Macular Society Shop – Terms and conditions

Welcome to the Macular Society Shop

Thank you for choosing to support our work to Beat Macular Disease. Every purchase you make helps fund our vital services and research. We want your shopping experience to be simple and enjoyable, so the following terms explain how we handle orders, payments, deliveries, cancellations and returns.

If you ever need help, please contact us on 01264 350 551 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm) or email info@macularsociety.org.

1. Ordering and payment

• Orders can be placed through our online shop, by phone, or by post.
• We accept debit/credit cards, PayPal and cheques.
• Payment is taken at the point of purchase.
• For online orders, once your order is received, you will receive an order confirmation by email.

2. Delivery

• Postage and packaging is £4 for orders under £30. This can be waived on eligible orders using the Royal Mail’s Articles for the Blind (AFTB) service. 
• Standard Royal Mail delivery times apply.
• Please allow extra time during busy periods.
• If your order does not arrive within the expected timeframe, please contact us so we can help.

3. Product availability

• All products are offered subject to availability.
• If an item becomes unavailable after you place your order, we will contact you to offer an alternative or a full refund.
• Products that are awaiting stock delivery are labeled 'Pre-order' and orders containing these products may be slightly delayed.
• Product colours and details may vary slightly from images shown.

4. Cancelling your order

You have the right to cancel your purchase within 14 working days of the order.

To cancel, please contact us using the details below. If the order has already been dispatched, you will need to return the item to us. Further details are included in our returns and refunds information.

5. Returns and refunds

We hope you are really happy with your purchase from us, but if not, we want to put it right.

Step 1: Contact us within 30 days

Call 01264 350 551 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm) or email info@macularsociety.org.

Please have your order details ready when you call or include them in your email. Please include your order number, delivery address, method of payment, and any information about the problem with the item that you are contacting us about.

Step 2: Return the item

Once we have heard from you, we may ask you for some clarification about your order and your item. If you ask us for a refund or a replacement, we will send you a freepost envelope to return the item to us.

The parcel is your responsibility until it reaches us, so please hold onto your proof of postage.

Step 3: Refund or replacement

Returns will be processed within seven working days of the date of return, and you will receive your refund within 30 days.

Refund methods

The method we use to issue your refund will depend on how you paid:

• Cheque payments: we are sorry, but we are unable to refund you by cheque. If you paid by cheque, we need your bank details in order to refund you directly into your account.
• Credit card and debit payments: we will require your card details to issue your refund straight onto your card.
• Online payments: if you paid online, we can refund you via PayPal or your card, depending on your original payment method. We will need you to give us your order details so that we can arrange this for you.

If you have any questions about your refund, please contact our team by phone on 01264 350 551 or email us at info@macularsociety.org

Return restrictions

Our returns promise does not apply to:

• memberships
• donations made to the Macular Society.

If you receive damaged products or the wrong product is sent to you, you may return the products for a full refund.  

This returns policy does not affect your statutory rights. For information on your statutory rights and your right to withdraw from your purchase within the 14 working day cooling-off period, visit the Department of Trade and Industry's Consumer Gateway.

6. Privacy

We collect only the personal information necessary to process your order and keep you updated.

Your data is stored securely and is not shared with third parties except where required to fulfil your order.

For full details, please see our Privacy policy.

7. Key terms

AFTB (Articles for the Blind)

Some products in the Macular Society shop are eligible to be sent using Royal Mail’s Articles for the Blind (AFTB) service. This includes items such as diaries and writing pads specifically designed for people who are blind or partially sighted.

If you're blind or partially sighted, or buying for someone who is, you can choose AFTB delivery by selecting this option in your basket before checkout. Orders sent via AFTB are postage-free and will be clearly labelled as such.

For more information, please visit Royal Mail AFTB delivery scheme. 

VAT exemption

Some Macular Society shop products are eligible for VAT relief as they're designed for people who are blind or partially sighted. Eligible products will have a 'Eligible for VAT exemption' label in their product details. 

If you're blind or partially sighted, or buying for someone who is, you can select the VAT exemption option in your basket before checkout. If this option is selected, eligible products will be charged with zero VAT

For more information about VAT relief and eligibility, please visit UK government VAT relief.

8. Contact details

Macular Society Shop
Phone: 01264 350 551
Email: info@macularsociety.org