Shipping policy

Australia-Wide Shipping Rates

• Standard Shipping: Flat rate $13.95 (inc. GST) on orders $175 and under.
• Free Shipping: Free standard shipping on orders over $175.
• Express Shipping: $24.95, selected at checkout. Express is only offered when every item in your order is in stock and ready to dispatch.
• Click & Collect: Free from our Albury store at 428 Swift Street. Please wait until we let you know your order is ready before coming in.

Note: Rates may vary for bulky, fragile, remote-area or custom-quoted items. Where additional freight applies, we will contact you for approval before dispatch. If we do not hear back within a reasonable time, we may cancel and refund the order.

Reporting Delivery Issues

• Non-delivery, missing items and transit damage must be reported within 7 days of the delivery date shown on tracking, or the carrier's estimated delivery date where no delivery is recorded. Our carriers do not investigate reports made after this period, so we are unable to either.
• The item, outer carton, internal packaging and shipping label must be kept until the matter is resolved. Claims cannot proceed if any of these have been discarded.
• Please include photographs of the item, outer carton, internal packaging and shipping label with your report.
• Reports can be made on 02 6021 8455 or info@essentialutensil.com.au.

Dispatch & Delivery

• We aim to dispatch within 1 business day. Dispatch may take longer during peak periods.
• We select the carrier and route that provides the fastest available service. Express always uses an express courier with prioritised dispatch.
• Tracking is emailed once your order ships.
• Delivery timeframes are carrier estimates only and are not guaranteed.
• If a parcel is lost in transit, we will lodge an investigation with the carrier. Where the carrier confirms the loss, we will refund or replace the order.

Dangerous Goods & Electrical Items

• Dangerous goods (such as butane, aerosols and other flammable items) can only be delivered within NSW and VIC, or collected from our Albury store. They cannot be sent to other states or overseas.
• Electrical items (such as corded appliances and products containing batteries) can be delivered anywhere in Australia, but not overseas.
• If your order includes one of these items and your address is outside the delivery area, checkout will let you know before you pay.

Backorders & Partial Fulfilment

• Some items may be backordered or sourced from an alternate location. Estimated arrival dates are indicative only.
• If an item is unavailable, you can choose to wait for your full order, or cancel the affected item for a refund.
• Where we consider it reasonable, we may send the available items ahead and the remainder to follow, at no extra shipping charge. Whether an order is split is at our discretion.

Incorrect Address Details

• Please check your delivery details at checkout. If a parcel is delayed, returned or lost due to an incorrect or incomplete address, any re-shipping cost is payable by you.

Delivered but Not Received

• A carrier delivery scan is treated as proof of delivery.
• If tracking shows delivered but you have not received the parcel, please allow 24 hours and check safe places, with neighbours, or with building management.
• If you believe the parcel has been stolen, a police report may be required as part of the investigation.

Missing Items

• Before reporting a missing item, please check your order confirmation and tracking. Backordered items and split shipments are sent separately.

Damaged in Transit

• The item may need to be returned for assessment.
• Approved claims are resolved by refund or replacement.
• Where damage cannot be reasonably verified, or evidence is not provided, the claim may be declined.

Returned to Sender & Unclaimed Parcels

• If a parcel is returned to us unclaimed or refused, we will contact you and hold the order for 7 days.
• If we do not hear back within that time, the order is refunded less the original shipping paid.

International Shipping

We ship worldwide. International rates are calculated at checkout and are separate from our domestic flat-rate pricing.

• United States: All duties and import taxes are prepaid by The Essential Utensil. No additional customs fees are payable on delivery.
• All other countries: Any duties, taxes and import fees are the customer's responsibility and may be collected by local customs.
• If an international parcel is refused, unclaimed or returned to sender, return shipping costs are non-refundable.
• We may be unable to ship to certain sanctioned or restricted destinations.
• Dangerous goods and electrical items cannot be shipped outside of Australia.

Order Changes & Cancellations

• We reserve the right to cancel or modify any order due to stock availability, pricing errors, freight issues, suspected fraud or risk management. Affected orders are refunded promptly.