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FAQs

How can we help you?

My order

How do I place an order on your website?

Please select the item you wish to buy and click on the add to cart button. You can either complete this purchase once it’s in your cart by clicking the checkout button or you can return to the main pages and add more items to your cart. When you have everything you want just continue to checkout.

For information on payment questions please see the payment page in these FAQs.

Can I track my order?

New goods

We include a delivery reference for insurance purposes for each item. However, as our items are sent via Royal Mail standard shipping, they cannot be tracked via royal mail by our customers. Alternatively you can track your item if you download the Shop app, please follow this link if you would to track your order.

Please also bear in mind the busier periods in the run up to Christmas and allow some extra time for items to be delivered.

Second hand goods

These can be tracked as all items are sent via Royal mail tracked 48 or signed for.

Where is my new goods order?

You should receive a shipping confirmation via email. You can track your item if you download the Shop app, please follow this link if you would to track your order.  

Please also bear in mind the busier periods in the run up to Christmas and allow some extra time for items to be delivered.

How do I know if my order has been shipped?

For all goods you will receive a shipping confirmation email when your item has been despatched

My order is yet to arrive, what can I do?

If your estimated delivery date has passed, please allow a few extra days for your order to be delivered (especially during busy times).

If your order doesn’t arrive, please let us know within 14 days of the date by which your order should have been delivered and we’ll do our best to help you. 

How do I amend/cancel my order?

Legally all customers have a right to cancel their orders within 14 days. 

What if my order has already been despatched?

You will need to return your order to us and we will process your refund.

What if my order has not been despatched yet?

Please get in touch with us by emailing Shop_Support_Team@shelter.org.uk. We will be able to cancel your order and issue your refund.

 

Do you have a query about a specific item?

Emergency Chocolate bars

Please check the listing of our chocolate where it gives all the relevant information you may need.

Crackers

Do your crackers contain plastic?

Our crackers contain no plastic and can be fully recycled

*Please note: All other information can be found on the individual listings.

Christmas Cards 

Please check the listing information for each card as the specification may differ.

What is the quality of the cards like?

Our cards are all high quality, printed on thick card. Check out our card reviews on Trustpilot here

If you have any other questions relating to our new goods for sale such as our virtual gifts or any of the above, then please get in touch with us via Shop_Support_team@shelter.org.uk

 

Second hand items/Reselling goods

What if I have a questions about a second hand item for sale?

If the item listing doesn’t include some information you require then please email us, we will be happy to help.

 

Why has my item not arrived yet?

If estimated delivery dates have passed or you’ve been waiting for longer than you expected, Please email us at Shop_Support_team@shelter.org.uk We can have a look into this for you

Payment

How can I pay?

 We accept the following payment methods:

  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Paypal
  • American Express
  • Visa debit & credit
  • Mastercard debit & credit
  • Maestro

 

 My payment has been duplicated, what can I do?

Please email us at Shop_Support_team@shelter.org.uk where we will be happy to assist.

Shipping

PLEASE NOTE:  Our new goods items are shipped Royal Mail standard. New goods International items are sent Royal Mail International standard shipping.

You will be provided with a postal reference number which will give you proof of delivery information, this reference is not a tracking reference. You can use the Shop app to track your order.  

PLEASE NOTE: Second hand items are all sent via royal mail 48 hour tracked. You will be able to track these orders via Royal Mail.

What does shipping cost me?

Shipping is calculated at checkout based on the weight and size of your order.

 UK Shipping costs are as follows:

  • Up to 1kg: £2.95
  • 1kg up to 2kg: 3.95
  • 2kg up to 30kg: £5.95

 

International shipping

 All items are shipped via royal mail international standard shipping

Information and costs can be found on the royal mail website.

Please check with your postal service in your country of residence for further international postal queries and any updates on delays in their services.

Delivery

How long will my delivery take?

For all new goods purchases: Delivery is within 5-7 working days of your order being placed and between Monday to Friday (excluding Public Holidays).

Please look out for your delivery shipping confirmation to be sent by email.

What is the cut-off date for Christmas deliveries?

Please consider any postage delays during busier periods in the run up to Christmas. Royal mail services are normally  impacted at busier times of the year  due to higher levels of postage and most recently because of Covid-19.

 Therefore we recommend you order any items from our website to be delivered in time for the holidays no later than December 12th.  This is 6 working days before the Royal Mail guidance as we want our customers to experience the best possible delivery service. Royal Mail guidance for Christmas postage can be found here

What are your despatch times for new goods orders?

  • We aim to despatch all orders promptly upon receipt of an order
  • Currently all orders are picked & packed to be despatched at our fulfilment house within 2 working days of our customers placing their order.
  • In the instance of a high volume of orders during peak times, these timings may include 2 extra days despatch time.
  • We use Royal Mail standard shipping services. Please find further guidance on postage timescales on the Royal Mail website https://www.royalmail.com/help/when-will-my-item-arrive Royal Mail always add updates to their website should they be facing any customer postage delays.
  • You can use the Shop app https://shop.app/ to track your order.
  • The delivery reference number you are provided with will give proof of delivery information only and is not a tracking reference.
  • No orders are despatched on Sundays as our warehouse is closed, any Sunday orders are picked and packed on the Monday (or next working day if a public Bank holiday)

What are your despatch times for second-hand items?

  • Second-hand items on our online shop are listed and despatched by individual Shelter shops across the country. We aim to despatch all orders within 5 working days of them being placed.
  • We use Royal Mail standard shipping services (as above)

*We aim to meet these delivery times but during busier periods (Black Friday, Christmas) deliveries may take a little longer. Occasionally system updates and unexpected events such as extreme weather conditions, will mean there may be a slight delay in the delivery. However, we will always work hard to keep such issues to a minimum. Shelter cannot be held liable for any parcels that are lost or stolen as a result of any specific delivery instructions.

 

 

Technical issues

I'm having trouble signing into my account

If you have an online account with us and receive a message that says your email address/password isn't recognised, there are a few things worth checking:

  • Check you are using the same email address and password you registered with.
  • If you can't remember your password, click on the 'forgot your password' link on the sign in page. You'll be prompted to enter your email address and we'll send you an email with a link that will allow you to create a new password for your account

 If your issue isn't password-related, here are a few things you may want to check:

  • Make sure that the 'Block all cookies' function is disabled in your browser's settings
  • Check that Javascript is enabled in your browser's settings.
  • Make sure that you don't have any content blockers installed.
  • Make sure that your device clock is accurate. For security reasons, if your device clock is fast, you won't be able to access your account. You can resolve this problem easily by setting the time on your device to default.

 If you’re still experiencing issues after trying the above then please contact our Shop Support Team about the issue. Shop_Support_team@shelter.org.uk.

I have a problem on your website what do I do?

Firstly you should check you’re using the most up to date browser. We recommend using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If this doesn’t improve your shopping experience then please contact us.

 

I don’t know if my payment has gone through as my web page timed out, can do I do?

 Please check your email inbox and junk folder for an order confirmation. You can also check with your bank account provider and see if the payment is pending on your account.

Once you have done this please feel free to get in touch with us and we will confirm we have received the order for processing. Shop_Support_team@shelter.org.uk.

 

 

Returns/Refunds

What is your returns policy?

You have a legal right to return any item that does not match the description on our website, is not fit for its intended purpose, or is not of satisfactory quality. You are entitled to a refund if you tell us this within 30 days of receipt of the item, or you may request a replacement item instead. In either case, if the item was purchased, you will need to return the item in question to us at your own cost. 

 

 

Sustainability

We take sustainability seriously at Shelter and have been exploring ways we can become more environmentally conscious with our packaging.

Currently our emergency chocolate packaging is fully recyclable and also has compostable foil. Our Christmas cards are made from FSC certified responsible sources.

Our new goods orders are currently sent in a non-recyclable Jiffy bag, however we want to encourage our supporters to reuse the packaging your items arrive in. You can even take advantage of our pack and post service and send any unwanted items back to us as donations free of charge.

Please follow this link for more information and a freepost label.

We're always looking at ways we can improve our approach towards sustainability, and we'll be updating these pages to keep you up-to-date with our progress. If you have any queries or suggestions around this then we’d love to hear these.

 

Still need to get in touch?

Please feel free to contact us by email if you have any further questions or feedback. We’d be happy to hear from you. 

Please note this inbox is monitored Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 5.30pm.