Delivery & Returns

DELIVERY

For latest shipping updates, including last shipping dates for Christmas, please see here for more details.

International orders: EU orders will be sent on a tax paid basis (with no additional charges to pay on delivery). For more detail see further below. For other overseas orders, no tax will be charged (UK tax will be removed at checkout). 

General delivery info (all countries):

• All orders ship from the UK
• I ship orders twice a week (Monday & Thursday mornings) except if these fall on UK public holidays, so please allow extra time in these cases
• I currently ship EU orders once a week on Monday mornings (this will hopefully increase based on order volumes), so bear this in mind when ordering
• during sale periods, order processing may take longer, so please allow extra time for your order to be despatched
• delivery delays are still to be expected at peak times. Service updates from Royal Mail can be found here - please check your country status before ordering 

• standard delivery and express delivery options are available for most countries
• delivery timescales with standard/premium services aren't guaranteed - please allow up to 3 weeks (UK) / 6 weeks (rest of world) for your order to arrive, though orders usually arrive faster than this
• standard services are tracked with an online confirmation. We bear no responsibility for orders which have a proof of delivery provided by the carrier where the recipient hasn't received them
• for a faster / guaranteed delivery, select the express/premium option at checkout - contact me for a quote for other countries not shown at checkout
• ensure your address is written correctly as we cannot be held responsible for orders not arriving due to incorrect details being provided
• if your order is returned due to a failed delivery attempt / incorrect / incomplete address and you:
• request a refund, the refund will only cover the cost of the items - the shipping cost will not be refunded
• wish for it to be re-sent, an additional shipping fee will be charged
• If you are having an order shipped to a business address, provide the company name and ensure someone is available to sign for your parcel
• good hygiene practices continue with making products and preparing orders (Good Manufacturing Practice has always been fundamental - even prior to COVID-19!)

UK delivery (incl Northern Ireland):

Standard delivery: for all orders is by Royal Mail Tracked 48 - fully tracked service. Delivery aim - usually 2-3 working days from despatch (but may be longer in some cases, Royal Mail won't investigate anything under 3 weeks so please wait until after this point to contact me).

Express delivery: Royal Mail Special Delivery - guaranteed next day delivery and full tracking, (orders will still only be shipped on a Monday or Thursday).

International delivery:

Standard (Tracked via Royal Mail) and premium/express (via DHL Connect in EU / DHL express or UPS in ROW) delivery options are available for most countries.

All orders placed by customers in countries outside UK & EU are despatched on a DDU (delivery duty unpaid) / DAP (delivered at place) basis. This means you are responsible for any possible local taxes / customs duties and associated (handling) fees which will need to be paid directly to the delivery carrier before they deliver your parcel. By placing an order through this site, you are accepting these terms.

European delivery:

When EU customers place orders through this store, these will be shipped on a tax paid basis. There will be no further charges to pay upon delivery, and accelerated customs clearance!

Other European countries outside of EU will need to pay local taxes / associated handling fees when your parcel arrives in your country.

 * £6.95 in Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland. Other EU markets are £8.95

Delivery to UAE, Saudi Arabia:

I've just introduced a new carrier route to these markets - delivery time should be around 7-10 working days (tracked shipping) and taxes / duties are included within the final price at checkout with no further costs to pay upon delivery. Shipping costs range from £10.95 (UAE) to £15.95 (Saudi Arabia). This service may be extended to other markets in the Middle East - please contact me if you have any questions about this!

Delivery to rest of the world:

Automatic checkout through the website is also currently available for:

US, Canada, Brazil, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, South Africa

For other countries, please contact me before ordering for shipping rates as these vary depending on destination, weight and shipping method. 

 * a surcharge may be applicable for DHL shipping to remote destinations / some countries. If this is the case for your location, I will contact you before your order is processed to confirm if you still wish to proceed. If I don't get a response within 48 hours, unfortunately your order will be cancelled and refunded.

RETURNS

As a small, independent business, customer service is extremely important to Apothaka® and I want you to be delighted with my products, which is reflected in my return policy.

If you're not happy with your purchase, you can return unopened items for a refund or exchange within 14 days of receipt. I'm unable to refund items that have been opened. Contact me at hello@apothaka.com within 48 hours of receiving your order, quoting your order number and your reason for returning any items. Please wait for an acknowledgement which will explain how to return your items.  Orders can also be cancelled and refunded prior to them being shipped if you contact me to request this, though this won't be possible once the order has been processed.

To qualify for any refund or exchange, the products must be returned and received unopened in their original packaging and in the same condition of dispatch/receipt. For refunds, I will refund the original price paid and the cost of the standard delivery if you paid for delivery (but not any additional cost of premium delivery option chosen).

Please note that unless the products are deemed faulty / damaged, the cost for returning products is the responsibility of the customer. All returns must be sent by Royal Mail tracked delivery so that you can obtain a tracking number / proof of postage. The items can't be treated as returned & eligible for a refund / exchange until I have received them and checked the condition of the items. 

Replacements / refunds will be processed within 14 days of receipt and checking of the returned items. Refunds can only be made via the original payment method. If gift cards have been used for payments, the refund will be applied back to the gift card. Refunds for products given as a gift can only be given to the original purchaser.

If a free gift was included this must be returned with your item or the value of the gift will be deducted from the refund. 

If you used a promotional/discount code and your order no longer qualifies, the promotional/discount value will be deducted from your refund. 

If your order value after returning your item(s) no longer qualifies for free shipping, delivery charges will be deducted from your refund.

Gift cards, samples, sale items and free items are non-returnable.

International customers: refund values are given based on the UK Pound Sterling amount originally paid (NOT the customer's local currency equivalent). We cannot be held responsible for any resulting currency fluctuations that occur between the order confirmation and the processing of a refund.

Damaged or missing items:

We always ensure that orders are carefully checked and packed in a condition suitable for posting, and that they should reach you undamaged. However, if this is not the case, please contact me at hello@apothaka.com within 48 hours of receiving your order, quoting your order number and details of the problem. If your order is damaged, please send photos and keep the original packaging materials so that I can investigate the issue with the postal service or the relevant carrier. Please wait for an acknowledgement which will explain how to return your items.  

To qualify for a refund or exchange on faulty / damaged products, the products must be returned unused (with the seals intact) in their original packaging and in the same condition of dispatch/receipt within 30 days.

We will cover the costs of returning any faulty / damaged items. All returns must be sent by Royal Mail Signed For / tracked delivery so that you can obtain a tracking number. The items can't be treated as returned & eligible for a refund / exchange until we have received and checked them. 

Replacements / refunds will be processed within 14 days of receipt of the returned items.

Lost items:

Delivery times / customs processing times are highly variable and out of my control so please ensure you allow up to 3 (UK) / 6 (international) weeks from the shipping date for parcels sent via standard delivery before contacting us in the unlikely event that you haven't received your order (unfortunately we're unable to take any action before then).