Our natural wax candles are handcrafted on the Isle of Barra. Slight variations in appearance are a natural characteristic of artisanal products. We reserve the right to limit the sales of our products to any person, geographic region or jurisdiction. All descriptions of products or product pricing are subject to change at any time without notice.

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1. About us

 

This website is operated by Catherine MacNeil, trading as Machair & Tide.

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These terms apply to purchases made through our website by consumers. Separate terms may apply to wholesale, trade or retailer orders.

 

2. About these terms

 

These terms explain:

 

- How orders are placed and accepted.

- Payment and pricing.

- Delivery.

- Your right to cancel an online order.

- Returns, refunds and faulty products.

- How you may use our website.

 

Please read them before placing an order. By placing an order through our website, you agree to these terms.

 

Nothing in these terms restricts any legal rights you have as a consumer.

 

3. Our products

 

Machair & Tide candles are made by hand. Small variations in colour, finish, wax appearance, label positioning and fragrance may occur between batches. These natural variations do not normally affect the safe use or performance of the candle.

 

Product photographs are provided as accurately as possible, but colours and appearance may vary slightly depending on lighting and screen settings.

 

Product dimensions, fill weights and burn times are approximate. Any stated burn time is an estimate based on appropriate candle care and controlled testing. Actual performance can be affected by wick trimming, room conditions, draughts and the length of individual burns.

 

Fragrance descriptions are intended to communicate the character of a scent. Individual perception of fragrance can vary.

 

None of this affects your rights where a product is faulty, unsafe, materially different from its description or otherwise does not meet the standards required by law.

 

4. Candle safety

 

You must read and follow all safety information supplied with the candle.

 

In particular:

 

- Never leave a burning candle unattended.

- Keep burning candles away from children, pets, draughts and flammable materials.

- Place the candle on a stable, level and heat-resistant surface.

- Keep candles an appropriate distance apart.

- Trim the wick as directed before lighting.

- Do not burn a candle for longer than the recommended period stated on its packaging or safety information.

- Stop using the candle when the stated amount of wax remains at the bottom of the container.

- Do not move or touch the container while the candle is burning or the wax is hot.

 

Machair & Tide is not responsible for damage caused by failing to follow the supplied candle-safety instructions, except where responsibility cannot legally be excluded.

 

5. Placing an order

 

To place an order, add the products you wish to purchase to your basket and complete the Wix checkout process.

 

You are responsible for checking your order, delivery address and contact information before submitting payment.

 

After you place an order, Wix will send an automated order acknowledgement. This confirms that we have received your order but does not necessarily mean that it has been accepted.

 

A contract between you and Machair & Tide is formed when we send confirmation that your order has been accepted or dispatched.

 

We may decline or cancel an order before dispatch if:

 

- A product is unavailable.

- We cannot authorise or verify payment.

- We cannot deliver to the address provided.

- We identify an obvious pricing or product-description error.

- We reasonably suspect fraudulent or unauthorised activity.

- Purchasing restrictions stated on the website have been exceeded.

 

If payment has already been taken for an order we cannot accept, we will provide a full refund.

 

6. Prices and payment

 

Prices are displayed in pounds sterling and include any UK taxes that apply to the sale.

 

Delivery charges are shown separately before you complete checkout. The total amount payable will be displayed before the order is submitted.

 

Payment methods available through Wix are shown during checkout. Payments are processed securely by Wix and/or the payment provider selected at checkout. We do not directly receive or store your complete payment-card details.

 

We may change prices at any time, but changes will not affect an order that has already been accepted.

 

If a price displayed on the website is obviously incorrect and the error could reasonably have been recognised, we may reject the order and refund any payment made.

 

7. Promotional offers and discount codes

 

Promotional codes are subject to any specific conditions stated with the offer, including its expiry date, qualifying products and minimum order value.

 

Unless expressly stated otherwise:

 

- Promotional codes cannot be exchanged for cash.

- A code cannot be applied retrospectively after an order has been placed.

- Codes cannot be used against delivery charges.

- Offers are subject to product availability.

- We may withdraw or amend a promotion before an order is placed.

 

The checkout will show whether more than one promotion can be applied to the same order. Any restriction on combining offers will be clearly displayed before purchase.

 

Your statutory rights are unaffected by a promotional purchase.

 

8. Delivery

 

We currently deliver to the destinations made available during checkout BUT DO NOT DELIVER TO OUTSIDE THE UK.

 

Available delivery methods, estimated times and charges will be shown before you place your order.

 

We aim to dispatch orders within two to three working days. During busy periods, launches or holidays, dispatch may take longer. Any different timescale will be stated on the relevant product page or communicated to you.

 

Delivery estimates are not guaranteed delivery dates unless expressly agreed. However, we will deliver your order without undue delay and no later than 30 days after the order is accepted unless a different period has been agreed with you.

 

You are responsible for supplying a complete and accurate delivery address. If an order is returned because the address supplied was incorrect or incomplete, we may ask you to pay the reasonable cost of sending it again.

 

The order remains our responsibility until it is delivered into your physical possession or the possession of someone you identified to receive it. If you arrange your own carrier independently of the delivery choices offered by us, responsibility may pass when the goods are handed to that carrier.

 

If your parcel is significantly delayed, damaged or appears to be missing, contact us at info@machairandtide.com. We remain responsible for resolving delivery problems with the courier.

 

9. Damaged deliveries

 

Please inspect your order after delivery.

 

If an item arrives damaged, contact us as soon as reasonably possible at info@machairandtide.com. It is helpful if you provide:

 

- Your order number.

- A description of the damage.

- Photographs of the product and outer packaging, where possible.

 

We may offer a replacement or refund, depending on the circumstances and product availability.

 

Asking for photographs or prompt notification helps us investigate the delivery, but it does not remove any statutory rights you may have.

 

Do not light or use a candle if its glass container is cracked, chipped or otherwise damaged.

 

10. Your right to cancel an online order

 

You have the legal right to change your mind and cancel most online purchases without giving a reason.

 

The cancellation period ends 14 days after the day on which you, or a person nominated by you other than the carrier, receives the goods.

 

If one order is delivered in separate parcels on different days, the cancellation period ends 14 days after the day on which the last item is received.

 

To cancel, send a clear statement to iandkmac@gmail.com confirming that you wish to cancel. You may use the model cancellation form at the end of these terms, but you do not have to.

 

If your order has not yet been dispatched, contact us promptly and we will attempt to stop it from being sent.

 

11. Returning a cancelled order

 

After notifying us that you wish to cancel, you must return the products within 14 days.

 

Returns should be sent to:

 

Machair & Tide, 

Cille Bharra, Eoligarry, Isle of Barra, HS9 5YE

 

You are responsible for the direct cost of returning products when you cancel because you have changed your mind.

 

We recommend obtaining proof of postage. You remain responsible for the returned goods until they are delivered to us.

 

You may inspect a product in the same way you reasonably could in a shop. We may reduce the refund to reflect a loss in value caused by handling beyond what is reasonably necessary to establish the product’s nature, characteristics and condition.

 

Lighting or burning a candle goes beyond the inspection that would ordinarily be permitted in a shop and may result in a reduction in the refund, potentially up to the full value of the candle. This does not affect your rights if the candle is faulty.

 

12. Personalised products

 

The normal right to cancel does not apply to products made to your specifications or clearly personalised for you.

 

A product is not treated as personalised merely because we make or pour it after receiving your order. The exception will only apply where you have requested genuine customisation, such as personalised wording, a bespoke label or another customer-specific feature.

 

This exception does not affect your rights if a personalised product is faulty, damaged, unsafe or not as described.

 

13. Refunds following cancellation

 

If you cancel your entire order within the cancellation period, we will refund:

 

- The price paid for the returned products.

- The cost of our least expensive standard delivery option, if you paid an outbound delivery charge.

 

If you selected a more expensive or enhanced delivery service, we are not required to refund the additional amount above the standard delivery charge.

 

We will make the refund without undue delay and no later than 14 days after:

 

- We receive the returned products; or

- You provide evidence that you have returned them, if this occurs earlier.

 

We may withhold the refund until we have received the products or evidence of their return.

 

Refunds will normally be made to the original payment method unless expressly agreed otherwise.

 

14. Faulty, unsafe or misdescribed products

 

Products must be:

 

- Of satisfactory quality.

- Fit for their normal purpose.

- As described.

- Compliant with applicable safety requirements.

 

If a product is faulty, unsafe, damaged before delivery or materially different from its description, contact us at [email address] with your order details.

 

You may have a legal right to reject faulty goods and receive a refund within 30 days of delivery. After that period, you may be entitled to a repair or replacement and, where that is unsuccessful or inappropriate, a price reduction or refund.

 

Because a candle is a consumable product, the appropriate remedy will depend on the nature of the problem and how much of the candle has already been used.

 

We will pay reasonable return costs where goods are confirmed as faulty, damaged on delivery or incorrectly supplied.

 

Nothing in these terms replaces or restricts your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

 

15. Fragrance preference

 

A personal dislike of a fragrance does not, by itself, mean that a candle is faulty.

 

However, when purchasing online, you may still use your 14-day cancellation right, provided you comply with the returns provisions above. Any use beyond reasonable inspection may affect the amount refunded.

 

16. Events outside our control

 

We are not responsible for a delay or failure caused by events outside our reasonable control, such as severe weather, ferry disruption, postal disruption, transport interruption, natural disasters or failures affecting essential services.

 

If such an event affects your order, we will contact you as soon as reasonably possible and take reasonable steps to minimise the delay.

 

If there is a substantial delay, you may contact us to end the contract and receive a refund for products you have paid for but not received.

 

17. Our responsibility to you

 

We are responsible for losses that are a foreseeable consequence of our breach of these terms or our failure to use reasonable care and skill.

 

We are not responsible for losses that were not foreseeable when the contract was formed or for business losses arising from a purchase made for commercial purposes.

 

We do not exclude or limit responsibility where doing so would be unlawful, including responsibility for:

 

- Death or personal injury caused by negligence.

- Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

- Defective products where liability cannot legally be excluded.

- A breach of your statutory consumer rights.

 

18. Website availability and information

 

We take reasonable care to keep the website’s product, price and availability information accurate. Occasional errors or interruptions may occur.

 

We may update, suspend or withdraw parts of the website without notice. This will not affect orders that have already been accepted or any existing consumer rights.

 

19. Intellectual property

 

The Machair & Tide name, branding, labels, written content, product photography, designs and other website material belong to us or are used with permission.

 

You may view and use the website for personal, non-commercial purposes. You must not copy, reproduce, modify, sell or commercially exploit our content without prior written permission.

 

20. Acceptable website use

 

You must not:

 

- Use the website unlawfully or fraudulently.

- Attempt to gain unauthorised access to the website or associated systems.

- Introduce viruses, malicious code or other harmful material.

- Interfere with the operation or security of the website.

- Use automated systems to extract website content without permission.

 

21. Privacy and cookies

 

Our collection and use of personal information is explained in our Privacy Policy.

 

Our use of cookies and similar technologies is explained through our Cookie Policy and cookie controls.

 

22. Complaints

 

If you have a complaint, please contact us using the contact us page.

 

Please include your name, order number and an explanation of the issue.

 

We will acknowledge your complaint and aim to provide a substantive response within 14 working days.

 

We will try to resolve complaints directly and fairly. We do not currently subscribe to a specific alternative dispute-resolution provider unless otherwise stated or legally required.

 

Consumers in Scotland can obtain independent advice from Advice Direct Scotland at https://consumeradvice.scot.

 

23. Changes to these terms

 

We may update these terms when our business, products or legal obligations change.

 

The terms applying to your purchase will be those made available when you placed the order. Changes will not apply retrospectively to an order already accepted.

 

24. Governing law

 

These terms are governed by Scottish law.

 

If you live in Scotland, the Scottish courts will have jurisdiction. If you live elsewhere in the United Kingdom, you may bring proceedings in the courts applying to the part of the United Kingdom in which you live.

 

Nothing in this section deprives you of any mandatory consumer protection applying in the country where you live.

 

Model cancellation form

 

Complete and return this form only if you wish to cancel your contract.

 

To:

Machair & Tide

Cille Bharra, Eoligarry, Isle of Barra, HS9 5YE

info@machairandtide.com

 

I/We hereby give notice that I/We cancel my/our contract for the sale of the following goods:

 

Products ordered:

[Insert product details]

 

Order number:

[Insert order number]

 

Ordered on:

[Insert date]

 

Received on:

[Insert date]

 

Name of customer(s):

[Insert name]

 

Address of customer(s):

[Insert address]

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Date:

[Insert date]

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