible for their own fulfilment obligations.
Do not cancel or modify another seller's items.
16. How to Prevent Order Cancellations and Delays
To reduce avoidable fulfilment problems:
Maintain accurate stock quantities.
Use realistic product preparation times.
Keep shipping dimensions and weights current.
Review orders regularly.
Check personalized orders carefully.
Use reliable packaging and fulfilment procedures.
Stop accepting orders for unavailable products.
Report unexpected delays promptly.
Keep appropriate order and shipping records.
Good inventory and fulfilment management helps protect your seller account and improves customer satisfaction.
17. What Happens if Cancellations Become Frequent?
Rootsy may review a seller account when there are repeated fulfilment failures or cancellations.
Depending on the circumstances, Rootsy may take action including:
Warnings.
Requests for corrective action.
Listing restrictions.
Payout holds.
Account review.
Suspension or termination.
Sellers are expected to cooperate with Rootsy's investigations and resolution procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a buyer cancel an order before it ships?
A buyer may request cancellation before shipment, but approval depends on the order status, processing stage, product type, and applicable Rootsy policies.
Can a buyer cancel an order after a shipping label has been created?
Cancellation is generally unavailable once a shipping label has been generated.
Contact Rootsy Support if an exceptional situation requires review.
What if I accidentally sell an out-of-stock item?
Contact Rootsy Support promptly, follow the applicable cancellation process, and correct your inventory information.
Will the buyer receive a full refund if I cannot fulfil the order?
For seller-caused cancellations before delivery, the buyer will generally receive a full refund for the cancelled item or order, including applicable taxes and shipping charged for that item.
Does Rootsy charge sellers for cancellations?
Rootsy's policy provides for a potential $15 CAD seller-caused cancellation fee per affected order, plus applicable non-recoverable costs.
Can I extend the preparation time after an order is placed?
Do not assume that updating your product listing changes an existing order's fulfilment deadline. Contact Rootsy Support for guidance.
What if I have already started making a personalized product?
Cancellation eligibility may depend on the product type, production stage, and applicable policies. Contact Rootsy Support before making an unsupported cancellation decision.
What if the carrier delays delivery after I've shipped the package?
Review the tracking information and contact Rootsy Support if the delay requires investigation.
Can I refund a buyer directly?
Use Rootsy's authorized refund process. Do not send an independent payment outside the marketplace without proper authorization.
Will cancelling one item cancel the entire multi-seller order?
Not necessarily. Rootsy may process partial cancellations and adjust the affected amounts.
What happens if I repeatedly fail to fulfil orders?
Repeated non-performance may lead to account warnings, listing restrictions, payout holds, suspension, or termination.
Need Help With an Order Cancellation or Delay?
If you're unable to fulfil an order, need assistance with a cancellation request, or expect a shipping delay, contact Rootsy Customer Support promptly.
Support Centre: https://support.rootsy.ca/support/home
Email: support@rootsy.ca
Please provide:
Your registered store name.
The relevant order number.
The affected product.
The reason for cancellation or delay.
The current fulfilment status.
Any relevant shipping or tracking information.
Do not share passwords, verification codes, or sensitive payment information.
Rootsy — Stronger Together, Locally Rooted.
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