Returns & Refunds Policy
MiauMall ships Japanese products to customers around the world. We generally do not accept returns or refunds for a change of mind, including for products supplied directly by brands, unless applicable consumer protection laws provide otherwise. If you have an issue with your order, please contact MiauMall customer service for assistance.
Nothing in this policy limits your rights under applicable consumer protection laws. Where those rights differ from this policy, the applicable legal requirements take precedence. EU customers should also refer to the European Union Right of Withdrawal section below.
1. Reporting an Order Issue
Please check your items after delivery. If you receive damaged, defective, incorrect, or missing items, or have another issue covered by this policy, please contact MiauMall customer service within 14 calendar days of receiving your order. We encourage you to report issues as soon as you discover them.
Please provide:
- Your order number.
- A description of the issue and the affected item(s).
- Relevant photos, where available, including the product, its labels, and the outer and inner packaging where relevant.
If your parcel appears damaged or opened, please photograph it before opening it, where possible. For damaged items, please retain the affected products and packaging until we have advised you of the next steps. Photos help us assess your request, but an unboxing video is not required.
The 14-day period is our standard window for reporting order issues. You do not need to complete an approved return within this period. Issues reported later will be assessed according to the circumstances, any applicable warranty, and your consumer rights.
If your order has not arrived, please contact customer service so we can investigate. The delivery-based reporting window does not apply to an order you have not received.
2. Refunds, Replacements & Returns
We provide assistance for issues such as:
- Defective products or manufacturing faults.
- Items damaged during delivery.
- Incorrect or missing items caused by a fulfilment error.
- Lost shipments, following an investigation.
- Eligible best-before date issues, as described below.
After reviewing your request, we will advise you of the appropriate resolution, which may include a refund, replacement, repair, or return, in accordance with applicable law. In some cases, we may provide a refund or replacement without requiring a physical return.
Where a manufacturing defect or damage occurring while an item is in our care is confirmed, we will provide a full refund of the amount paid for the affected item(s) upon request, subject to any assessment or return reasonably required.
For missing-item or delivery claims, we may review warehouse packing records, courier information, and the evidence you provide. We will assess the available information together when determining the resolution.
If a Return Is Required
Please contact customer service before sending items back. We will provide the return address, shipping instructions, and the deadline for sending the item. Follow those instructions and retain your shipping receipt and tracking information.
Please include the affected product and its accessories, instructions, and any associated promotional gift, where applicable and available. Do not discard relevant items while your request is being assessed.
For a change-of-mind return accepted at our discretion, we generally require the product to be unused, complete, and in its original packaging. Statutory withdrawal returns are subject to the rules in the relevant section below.
Resale condition and original packaging are not prerequisites for a valid defective-product claim. Any condition requirements will be applied in accordance with applicable law.
If an item is sent to an incorrect address or returned without following our instructions, this may delay or prevent us from locating and processing the return. Please contact us promptly if this happens.
3. Product Conditions & Exclusions
The following circumstances generally do not qualify for a refund or return under our voluntary policy. These exclusions do not override applicable consumer rights.
Proof of Purchase & Product Identification
We can only provide refunds or returns for products purchased from MiauMall. If serial numbers, labels, or security markings are missing, altered, or inconsistent with our records, we may request additional information to verify the purchase and product identity.
Disclosed Product Conditions
If a product's condition or short best-before date was clearly disclosed before purchase, that disclosed condition alone is not grounds for a refund. This does not exclude claims for other defects or discrepancies.
Packaging & Product Images
Manufacturers may update product packaging before our website images are updated. A packaging change alone is generally not grounds for a refund if the product otherwise matches its description. If you believe the product differs materially from what you ordered, please contact us for assessment.
Personal Preferences & Product Suitability
We generally do not accept returns solely because an item does not meet personal preferences, such as a cosmetic shade not matching your skin tone, or because it was purchased for a use other than its stated purpose.
Beauty and skincare products may not suit every skin or hair type. Please review the ingredients and usage instructions before purchasing. Personal sensitivity or an allergic reaction does not, by itself, establish a product defect. If you suspect a product safety or quality issue, please stop using the product and contact us.
Customer-Caused Damage
Damage caused by misuse, negligence, accidents, unauthorised repairs, alterations, improper installation, or use contrary to the manufacturer's instructions is generally not covered. This may include impact or liquid damage unrelated to a product defect.
Minor Workmanship Variations
Some handmade products may show minor variations, such as small traces of adhesive or loose threads. These variations alone are generally not grounds for a refund where they are consistent with the product description and do not affect its quality, safety, or intended use. Please contact us if you believe an item is defective.
Heat-Sensitive Products
Chocolate, gummies, and other heat-sensitive products may soften, melt, or change in appearance during shipping, especially in warm weather. The effects of heat vary by product and the conditions encountered during transit.
Under our voluntary policy, melting or changes in appearance caused solely by ambient temperatures during shipping are generally not eligible for a refund. This does not limit your rights under applicable consumer protection laws relating to damaged, unsafe, defective, or non-conforming goods.
Authenticity Concerns
MiauMall sells authentic products sourced from Japan. If you have concerns about an item's authenticity, please contact customer service with your order number, photos, and details of your concern so we can investigate. We may request further information where reasonably necessary.
4. Best-Before Dates & Discounted Products
Some products approaching or past their best-before date are sold at a discounted price. Where the date or best-before status is clearly disclosed in the product title or description before purchase, that disclosed condition alone is not grounds for a refund.
Other products naturally have a short shelf life, sometimes less than 30 days or as little as seven days from manufacture. These products may be sold at regular price. Where the product page clearly explains the short shelf life and the remaining shelf life customers should expect upon delivery, the disclosed short shelf life alone is not grounds for a refund.
For regular-price products without a clear short-shelf-life disclosure, you may be eligible for a refund if the best-before date has already passed or falls within 30 days after delivery.
If an item arrives with less remaining shelf life than stated on its product page, or otherwise differs from the disclosed condition, please contact MiauMall customer service for assessment.
Please report best-before date issues within our standard 14-day reporting window and provide photos of the date label. These provisions do not limit your rights relating to unsafe, defective, or otherwise non-conforming goods under applicable consumer protection laws.
5. Beauty Equipment & Warranty Claims
Beauty equipment sold by MiauMall includes the original manufacturer warranty. Coverage, duration, and repair conditions are subject to the applicable warranty terms.
Please inspect and test your equipment promptly after delivery, following the manufacturer's instructions. If it arrives damaged, incorrect, or not functioning properly, please contact us within our standard 14-day reporting window.
If a fault develops or is discovered later, contact us for assessment under the applicable warranty and consumer protection laws. The reporting window does not shorten the warranty period or limit your statutory rights.
For manufacturer warranty repairs, international shipping to the original manufacturer may be required. Where permitted by applicable law, you may be asked to pay these shipping costs initially. If the manufacturer confirms a manufacturing defect, MiauMall will reimburse the repair and reasonable international shipping costs.
If the issue is confirmed to have resulted from improper use or customer-caused damage, you may be responsible for repair and shipping costs. We will explain any applicable charges before you proceed.
The manufacturer warranty is additional to, and does not replace, any consumer rights you have against MiauMall.
6. Order Cancellations
You may request cancellation of your order before it has been shipped by contacting MiauMall customer service with your order number. Please contact us promptly so we can process your request before dispatch.
Once your order has been shipped, we cannot cancel the order or stop delivery. Please receive the shipment and contact customer service if you wish to request an eligible return under this policy. Refusing delivery does not constitute an approved cancellation or return.
This does not affect any statutory cancellation or withdrawal rights available under applicable law.
7. Refund Amounts & Processing
Refund Amount
Refunds for affected items are based on the amount actually paid, including any discounts applied. We will issue refunds to the original payment method and in the original transaction currency, unless otherwise agreed or required by law.
Coupons and loyalty points are generally not reinstated, and points earned from refunded purchases may be reversed, subject to applicable law and the relevant promotion or loyalty programme terms.
We do not deduct refund handling fees from refunds for defective, damaged, or incorrect goods, or from statutory withdrawal refunds. Any fee for a discretionary cancellation will apply only where legally permitted and disclosed before purchase.
Processing Time
We normally process an approve refunds within 3 business days after any required assessment or return is complete. If a return is waived, we normally process the refund within 3 business days of approval. Any applicable statutory refund deadline takes precedence.
Once processed, the refund may take up to 10 business days to appear in your bank or payment account, depending on your payment provider. We will notify you when the refund has been processed. Please contact us if it has not appeared after this period.
8. Return Shipping, Reshipping & Taxes
Shipping Costs
Where a return is required because an item has a confirmed product defect, was damaged during delivery, or was sent incorrectly due to a MiauMall fulfilment error, MiauMall will arrange or cover reasonable return shipping costs and any necessary replacement shipping costs.
This does not apply to issues caused by the customer, such as incorrect delivery information, misuse, or damage after delivery. In those circumstances, the customer may be responsible for reasonable return or reshipping costs, subject to applicable consumer protection laws. We will explain any applicable charges before arranging the return or reshipment.
If additional shipping is necessary because of an error on your part, such as incorrect delivery details, you may be responsible for reasonable additional shipping costs, subject to applicable law. We will explain the costs before arranging reshipment.
For a discretionary change-of-mind return, you are responsible for return shipping costs unless we agree otherwise. EU statutory withdrawal returns are addressed below.
Customs, Duties & Import Requirements
Please check your destination country's import requirements before ordering and provide accurate recipient information and any required personal import documentation. Duties, taxes, and import charges are payable as stated at checkout and in our shipping terms.
If additional taxes or charges arise because of an error on your part, you may be responsible for those charges. If they arise because of an error by MiauMall, the courier, or another event for which MiauMall is responsible under this policy or applicable law, we will assess and cover the applicable charges.
9. Items Unavailable Before Shipment
If we cannot supply an ordered item, for example because it has been discontinued or is out of stock, we will attempt to contact you before shipment.
If we do not receive a response, we may ship the available items, include a notice identifying the unavailable item(s), and refund the amount paid for those item(s). Any rights you have to cancel the order under applicable law remain unaffected.
Refunds follow the processing timelines in Section 7.
10. European Union Right of Withdrawal
If you are a consumer residing in the European Union and the statutory right of withdrawal applies to your purchase, you may withdraw without providing a reason within 14 days after receiving the goods, subject to applicable legal exceptions. The period begins on the day after receipt. If goods from one order are delivered separately, the period generally begins after receipt of the last item.
How to Exercise Your Right
You can notify us using our EU Right of Withdrawal Request Page, or by sending customer service a clear statement of your decision to withdraw. Please include your order number and contact details.
We will acknowledge your request and provide return instructions. Exercising this right does not depend on our approval.
Unless we arrange collection or agree otherwise, you must send the goods back within 14 days after notifying us of your withdrawal. Please contact us promptly for the correct return address and retain proof of dispatch.
Return Shipping Costs
You are responsible for the direct cost of returning goods to our facility in Japan when exercising the right of withdrawal, provided this responsibility was disclosed before purchase and applicable law permits it.
International return costs may be significant and vary by carrier, package size, weight, and location. These costs are generally not reimbursed for a change-of-mind withdrawal. Different rules apply to defective, damaged, or incorrect goods.
Refunds
For withdrawal from the entire order, we will refund the payments received, including the cost of standard outbound delivery. If you selected a more expensive delivery method, we are not required to refund the additional cost above standard delivery. Partial withdrawals will be handled in accordance with applicable law.
We will issue the refund without undue delay and within 14 days of being informed of your withdrawal. Unless we have offered to collect the goods, we may withhold the refund until we receive the goods or evidence that you have sent them back, whichever occurs first.
Refunds will use the original payment method unless you expressly agree otherwise, and you will not incur a refund fee.
You may be responsible for any reduction in value caused by handling beyond what is necessary to establish the goods' nature, characteristics, and functioning, where permitted by law. Original packaging is helpful for safe return shipping but is not, by itself, a condition of exercising the right.
Exceptions
The right of withdrawal may not apply to:
- Goods made to your specifications or clearly personalised.
- Goods liable to deteriorate or expire rapidly.
- Sealed goods unsuitable for return for health protection or hygiene reasons, if unsealed after delivery.
- Other goods exempt under applicable law.
An exception applies only where the legal conditions for that exception are met. A product is not automatically exempt solely because it is food, a beauty product, discounted, or labelled non-refundable.
Defective or Incorrect Goods
The statutory right of withdrawal is separate from our standard 14-day reporting window and your rights relating to defective, damaged, incorrect, or otherwise non-conforming goods. Neither 14-day period limits those rights or any applicable warranty.
Please contact MiauMall customer service at service@miaumall.com if you need assistance with your order.