GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE

The online store http://www.la-boutique-des-animaux.fr is developed by the company Aquariosud.
Registration on the company's website constitutes unreserved acceptance of these terms and conditions.
Consequently, the consumer acknowledges being fully informed that their agreement to the content of these general terms and conditions does not require a handwritten signature on this document.
He also acknowledges having read and understood the "delivery and return" conditions.

The online store set up by the company AquarioSud, as part of the website, mentions the following information:

• Legal notice allowing for precise identification of the company AquarioSud.
• Presentation of the main characteristics of the properties offered.
• Indication of the selling price including VAT, any applicable eco-tax and delivery costs in Euros.
• Indication of payment and delivery methods.
• The existence of a right of withdrawal.
• All of this information is presented in French. The consumer declares that they have the full legal capacity to enter into this agreement under these terms and conditions.

Article 1: Purpose

These general terms and conditions of sale apply to all orders placed on the website www.la-boutique-des-animaux.fr
AquarioSud reserves the right to adapt or modify these terms and conditions of sale at any time. In the event of modification, the terms and conditions of sale in effect on the date of the order will apply.

Article 2: Entry into force - duration

These general terms and conditions come into effect on the date the order is placed by the consumer and are concluded for the duration necessary for the supply of the goods ordered, until the expiry of the guarantees owed by the company AquarioSud.

Placing an order on the website http://www.la-boutique-des-animaux.fr of the company AquarioSud, regardless of its amount, method of payment or method of delivery, constitutes acceptance of all of these general terms and conditions of sale.
Furthermore, during registration - mandatory to place an order on the site - the consumer acknowledges having read the general terms and conditions of sale of the company AquarioSud.

Article 3: Electronic Signature

The order placement process carried out by the consumer constitutes an electronic signature which, between the parties, has the same value as a handwritten signature.

Article 4: Order Confirmation and Invoicing

Contractual information will be confirmed by email no later than the time of delivery or, failing that, to the address indicated by the consumer in the order.
The invoice for each shipped order is available and printable from the customer's personal account.

Article 5: Proof of the transaction

The computerized records, stored in AquarioSud's computer systems under reasonable security conditions, will be considered proof of communications, orders, and payments between the parties. Order forms and invoices are archived on a reliable and durable medium that can be produced as evidence.

Article 6: Product Information

The company AquarioSud presents, on its website, the products for sale with the necessary characteristics which allow compliance with Article L 111-1 of the Consumer Code, which provides for the possibility for the potential consumer to know before the final order is placed the essential characteristics of the products he wishes to buy.
As products are constantly evolving, it is possible that some photos may not exactly represent the latest evolution of the product, hence the notion of "non-contractual photo".

The offers presented by the company AquarioSud are valid only while they are displayed on the online store.

Article 7: Price

All our prices listed on the website are in euros and include all taxes (VAT). Prices include the mandatory eco-contribution. They are valid only on the date the order is placed by the consumer. They do not include delivery and packaging costs, which are charged separately and indicated before order confirmation. Full payment is due at the time of ordering. Under no circumstances will payments be considered as deposits or down payments.
Aquariosud reserves the right to change its prices at any time.

Article 8: Payment methods and security

To pay for their order, the consumer may choose from all the payment methods listed during the ordering process. Orders are processed in the order in which payments are received. If payment is made by check, the order will be processed upon receipt of the check. It is possible that other customers may place orders for the same products in the meantime. In this case, some products may no longer be available when the check is received. Aquariosud cannot be held responsible for longer processing times due to a product being out of stock.
The consumer guarantees to AquarioSud that they have all necessary authorizations to use the payment method chosen when validating the order. AquarioSud reserves the right to suspend order processing and delivery in the event of a payment authorization refusal by the relevant financial institutions or in the event of non-payment. AquarioSud also reserves the right to refuse to make a delivery or fulfill an order from a consumer who has not fully paid for a previous order or with whom a payment dispute is pending.

- Payment methods by credit card:
1/ Payment is made online by credit card (Carte Bleue, Visa, and Mastercard). Payment is processed on the secure server of our banking partner, Société Générale. This means that no banking information passes through the website www.la-boutique-des-animaux.fr. Credit card payments are therefore completely secure. The order will be registered and validated as soon as the buyer's bank accepts the payment.*

- Security:
Credit card details are encrypted using the SSL (Secure Socket Layer) protocol and are never transmitted unencrypted over the network. Payment is made directly to the bank. Aquariosud has no access to these details and does not store them on its servers. This is why they are requested again for each new transaction on our website.

- Retention of title clause:
The products remain the property of Aquariosud until full payment of the order by the customer.

- Default of Payment:
Aquariosud reserves the right to refuse to make a delivery or to fulfill an order from a consumer with whom a payment dispute is being processed.

- Anti-fraud controls:
Aquariosud verifies all orders placed on its website. These checks are designed to protect Aquariosud from fraudulent activity. Payments made by credit card holders are limited to 3 per 24-hour period.

As part of these procedures, our services may request any documents necessary to release your order: proof of address and bank statement in your name, etc. These requests are made by email, then by registered mail with return receipt requested. The information provided on the order form is subject to automated data processing. This automated data processing aims to determine a risk level for a transaction and to combat credit card fraud. Failure to provide the data from your order form will prevent the processing and analysis of your transaction. In the event of non-payment due to fraudulent use of a credit card, the order details associated with this non-payment will be recorded in a payment incident file. Any irregular declaration or anomaly may also be subject to specific processing.

In accordance with the French Data Protection Act of 6 January 1978, you have the right to access, rectify, and object to all of your personal data at any time by writing, with proof of identity, to Aquariosud – Data Protection Department – 11 rue Notre Dame des Dunes – 85220 LA CHAIZE GIRAUD

Article 9: Product Availability

The availability of products offered for sale in the online store is indicated on each product description page and is provided for informational purposes only. Incorrect information may result from a stock error (human error, damaged or expired product).
To be transparent with our customers, information is available in the "technical data sheet" tab of each product.

The stated lead time does not include the delivery time applied by our partners to the end consumer, nor any unforeseen and exceptional delays from suppliers. It is indicated in working days, i.e., Monday to Friday, and excludes public holidays.
This period may be extended during holiday periods or summer holidays when suppliers are understaffed or closed, such as the period between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Due to holiday periods, some of our suppliers are closed. The indicated availability time may be extended by 4 weeks (generally in August) and 2 weeks during the Christmas and New Year period.

Products marked "in stock" are considered available and shipped within a maximum of 48 working hours, provided that all products in the order are kept in stock and in sufficient quantity.
The mention "in stock" stipulates that a quantity, generally less than 5 (five), is kept in our stock for any product less than 5 euros.

It may happen that a product said to be "in stock" is not available in the quantity requested by the customer.
The product information sheet will then indicate "being restocked", "out of stock" or any information stating that the quantity requested is not available.
Therefore, AquarioSud cannot be held responsible for supply delays sometimes exceeding 3 (three) weeks for orders with a quantity exceeding 5 (five) identical products.

The availability of a product, as indicated (e.g., available within 3 days), applies only to small quantities (less than five of the same item). For quantities exceeding five, a specific order is placed with one of our suppliers and therefore falls outside the scope of Article 16 of these general terms and conditions of sale.
We strongly advise you to contact us as soon as you wish to order a product (same reference) in a quantity greater than 5 times (five).

When a product is out of stock with the supplier, they provide us with a provisional availability date. This date is for informational purposes only and does not guarantee availability in our stock.
The date may be changed depending on information provided by the supplier or manufacturer.

EHEIM MP brand aquariums are generally made to order, resulting in delivery times of 3 to 6 weeks. Therefore, stock management for the EHEIM MP range is not applicable.

AquarioSud will not be considered to have failed in its obligations under the sales contract if a permanent stock shortage, or a shortage without a reasonable replenishment period, occurs at one of its suppliers for any reason whatsoever. A substitute product of equivalent value will then be offered to the customer.

After the legally granted period of 14 days, if one of the products in an order is not available quickly, or is even discontinued, the customer will receive a full refund of the order according to the conditions of article 17.

Article 10: Delivery Terms

At the beginning of the ordering process, the consumer has the choice of carriers offered by the company, taking into account the constraints of shipping the products: weight, size and fragility.
Parcels shipped by AquarioSud are automatically insured against theft and breakage.

At the end of the ordering process, the delivery time indicated is provided for informational purposes only and may vary depending on the chosen delivery method and destination. Aquariosud cannot be held responsible for this delay.

The selected carrier is provided for informational purposes only and may be changed without prior notice to the customer. However, the delivery conditions remain unchanged (for example: if a customer chooses home delivery, the delivery will be made to their home unless otherwise specified).

It is essential to fill in all fields relating to your address and personal details (name, delivery address, telephone number, email address) correctly and accurately. The customer is responsible for the information provided.

In the event of an error or omission in the delivery address, making delivery of your order impossible, you will be held responsible and no refund will be issued. You will also be responsible for the return shipping costs.

Aquariosud cannot be held responsible for lost or non-delivered goods, often due to incorrect delivery information. The customer will be required to pay the delivery charges again if the ordered goods need to be shipped a second time due to their return to our premises.

In the event of non-receipt of the goods , despite the conformity of the delivery information indicated when placing the order, the consumer must notify the company Aquariosud no later than 30 working days after the date of dispatch of the order.
However, Aquariosud cannot be held responsible for a delivery delay (lost parcel, delivered to the wrong relay point) and no refund will be issued while a dispute procedure with the carrier concerned is underway (variable delay of 1 to 2 months).

If the customer, after being informed by a delivery notice or by electronic means (Email or SMS) and depending on the carrier's conditions available --> here , the package(s) will automatically be returned to our premises.
In this specific case, processing fees, with a minimum amount of €10 including VAT or 10% of the total amount including VAT of the order, as well as return costs will be deducted from the refundable amount of the order, without the customer being able to preserve a right of withdrawal, in accordance with the provisions of Article L121-20-2 of the Consumer Code.

Pandemic - COVID-19

In accordance with the various decisions taken by the government and to comply with public health resolutions, the company will process orders but no parcels will leave our premises, for deliveries to closed relay points.
Unless there is a last-minute change or technical problem, home deliveries will be maintained, subject to the availability of all products in the order being in stock.
In order for this solution to work and enhance your safety and that of delivery drivers, it is imperative to provide your email address and mobile phone number.
This information will facilitate contactless delivery and optimize alerts and information via SMS and email.
We are waiting for a return to normalcy decided by our political power in place.

Article 11: Free shipping

The term " Free shipping " applies to certain products and under certain conditions, for an order:
- Some products benefit from free delivery, without the conditions defined below.
- For purchases over €69 including VAT for a parcel weighing less than 4 kg (Chronopost Relais Pickup - Delivery to a relay point)
- For purchases over €180 including VAT for a parcel not exceeding 3 kg (La Poste - Colissimo home delivery)

Fragile or heavy products such as lighting fixtures, neon lights, sand, sea salts, stones, tanks, furniture and aquariums will incur special pricing, depending on their weight and destination.

Article 12: Delivery Delay

When your order is shipped, you will receive a shipping confirmation email within a maximum of 48 hours after it leaves our warehouse.
The delivery times provided are the average times observed by the carriers. We cannot be held responsible for any delivery delays.

Article 13: Dispute upon delivery

In the case of delivery by La Poste / Colissimo or Mondial Relay , the consumer must absolutely have a "Damage Report" drawn up if the package is received in a visibly unreasonable condition (impact, crushed or folded cardboard).
The consumer will then send a copy of the document obtained to Aquariosud in order to proceed with the replacement of the damaged goods.

If one (or more) product(s) is/are received damaged, the consumer must notify Aquariosud by email on the same day as receiving the goods, and before midnight.
Our company will provide a replacement after the return (at the customer's expense) of the products in question or after simply receiving proof of damage, as indicated below.

Procedure to follow:
The customer or the recipient of their order must send the complaint to the sender (Aquariosud / La Boutique Des Animaux) on the day of delivery, before midnight, including:
• A description of the problem encountered with the received product, sent directly by email to this address: sav@la-boutique-des-animaux.fr
• The same day before midnight.

Evidence to be provided:
• Photos of the delivered merchandise,
• Photos of the damage,
• Photos of the packaging,
• Photos of the shipping label
• Proof of reporting the receipt of a damaged package to the carrier

In the case of delivery by a carrier (Aquarium, furniture, lighting, heavy and/or fragile products), any anomaly concerning the delivery (damage, missing product compared to the delivery note, damaged package, broken products…) must be indicated on the delivery note in the form of "handwritten reservations", accompanied by the customer's signature.

The consumer must also confirm this anomaly by sending the carrier a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt within three business days of the delivery date, detailing the claims. The consumer must send a copy of this letter by email or regular mail to AquarioSud.

Any damage not reported on the delivery note, when collecting a parcel from a relay point (Colissimo or Mondial Relay) or during a delivery made by a carrier, will not be subject to any claim by the consumer.

Article 14: Delivery Error

The consumer must notify AquarioSud of any delivery errors and/or non-conformity of the products in terms of type or quality compared to the information on the order form accompanying the goods, either on the day of delivery or at the latest on the first business day following delivery. Any claim made after this period will be rejected.
This complaint to AquarioSud must be submitted by email.

Any claim not made in accordance with the rules defined above and within the specified time limits will not be taken into account and will release the company AquarioSud from any liability towards the consumer.

Upon receipt of the claim, AquarioSud will send the consumer a prepaid return label by email, which the consumer must affix to the return package. The package must be packed securely to fully protect the products, taking into account their specific nature. It is essential to return the entire product, including instructions and accessories. No returns will be accepted without prior notification to AquarioSud.

Shipping costs are borne by AquarioSud, except in cases where it turns out that the returned product does not correspond to the original declaration made by the consumer in the return form.

Article 15: Product Warranty

In accordance with Article 4 of Decree No. 78-464 of March 24, 1978, the provisions herein shall not deprive the consumer of the legal guarantee that obliges the professional seller to protect them against all consequences of hidden defects in the item sold. The consumer is expressly informed that AquarioSud is not the producer of the products presented on this website, as defined by Law No. 98-389 of May 19, 1998, concerning liability for defective products. Consequently, in the event of damage to a person or property caused by a product defect, only the producer of the product may be held liable by the consumer, based on the information appearing on the product packaging. The terms and duration of the manufacturer's warranty are indicated on the product information sheets or, where applicable, on the product packaging or user manual.

Any defective equipment, during its warranty period, must be returned to us at a defined address after we have responded to your warranty replacement request, using the form available by clicking " here " .
It is "imperative" to have our agreement for any return because most of the time the problem can be solved by phone.
Any material returned without contacting us will not be accepted and may be refused.

In the event of a return of functional equipment, a flat-rate handling fee of €19.90 (including VAT) will be charged to the Customer. The consumer is therefore advised to carefully check before returning any item that their problem is not due to incorrect installation or handling.

Article 16: Right of withdrawal

In accordance with Article L121-20-2 of the French Consumer Code, the consumer has 14 days to return, at their own expense, any products that do not meet their expectations. This period begins on the day the consumer's order is delivered. If this period expires on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday, it is extended to the next working day.

Cancellation of delivered purchase:
Any order cancellation or product return must be reported in advance to AquarioSud's Customer Service by email, via the "contact us" section or by clicking " here ", then on " Order withdrawal form ".
The product must be returned to the company via tracked or registered mail within 14 days of its receipt date.

The return must be accompanied by a letter stating your right of withdrawal.
To facilitate its drafting, the National Consumer Institute (INC) provides, free of charge, a template letter to send us to exercise your right of withdrawal (the title of the template mentions the case of the purchase of a garment, but it can be used for all distance purchases).

Note that simply returning the goods without a declaration, or refusing to receive the delivery, is not sufficient to express your intention to withdraw.

Only products returned complete, in their original, undamaged packaging, and in perfect condition for resale will be accepted. Any product that has been damaged, used, or whose original packaging has been damaged will not be refunded or exchanged. This right does not apply to aquariums or furniture due to their specific packaging and for hygiene reasons (clothing, harnesses, carrier bags for fish, dogs, or cats).

For products with a best-before date, the buyer is informed that exceeding this date does not render the product unfit for consumption and does not entitle the buyer to a return or refund under the right of withdrawal. Any recourse for hidden defects or non-conformity remains possible under the conditions of the legal guarantee of conformity (Articles L. 217-4 et seq. of the French Consumer Code).

If the consumer exercises their right of withdrawal, they may choose either a refund of the amount paid (excluding delivery charges) or an exchange of the product. In the case of an exchange, the return shipping costs will be borne by the consumer.

In the event of exercising the right of withdrawal, of an order not shipped and not having resulted in a "specific" order, the customer must make the request via the withdrawal form.

AquarioSud will make every effort to reimburse the consumer within 14 days. However, given the technical nature of the products sold, this period may be extended to 20 days, particularly when the product requires technical verification.
The consumer will then be reimbursed for the amount of their returned purchase, excluding delivery and handling fees, by the payment method used, namely transfer to their bank account (secure transaction), payment by bank card, by bank check or by voucher if they wish.

In accordance with the provisions of Article L121-20-2 of the Consumer Code, consumers may not under any circumstances claim any right of withdrawal for orders of:
- all products that are clearly personalized or made to their specifications or clearly personalized;
- all products which, due to their nature, cannot be reshipped or are liable to deteriorate or expire rapidly;
- audio or video recordings or computer software when they have been unsealed by the consumer;
- of newspapers, periodicals or magazines;
- all products ordered that resulted in a specific order because they were not available in the requested quantity

Free return of unshipped purchases:
Following Ordinance No. 2026-2 and Decree No. 2026-3 of January 5, 2026, which amend Article L221-21 of the Consumer Code (transposition of European Directive 2023/2673), the customer may cancel an order not yet sent.
The process remains the same as for a return and must be completed via the " contact us" section or by clicking " here ", then on " Order withdrawal form ".

Article 17: Duration of a credit note issued by our company

When a customer contacts us to return one or more products within a period exceeding 14 days (Art. L121-20-2 of the Consumer Code), we reserve the right to take back one or more items.
Return shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer and the package must be sent with acknowledgement of receipt.
We will issue a credit note for the amount predetermined by Aquariosud / Lbda within 2 to 3 business days upon receipt of the merchandise.

This amount must be used within 6 (six) months of its issue and in its entirety on a new order, excluding delivery costs.
We do not accept partial use of the credit.
If not used within the specified period, the customer will not be able to request a refund or another credit note of the same amount and no recourse will be possible according to Art. L 110-4 of the Commercial Code).

Article 18: Transfer of Ownership

The products offered and sold by the company AquarioSud remain its sole property until full payment for the goods has been received from the consumer.

Article 19: Force majeure

Neither party shall be deemed to have failed in its contractual obligations to the extent that their performance is delayed, hindered, or prevented by a fortuitous event or force majeure. A fortuitous event or force majeure shall be defined as any irresistible event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, unforeseeable, unavoidable, independent of the will of the parties, and which cannot be prevented by them despite all reasonable efforts.
The party affected by such circumstances shall notify the other party within ten business days of becoming aware of them. The two parties shall then meet within one month, unless prevented by force majeure, to examine the impact of the event and agree on the conditions under which the performance of the contract will continue.
If the force majeure event lasts for more than three months, these terms and conditions may be terminated by the affected party.

Specifically, the following are considered as cases of force majeure or fortuitous events, in addition to those usually recognized by the jurisprudence of French courts and tribunals: the blocking of means of transport or supplies, earthquakes, fires, storms, floods, lightning; the interruption of telecommunications networks or difficulties specific to telecommunications networks external to the customers.

Article 20: Partial Non-validation

If one or more provisions of these general terms and conditions are held to be invalid or declared as such pursuant to a law, regulation or final decision of a competent court, the other provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Article 21: Applicable Law

These general terms and conditions are governed by French law. This applies to both substantive and procedural rules.
In the event of a dispute or complaint, the consumer should first contact AquarioSud to seek an amicable solution.

For reasons beyond our control, a computer error (price, delivery charges not applied) may occur during your order.
Since selling at a loss is prohibited, we will be obliged to cancel your order and issue a full refund.

Article 22: Data Processing and Freedoms

The information requested from the consumer is necessary for processing their order and may be shared with AquarioSud's contractual partners involved in fulfilling that order. In accordance with the French Data Protection Act (article 34) of 6 January 1978, the consumer has the right to access, modify, rectify, and delete their personal data.

Article 23: Price Alignment - "We'll Match" Offer

The conditions for price matching with a competitor's price are described below. To benefit from the "We Match" offer, you must contact us via this form BEFORE placing your order. Any price matching request after placing an order cannot be considered. The conditions for one of our prices to be matched with the price of the same product at a competitor are as follows:

- the competing product must be on sale in a French online store, whose headquarters are in France.
- the price of the competitor's product must not be on promotion, on sale or sold at a loss.
- the product must be strictly identical to ours (same manufacturer, same model).
- the competitor's product must be sold new and in its original packaging.
- the competing product must be offered under the same terms and delivery time.

Article 24: Anti-waste section

The customer acknowledges having been informed that the products offered in the anti-waste section have a slightly expired date.
These products, due to their exceptional discount and expired use date, cannot be returned.

Article 25: Date of update of the General Terms and Conditions

The latest update was made on Monday, June 22, 2026 and is only applicable to orders placed from that date onwards.