Part 1: Terms of Service

Welcome to Koru Ahi. By browsing this website or placing an order, you agree to the following terms and conditions.

1. Artisan Nature & Intellectual Property

• Handmade Variations: Our products are crafted by hand. Minor variations in colour, shape, finish, and painting designs are normal characteristics of artisan work and are not considered defects.

• Intellectual Property: All content on this website—including website text, layout, original painting designs, and product photographs—is the exclusive intellectual property of Koru Ahi. You may not copy, reproduce, or use our imagery or designs without written permission.

2. Product Safety & Limitation of Liability

• Candle Safety: Candles are a fire hazard. By purchasing our products, you agree to burn them strictly within sight, keep them away from drafts, flammable materials, children, and pets, and follow the care instructions provided with your order.

• Skincare & Balm Disclaimer: Our Kawakawa Balm is made using natural ingredients: kawakawa, olive oil or coconut oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil, and beeswax. Because everyone's skin is different, we highly recommend performing a small patch test on your skin before full use. Discontinue use immediately if irritation occurs. Koru Ahi makes no medical claims regarding our balms.

• Limitation of Liability: To the maximum extent permitted by New Zealand and Australian law, Koru Ahi shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, injuries, or property loss resulting from the use, misuse, or storage of our products once they have been delivered.

3. Candle Refill Services (New Zealand Only)

• Eligible Containers: Our refill service is strictly limited to used, official candle jars that are structurally suited for candle making. For safety reasons, we reserve the right to reject containers that are cracked, chipped, or not originally manufactured to hold burning candles.

• Transit & Shipping Risks:

  • Customers are responsible for the cost and arrangement of sending empty jars to us, or they may arrange a drop-off at our home office address.

  • Koru Ahi is not responsible for jars that break or are lost in transit to us. Liability for transit damage rests with the courier service or with the customer due to insufficient packaging.

• Damaged Refill Jars: If an empty jar arrives broken, we cannot refill it. In this event, shipping costs remain the customer's expense, but we will offer an alternative solution: either filling a standard plain jar or providing a store discount equal to the value of the refill service.

4. Orders, Cancellations & Pricing

• Right to Cancel: We reserve the right to cancel and fully refund any order at our discretion prior to dispatch. This includes, but is not limited to, instances of obvious pricing errors on the website, accidental system glitches, or unexpected stock shortages.

• Kawakawa Balm Refunds: Due to hygiene and the personal nature of skincare products, we do not accept returns or refunds on Kawakawa Balm for change of mind or skin sensitivities. We will only offer a replacement or refund if the product arrives damaged during transit.

• Eligibility: By purchasing from Koru Ahi, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old or have the permission of a parent or legal guardian to make the purchase.

Part 2: Privacy Policy

This privacy policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you visit and shop at our artisan boutique website.

Information We Collect

We collect the minimum information required to process your orders and stay in touch. This includes:

• Contact details: Your name, email address, billing address, and shipping address (within New Zealand or Australia) when you check out or sign up to our mailing list.

• Order history: Details about the artisan products you purchase from us, or details regarding your New Zealand-based candle refill services.

• Website usage data: IP addresses, browser types, and pages visited, collected automatically via Squarespace to help our site run smoothly.

How We Use Your Information

We use your data strictly to run our boutique and serve you. This includes:

• Processing payments, managing transactions, and shipping your products.

• Verifying delivery locations (noting that our candle refill services are strictly limited to New Zealand addresses, while retail products can be shipped to New Zealand and Australia).

• Sending you updates and marketing emails via Squarespace Email Campaigns, provided you have opted in.

Third-Party Sharing

We never sell your data. We only share information with trusted providers necessary to fulfill your orders:

• Squarespace: Our website platform, hosting service, and email marketing provider.

• Stripe: Our core secure payment gateway (which also securely processes Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other platform card methods).

• Delivery Services: NZ Post, local couriers, or international shipping partners required to deliver goods to your address in New Zealand or Australia. 

Cookies

This website uses cookies to function properly. These cookies help us remember your shopping cart items, recognise you when you return, and understand how you interact with our boutique. You can turn off cookies in your browser settings if you prefer.

Your Rights (NZ Privacy Act 2020)

You have the right to request a copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if it is inaccurate.

If you would like to view or update your information, please contact us at: koruahi@outlook.co.nz