Payment Policy

Last updated: May 2025

GS Surfboards offers a variety of payment options to make purchasing your dream surfboard or accessories as convenient as possible. This Payment Policy explains the methods we accept, how payment is handled (including security), and special terms for financing options like Afterpay and Zip Pay.

Our goal is to be transparent, so you feel confident and secure when making a payment on our site or in-person.

Accepted Payment Methods

We currently accept the following payment methods:

• Credit/Debit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Payments are processed securely via our payment gateway provider. All card transactions are charged in Australian Dollars (AUD).

• PayPal: You can choose PayPal at checkout to pay using your PayPal balance or linked bank/card. PayPal provides an extra layer of security by not sharing your card details with us.

• Afterpay: Buy now, pay later in four interest-free fortnightly instalments (available for Australian customers on eligible purchases).

• Zip Pay: Buy now, pay later with an interest-free account (pay off by the end of the following month to avoid fees)

• Bank Transfer (EFT): We offer direct bank deposit for custom orders or by request. If you prefer this method, contact us for our bank account details. Note that your order will only be commenced/shipped once funds clear in our account.

• Cash or EFTPOS on Pickup: For local customers picking up a board or item, we can accept cash or EFTPOS in person. This must be arranged in advance and is generally only for the balance on custom boards or accessory purchases if pre-approved.

All orders must be fully paid before we dispatch goods. For custom surfboards, we require full payment at order confirmation (prior to production start) unless we have agreed to a split payment schedule. We may, in some cases, allow a deposit upfront and balance on completion for custom boards – but such arrangements are at our discretion and will be clearly agreed in writing.

Currency and Pricing

All prices on our website and invoices are in Australian Dollars (AUD). If you are using a non-Australian credit card or bank, be aware your provider will convert the charge to your local currency and may charge foreign transaction fees. We are not responsible for any differences due to currency exchange rates or bank fees. The amount we receive is the AUD price we charged.

Prices include GST (10% Goods and Services Tax) for Australian customers. If you are an international customer (outside Australia) and we agree to sell/ship to you, we may deduct GST from the price, but you will be responsible for any import taxes/duties on your end.

Payment Security

Your security is of utmost importance to us. Our website uses SSL encryption to ensure your payment and personal details are transmitted securely. When you checkout, any credit card details are handled by a secure payment gateway (such as Stripe or PayPal). These payment processors are PCI-DSS compliant, meaning they adhere to high security standards for handling card data. We do not store your full card number or CVV on our servers at any time.

If you make payment over the phone or via a manual form (in case of phone orders or custom orders), we will enter your details directly into our secure virtual terminal. We will not write down or keep your card details. If provided via email (which we discourage for security), we will delete the email containing sensitive information after processing.

For Afterpay and Zip Pay transactions, you will be redirected to their secure environment to log in and authorize the payment. We do not see or store your login credentials for those services.

We also monitor transactions for fraud. Unusually large orders or mismatched details might prompt us to contact you for verification (to ensure it’s really you who placed the order). This is to protect both of us from fraudulent activity.

About Afterpay

Afterpay allows eligible customers to split their purchase into four equal instalments, paid every fortnight (two weeks). Here’s how it works with our store:

• Eligibility: You need to have an Afterpay account (you can sign up during checkout if you don’t have one). Afterpay is available to people 18+ with a valid debit or credit card and who meet Afterpay’s approval criteria. Order limits may apply based on your Afterpay history (first-time users might have lower limits).

• Using Afterpay: At checkout, select Afterpay as your payment method. You’ll be directed to Afterpay’s site to either log in or create an account, and to confirm the payment schedule. Afterpay will conduct a quick approval process. If approved, you pay the first instalment at the time of purchase (or it may be deferred by two weeks, depending on promos), and the remaining three instalments are automatically charged to your card every fortnight.

• Cost to You: Afterpay is interest-free – you do not pay extra interest on your purchase. The item’s price is simply split into 4 payments. However, late fees apply if you miss a scheduled payment. It’s your responsibility to ensure you have sufficient funds in your linked account for each instalment. As of this writing, Afterpay may charge a $10 late fee for a missed payment, plus another $7 if it remains unpaid 7 days later (these fees can vary, so check Afterpay’s latest terms). We have no control over late fees – that is an agreement between you and Afterpay.

• Shipping & Delivery: Using Afterpay doesn’t delay your shipment – once we receive order confirmation from Afterpay, we process your order just like a normal payment. You’ll get your items right away (or as soon as they are made, in the case of custom boards), even though you’ve only paid the first quarter. Afterpay pays us in full on your behalf, so the order is considered paid on our end.

• Returns with Afterpay: If you return an item or cancel an order that was paid via Afterpay, we will process the refund through Afterpay. You will be refunded any amounts you’ve already paid and any future instalments will be cancelled, in accordance with our Returns Policy. (If it’s a partial refund, Afterpay will adjust or reduce your remaining payments accordingly or issue a refund to your card for amounts already paid.)

• More Info: For more details, you can visit Afterpay’s official website and read their full terms and conditions. By using Afterpay, you are entering into an agreement with Afterpay, not just us. If you have any issues with the payment schedule, you should contact Afterpay’s customer service (though we can help with any order issues on our side).

About Zip Pay

Zip Pay is another “buy now, pay later” option we offer, allowing you to buy products up to a certain limit and pay them off over time. Key points:

• Zip Pay vs Zip Money: Zip offers two products. Zip Pay is typically for purchases up to $1,000 (with no interest, but a monthly account fee if you have an outstanding balance). Zip Money is for larger purchases (over $1,000) and may involve interest after an interest-free period. For most of our customers buying a surfboard and perhaps accessories, Zip Pay should cover it, but if your purchase is larger, Zip may automatically offer or require Zip Money. For simplicity, we’ll refer to Zip Pay here, but be aware of the distinction.

• Using Zip Pay: Select Zip Pay at checkout. You’ll be directed to Zip’s secure portal to sign in or create an account. Approval is usually quick. Zip will pay us on your behalf, and you’ll receive your goods as normal. You then owe the balance to Zip. Zip Pay requires you to make a minimum repayment each month (e.g., $40) and you can pay off your purchase at your own pace (there’s no fixed instalment schedule like Afterpay). However, if you carry any balance at the end of the month, a small fee (around $7.95) may be added to your account for that month. If you pay off your purchase by the end of the month, no fees – effectively interest free.

• Credit Limits: When you apply for Zip, they will approve you for a certain spending limit (e.g., $500, $1000). You can make multiple purchases up to that limit. If your purchase with us exceeds your available Zip limit, Zip might require an initial payment or a higher plan (like Zip Money). This is handled in the Zip platform.

• Interest and Fees: Zip Pay itself doesn’t charge interest. The only cost is the monthly account fee if you don’t have a $0 balance. Zip Money (if used) can charge interest after any promotional interest-free period. Always check your specific account terms with Zip so you know what applies.

• Returns with Zip: Similar to Afterpay, if you return a product that you bought via Zip, we will process a refund and it will be applied to your Zip account. If you have not yet paid for the item (balance on Zip), the refund will reduce/cancel what you owe. If you had already made repayments, it would put your Zip account in credit or you can have it refunded to your bank – coordinate with Zip for that.

• More Info: See Zip’s terms on their official website for the full details and responsible lending information. By using Zip, you’re agreeing to their terms in addition to ours.

Lay-by / Layaway

Currently, we do not offer a traditional in-house lay-by (layaway) program because services like Afterpay and Zip serve a similar purpose with more flexibility. However, if you have a special request (for example, you want to pay off a board over a couple of installments directly to us without using Afterpay/Zip), talk to us. For long-term holds or payment plans, we typically recommend using the available fintech options, but we’re open to discussing a custom arrangement for loyal customers.

Payment Issues & Errors

• Declined Payments: If your credit card is declined or PayPal payment does not go through, please double-check the details or try another method. Common issues include entering the wrong CVV or billing address mismatch. If problems persist, contact your bank or PayPal as there might be a hold or security block on their side. Feel free to contact us as well – sometimes we can see a generic decline code but not the specifics (for privacy reasons, banks don’t usually tell merchants the full reason). We can try to help troubleshoot.

• Duplicate Charges: Our system is designed to charge your payment method once per order. If you suspect you were charged twice or see any billing error, contact us immediately. We will investigate and if there was an error on our side, we will of course refund any duplicate charges.

• Payment on Pickup: If you are paying upon collection of your board (by prior arrangement), note that the board remains property of GS Surfboards until full payment is received. If you fail to show up or pay the remaining balance within the agreed timeframe, we reserve the right to treat it as a cancelled order (and potentially withhold any deposit to cover costs). We will make multiple attempts to reach you before taking such action.

• Suspicious Orders: For fraud prevention, we reserve the right to hold or cancel an order that appears suspicious. This could be due to a mismatch in payment and shipping addresses, unusually high value orders from first-time customers without verification, etc. In such cases, we will attempt to contact you to verify details. If we cannot verify the legitimacy of an order, we may refund the payment and not proceed with the transaction. This is to protect cardholders and us from fraud.

Invoices & Receipts

For every purchase, we issue an order confirmation and/or tax invoice via email. This serves as your proof of purchase. Please keep it for your records – it’s useful for any warranty claims or returns. If you need a hard copy or a re-issue of an invoice, let us know. Australian customers will see GST itemized on the invoice.

After-Sales and Payments

If you qualify for a refund (per our Returns Policy), we will process it as described earlier in that policy. If we owe you a partial refund or adjustment (e.g., maybe you overpaid shipping or we agreed on a discount after purchase), we typically process it back to the original method. For example, if you paid by card, we refund that card; if by Afterpay, we trigger an Afterpay refund.

Store credits (if any issued) will have their own terms (usually validity period and usage instructions).