Information / Help Section / Terms & Conditions

On this page you will find information on how to use the website, how to pay, when to pay, when to expect your order, shipping charges (if any), service and product guarantees, whom to complain to if things go wrong, how to get help, how to return items, customs and excise, and anything else that we thought you might want to know about ordering with Ollipops.

Who is Ollipops?

Ollipops.com is a trading style of MICA Media Limited, a company registered in England (company registration number 09740052). Registered office: Unit 222 Dunsfold Park, Cranleigh, Surrey, England, GU6 8GA, England. Trading address: Ollipops.com, Unit A1-02, 140 The Causeway, Petersfield, Hampshire GU31 4LL. All correspondence, excluding returns, should be sent to our registered office address in Surrey. Returns MUST be sent to our warehouse at: Unit A1-02, 140 The Causeway, Petersfield, Hampshire GU31 4LL

Making a Purchase

Simply browse through the shop, select any items you wish to order, and proceed to the checkout. You may pay by credit card or Paypal via the secure server at Opayo (Elavon), who operate a "real-time" system - i.e. they will make security checks on your card, obtain payment authorisation, and debit your account immediately. The item will appear on your statement under the merchant name "MICA Media Ltd T/As Ollipops.com". In the case of non-UK orders, your credit card company will convert the sterling amount into your own currency at the rate prevailing under their own terms and conditions.

Payment Options

Ollipops.com has been validated compliant with the requirements of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Please click the Comodo logo for details.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and any debit card displaying the Visa or Mastercard logos. We cannot accept Maestro cards or Visa Electron cards. If you have a Paypal account and would prefer to pay via Paypal, you will see this as an option once you reach the secure payment server at Opayo (Elavon).

Security

Our Payment Service Provider is Opayo (Elavon) – the largest independent payment service provider (PSP) in the UK and Ireland. Opayo provides a secure payment gateway (Level 1 PCI DSS), processing payments for thousands of online businesses, including ours. It is Opayo’s highest priority to ensure that transaction data is handled in a safe and secure way.

Opayo uses a range of secure methods such as fraud screening, IP address blocking and 3D secure. Once on the Opayo systems, all sensitive data is secured using the same internationally recognised 256-bit encryption standards.

Opayo is PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliant to the highest level and maintains regular security audits. They are also regularly audited by the banks and banking authorities to ensure that their systems are impenetrable.

Opayo is an active member of the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) which defines card industry global regulation.

In addition, you know that your session is in a secure encrypted environment when you see https:// in the web address, and/or when you see the locked padlock symbol alongside the URL. So when buying through our site, you can be sure that you are completely protected.

Discount Coupons

From time to time we may publish coupon codes on our website, by email, via social media and elsewhere. Coupons are mutually exclusive - it is only possible to use ONE coupon per order and only ONE coupon per order will be accepted.

Shipping & Handling

EU Customers - PLEASE READ!

The Brexit agreement between the UK and the EU has resulted in EU customers now being obliged to pay VAT in their own country on all purchases from UK stores. In addition, orders with a value of 150 Euros or more may attract import duty.

VAT is different in each country - there are different rates and the list of goods which are subject to VAT varies too. For this reason (and because we are not tax experts) it is impossible for us to advise customers about VAT rates in their country and about whether or not import duty may be applicable to anything purchased from our store.

We would urge all EU customers to make enquiries with their own tax authorities in advance of placing an order with us. We love supplying customers all over the world, but especially in the EU, and would not want them to face unexpected tax bills (and no doubt extra administration charges from the tax authorities).

Within the UK, children's shoes and clothing are zero-rated for VAT. This means that there is no VAT included in our prices on these items. All EU countries apply VAT on these items at the rate prevailing in their country. If you are located in an EU country, you WILL be charged VAT, and possibly import duty, on any order you place with us. We make a full and accurate customs declaration on all overseas orders, including the HS code of the item, the value of the item, the weight of each individual item, the amount of shipping charged, and the country of origin of each item.

Please also be aware that at times, it is possible for goods to be held up by your local customs office for very long periods of time. We very much want you to shop with us, but it's important that you are made aware of any potential costs and delays. VAT, import duty and customs delays are completely outside our control and we cannot be held liable for any expense or inconvenience caused to you as a consequence of Brexit. Please check current costs and transit times with your customs department and postal service before placing your order.

We will ship to any UK address and to the following countries:

Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Rest of the World: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Qatar, Singapore, Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United States.

If you want delivery to a country not listed above, let us know. We will always try to accommodate you.

Shipping charges are as follows:
UK - Standard (2-5 days): GBP3.95 by Royal Mail Tracked48 - NOT a guaranteed service
UK - Express (1-2 days): GBP5.95 by Royal Mail Tracked24 - NOT a guaranteed service
UK - Special Delivery 1PM (1 day): GBP9.95 by Royal Mail Special Delivery 1pm (Mon-Fri) - Only up to 2kg/averagely 3 pairs of shoes - Order by 11am for guaranteed next day delivery
UK - Special Delivery 9AM (1 day): GBP29.95 by Royal Mail Special Delivery 9am (Mon-Fri) - Only up to 2kg/averagely 3 pairs of shoes - Order by 11am for guaranteed next day delivery

Europe: GBP16.95 by Royal Mail International Tracked & Signed (up to 2kg - larger parcels will be quoted at cost).

Rest of the World (except AU & NZ): GBP28.95 by Royal Mail International Tracked & Signed (up to 2kg - larger parcels will be quoted at cost).
Australia & New Zealand: GBP35.95 by Royal Mail International Tracked & Signed (up to 2kg - larger parcels will be quoted at cost).

All international orders are sent by a trackable service requiring a signature on delivery. Large orders are sent by any one of a number of courier services, depending on weight and destination.

We ship orders Monday to Friday. Most orders are shipped within 1 working day (same day if order placed by 11am UK time). Some items may take longer than this, and these are clearly marked in the full product description. Occasionally, an item may be out of stock and we may not be able to ship it within our normal timescale. If this happens, we will advise you immediately and back-order the items for you. You have the right to cancel an order for any items which, in your view, are on an unacceptably long lead time. This is in addition to your statutory rights.

Import Duties

Overseas deliveries only: import duties vary worldwide depending on each country's importation legislation. It is the customer's responsibility to discover what, if any, import duties their order may be subject to, and the liability for import duties resides solely with the customer. We are obliged to make a customs declaration, verifying the value of the each item within a parcel. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL WE AGREE TO MAKE A FALSE DECLARATION. This practise is illegal. Please do not ask us to do this!

Refund & Returns

Our Policy: We want you to be happy with the products and services you have received from Ollipops. Should this not be the case, you may return any item for a refund within 30 days of receipt. Returned items must be in completely new, unused and resaleable condition and with all packaging intact. We are not able to refund shipping charges. If you have a return requirement outside this period, please contact us and we will try to accommodate you. Please note that socks and tights are excluded from our returns policy for hygiene reasons.

Refunds - Timescale & Method:

Under current consumer legislation:

1. All retailers MUST issue refunds within 14 days of receipt of goods in satisfactory condition.

2. Refunds can ONLY be issued via the payment method used by the customer.

In fact, we generally process returns within 1-3 working days of receipt, except in the most unusual circumstances (e.g. holiday shutdown), but even then, refunds are processed within 14 days.

We do not write to customers to let them know their parcel has arrived - virtually all services (including standard post) are trackable, so the sender knows instantly that their parcel has been delivered, or has the facility to check. We only get in touch in the event that there is a problem with the item you have returned (e.g. it was sent after the 30 day returns period has expired, or the items arrived in an unacceptable condition).

If you used a debit or credit card, funds will be refunded to that account and should arrive 3 working days after issue. If you used Paypal, funds will be refunded to your Paypal account and will arrive immediately.

If you have checked your account and your refund has not arrived within 14 days of the day you know we received the parcel, please contact us (sales@ollipops.com).

Sale Items and End-of Line Items: The law draws no distinction between reduced-price and full-price items, and you have exactly the same rights as a consumer as you would have had, had you purchased an item at the full price.

Our returns policy does not affect your statutory right to cancel or your rights relating to faulty goods - see sections below.

How to Return an Order: Please complete a RETURNS NOTE (link opens in a new window) and enclose it with the goods. If you do not have access to a printer, a handwritten note with at least your order number and instructions will suffice. You can also simply use the delivery note which was sent with your order.  Please note that items are returned at the sender's cost and risk and we advise you to consider returning the items via a traceable service. If using Royal Mail in the UK, a proof of posting certificate usually provides adequate protection. IMPORTANT - EVRI - Whilst EVRI may be terrific in some parts of the country, here in Petersfield their service is poor, at best. They regularly leave parcels at weekends and in the late evening outside, open to the elements and to anyone passing. They log such deliveries as "left in a safe and secure location". Given that we're located on a small business development, where deliveries are possible during office hours only, this is not a good service. Sometimes the cheapest service can turn out to be a false economy.

Duty of Care: The customer is expected to take reasonable care so as to return items in acceptable condition. For many of our products (Plus12, all shoes etc) the product box is part of the product, in that it may give essential information or instructions. It is therefore essential that all such products are returned complete with the product box, as they cannot be considered to be in new and resaleable condition without it.

Exchange Requests: We do not offer an 'exchange' service. Simply place a new order, and return unwanted items at your convenience. This avoids a situation where an item might go out of stock whilst you are returning the original item, and gets the item you actually want to you quicker.

Discount Eligibility: Discount eligibility is calculated on your final order value after taking into account the value of any items subsequently returned. If you return part of an order where you had a discount or free shipping based on number of items or total value of order, we will adjust the refund to reflect the value of the discount originally allowed if the return of one or more items renders your order no longer eligible for such a discount. If you received an extra item as a result of ordering a specific product and you subsequently return the product but keep the accompanying item, we will refund the product less the stated value of the accompanying item.

Return of Faulty Items: the law gives you a great deal of extra protection when it comes to faulty items. Of course, we hope that no item we send out is faulty, and we deal only with suppliers with very high standards of quality control, but occasionally, mistakes do happen and an item will get through when it shouldn't have done so. Firstly, the timescale in which you must return a faulty item is very different. You have six months in which to do so without having to prove that the item was originally shipped in a faulty state. After this, you will need to prove that you didn't cause the fault, but you have a total of six years in which to do so. Secondly, we will reimburse you for the return postage if you return an item that proves to be faulty. IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you have contacted us for shipping instructions prior to doing so - consumer law is based largely on what is "reasonable", so, for instance, returning an item via same-day motorcycle courier at considerable expense is not what most people would consider reasonable! In almost all cases, a photo of the fault will be all we need, so please send photos by email in the first instance.

Statutory Right to Cancel: You have a statutory right to change your mind about almost any item purchased online, and may cancel a contract at any time up to 14 days after the day on which the goods were delivered.

How to Exercise Your Statutory Right to Cancel: We need to receive notice of cancellation in writing (by email is fine), and you should include at least your name and address and a line confirming cancellation. You can phone to cancel (this is often sensible in order to avoid an order being despatched unnecessarily), but we will also need you to drop us an email confirming this. You must then return the goods within a maximum of 14 days of issuing your cancellation notice. If you are exercising your statutory right to change your mind and cancel a contract, you will receive a refund of the total cost of the items plus, for UK orders, the value of the least expensive delivery choice that was available to you when you placed the order. This means that if you chose a more expensive delivery method, you will have to bear the cost of the difference.

Complaints Procedure

Should you have any concerns or complaints, please inform us via any of the contact details below. You will receive an immediate acknowledgement of receipt, and at least a preliminary response within 2 working days. Our preliminary response will, at the very least, provide a detailed plan and timescale for dealing with the matter you have raised. In most cases, we anticipate resolving any issue within 2 days of receipt of your communication. All concerns and complaints will be treated personally, confidentially and seriously. Your satisfaction with the service you have received from Ollipops is of paramount importance to us, and we welcome your comments.

Contact & Customer Service Details

Please contact us by any of the following means. The office is usually staffed 5 days a week during office hours (GMT/BST). At all other times we recommend that you contact us by email. Emails are usually responded to at any time, whether sent within office hours or not.