Returns & Refunds
Simple, Hassle-Free Returns
Clear returns information for business customers and individual consumers.
The Green Office supplies both businesses and individual consumers. Your return rights can differ depending on whether you purchased goods for business use or as an individual acting outside your trade, business or profession.
Please contact us before returning an item so that we can confirm the correct return procedure and help make the process as straightforward as possible.
Which Policy Applies?
Business purchases and consumer purchases are different
Business Customers
Purchasing for business use
If you are ordering for a company, organisation, trade, profession or other business purpose, the purchase will normally be treated as a business-to-business transaction.
Business customers do not generally have the same automatic change-of-mind cancellation rights as individual consumers. Our business returns policy is explained below.
Individual Consumers
Purchasing for personal use
If you are an individual purchasing mainly for purposes outside your trade, business, craft or profession, you will normally be treated as a consumer.
Consumers have statutory rights in addition to this returns policy, including cancellation rights for many online purchases and specific remedies where goods are faulty, not as described or not fit for purpose.
Business Customers
Returns for business purchases
For business purchases, most eligible unwanted items may be returned within 14 days of delivery, subject to approval and provided they are unused, in their original condition and suitable for resale.
Returns Window
14 Days
for most eligible business returns.
Condition
Unused
and suitable for resale.
Return Postage
Customer
normally pays for unwanted-item returns.
Individual Consumers
Your right to change your mind
If you are a consumer who purchases goods online, you will normally have the right to cancel your order without giving a reason within 14 days beginning the day after you receive the goods, subject to certain legal exceptions.
Once you have told us that you wish to cancel, you should normally return the goods within a further 14 days.
These statutory rights are separate from, and may be greater than, the voluntary returns arrangements we provide to our business customers.
Consumer cancellation timeline
14 days
to tell us you wish to cancel, starting the day after delivery.
Further 14 days
normally allowed to return the goods after cancellation.
Some goods are legally excluded from cancellation rights, including certain personalised, perishable and unsealed hygiene products.
Consumer returns: examining the goods
Consumers are entitled to examine goods in much the same way as they could in a shop. You may be responsible for any reduction in value caused by handling the goods beyond what is reasonably necessary to establish their nature, characteristics and operation.
Where possible, please retain the original packaging and return all components, instructions and accessories supplied with the product.
Products that may be excluded from change-of-mind returns
Some products cannot normally be returned simply because you have changed your mind. Consumer statutory rights relating to faulty, misdescribed or otherwise non-conforming goods are not affected.
| Product Type | Return Position |
|---|---|
| Made-to-order, personalised or customised products | Normally excluded from change-of-mind cancellation rights, including bespoke stamps and customised printed goods. |
| Goods liable to deteriorate or expire rapidly | Normally excluded from change-of-mind cancellation rights. |
| Sealed hygiene products | May be excluded once unsealed where they are not suitable for return for health protection or hygiene reasons. |
| Other legally exempt goods | Other statutory exceptions may apply depending on the nature of the product. |
How to request a return or cancellation
Step 1
Contact us
Email sales@thegreenoffice.co.uk or call 023 8082 1013.
Step 2
Provide your details
Tell us your order number, the product concerned and whether you are making a business return, exercising consumer cancellation rights or reporting a faulty item.
Step 3
Follow the return instructions
We will confirm the appropriate return address or collection arrangements and explain the next steps.
Faulty, Damaged or Incorrect Goods
Different rights apply when something is wrong
If an item is faulty, damaged, not as described or otherwise does not meet the legal requirements applying to your purchase, your rights are different from a simple change-of-mind return.
Individual consumers
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described.
Consumers normally have a short-term right to reject faulty goods within 30 days. After that period, rights to repair or replacement and, where appropriate, a price reduction or final right to reject may apply.
Any request on this website to report delivery problems within 48 hours is intended to help us investigate quickly and does not limit or replace your statutory consumer rights.
Business customers
Business purchases are governed by the applicable contract, our terms and conditions and the statutory rights that apply to business transactions.
Please inspect deliveries promptly and notify us of shortages, damage or incorrect goods as soon as possible, ideally within 48 hours, so that we can investigate with the carrier or supplier.
Refunds
Business returns
Once an approved business return has been received and inspected, we normally process the refund within 5–7 working days using the original payment method.
Consumer cancellations
Where a consumer exercises a statutory cancellation right, refunds will be made in accordance with the applicable consumer legislation. This will normally be within 14 days of us receiving the returned goods or receiving evidence that they have been sent back.
Where consumer cancellation rights apply, the refund will include the standard outbound delivery charge where required by law. Any additional amount paid for an enhanced or premium delivery service does not necessarily have to be refunded.
Who pays for the return?
For approved unwanted-item returns, the customer will normally be responsible for the cost of returning the goods where the applicable terms or consumer legislation permit this.
If goods are faulty, damaged, incorrect or otherwise supplied in breach of the rights applying to your purchase, we will arrange or reimburse appropriate return or collection costs where required.
Returns FAQs
What's the difference between a business customer and a consumer?
A consumer is generally an individual buying mainly for personal purposes outside their trade, business, craft or profession. Purchases made for a company or for business use will normally be treated as business purchases.
I'm a consumer. Do I have 14 days to return an online purchase?
For most online purchases, consumers normally have 14 days starting the day after delivery to tell us they wish to cancel, followed by a further 14 days to return the goods. Legal exceptions apply to certain products.
I'm a business customer. Can I return an unwanted item?
Most eligible business purchases may be returned within 14 days under our standard business returns policy, subject to approval and provided the goods are unused, in their original condition and suitable for resale.
What happens if my goods are faulty?
Faulty goods are treated differently from change-of-mind returns. Individual consumers have statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, including a short-term right to reject qualifying faulty goods within 30 days and further remedies after that period.
Do I have to report damage within 48 hours?
We ask customers to report damage, shortages or incorrect goods as quickly as possible because this helps us investigate with the carrier or supplier. For individual consumers, this request does not reduce or replace your statutory rights.
Can personalised products be returned?
Bespoke, customised and clearly personalised products are normally excluded from change-of-mind returns, although your rights in relation to faulty or incorrectly supplied goods remain unaffected.
Your statutory rights
Nothing in this policy is intended to exclude, restrict or replace any statutory rights that cannot lawfully be excluded. Where you purchase as an individual consumer, your statutory consumer rights will apply in addition to this policy.
Need help with a return?
If you're unsure which return rights apply to your order, contact our team and we'll be happy to help.
Call 023 8082 1013 or email sales@thegreenoffice.co.uk
