Refund policy

HELD.

RETURNS & REFUND POLICY

Version: 1.1
Effective Date: 23 July 2026
Last Updated: 25 August 2026

At Held. – A Gentle Pause, every product is thoughtfully handcrafted and carefully inspected before it leaves our studio. We are committed to providing high-quality products and excellent customer service.

This Returns & Refund Policy explains when returns, exchanges, replacements, and refunds may be available. It should be read together with our Terms & Conditions, Shipping Policy, and Payment & Chargeback Policy.

1. Our Commitment

If your order arrives damaged, defective, or incorrect, we will review the matter promptly and work with you to provide an appropriate resolution in accordance with this Policy and applicable law.

Our goal is to resolve genuine concerns fairly while protecting both our customers and our business from fraudulent or abusive claims.

2. Inspection Upon Delivery

Customers should inspect their order promptly upon delivery.

If you believe your order:

• arrived damaged;
• contains the wrong item;
• is incomplete; or
• has another visible issue,

please contact Held. within 48 hours of delivery.

To assist our investigation, we may request:

• your order number;
• clear photographs of the product;
• photographs of the packaging, including the shipping label where applicable; and
• a brief description of the issue.

Prompt reporting helps us investigate efficiently. Failure to report within 48 hours may affect our ability to investigate certain claims, but does not limit any rights you may have under applicable law.

3. Return Eligibility

Subject to this Policy and applicable law, return requests should be submitted within 7 calendar days of delivery.

To be eligible for return, an item should:

• be unused;
• be in substantially the same condition in which it was received;
• be returned with its original packaging where reasonably possible; and
• include proof of purchase or the order number.

Approval of a return request does not automatically guarantee a refund. Each request is reviewed based on the circumstances and applicable legal requirements.

4. Non-Returnable Items

Unless required by applicable law, the following items are generally not eligible for return or refund after delivery:

• candles that have been lit or burned;
• products showing signs of use, misuse, or accidental damage after delivery;
• journals or notebooks that have been written in;
• opened tea, food, or other consumable products;
• personalized or custom-made products;
• corporate or bulk orders produced to agreed specifications;
• gift cards; and
• final sale or clearance items identified as non-returnable at the time of purchase.

Nothing in this section limits any mandatory rights that may apply to defective, damaged, incorrect, or otherwise non-conforming products.

5. Handmade Products

Held. products are individually handcrafted.

As a result, slight variations may naturally occur in:

• colour;
• fragrance;
• texture;
• wax appearance;
• handcrafted finish;
• ribbon placement; and
• packaging presentation.

These minor variations are a normal characteristic of handmade products and are not, by themselves, considered manufacturing defects.

6. Fragrance Expectations

Fragrance perception varies between individuals and may be affected by factors such as room size, ventilation, temperature, storage conditions, and personal sensitivity.

A customer’s personal preference regarding scent strength, fragrance profile, or fragrance intensity does not by itself indicate that a product is defective.

This does not affect any rights relating to a product that is genuinely defective, damaged, incorrect, or materially different from its description.

7. Damaged, Defective, or Incorrect Products

If Held. confirms that a product:

• arrived damaged before delivery;
• contains a manufacturing defect; or
• is materially different from what was ordered,

subject to applicable consumer protection laws and the circumstances of the claim, Held. may provide one or more of the following remedies, as appropriate:

• replacement of the product;
• repair of the product, where practical;
• store credit;
• a partial refund; or
• a full refund.

The appropriate remedy will depend on the nature of the issue, the circumstances of the order, product availability, and any rights or remedies required by applicable law.

Nothing in this Policy limits any mandatory remedy available to a consumer under applicable law.

8. Change of Mind

Because many Held. products are handcrafted or prepared specifically for each order, change-of-mind returns are generally not accepted once an order has been dispatched.

Where Held. agrees to accept a change-of-mind return, the product must satisfy the eligibility requirements set out in this Policy.

The customer is responsible for the cost of returning the item to Held., and original delivery charges are non-refundable, unless otherwise required by applicable law.

Nothing in this section limits any mandatory rights provided under applicable consumer protection laws.

9. Personalized & Corporate Orders

Orders made to a customer’s requested specifications, including personalized gifts, custom messages, branded corporate gifts, or bespoke products, generally cannot be cancelled, returned, or refunded once production has commenced, unless:

• the item is defective;
• the item is damaged;
• the item is incorrect or materially different from what was agreed; or
• applicable law requires otherwise.

Customers are responsible for reviewing all personalization details carefully before placing or approving an order.

Where a customer has approved personalized wording, spelling, design, branding, or specifications, Held. is not responsible for errors contained in the customer-approved information unless the final product differs from the approved specifications.

10. Return Procedure

Before returning any item, customers must contact Held. to obtain return instructions.

Returns sent without prior communication may be delayed or refused if we are unable to identify the order or assess the return, subject always to applicable law.

Customers should package returned items securely to reduce the risk of damage during transit.

Where the customer is responsible for arranging the return, we recommend using a trackable delivery method and retaining proof of shipment until the matter has been resolved.

11. Return Shipping Costs

If a return is approved because:

• Held. supplied the wrong product;
• the product has a verified manufacturing defect; or
• the item was damaged before delivery,

Held. will be responsible for the reasonable cost of returning the item and will arrange or reimburse return shipping as appropriate.

For all other approved returns, including approved change-of-mind returns, the customer is responsible for the return shipping cost.

Original delivery charges are non-refundable unless:

• the return results from an error by Held.;
• the product is confirmed to be damaged, defective, incorrect, or otherwise non-conforming and reimbursement is appropriate; or
• applicable law requires otherwise.

No restocking fee is charged unless one has been clearly disclosed and agreed in advance and is permitted by applicable law.

12. Refunds

Once an approved return has been received and, where appropriate, inspected, Held. will notify the customer regarding the outcome.

Approved refunds will normally be processed using the original payment method, where reasonably possible.

Refund processing times may vary depending on the customer’s bank, card issuer, payment provider, or Buy Now Pay Later provider.

Held. is not responsible for processing delays caused solely by a third-party payment provider after a refund has been correctly initiated.

Shipping charges are generally non-refundable unless:

• the return results from an error by Held.; or
• applicable law requires otherwise.

Where only part of an order is refunded, the refund amount will correspond to the approved item or portion of the order, subject to applicable law.

13. Order Cancellations

Customers may request cancellation before production or dispatch.

Once production has commenced or an order has been dispatched, cancellation may no longer be possible.

If cancellation is accepted after production has started, Held. may deduct reasonable and documented costs already incurred, where permitted by applicable law.

For personalized, bespoke, corporate, or made-to-order products, cancellation may not be available once production has commenced.

14. Refused or Unsuccessful Deliveries

Customers are responsible for providing accurate delivery information and, where reasonably necessary, being available to receive the order.

If a customer refuses delivery without reasonable cause after an order has been dispatched, or if delivery repeatedly fails due to circumstances attributable to the customer, Held. may deduct reasonable and non-recoverable courier or redelivery costs from an otherwise eligible refund, where permitted by applicable law.

Repeated refused or unsuccessful Cash on Delivery orders may result in Cash on Delivery or other selected payment methods no longer being offered for future purchases.

This section does not apply where the refusal or failed delivery results from an error by Held. or its delivery provider.

15. Fraud Prevention & Order Records

To help protect customers and our business, Held. may maintain reasonable records relating to an order, including:

• quality inspection records;
• photographs of completed products before dispatch;
• photographs of packaged orders where appropriate;
• courier tracking information;
• shipment documentation;
• delivery confirmation; and
• relevant customer communications.

These records may be used when investigating customer complaints, payment disputes, suspected fraudulent claims, delivery disputes, or chargebacks.

Any personal information collected or retained will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection requirements.

16. Payment Disputes & Chargebacks

Customers are encouraged to contact Held. before initiating a payment dispute or chargeback so that we have an opportunity to investigate and resolve the concern promptly.

Where a chargeback or payment dispute is initiated, Held. reserves the right to provide relevant supporting documentation to the payment provider, financial institution, card issuer, Buy Now Pay Later provider, or competent authority, including:

• order records;
• customer communications;
• product or packaging photographs;
• shipment information;
• courier tracking;
• delivery confirmation; and
• quality assurance records.

Where available records reasonably indicate that an order was properly processed, fulfilled, and delivered, Held. reserves the right to contest the dispute in accordance with the applicable provider’s procedures.

Nothing in this section prevents a customer from exercising any lawful right to raise a payment dispute.

17. Consumer Rights

Nothing in this Policy excludes, restricts, waives, or limits any consumer right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

This Policy is intended to operate consistently with applicable consumer protection laws in the United Arab Emirates.

If any provision of this Policy is inconsistent with a mandatory legal requirement, the applicable law will prevail to the extent of that inconsistency.

18. Changes to This Policy

Held. may update this Returns & Refund Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our operations, services, payment methods, legal requirements, or business practices.

The version published on our website at the time an order is placed will generally apply to that order unless a different treatment is required by applicable law.

19. Contact Us

If you have any questions about returns, refunds, replacements, exchanges, or an issue with your order, please contact us:

Held. – A Gentle Pause
Held Comfort Collections Selling Gifts & Handicrafts L.L.C. – S.P.C.

📧 Email: hello@heldwithcare.ae
📞 Telephone: +971 55 621 8328
💬 WhatsApp: +971 58 983 3816
🌐 Website: heldwithcare.ae

Relationship to Other Policies

This Returns & Refund Policy forms part of the Terms & Conditions governing purchases from Held. – A Gentle Pause and should be read together with our Shipping Policy, Privacy Policy, and Payment & Chargeback Policy.

By using our website or placing an order, you acknowledge the applicable policies published on our website, subject always to any rights that cannot lawfully be waived or restricted.