Understanding our process

Please allow up to 3 business days for processing of your order - this does not include time for post.

MISS MAIA products are all designed by Tracey Gardner and are laser cut onto acrylic material in Australia. We value the quality, professionalism and relationship we've established with our current laser cutting service who consistently help bring our designs to life. Once received, the acrylic pieces are then assembled by hand and prepared for shipment from Whakatane, New Zealand. Some pieces are paint-filled into the etch and/or glued by hand. MISS MAIA products are all handled with care during production and assembly. All metal findings (hooks, hoops, earring posts, pins) are each sanitised once assembled. MISS MAIA products will not leave our studio if we aren’t completely happy with them.

We are working towards growing our pakihi (business) so that we're able to bring the laser cutting process in-house to reduce our carbon footprint - this is a huge goal for us.

Important things to note with our acrylic

Although rare, due to the nature of the materials used and how they are produced there may be imperfections on the surface of the acrylic. We always quality check pieces to ensure that these items are removed from our inventory. These usually end up in our seconds collection at discounted prices because we don't like the thought of waste. Etching will take place on the front or back and this will differ depending on the material.

The density and location of the glitter, finish or pattern within the acrylic will also vary between pieces - this is especially noticeable on specialty acrylics with varying patterning but less noticeable on mirror, glitter or solid acrylic. This will not affect the wearability of the piece but you may notice they differ slightly to the photos you see online but we love that this adds a bit of uniqueness to your purchase. 

We often have small amounts of acrylic offcuts with each batch of acrylic we receive. These offcuts of acrylic are stockpiled and donated to local Not For Profit organisations, kōhanga or schools for art projects and activities. Please contact us at kiaora@missmaia.co if you're interested in receiving some of our acrylic offcuts.

Important things to note with our materials

Please be mindful that glues will always lose their bonding properties over time and will degrade due to oils from our skin, dust, humidity or moisture. If this happens, use a Gel or Craft Glue (Loctite or E6000) from your local hardware store to re-attach parts like earring posts or acrylic parts, and allow 12 hours drying time before wearing again.

Some of our metal findings (hooks, earring posts, hoops, badge pins, jump rings, keyrings, chains) will differ in size between products of the same kind as we use a variety of jewellery or accessory suppliers each with differing lengths and thicknesses and we use our supplies at different times, between batches of assembly. This does not effect the wearability or function of our pieces. 

We care about the environment

Most jewellery and accessory items are shipped inside a cotton-filled box (at no extra cost) which can also be used to store your MISS MAIA jewellery. For bulk items such as our jewellery holders we use padded cardboard packaging and fill to keep them safe when shipping. We use paper fill or tissue for padding to keep items safe in transit and use compostable mailing bags. Our courier labels are the only component of our packaging that aren't reusable, compostable or recyclable. Please make sure to remove the courier label before composting. 

Please keep your MISS MAIA jewellery and accessories in a clean, dry place away from other metals that may tarnish your findings, hooks and/or studs. Oils, creams, moisturisers and perfumes that are in contact with your MISS MAIA jewellery will affect the longevity of glue and the lustre of the metals. Normal wear and tear of the materials over time and with frequent use/wear is to be expected.

If you have pieces with paint fill avoid coating these with any cleaning products or wiping over the surface as the paint may lift.

I know it will be hard to take off your MISS MAIA jewellery but it’s best not to wear in water and do be mindful that some pieces are delicate due to their design and will break if they are deliberately or accidentally dropped or bent.

Please keep your MISS MAIA jewellery out of reach of tamariki (children) at all times, as they may pose a choking hazard in small hands and mouths. These items are designed specifically for adults 18 years and older. 

We recommend storing your MISS MAIA jewellery within the cotton-filled jewellery boxes supplied, or on a jewellery holder to avoid any surface scratching.

Our shipping prices include postage, handling, surcharges and the care taken to make sure your MISS MAIA jewellery is well packaged for delivery. All product and shipping costs are shown in New Zealand Dollars. 

Please allow up to 3 business days for the processing of your order - this does not include time for shipping. Shipping timings are indicated below and are guidelines provided by NZ Post.

All orders are processed in the order in which they come in, with orders picked and packed, Monday to Friday, 9am - 2pm.

WITHIN NEW ZEALAND

• COURIER POST PARCEL (with tracking) - for a flat rate of $12, the Courier Post Parcel tracked service within New Zealand is estimated to arrive next working day nationwide (rural or South Island addresses may take longer) once your order has been collected by the courier.
• FREE SHIPPING on orders of $125 or over. Orders that qualify for 'free shipping' will be sent via Courier Post Parcel (with tracking) service.

Due to COVID-19, international parcels may take longer to arrive as postal networks are working hard to manage parcel volumes with border restrictions and flights between countries being limited, we appreciate your patience and understanding. 

AUSTRALIA

• INTERNATIONAL AIR SATCHEL (with tracking) - for a flat rate of $25 this tracked service is estimated to take between 10-21 working days (location and customs clearance determines timing). As an estimate, the average parcel to Australia arrives after 10 business days.
• FREE SHIPPING on orders of $200 or over. Orders that qualify for 'free shipping' will be sent via International Air Satchel (with tracking) service.

REST OF THE WORLD

• INTERNATIONAL AIR SATCHEL (with tracking) - for a flat rate of $35, tracked international shipping to the rest of the world can take 10-25 working days depending on the destination country. This flat rate includes surcharges due to COVID-19.
• FREE SHIPPING on orders of $200 or over. Orders that qualify for 'free shipping' will be sent via International Air Satchel (with tracking) service.

LOCAL PICK UP - WHAKATĀNE

• We offer local pick up of your MISS MAIA orders if you live in the Whakatāne area. More details about what to expect when collecting your order will be provided in an email when your order is ready to collect. 
• Please bring your confirmation email when you come to collect your order. Orders can be collected Monday to Friday, 9am - 4pm.
• Pickup or contact must take place within 48 hours. If no contact has been made the items will be added back to the online store.

LOCAL DELIVERY - WHAKATĀNE

• Local delivery is available to the 3120 NZ postcode (Whakatāne). A small fee of $2 is charged for this service.
• You will receive notifications when your order is ready for delivery and when it has been delivered.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE

• It is your responsibility to provide the correct address details at checkout. If an incorrect postal address is provided and the item is returned we will need to charge you postage costs once again to resend the item. Please double and triple check your postal address details to avoid any disappointment or delay getting your hands on your MISS MAIA jewels!
• If your parcel is still not with you after 20 business days from shipment confirmation please get in touch at kiaora@missmaia.co using your order number as reference. 
• Packages can also be held up in Customs which add delays to delivery timeframes specified.
• For international orders we are not responsible for VAT or any other tax charges in your country.
• In accordance with New Zealand Customs law, all parcels will be marked ‘Sale of Goods’ and the value listed.
• For those picking up orders from our Whakatane location, as a courtesy, if you are feeling unwell, please reschedule your pick up time.
• Local pick up is not available on weekends.
• All shipping prices are subject to change without notice.

We put a lot of thought, care and investment into presenting our MISS MAIA products accurately online by providing photos, as well as, all the relevant information about the materials used, their sizing and the key features of each product. Please remember to read our descriptions and make your choices carefully to avoid any delays or disappointment. As with most digital experiences, our customers are always telling us that our products are so much better in real life so please allow for slight colour variation from your monitor to your product in real life – all screens display colours differently. 

Fault, damage or breakage

If your item(s) are received damaged or broken we will happily replace, refund or provide store credit to the value of the item(s). If there's damage or breakage, please supply clear pictures via email to: kiaora@missmaia.co and your preferred resolution (replace, refund or store credit). We will then work with you to resolve and/or organise for these damaged item(s) to be returned to us. You must contact us by email within 7 days of receiving your MISS MAIA order. 

This situation always bums us out because it really hits small online businesses who do their very best to ensure safe and secure packaging for successful delivery, first time. Unfortunately we have little control over how our packages are handled once they leave our studio.

If you believe there's a significant fault with your product(s) we will work with you to find the best outcome. We'll request photos and an explanation of the fault and if we agree, we'll provide a mailing label for you to print and add to your mailing bag for their safe return. We will then issue a refund or store credit once the item(s) are safely returned and physically received at our studio in Whakatane, New Zealand. The timing of this will vary depending on your location.

Made an 'oopsy'?

If you have received your item and you've realised that you've made a mistake when purchasing, we are happy to exchange or provide store credit to the value of the item(s). For safety and hygiene reasons we ask that you keep the handling of the product(s) to a minimum during this time and contact us immediately to organise an exchange (within 7 days of receiving your order). Please send us an email to kiaora@missmaia.co and we will work with you to rectify. 

We cannot guarantee that the item(s) you had intended to purchase will still be available. If the exchange item(s) are available we will do our very best to get these to you as quickly as possible. Please note that you will need to organise return shipping of the item (at your expense) to our address, with the item in its original packaging. Once we have received your item and are happy with the condition, a new shipping fee will be invoiced according to your location (see Shipping Policy) for the safe redelivery of the exchange item(s). The new item(s) will only be shipped back to you once the invoice has been paid in full. This will be a tracked service. This process can take up to 3-5 days from return to redelivery.

Where we're unable to help...

If you receive your order and contact us explaining that you've had a change of mind we do not provide refunds in this situation. We are always happy to exchange an item (if it's available) or provide store credit but please read our 'Made an 'oopsy'?' section above to understand the process and fees.