Returns & Refunds

Returns & Refunds

Beautiful hair, clear expectations. We want you to feel confident ordering from The Mermaid Hair Collective. This policy explains our voluntary change-of-mind terms as well as the consumer rights that may apply to your purchase.

Change of mind, shade or length

If you change your mind, select the wrong shade or decide you would prefer a different length or method, you may request an exchange or store credit within 30 days of delivery, provided the hair is eligible for return.

To be eligible, the hair must be completely unused and in resalable condition. It must not have been removed from its secured packaging or hygiene seal, worn, installed, brushed through for wear, washed, coloured, toned, cut, heat-altered for testing, chemically treated or otherwise altered. All original packaging, labels and accessories must remain intact.

A shade mismatch is treated as a change-of-mind return unless the item supplied is different from what you ordered or does not match its description. We strongly recommend using our shade-matching service before ordering if you are unsure.

Hygiene-sensitive products

Human-hair extensions are a hygiene-sensitive product. Once a hygiene seal or secured packaging has been opened, or the hair has been removed, tried on, worn or installed, we do not offer a voluntary change-of-mind return because the product can no longer be confidently resold as new.

This hygiene policy does not remove any rights you may have if the product is faulty, damaged, incorrectly supplied or otherwise fails to meet a guarantee that applies under consumer law.

Custom and special orders

Custom-made, specially sourced, personalised or special-order products are not eligible for voluntary change-of-mind returns or exchanges unless we agree otherwise. Your statutory rights in relation to faulty or non-conforming goods are unaffected.

Sale and clearance items

Items clearly marked as final sale or clearance are not eligible for a voluntary change-of-mind return. This does not limit any remedy available for goods that are faulty, unsafe, materially different from their description or otherwise fail to meet applicable consumer guarantees.

Faulty, damaged or incorrect items

If you believe your order is faulty, damaged on arrival, incorrectly supplied or materially different from its description, please contact us as soon as reasonably possible with your order number, a clear description of the issue and, where helpful, photographs or video. We may need to assess the hair before confirming the appropriate remedy.

The remedy available will depend on the circumstances and applicable law. This may include repair where appropriate, replacement, refund or another remedy. A voluntary store policy or warranty does not replace rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Hair that has been coloured, toned or chemically altered

We recommend that any colouring, toning or chemical work is carried out by an experienced professional and that a strand test is completed first. If a problem is caused by colouring, toning, bleaching, chemical treatment, excessive heat, incorrect installation, misuse or failure to follow reasonable aftercare instructions, a consumer-law remedy may not apply to that particular problem. Altering the hair does not automatically remove rights in relation to an unrelated manufacturing fault where those rights otherwise apply.

Return shipping

For an approved change-of-mind exchange or store credit, return postage is the customer's responsibility unless we agree otherwise. We recommend using a tracked service, as responsibility for the parcel remains with the sender until it is received by us.

Where an item is confirmed to be faulty or incorrectly supplied, reasonable return costs will be handled in accordance with applicable consumer law. Please contact us before sending a suspected faulty item so we can provide the appropriate return instructions.

Refunds and store credits

Approved change-of-mind returns are issued as an exchange or store credit under this voluntary policy. Where a refund is required by law, or where we otherwise agree to provide one, it will ordinarily be returned to the original payment method unless another method is agreed. Processing times after approval may vary depending on your bank or payment provider.

How to start a return

Please contact The Mermaid Hair Collective through our Contact page before returning any item. Include your order number, the item you wish to return and the reason for the return. For a suspected fault, please also include a description of the issue and supporting photographs or video where relevant.

Please do not send a return without first contacting us, as this may delay assessment and processing.

New Zealand consumer rights

For eligible consumer purchases in New Zealand, rights may apply under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and the Fair Trading Act 1986. These rights can include remedies where goods are not of acceptable quality, are not fit for purpose, do not match their description or sample, or otherwise fail to meet an applicable statutory guarantee.

A change of mind alone does not generally create an automatic legal right to a return, so our 30-day change-of-mind exchange/store-credit policy is an additional benefit subject to the conditions above.

Australian consumer rights

For purchases to which the Australian Consumer Law applies, our goods come with consumer guarantees that cannot be excluded. Depending on the nature and seriousness of a problem, you may be entitled to a repair, replacement, refund or other remedy. A store policy, hygiene policy, sale designation or voluntary warranty cannot remove rights that the law says cannot be excluded.

Trade purchases

Trade and professional purchases may also be subject to separate Trade Terms. Nothing in this policy or any Trade Terms limits rights that cannot lawfully be excluded. If you are purchasing for a salon, freelance or other business purpose, please contact us if you need clarification before ordering.

Your statutory rights

Nothing in this policy excludes, restricts or modifies any right or remedy you may have under the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, the Fair Trading Act 1986, the Australian Consumer Law, or any other right that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.