Refund policy

Our Promise to You

Every piece we create at The Soft Hours is made entirely by hand, shaped by the photos, stories, and details you share with us. Because your memorial is built around your specific companion and vision, our process is designed to give you full confidence before we begin — and to keep you involved every step of the way.

If your item arrives with a craftsmanship issue or shipping damage, please contact us at hello@thesofthours.com.au within 7 days of receiving your order, with clear photos of the concern. We will review every case carefully and work with you to find a fair resolution.

How We Make Sure You Love It

Commissioning a custom memorial is a meaningful decision, and we take that seriously. From the moment you share your pet's photos to the day your piece arrives, you are involved at every key stage.

We reach out within 24 hours of your order to gather your pet's photos
We send progress photos as your piece takes shape
We share final photos for your approval before shipping
If anything doesn't look right, Amy will make adjustments before the finishing touches are applied
We don't dispatch your piece until you are happy and have given the go-ahead

This collaborative process means that by the time your memorial is complete, it has been guided, reviewed, and approved by you at every major stage.

Order Cancellations

Before Amy Begins Handcrafting

If you need to cancel before Amy has begun handcrafting your piece, please contact us as soon as possible at hello@thesofthours.com.au. We will refund your payment minus a $100 cancellation fee to cover materials reserved and time allocated to your commission.

After Amy Begins Handcrafting

Once handcrafting has begun, materials and specialised work are fully committed to your piece. At this stage, we are unable to accommodate cancellations. This is why we encourage you to share any concerns with us early — we are always happy to discuss your commission before work begins.

Lay-Buy Orders

For complete details on how Lay-Buy works — including payment structure, fees, missed payments, and early settlement — please see our dedicated Lay-Buy Terms page.

If you placed your order using a Lay-Buy payment plan, the same cancellation policy applies:

Before Amy begins handcrafting: We will process a refund of payments received minus a $100 cancellation fee. Your remaining scheduled instalments are automatically cancelled in PayPal. Please note that the one-off admin fee paid to Lay-Buy at checkout is non-refundable, as this is collected by Lay-Buy directly. Refunds are processed via PayPal within 14 days.
After Amy begins handcrafting: We are unable to accommodate cancellations, as materials and specialised work have already been committed to your piece. Remaining Lay-Buy instalments will continue to be collected as scheduled, and your completed piece will be delivered once final payment is received.

Lay-Buys' platform terms allow a buyer to request cancellation at any time prior to delivery. However, because our pieces are bespoke and custom-made, cancellations after handcrafting has begun are not possible — materials and specialised work have already been committed to your specific piece. We strongly encourage you to reach out to us with any concerns before that point. If you have any questions at any stage, please contact us before requesting a cancellation.

Making Changes to Your Order

Before Amy Begins Handcrafting

If you need to update your pet's photos or share additional details after placing your order, please email us at hello@thesofthours.com.au within 24 hours. We will do our best to incorporate changes, though we cannot guarantee them once work is underway.

After Amy Begins Handcrafting

Once handcrafting has begun, the piece itself cannot be changed. This is why we encourage open communication early in the process. However, minor adjustments to landscape elements (for Memory World pieces) can still be made during the assembly stage.

Before Shipping

When we send your final photos before shipping, you have one last opportunity to request minor adjustments. The piece is complete at this stage, but we want you to feel settled before it leaves our hands.

Production Timeline

When We Begin

Production begins once we receive your pet's photos after ordering. From that point:

Wool Felt Portraits: approximately 6–8 weeks from order to delivery
Wool Felt Sculptures: approximately 8–10 weeks from order to delivery

Materials are committed specifically to your piece from the moment work begins, which is why cancellations after this point are not possible.

If Something Arrives Damaged

In the rare event that your memorial arrives damaged, please:

Contact us within 7 days at hello@thesofthours.com.au
Do not open a sealed Memory World display case if it appears damaged
Send clear photos of the packaging condition, the item from multiple angles, and any damage to the shipping box

All shipments are fully insured. Depending on the situation, we will arrange a repair, replacement, or refund.

Craftsmanship Concerns

If you feel the finished piece does not reflect what was shown in your final approval photos, please reach out within 7 days with detailed photos. We stand behind our work and will review every concern carefully.

A Note on Natural Materials

Because our memorials incorporate organic materials — preserved moss, dried flowers, and hand-dyed wool — slight natural variations in colour and texture are part of what makes each piece genuinely one of a kind. Minor differences from screen photos or slight variations in organic elements are to be expected and are not considered defects. We will always show you final photos before shipping so you know exactly what is on its way.

Payment

Payment is required at the time of ordering to secure your commission slot. You may pay in full at checkout, or use our Lay-Buy payment plan to spread the cost over up to 2 monthly instalments. This allows us to reserve your place in our limited monthly capacity, begin your commission, and source materials matched to your pet.

Once handcrafting begins, payments already made are non-refundable, as time, materials, and creative work have been fully committed to your piece.

Your Consumer Rights

Your statutory rights under Australian Consumer Law remain unaffected by this policy. If a piece is delivered with a major defect in craftsmanship, or fails to match what was shown in your final approval photos, our standard warranty and consumer guarantees apply.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the process, or would like to talk through your specific situation before ordering, we are always happy to chat. Reach us at hello@thesofthours.com.au.