Shipping and Returns

Last Updated: 29 October 2025

At Alongside Design, we’re committed to delivering our thoughtfully designed journals to your doorstep as smoothly as possible. Below you’ll find all the details about our shipping and returns policies.

Understanding Print-on-Demand

How It Works:

Our journals are printed on-demand at printing facilities around the world through our print partner(s). This means:

  • No Inventory: Your journal is not printed until you place your order
  • Sustainable Approach: We only produce what’s needed, reducing waste and environmental impact
  • Production Time: Takes slightly longer than pre-printed items, but ensures freshness and reduces our carbon footprint
  • Global Printing: Your order may be printed at a facility closest to your location to reduce shipping time and emissions

What This Means for You:

  • Production begins within 48 hours of order confirmation
  • Slight printing variations may occur between orders (color density, paper texture)
  • Orders cannot be cancelled once production has started (after 24 hours)
  • We cannot provide samples or previews of specific print runs
  • Returns are limited to defective products only (see Returns section below)

Shipping Information

Shipping Destinations

We offer worldwide shipping, except to the following locations due to printing and shipping restrictions:

  • Belarus
  • Region of Crimea
  • Cuba
  • Iran
  • Johnston Island
  • North Korea
  • Russia
  • Saint Pierre et Miquelon
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Syria
  • Republic of Turkmenistan
  • Ukraine
  • Wake Islands
  • Yemen Arab Republic
  • Venezuela

Note: Shipping restrictions may change due to international regulations, political situations, or carrier limitations. We reserve the right to update this list without notice.

If your location is not listed but you experience checkout issues, please contact us at hello@alongsidedesign.co.nz.

Shipping Costs

  • Standard Shipping: NZD $10 flat rate per order (regardless of number of items)
  • Free Shipping: Orders over NZD $80 qualify for free standard shipping worldwide

Note: Shipping costs are calculated at checkout and may vary based on destination and order value.

Delivery Times

Estimated Delivery: 2-4 weeks from order date

Timeframe Breakdown:

  • Production: 2-5 business days
  • Shipping Transit: 7-21 days (depending on destination)

Important Notes:

  • Delivery times are estimates only and not guaranteed
  • Actual delivery may vary significantly based on:
    • Your location and remoteness
    • Customs processing times
    • Postal service efficiency in your country
    • Public holidays and peak seasons (Christmas, etc.)
    • Weather events, natural disasters, or other force majeure
    • International shipping disruptions

We Cannot Be Held Responsible For:

  • Delays caused by postal services or couriers
  • Customs processing delays
  • Incorrect or incomplete shipping addresses provided by customer
  • Failed delivery attempts when recipient is unavailable
  • Natural disasters, pandemics, strikes, or force majeure events

Tracking Information

  • Tracking numbers are provided when available
  • Not all shipping methods include tracking (depends on destination and carrier)
  • Tracking information is typically available 2-5 days after order confirmation
  • You will receive tracking details via email when your order ships
  • Track your order through the carrier’s website using your tracking number

Note: Some international destinations may have limited tracking visibility once packages enter local postal systems.

Customs, Duties, and Import Fees ⚠️

IMPORTANT – International Orders:

For orders shipped outside of New Zealand:

You (the customer) are responsible for:

  • All customs duties
  • Import taxes and VAT
  • Brokerage fees
  • Any other charges imposed by your country

Key Points:

  • These fees are NOT included in your order total
  • We cannot predict these fees as they vary by country and order value
  • Fees are determined by your country’s customs authority
  • You must pay these fees to receive your package
  • Refusal to pay customs fees does NOT entitle you to a refund from Alongside Design

Customs Delays:

  • Customs processing is outside our control and can add days or weeks to delivery
  • Some countries conduct random inspections that cause delays
  • We cannot intervene with customs authorities on your behalf
  • Packages held in customs for non-payment of fees may be returned to sender or destroyed

Customs Declarations:

  • We accurately declare all items and their values on customs forms as required by law
  • We cannot mark items as “gifts” or undervalue items to avoid customs fees (this is illegal)

Research Your Country’s Rules: We strongly encourage you to research your country’s import rules and potential fees before ordering. Contact your local customs office if you have questions about potential charges.

Order Processing

Processing Timeline

  • Order Confirmation: You’ll receive an email confirmation immediately upon successful payment
  • Production Start: Orders are sent to our print partner within 48 hours of payment confirmation
  • Production Time: 2-5 business days for printing and quality checks
  • Shipping: Package is dispatched and tracking information is sent to you

Business Days: Monday-Friday, excluding New Zealand public holidays

Order Cancellations

24-Hour Cancellation Window:

  • Cancellations are accepted within 24 hours of placing your order
  • Email hello@alongsidedesign.co.nz with “CANCEL ORDER” in the subject line
  • Include your order number and reason for cancellation (optional but helpful)
  • We will confirm cancellation via email within 1-2 business days

After 24 Hours:

  • Orders cannot be cancelled as production will have commenced
  • Once production starts, the order cannot be stopped
  • You may still be eligible for a refund if the product arrives defective (see Returns below)

Refund Processing:

  • Approved cancellations are refunded within 5-10 business days
  • Refunds are issued to the original payment method
  • You will receive email confirmation when the refund is processed

Order Modifications

Address Changes:

  • Must be requested within 24 hours of order placement
  • Email hello@alongsidedesign.co.nz immediately with your order number and corrected address
  • We cannot guarantee address changes after production has started
  • We are not responsible for orders sent to incorrect addresses provided by the customer

Product Changes:

  • Cannot be made once an order is placed
  • You must cancel within 24 hours and place a new order

Returns and Refunds

Due to the custom print-on-demand nature of our products, our returns policy is limited. Please read carefully.

No Returns for Change of Mind

We do not offer refunds or returns for:

  • Change of mind after the 24-hour cancellation window
  • Dissatisfaction with journal content or prompts
  • Dissatisfaction with paper quality (unless defective)
  • Minor printing variations (slight color differences, minor color shifts)
  • Customer ordering the wrong product
  • “Not what I expected” (please review product descriptions carefully before purchase)

Why?

  • Each journal is custom-printed specifically for you
  • We cannot resell custom-printed items
  • This keeps our prices accessible and business sustainable

Please Review Carefully:

  • Read product descriptions thoroughly before purchasing
  • View all available product images
  • Contact us with questions before ordering if unsure

Defective Products – Full Refund or Replacement

We stand behind the quality of our journals. If your product is defective, we’ll make it right.

What Qualifies as Defective:

  • Pages missing or out of order
  • Significant printing errors (large areas of missing ink, illegible text)
  • Binding failures (pages falling out, spine broken upon arrival)
  • Damaged cover (tears, significant creasing beyond normal shipping wear)
  • Wrong product sent
  • Printing on wrong paper type

What Does NOT Qualify as Defective:

  • Minor color variations between screen display and printed product
  • Slight paper texture differences
  • Minor printing imperfections that don’t affect usability
  • Normal wear from use after delivery
  • Damage caused by customer after delivery

How to Report a Defective Product:

  1. Timeline: Contact us within 60 days of purchase date
    • Late claims may not be accepted
    • Contact us as soon as you notice the defect
  2. Contact Method: Email hello@alongsidedesign.co.nz with “DEFECTIVE PRODUCT” in subject line
  3. Required Information:
    • Your order number
    • Date of purchase
    • Clear description of the defect
    • Photographs clearly showing the defect:
      • Multiple angles if relevant
      • Close-up shots of the specific issue
      • Photos of the full product for context
      • Include packaging if relevant to damage claim
  4. Review Process:
    • We will review your claim within 3-5 business days
    • We may request additional photos or information
    • We reserve the right to determine whether a product qualifies as defective
  5. Resolution:
    • Approved claims: We will offer a full refund OR replacement (your choice)
    • Refunds: Processed within 7-10 business days to original payment method
    • Replacements: New product will be printed and shipped (allow 2-4 weeks)
    • We will cover return shipping costs for genuinely defective products (if applicable)

Customer Responsibilities:

  • Do not dispose of defective product until claim is resolved (we may request you return it)
  • Provide honest and accurate information
  • Respond to our requests for additional information within 7 days

Damaged During Transit

If your product arrives damaged due to shipping mishandling:

Timeline: Contact us within 14 days of delivery

Required Information:

  • Order number
  • Photos of:
    • Damaged packaging (outer box/envelope showing shipping damage)
    • Damaged product (showing how product was affected)
    • Close-up shots of specific damage

Resolution:

  • We will work with you to resolve the issue
  • Options: Refund or replacement (depending on severity and circumstances)
  • We may need to file a claim with the shipping carrier

Note: Damage must be clearly caused by shipping/handling, not manufacturing defect or customer damage after delivery.

Lost or Stolen Packages

Tracking Shows “Delivered”:

  • Once a package is marked as delivered by the carrier, it is considered successfully delivered
  • We are not responsible for packages marked as delivered but not received
  • This may occur due to:
    • Theft from doorstep (porch pirates)
    • Delivery to wrong address by carrier
    • Package left in non-visible location by carrier
    • Received by neighbor or household member

What You Can Do:

  • Check with neighbors and household members
  • Check all possible delivery locations (back door, mailbox, garage, etc.)
  • Contact the shipping carrier directly with your tracking number
  • File a claim with the carrier if applicable

What We Can Do:

  • Provide all available tracking information
  • Assist with carrier communication where possible
  • Consider a goodwill gesture on a case-by-case basis (not guaranteed)

Prevention Tips:

  • Use a secure delivery address (workplace, trusted neighbor, parcel locker)
  • Add delivery instructions at checkout if possible
  • Track your package and be available near expected delivery date

Undelivered Packages (Tracking Shows Issue):

If tracking shows:

  • “Return to Sender”
  • “Unable to Deliver”
  • “Held at Post Office” (unclaimed)
  • “Customs Rejection”

What Happens:

  • We are not automatically notified of these issues
  • You must contact us within 30 days if you notice a delivery problem
  • We will investigate with the carrier
  • Resolution depends on the cause:
    • Incorrect address provided by customer: No refund (customer error)
    • Carrier error: Refund or reship (our discretion)
    • Customs rejection/unpaid fees: No refund (customer responsibility)
    • Unclaimed at post office: No refund (customer responsibility to collect)

Consumer Rights (New Zealand Customers)

Consumer Guarantees Act 1993:

Nothing in this policy limits your rights under the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.

Under the Act, you are entitled to:

  • Products that are of acceptable quality
  • Products that match their description
  • Products that are fit for purpose

If our products fail to meet these guarantees, you have the right to:

  • A refund, repair, or replacement
  • Compensation for losses caused by defective products

How to Exercise Your Rights: Contact us at hello@alongsidedesign.co.nz and reference the Consumer Guarantees Act.

International Consumer Rights

For Customers in Other Jurisdictions:

You may have additional consumer protection rights under your local laws:

  • European Union: Consumer Rights Directive, Distance Selling Regulations
  • United Kingdom: Consumer Rights Act 2015
  • Australia: Australian Consumer Law
  • United States: Varies by state
  • Canada: Consumer Protection Acts (varies by province)

We respect all applicable consumer protection laws. If you believe your local laws provide you with additional rights, please contact us and reference the specific legislation.

Shipping Insurance

Do We Offer Shipping Insurance? Currently, we do not offer optional shipping insurance.

Why?

  • Our shipping rates are kept low to make journals accessible
  • Most orders arrive without issues
  • We work with reputable carriers

Your Options:

  • Accept the standard shipping terms outlined in this policy
  • Use a secure delivery address to minimize theft risk
  • Track your package and be available near delivery date

We may introduce shipping insurance as an optional add-on in the future.

Force Majeure

We are not liable for delays, failures, or inability to fulfill orders due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to:

  • Natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, etc.)
  • Pandemics or epidemics
  • Government actions or restrictions
  • War, terrorism, or civil unrest
  • Strikes or labor disputes (postal services, couriers, printers)
  • Shipping carrier disruptions
  • Printing facility closures or technical failures
  • Cyberattacks or technology failures

In such cases:

  • We will make reasonable efforts to fulfill your order when possible
  • You may be entitled to a refund if we cannot fulfill your order within a reasonable timeframe
  • We are not liable for any indirect losses or damages caused by these events

Contact Us & Questions

Have Questions About Shipping or Returns?

We’re here to help!

Email: hello@alongsidedesign.co.nz

Response Time: We aim to respond within 7 business days (usually much faster)

When Contacting Us, Please Include:

  • Your order number
  • Clear description of your question or issue
  • Photos (if relevant to returns/damage)

We’re Happy to Help With:

  • Order status inquiries
  • Tracking questions
  • Address corrections (within 24 hours of order)
  • Defective product claims
  • General shipping questions