Shop Policies


HOURS OF OPERATION

*Monday - Friday // 9am - 4:30pm
WE DO NOT OPERATE ON BANK HOLIDAYS OR WEEKENDS*

BEST WAY TO GET IN CONTACT
EMAIL us at contact@wilderess.com (we're very good at getting back to you quickly). 

Due to an influx of spam calls, we do not answer phone calls. If you leave a message, we will get back to you as soon as we can, but with a young baby at home as well as long pouring sessions that keep us quite busy--this can delay our response.

12 DAYS OF DEALS:
DEALS ON PRODUCTS ARE VALID ON SPECIFIED DATE ONLY. PRICE ADJUSTMENTS WILL NOT BE MADE FOR PAST ORDERS. ORDERS MUST BE PLACED ON DAY OF DEAL FOR SPECIFIC DISCOUNT.

ORDER PROCESSING

Please allow 2-4 business days for order processing. Sometimes we have to make additional candles to fill your orders. We typically ship via First Class Mail, USPS Priority Mail, or UPS Ground which range in shipping timelines of 1 to 9 days. When selecting your shipping at checkout, unless you select an expedited service, the number of days quoted does not include processing--only the number of expected days in transit. Discounted flat rate shipping is decided by us at time and size of order to be the most economical option.

ACCEPTED PAYMENT

We accept all major credit cards as payment on our website. Credit cards are processed through Shopify and are strictly protected. We never see your full credit card information. We are also accept PayPal!

TAXES
All orders placed for delivery to a California address will be charged the appropriate sales tax (which is calculated by an application on our website based on delivery city).

CANCELLATIONS
Orders can only be cancelled if items have not been shipped. Custom and international orders are final sale.

PRICE ADJUSTMENTS
We know how it feels when you buy something and 12 hours later it's on sale. If your order has not shipped, we are happy to refund the difference in cost. Once the order has shipped, payment and the order has been fully processed.

FORGETTING A DISCOUNT CODE
If you forget to enter a discount code at checkout, email us immediately to let us know. As long as we have not fulfilled your order, we are happy to manually make the adjustment for you.

SHIPPING
Most items leave our studio within two to four business days (Monday through Friday, except holidays). If for some reason there will be a delay on our end, you will be contacted as soon as possible. We do our best to get the orders out as soon as possible.
LOCAL PICKUPS
If you are local to Long Beach or its surrounding cities and would prefer to save on shipping costs, you may choose to select local pickup at checkout. Once we fulfill your order, you will receive a notification via our website alerting you that your shipment is ready. Occasionally these messages end up in spam folders, so we follow up directly with you within a few days. We will work with you to schedule a date and window of time for your pickup (for example, Monday, 3-4pm). Your order will be placed in a designated area for contactless pickup at your convenience. If orders are not claimed within 2 weeks, orders will be refunded minus a $5 restocking fee.
DOMESTIC ORDERS
**shipping guarantees have been suspended by carriers as of 2020**

Packages are shipped via the United States Postal Service or UPS. Candles that are shipped Priority Mail and arrive within 1 to 3 days. The package will arrive in a brown box or a USPS Priority Mail box depending on the size and weight of the order. This is to keep the shipping price affordable for you. Small items and orders are shipped First Class Mail with the USPS and arrive in 3 to 5 days, but during busier seasons please allow up to 12 days. Our shipping prices are calculated by weight and size using a USPS and UPS shipping calculator built into our website's hosting system so that you pay as close to the most accurate price of shipping as possible. A small handling fee is also included to cover the cost of packing supplies and boxes so that your orders arrive safely.
Though we carefully and thoughtfully pack your orders, if for some reason your package is damaged in transit, please message us immediately! We'll do our best to fix the problem. Please include photos so we can best assist you.
We use biodegradable packing peanuts as well as packing materials recycled from orders we receive from our vendors to reduce waste.
When shipping labels are created, you will receive a confirmation email from wilderess.com with a tracking code.
INTERNATIONAL ORDERS
International packages ship First Class International Mail and can take anywhere from one week to one month to arrive. Please check with your customs office if it does not arrive within this period of time. Buyer is responsible for any and all customs fees in their country. We also reserve the right to cancel any order in which the country has a ban or restriction on ordered items. Please check with your laws to make sure the importing of our goods is allowed before ordering. If we have issue with the address or need to reach out to clarify information, it's important to provide an accurate contact email at checkout. If we are unable to get in contact after one week, your order will be cancelled.

All international orders are FINAL.

WRONG ADDRESS WRITTEN IN AT CHECKOUT

Once the item is shipped, no changes can be made to the destination of the package. We trust that our customers will put the correct address into the boxes when they checkout. No refunds are available once the item as shipped. If you'd like to attempt to intercept the package before its delivery, you can do so for a fee via the USPS. Please contact them for this service.
SHIPMENT RETURNED TO SENDER
If for any reason the shipment is returned to us (i.e. undeliverable address), your order will be refunded minus the cost to ship it to you.
FREE SHIPPING PROMOTIONS
All orders placed during a free shipping promotion will receive the most economical shipping option. Express and other more expensive shipping options are never part of our promotions.
SHIPPING TIPS FOR ALL ORDERS
Candles tend to melt if left in the hot sun. We recommend leaving a note on your door with instructions for the delivery person to leave the package in a shady spot. We send tracking numbers so you'll know which day to put the note out. We label our boxes WITH PROTECT FROM HEAT labels during warmer months, but we've noticed they occasionally don't mind our notice.
MISSING SHIPMENTS
If you receive confirmation of us that your package has shipped and the carrier has tracked it and scanned it as delivered, you are solely responsible for tracking down the missing package. Once it has left our hands and if the carrier has registered your package as delivered, we have no ability to help. If you live in an area where packages are commonly stolen, we suggest having it delivered to your place of work, a family member's home, or have a neighbor pull it indoors once delivered. Sometimes delivery persons will scan a package delivered long before they actually deliver it. Please allow 24 hours before contacting us as they often will still arrive within that time frame.

RETURNS & EXCHANGES

Lip Balms >> Unfortunately, we cannot refund or exchange lip balms due to the sanitation of the products.

Candles >> We know candle scents don't appeal to everyone. We will gladly accept returns on candles that have been unused and appear like new for shop credit within 14 days of receiving your order. Please know that customer pays return shipping and original shipping charges cannot be refunded. Still, we promise to try to make the process as painless as possible! For exchanges, please email us at contact@wilderess.com to let us know you'll be doing an exchange. We will instruct you from there on how we can work together to do it seamlessly! If for some reason the item sent back to us is damaged and unsellable, we'll be unable to refund the original purchase and complete the exchange. Please note again that all shipping costs are defaulted to the buyer.

All other items>> We will gladly accept unused items back for shop credit minus original shipping charges up to 14 days after delivery of item.  Items must be in sellable and original condition. Please note that buyer must pay return shipping. Please email contact@wilderess.com to initiate return.

WE ONLY ACCEPT RETURN ORDERS FROM PURCHASES MADE ON WWW.WILDERESS.COM.

ALL INTERNATIONAL ORDERS ARE FINAL SALE.


A QUICK NOTE ON PRODUCT VARIATION
Because we use only the most natural ingredients we can get our hands on for the products we produce and because we hand make and hand pour each item, please allow some variation between products. Imperfections are natural and expected in our products just as "imperfections" exist in nature.Though extremely rare, if you believe an imperfection will effect the use of your product, please contact us within two weeks of having the product. Photos are required for us to verify user versus production error and are appreciated and needed for expedited service.
BURNING YOUR CANDLES
Not many people know that candles have “memory.”  For this reason, it’s important that when you burn the candle, you let the wax melt to all sides of the jar. If you only let it burn a small pool, your candle will tunnel as it burns. If you let it burn to the sides each time, it will burn cleanly down the side of the jars. On the first burn of the candle, you’ll want to burn it for three to four hours to ensure a clean melting to all sides of the jar. To prolong candle life, it’s also important to keep the wick trimmed to ¼ inch and get all debris from trimming out before each lighting. This will keep the wick from getting long and curling under which can prevent it from lighting in the future. For our larger jars, we recommend using a stick lighter to light your candles.
Having trouble lighting your candle?
Sometimes changes in temperature will cause the wax to swell, crowding the wick. Sometimes we accidentally trim our wicks too short. The best method is to remove some of the wax crowding the wick. You need at least 1/4" of wick exposed cleanly for the wick to catch a light. Our tried and true favorite method is using a stick lighter to melt some of the wax surrounding the wick and pouring it out so the melt pool does not extinguish the wick. If you need more help with this, feel free to email us at contact@wilderess.com with TROUBLESHOOTING in the title.
THE NATURE OF CANDLES
All of our candles are dye-free, phthalate-free, chemical free, and handmade in small batches. We like to keep our products as natural as possible so you will find variations as you would in nature. Occasionally in warmer months, some of the oil from the candle will sit on top. This doesn't effect the use of the candle and is a common occurrence when using soy wax. When candles are exposed to intense cold, the wax can sometimes shrink and show a frosty appearance where the wax has pulled away from the jar. This will go away as you candle is used and the jar warms up a bit. If shrinking or discoloration occurs, don't despair! The scent is still there and the candle will still burn!




CUSTOM ORDERS
Custom orders are available if reasonable notice is given. All custom orders are final sale. Please send inquiries to contact@wilderess.com with a description of what you're looking for regarding customization. You can also visit our Weddings & Events page to fill out an information form. If approved, we will draft the product and send it to you for approval before beginning production. Tiered discounts are available for large quantities and this information will be relayed when a custom order is initiated.


PRODUCT PACKAGING
To reduce waste and our carbon footprint, we do not include shipping invoices for orders unless requested. We all know how accessible everything is now via email and other online records, so we choose to omit these to save paper and waste. If you would like to request one, just add a note at checkout. Our classic jar candles arrive in their jars with lids, some candles gift ready in a reusable drawstring bag, and occasionally our specialty candles arrive in a gift ready kraft box. We choose to provide a box with the specialty candles sometimes if extra protection is needed in the shipping process.

If your item is a gift and you'd like to add a note to the shipment, please include it in the note section with any additional directions you have for us.

WHOLESALE ORDERS
Request wholesale information via our wholesale form or shop directly with us on the FAIRE platform.

You can find more information on our products and ingredients by visiting our "About" page.