Refund & Exchange Policy

Last Updated: September 2026

At The Mailbox Bookshop, every order is thoughtfully curated, carefully inspected, and packaged to meet our quality standards before being shipped. Because our products are curated experiences and many of our items are intentionally selected as surprises, all purchases are final sale, including all gift boxes and curated packages.

We do not offer refunds, returns, or exchanges simply because a customer changes their mind, dislikes a selected item, or receives a book that is not their preferred genre, author, aesthetic, or style.

Each gift box goes through four separate departments and quality-control steps before it is shipped. This process allows us to verify the contents, presentation, packaging, and overall quality of the order before it leaves our facility. Because of this multi-step curation and quality-control process, gift boxes are non-refundable and cannot be returned or exchanged due to personal preference.

However, we understand that mistakes or shipping-related issues can occasionally happen. The following exceptions apply:

Damaged Items

If an individual item or book arrives damaged, please contact us within 7 days of delivery.

To help us verify the damage and determine the appropriate resolution, we require clear photographs of the damaged item, the packaging, and the shipping box. Additional information or photographs may be requested if necessary.

Once the damage has been reviewed and verified, The Mailbox Bookshop may provide a replacement item or other appropriate resolution at no additional charge, depending on the circumstances of the damage.

Please do not discard the damaged item or packaging until we have reviewed your claim and provided further instructions.

Damaged or Lost Gift Boxes

All gift boxes are final sale and non-refundable. However, if your gift box arrives damaged or is reported as lost during shipment, please contact us within 7 days of the expected or reported delivery date.

We will investigate the situation and may request photographs of the package, shipping box, damaged contents, or other information necessary to verify the issue. For packages reported as lost, we may work with the shipping carrier to investigate the shipment and determine its status.

If, after investigation, the issue is determined to have resulted from shipping or carrier-related circumstances, The Mailbox Bookshop may replace the entire gift box on a case-by-case basis. Replacement decisions are based on the results of our investigation and are not automatically guaranteed.

A replacement gift box, when approved, will be prepared according to our current inventory and curation standards. Individual items may differ from those originally shown or included in the original box.

Previously Read Book — Exchange

Because our books are curated as a surprise, there is a possibility that you may receive a title you have already read.

If you receive a book you have previously read, you may request an exchange within 7 days of delivery.

The original book must be:

• Unread
• Undamaged
• In its original condition
• Returned along with the materials included in your original box

If you would like to receive the full replacement experience, all materials originally included in your box must be returned.

If you choose to keep any item from your original box, that's completely fine. However, the value of any retained item will be deducted from the contents of your replacement box.

For example, if you choose to keep the mug, puzzle, vase, or another specific item from your original box, that item will not be included again in your replacement box.

Return shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer. The Mailbox Bookshop does not cover the cost of returning an item for an exchange.

Once the original materials have been received and reviewed, we will prepare and ship your replacement.

Customer Preferences & Aesthetic Requests

We love hearing what you like. If you provide an aesthetic, mood, color palette, genre preference, or other request at checkout, we will absolutely take it into consideration when curating your order.

However, preferences are requests, not guarantees.

We will use what you provide and do our best to create something that feels aligned with your preferences while maintaining the surprise and creative integrity of The Mailbox Bookshop.

Incorrect Shipping Address

Customers are responsible for providing an accurate shipping address at checkout.

The Mailbox Bookshop is not responsible for packages shipped to an incorrect or incomplete address provided by the customer.

If a package is returned to us because of an incorrect address, the customer will be responsible for any additional shipping costs required to have the package sent again.

Delivered but Not Received

If tracking information indicates that your package was successfully delivered but you cannot locate it, please contact us within 7 days of the reported delivery date.

We will investigate the shipment and, when appropriate, work with the shipping carrier to determine what happened. A replacement is not guaranteed in these circumstances.

If the investigation determines that the package was lost or otherwise compromised during shipment, a replacement may be provided on a case-by-case basis, depending on the circumstances and results of the investigation.

Our Quality Standard

Every order is carefully inspected, curated, and packaged to meet The Mailbox Bookshop's quality standards before being shipped.

Each gift box passes through four separate departments and quality-control steps before leaving our facility. This process is designed to ensure that the correct items are included, the presentation meets our standards, the packaging is secure, and the completed order is ready to be delivered.

We put considerable care into the books, stationery, packaging, and additional pieces included in every order. Because of the handmade, curated, and surprise nature of our products, individual items may vary from photographs shown on our website.

Thank you for understanding and supporting a small, independent bookshop.