I obviously don't know anything about these orders (and its going to be different if custom designed components are being produced for a customer) but my (perhaps naive) view is that reputation and customer experience is going to be more important, long term, for a business than getting an item to a customer.
As such - if something hasn't been delivered, and a customer asks for a refund (so they aren't happy with your proposed delivery schedule), unless it is already with the shipping company enroute to the customer, you process the refund and hold that item as stock once it comes in. You can then build up confidence with customers, in that if something goes wrong, there will be little hassle other than the disappointment of not getting the item.
Hiding behind SafePay mediation procedures (or whatever is happening) isn't going to improve your reputation. It is also going to take up time and energy which could be better spent doing other things.
Note: I can understand needing to take money straight away if using Paypal / Sage Pay as you aren't going to have a way to hold the payment until dispatch is ready. Those "Pre-payments" are being held in a secure / separate way though (aren't they?).
Some lines from safe pay code of practice. As I say, I don't know details of any of the mentioned orders above, but some certainly seem to contradict. By being a member of the assurance scheme, Proviation should also be bound by these as well as the T&Cs on its own website (some of which seem to contradict):
- 3.7 There must be no possibility of orders being accepted which are unlikely to be fulfilled within 30 days.
- 3.10 There must be no misleading claim made on the website or the order confirmation regarding delivery timescale to the consumer. Where any delivery timescale and/or delivery date is stated the consumer must be advised in advance if that timescale and/or date will be delayed and the consumer’s right to cancel must be made clear.
- 4.3 The product or service must be delivered within 30 days unless the consumer agrees otherwise. In the event that this term cannot be met, or the consumer’s right to cancel has been exercised, the consumer must be advised in good time and offered a cancellation option with a total refund, within 30 days, of any monies, including delivery costs, paid.
- 4.5 No payment from a consumer should be processed more than two working days before despatch of the goods or, if it is, should be regarded as a prepayment under the terms of clause 4.6. The website must make this clear either in general or at the point of order.
- 4.6 Deposits and prepayments must be protected against loss in the event of the retailer ceasing to trade or for any other reason. This protection must be provided by an insurance-backed scheme, a ring-fenced consumer account, independent third party holding of such funds or other secure deposit. Deposits, prepayments and scheduled part payments for bespoke products or consumer-specific services should be subject to clear terms, including protection of the consumer’s funds where appropriate, which are agreed to by the consumer as part of the basis for the contract.