Shipping & Returns Policy

Order Processing

Please allow 5–7 working days for all orders to be processed and dispatched. ATO Candles is run solo alongside a full-time job, and this window means every candle is checked, packaged with care, and gets our full attention before it leaves us — thank you for bearing with us.

Orders placed on weekends or public holidays begin processing on the next working day.

During high-demand periods — launches, sales, and the run-up to our annual pop-up — processing may take a little longer than usual. We'll flag any changes on the site.

UK Shipping

All UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail.

  • Orders under £40: £4.00
  • Orders £41–£74.99: £6.00
  • Orders £75 and over: Free

You'll receive a tracking link by email once your order is dispatched.

International Shipping

We're excited to now offer worldwide shipping directly from the UK.

Courier
All international orders are sent via Royal Mail International Tracked, so every order is fully trackable to delivery.

Shipping Costs

  • Europe: £10.99 (Free on orders over £100)
  • Rest of the World: £15.99 (Free on orders over £100)

Estimated Delivery Times
These are transit estimates only, starting after your order has been processed and dispatched (see Order Processing above):

  • Europe: 3–5 working days
  • Rest of the World: 5–7 working days

We dispatch Monday–Friday. There is no dispatch on weekends or UK public holidays. Customs processing times vary by destination and are outside our control — this may occasionally push delivery beyond the estimates above.

Customs, Duties & Taxes
All international orders are shipped under DAP (Delivered at Place) terms. The price you pay at checkout covers your product and postage only. Any import duties, taxes, or customs clearance fees charged by your country are your responsibility, and are paid directly to your local customs authority or courier on delivery.

Candles generally carry 0% import duty worldwide, so most customers will only be charged VAT or local sales tax, not customs duty. Charges vary by country, so we recommend checking an estimate in advance using Simply Duty's import calculator.

EU customers: as we are not currently VAT/IOSS registered, VAT will be collected by the courier on delivery rather than at checkout.

Refund Policy for Unpaid Import Fees
If import duties or taxes go unpaid and a parcel is returned to us, the original shipping fee is non-refundable, and any return postage or customs charges will be deducted from your refund. If a parcel is destroyed, seized, or cannot be returned to us due to unpaid fees, no refund will be issued. By placing an international order, you agree to these terms.

Diffusers & Room Sprays
Our diffusers and room sprays are made using a vegetable-oil and glycerine based diffuser fluid, rather than an alcohol base. Even so, international mail carriers apply their own rules to liquid products, so some destinations may be excluded, or may require a different postage service or longer transit time. Any restrictions will be clearly noted on the relevant product page before you check out.

Return Policy

We want you to love your ATO candle. If you're not completely satisfied, you're welcome to return your item — UK or international — within 30 days of receiving it, for a refund or exchange. To qualify, the item must be unused, unlit, and returned in its original packaging.

Return shipping costs are the customer's responsibility for both UK and international orders. The original shipping fee is non-refundable.

Initiating A Return

To initiate a return, please contact us at info@atocandles.co.uk
Once your return has been approved, you will receive instructions on how to proceed with your return.

Refund

Refunds will be issued to your original payment method after we've received and inspected your return. Please allow 5–10 business days for the refund to appear in your account, depending on your payment provider.

Damages

All of our products are carefully inspected before they are shipped and are always adequately packaged with handling & transit in mind. While we do take care when packaging your order, damages can happen. If your order arrives in an unusable state, please contact us at info@atocandles.co.uk with a photo of the damaged product & shipping box within 48 hours of receiving it. A damage claim will be filed with the shipping carrier, and we will work together to find a solution to your damaged product. In most cases, a replacement is sent once the claim has been initiated & approved. For international orders, carrier claims may take a little longer to process due to customs involvement.

Missing Packages

Once a package has been passed off to the mail carrier, ATO Candles is no longer responsible. If a package is marked as 'Delivered', but you are unable to find it, you must reach out to the mail carrier to assist with tracking it. Unfortunately, we are unable to do anything on our end. The carrier will most likely request that you submit a claim. Should you need any additional information from us to process said claim, we are more than happy to assist.

For international orders, you can follow your parcel's progress using Royal Mail's international tracking tool.

Cancellations

To cancel an order, email info@atocandles.co.uk with your order number. We can only cancel orders that have not yet been dispatched.