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RETURNS POLICY

Website: www.coolabee.co.nz
Operator: Coolabee New Zealand
Last updated: [June 2024]

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This Returns Policy applies to eligible purchases made from Coolabee New Zealand through our website and, where applicable, through authorised Coolabee sales channels.

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This policy applies to Coolabee’s product range, including books, book sets, gifts, toys, models, home accents, health and beauty products, art and craft products, stationery, games, accessories, and other general gift items.

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This Returns Policy should be read together with our Terms and Conditions, Delivery Policy, Privacy Policy, Gift Card Terms, and any product-specific terms displayed at the time of purchase.

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Nothing in this Returns Policy is intended to exclude, restrict, or modify any rights you may have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, Fair Trading Act 1986, or any other applicable New Zealand law.

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1. Your Rights Under New Zealand Law

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If you purchase goods from Coolabee for personal, domestic, or household use, you may have rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.

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Goods must be of acceptable quality, fit for their normal purpose, match their description, and be reasonably durable, unless a limitation or issue was clearly disclosed before purchase.

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If a product has a minor issue, we may choose to repair, replace, refund, or otherwise remedy the issue within a reasonable time. If a product has a serious issue, you may be entitled to reject the goods and choose a refund, replacement, or other remedy available under law.

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This policy does not limit any remedy that must be provided by law.

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2. Change-of-Mind Returns

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Coolabee is not required to provide a refund, exchange, store credit, or replacement simply because you:

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  1. change your mind;

  2. order the wrong item;

  3. no longer want the product;

  4. find the product cheaper elsewhere;

  5. decide the product is not suitable for your personal preference;

  6. expected a different size, colour, cover, edition, design, packaging, or format but did not confirm this with us before purchasing.

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Under New Zealand consumer law, customers are not automatically entitled to a refund or exchange for change-of-mind purchases.

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However, Coolabee may consider change-of-mind return requests on a case-by-case basis.

Any change-of-mind return must be approved by Coolabee in advance. Approval is not guaranteed.

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3. Timeframe for Approved Change-of-Mind Returns

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Where Coolabee approves a change-of-mind return, the following timeframes apply:

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  1. Online purchases: within 30 days from the date of delivery;

  2. In-store purchases: within 30 days from the date of purchase, if applicable.

Coolabee cannot accept change-of-mind returns after the applicable 30-day period unless we agree otherwise in writing or are required to do so by law.

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4. Conditions for Approved Change-of-Mind Returns

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For an approved change-of-mind return, the product must be:

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  1. unused;

  2. unopened, where the item was supplied sealed;

  3. in original condition;

  4. in original packaging;

  5. complete with all included parts, accessories, inserts, manuals, labels, tags, cards, codes, and packaging;

  6. in resaleable condition;

  7. accompanied by valid proof of purchase;

  8. returned only after Coolabee has issued return authorisation.

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For books, book sets, box sets, activity books, sealed media, health and beauty items, toys, models, art and craft products, and gift items, any original factory seal, shrink wrap, hygiene seal, protective wrap, or sealed packaging must remain intact where the product was supplied sealed.

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Coolabee may refuse or reduce a change-of-mind refund where the product is opened, used, assembled, damaged, incomplete, marked, written in, altered, missing packaging, missing included items, or no longer in resaleable condition.

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5. Restocking Fee and Original Shipping

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Approved change-of-mind returns may be subject to a 10% restocking fee.

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Original delivery charges, rural delivery fees, signature fees, handling fees, payment processing fees, gift wrapping fees, and other service charges are non-refundable unless required by law.

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For approved change-of-mind returns, the customer is responsible for return shipping costs.

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6. Items Excluded From Change-of-Mind Returns

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Unless required by law or expressly approved by Coolabee in writing, change-of-mind returns are not available for:

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  1. gift cards;

  2. digital products, downloads, access codes, online resources, audio access, video access, e-books, or multimedia resources;

  3. opened books, opened book sets, opened box sets, or opened sealed media;

  4. clearance, outlet, final-sale, special-sale, damaged-box, imperfect, seconds, sample, open-box, refurbished, or second-hand items;

  5. special-order items;

  6. pre-order items once ordered from a supplier, publisher, or manufacturer;

  7. personalised, customised, or made-to-order products;

  8. health and beauty products where the hygiene seal, factory seal, or protective packaging has been opened, removed, damaged, or tampered with;

  9. cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, personal care, grooming, or hygiene-related products once opened or used;

  10. food, confectionery, edible products, or perishable goods;

  11. pierced jewellery, hair accessories, hosiery, or intimate-use items;

  12. art and craft items that have been opened, used, partially used, mixed, assembled, cut, painted, marked, or altered;

  13. toys, models, puzzles, building sets, collectibles, figurines, blind boxes, mystery items, or model kits that have been opened, assembled, partially assembled, used, or are missing parts;

  14. products purchased for resale, wholesale, school, library, business, commercial, institutional, or direct-to-consumer fulfilment purposes;

  15. items damaged after delivery;

  16. items returned without prior authorisation;

  17. items not purchased from Coolabee.

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For gift cards sold to consumers in New Zealand from 16 March 2026, the expiry period must be at least three years from the date of sale unless an exception applies.

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7. How to Request a Return

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Before returning any item, you must contact Coolabee and request return authorisation.

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Please do not send any item back without approval. Items returned without prior authorisation may be refused, delayed, or returned to sender.

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To request a return, please provide:

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  1. your order number;

  2. your full name and contact details;

  3. the item you wish to return;

  4. the reason for return;

  5. clear photos of the product, packaging, shipping label, and issue, where relevant;

  6. any other information we reasonably request.

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We may require inspection of the product before confirming the available remedy.

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8. Return Shipping

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For approved change-of-mind returns, the customer is responsible for return shipping costs.

For faulty, damaged, incorrect, or Consumer Guarantees Act-related returns, Coolabee will cover reasonable return shipping costs where required by law or where we approve the return shipping method in advance.

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If you arrange your own return shipping without approval, we may not reimburse the cost unless required by law.

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You are responsible for ensuring returned goods are packed safely and securely.

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Items damaged during return transit due to insufficient packaging may be refused or may result in a reduced refund, except where the law requires otherwise.

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9. Faulty, Damaged, or Incorrect Items

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If you believe an item is faulty, damaged, incorrectly supplied, not of acceptable quality, not fit for purpose, or not as described, please contact Coolabee as soon as possible.

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Please provide:

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  1. your order number;

  2. photos of the item;

  3. photos of the packaging;

  4. photos of the shipping label;

  5. a description of the issue;

  6. any other information reasonably required to assess the claim.

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You must keep the product and all packaging until the matter is resolved. This helps us assess the issue and, where relevant, lodge a claim with the courier, supplier, manufacturer, or publisher.

Where the issue is covered by New Zealand consumer law, we will provide the remedy required by law.

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Depending on the circumstances, this may include repair, replacement, refund, partial refund, store credit, or another lawful remedy.

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10. Damaged in Transit

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If your item appears to have been damaged in transit, please notify us as soon as possible.

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We recommend reporting transit damage within 24 hours of delivery where reasonably possible, as courier claims may be time-sensitive.

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A delay in reporting transit damage may affect our ability to investigate or make a courier claim, but it does not remove any rights you may have under New Zealand law.

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You must retain:

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  1. the product;

  2. the outer packaging;

  3. internal packaging materials;

  4. courier label;

  5. any damaged components or included items.

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We may require photos or return of the item before providing a remedy.

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11. Packaging Damage and Cosmetic Imperfections

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Coolabee takes reasonable care when packing and dispatching orders. However, some products may experience minor packaging marks through normal handling, storage, supplier transport, or courier delivery.

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Minor cosmetic packaging imperfections that do not affect the product itself are not usually treated as product defects.

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This may include minor:

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  1. scratches;

  2. dents;

  3. corner marks;

  4. shelf wear;

  5. scuffs;

  6. creases;

  7. pressure marks;

  8. small cracks or splits in external plastic wrap;

  9. minor imperfections to product boxes, sleeves, or slipcases.

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For gift items, collectibles, toys, models, LEGO® products, book sets, and boxed products, external packaging is generally intended to protect the product. Unless we expressly sell the product as collector-grade packaging, minor packaging imperfections do not automatically entitle you to a refund, exchange, or replacement.

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This clause does not limit any rights you may have where the product itself is faulty, damaged, unsafe, unusable, not of acceptable quality, or not as described.

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12. Books, Book Sets, Covers, Editions, and Page Counts

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Books, book sets, box sets, and printed materials may vary between print runs, editions, publishers, suppliers, and batches.

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The following do not automatically constitute a defect:

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  1. minor cover design changes;

  2. different print runs;

  3. updated editions;

  4. minor colour or finish differences;

  5. minor slipcase or box design variations;

  6. publisher-supplied page count differences;

  7. differences between visible numbered pages and publisher-stated page count;

  8. minor paper, binding, or printing variations that do not materially affect reading;

  9. small marks or variations that are part of the printing or production process;

  10. dot patterns, reading-pen recognition patterns, or accessibility markings intentionally included by the publisher or product designer.

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If a specific cover, edition, ISBN, format, print run, page count, or slipcase condition is important to you, you must contact us before purchasing.

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Claims for obvious book defects should be reported within 5 working days of delivery where reasonably discoverable on arrival. A delay in reporting may affect our ability to assess the issue, but it does not remove any rights you may have under New Zealand law.

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Returned books must be kept in reasonable condition. We may refuse or reduce a remedy where the issue is caused by use, mishandling, tearing, writing, marking, staining, soiling, water damage, pet damage, smoke exposure, or other damage after delivery.

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13. Toys, Models, LEGO®, Puzzles, Building Sets, and Collectibles

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For toys, models, LEGO® products, puzzles, building sets, figurines, collectibles, blind boxes, model kits, and similar items:

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  1. change-of-mind returns are not available once the product is opened, assembled, partially assembled, used, or missing parts;

  2. packaging imperfections are not usually treated as defects unless the product itself is affected;

  3. missing parts may need to be verified through photos, part lists, batch information, or manufacturer instructions;

  4. manufacturer support may be used where appropriate for replacement parts;

  5. products sold as blind boxes, mystery items, random designs, assorted colours, or random styles cannot be returned because you did not receive your preferred design, unless the product is faulty or not as described.

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For LEGO® products, minor box imperfections such as creases, scuffs, dents, pressure marks, and shelf wear are not treated as product defects where the LEGO® contents are unaffected.

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If you are purchasing a toy, model, LEGO® product, or collectible primarily for display, resale, or collector-grade packaging, please contact us before purchase. Unless expressly stated, Coolabee does not guarantee collector-grade packaging.

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14. Health, Beauty, Personal Care, and Hygiene-Sensitive Products

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For health, beauty, skincare, cosmetics, fragrance, personal care, grooming, and hygiene-sensitive products, change-of-mind returns are not available once the product has been opened, used, tested, unsealed, damaged, or tampered with.

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For hygiene and safety reasons, we may refuse returns where:

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  1. a hygiene seal is broken;

  2. a factory seal is removed;

  3. protective packaging is opened;

  4. the product has been used or tested;

  5. the product is incomplete;

  6. the product cannot safely or hygienically be resold.

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This does not limit any rights you may have if the product is faulty, unsafe, incorrectly supplied, or not as described.

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15. Home Accents, Home Décor, and Gift Items

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For home accents, home décor, ornaments, candles, glassware, ceramics, frames, decorative items, and general gift products:

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  1. products must be returned unused, undamaged, complete, and in original packaging for any approved change-of-mind return;

  2. fragile items must be returned with appropriate protective packaging;

  3. minor handmade, natural material, texture, colour, size, or finish variations are not automatically treated as defects;

  4. decorative items may vary slightly from product images due to lighting, screen display, materials, or production batches.

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This does not limit any rights you may have where the product is faulty, unsafe, not of acceptable quality, or not as described.

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16. Art and Craft Products

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For art and craft products, change-of-mind returns are not available once the product has been opened, used, cut, painted, drawn on, assembled, mixed, damaged, or partially consumed.

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This includes, where applicable:

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  1. paints;

  2. markers;

  3. pens;

  4. craft kits;

  5. paper products;

  6. stickers;

  7. modelling materials;

  8. glue and adhesives;

  9. activity sets;

  10. DIY kits.

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Colour, texture, size, finish, or material differences may occur due to production batches, supplier changes, or screen display settings.

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This does not limit any rights you may have where the product is faulty, unsafe, not of acceptable quality, or not as described.

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17. Incorrect Item Supplied

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If we have supplied the wrong item, please contact us promptly.

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Please do not use, open, assemble, alter, damage, or dispose of the item once you realise it is incorrect.

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We may require photos and return of the incorrect item before sending a replacement or issuing a refund.

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If the incorrect supply is confirmed, Coolabee will cover reasonable return shipping costs using a return method approved by us.

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18. Missing Items or Missing Components

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If you believe an item, accessory, component, book, part, insert, or included material is missing from your order, please contact us as soon as possible.

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Please provide:

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  1. your order number;

  2. photos of all items received;

  3. photos of the packaging;

  4. photos of any relevant product labels, part lists, or contents pages;

  5. details of the missing item or component.

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For sealed manufacturer products, replacement parts may be supplied by the manufacturer, supplier, or Coolabee depending on the product and issue.

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We may require inspection or verification before providing a remedy.

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19. Lost or Missing Parcels

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If your order has not arrived, please check the tracking link provided in your dispatch email.

If tracking shows the parcel is still in transit, delayed, or awaiting delivery, we may need to investigate with the carrier.

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If tracking shows the parcel has been delivered but you cannot locate it, please contact us promptly.

We may ask you to:

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  1. check around the delivery address;

  2. check with household members, neighbours, reception, building managers, or workplace mailrooms;

  3. provide a non-receipt declaration;

  4. provide identification or information required by the courier;

  5. cooperate with courier investigation procedures.

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Please contact us within 14 days from dispatch for missing parcel investigations where possible. A delay may affect our ability to investigate or make a courier claim, but it does not remove any rights you may have under New Zealand law.

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20. Products Sold as Clearance, Imperfect, Damaged-Box, Seconds, or Final Sale

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Some products may be sold at a reduced price because they are clearance, outlet, damaged-box, imperfect, seconds, samples, open-box, refurbished, second-hand, or final-sale items.

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Where the condition or limitation is clearly disclosed before purchase, you acknowledge and accept that condition when purchasing.

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You cannot return these products for change of mind or for issues that were clearly disclosed before purchase.

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However, this does not limit any rights you may have if the product has a different undisclosed fault, is unsafe, is not fit for purpose, or is incorrectly described.

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21. Special Orders, Pre-Orders, Wholesale, and Business Purchases

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Special orders, pre-orders, bulk orders, wholesale orders, school orders, library orders, business orders, resale orders, and direct-to-consumer fulfilment orders may be subject to additional terms.

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Unless required by law or expressly agreed by Coolabee in writing:

  1. these orders cannot be cancelled once confirmed or ordered from a supplier;

  2. change-of-mind returns are not available;

  3. deposits, supplier charges, special handling costs, and delivery costs may be non-refundable;

  4. returns may be restricted to faulty, incorrect, or legally required remedies only.

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Where goods are acquired in trade, Coolabee may contract out of the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and other laws to the extent permitted by law, as set out in our Terms and Conditions.

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22. Refund Method and Processing

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Where a refund is approved, we will usually refund using the original payment method.

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We may deduct any applicable restocking fee, non-refundable delivery charge, service charge, missing item value, damage reduction, or other lawful deduction.

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Refund timing may depend on banks, payment providers, platform processing times, or third-party payment services.

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If your order was placed through a marketplace or third-party sales channel, refunds may need to be processed through that platform and may be subject to the platform’s procedures.

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23. Exchanges and Store Credit

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Where approved, Coolabee may offer an exchange, replacement, store credit, or refund depending on the circumstances.

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For change-of-mind returns, Coolabee may choose the available remedy at its discretion.

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For Consumer Guarantees Act claims, the available remedy will depend on the nature of the issue and what the law requires.

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Store credit is not a substitute for a refund where the law requires a refund.

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24. Returning Products Safely

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Returned products must be packed carefully and securely.

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You are responsible for ensuring returned items are protected during return transit.

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For fragile, boxed, collectible, gift, home décor, toy, model, book set, and sealed products, please use suitable protective packaging.

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We recommend:

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  1. using a strong outer carton;

  2. using internal cushioning;

  3. keeping the item away from the walls, top, and bottom of the carton;

  4. protecting corners and edges;

  5. wrapping fragile items individually;

  6. avoiding courier bags for fragile, boxed, collectible, or easily damaged items.

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Items returned with insufficient packaging may be refused or may result in a reduced refund where the item is damaged in return transit, except where the law requires otherwise.

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25. Items Returned Without Approval

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Items returned without prior authorisation may be refused, delayed, or returned to sender.

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Coolabee is not responsible for items returned to the wrong address, returned without tracking, returned without approval, or lost during unauthorised return shipping, except where the law requires otherwise.

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26. Abuse, False Claims, and Misuse of Returns

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Coolabee may refuse, limit, suspend, or investigate return requests where we reasonably believe there is:

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  1. misuse of the returns process;

  2. false or misleading information;

  3. repeated excessive return requests;

  4. product swapping;

  5. return of used or damaged goods as new;

  6. fraudulent claims;

  7. chargeback abuse;

  8. courier claim abuse;

  9. abusive or threatening conduct toward staff or service providers.

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This does not limit any rights a customer may have under New Zealand law.

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27. Products Not Purchased From Coolabee

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Items not purchased from Coolabee cannot be returned, exchanged, replaced, refunded, or assessed by Coolabee.

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You may be required to provide proof of purchase before any return, refund, exchange, replacement, or remedy is processed.

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28. Contact Us

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To request a return, exchange, refund, or remedy, please contact:

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Coolabee New Zealand
Website: www.coolabee.co.nz
Email: [customerservice@coolabee.co.nz]
Phone: [+64 09889 3333]

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​Copyright © 2024 All rights reserved.

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