Returns & Refunds Policy

1. Overview

We want you to feel confident ordering from babystart®. This policy explains your rights if you change your mind about an order, and separately, what happens if an item arrives faulty, damaged or not as described. It sits alongside, and does not affect, your statutory rights as a UK consumer under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

2. Your 14-day right to cancel

As a UK consumer, you have a legal right to cancel your order within 14 days of receiving your goods, without giving a reason, under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. This is sometimes called a "change of mind" return.

To exercise this right, you need to tell us you wish to cancel within the 14-day window (see Section 4). You then have a further 14 days from telling us to send the goods back. Once we receive your returned item, or evidence that you've sent it back, we will process your refund as set out in Section 6.

3. Exceptions for sealed & hygiene-sensitive goods

Because of the nature of the products we sell, the 14-day change-of-mind right does not apply to certain items once they have been opened or had their seal broken, for health and hygiene reasons. In line with standard practice across the health and personal care industry, this typically includes:

• Supplements (such as FertilWoman®, FertilMan® and FertilOva®) once the tub, bottle or blister seal has been opened or broken
• Intimate products (such as FertilSafe® PLUS lubricant) once the outer seal has been opened
• Fertility test kits (such as FertilTime® or FertilCheck®) once the individual test packaging has been opened or a test has been used

You can still cancel and return these items for a change-of-mind refund if the seal is intact and the product is unopened, in its original packaging. This exception does not affect your separate, and stronger, rights if an item is faulty or damaged — see Section 7. [This category list is illustrative industry practice and should be confirmed against babystart's actual packaging and seals before publishing.]

4. How to request a return

To start a return or cancellation, please contact our customer service team before sending anything back:

• Email us at [Returns contact email] with your order number and the item(s) you'd like to return
• Or use the returns option in [your account / our online returns portal], if available

We'll confirm whether your item is eligible for a change-of-mind return, and provide you with a returns address and any reference number to include with your parcel.

5. Condition of returned goods

For change-of-mind returns, please return items unused, unopened and with any seals intact, in their original packaging where possible, along with any accessories, instructions or free gifts included with your order. You are responsible for the item until it reaches us, so we recommend using a tracked delivery service and keeping proof of postage. Return postage costs are payable by the customer unless the item is faulty or we sent the wrong item.

Returns address: [Returns address]

6. Refund method & timeframe

Once we receive and inspect your returned item, we will process your refund to the original payment method used for the order. Refunds are typically issued within [Number] working days of us receiving the returned goods, though it may take a few additional days for the refund to appear in your account, depending on your bank or card provider.

We will refund the price you paid for the returned item(s). Where you return your entire order, we will also refund the standard delivery charge you paid, but not any premium or expedited delivery option, in line with the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

7. Faulty or damaged items

If your order arrives faulty, damaged, or different from what you ordered, this is a separate matter from a change-of-mind return, and the hygiene-based exceptions in Section 3 do not apply. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you are entitled to:

• A full refund or replacement if a fault is reported within the first 30 days of receiving the item
• A repair or replacement if a fault is reported after 30 days but within 6 months, unless this is not possible or proportionate, in which case a refund may be offered instead
• After 6 months, you may still have rights, but may need to demonstrate the fault was present at the time of delivery

To report a faulty or damaged item, please contact us as soon as possible with your order number, a description of the issue, and photos where relevant, using the details in Section 9. We will not ask you to cover return postage costs for faulty or damaged items.

8. Exchanges

We don't currently offer direct product exchanges. If you'd like a different product, size or pack, please return the original item in line with this policy and place a new order for the item you'd like instead.

9. Contact us

For any questions about returns or refunds, please contact us:
Email: [Returns contact email]
Phone: [Customer service phone number]
Post: [Returns address]