Here are our answers to frequently asked questions about shopping online, the order process, and general site-related questions that may help you.

If you do not see answers to your questions here, please email us using the Contact Us page or phone our helpful Customer Services Team on freephone 0800 LIVING (0800 548 464)

Online Shopping

• What are the advantages of shopping online?
• How can I find what I'm looking for?
• How can I be sure if an item is right for me?
• What is a shopping basket?
• How do I add items to my basket?
• How do I check out when I've finished shopping?
• How can I shop faster on your site?
• Why should I give you my email address?
• How much information do I need to give about myself?
• Why can't I use a PO Box as my delivery address?
• I'm accessing this site from outside New Zealand, can I still place an order?
• What methods of payment can I use online?
• What if I don't want to put my credit card details on the Internet?

Your Online Order

• How safe is it to give you my credit card details?
• How can I check that my transaction will be completely secure?
• Where's my order?
• How much do you charge for delivery?
• How soon can I expect to receive my order?
• Can I pick my order up from my local store?
• I've forgotten the email address I used and/or Password. Can you help?
• How do I return an item purchased online?
• How can I tell if my order has gone through successfully?

What are the advantages of shopping online?
You are never constrained by store opening hours. You can shop in our online store anytime of the day or night, every single day of the year - our online store is never closed! Save on travel time, traffic jams and the hassle of finding a car park. Also, our online shop offers a wider range of products than we have in many of our stores at any one time. All you have to do is log on to the Internet and start shopping!

How can I find what I'm looking for?
If you have a good idea of exactly what it is you're after, try typing keywords into our 'Search" field to locate the product eg type in saucepans to find all the ones we have. If you are looking for a gift for someone special, then you may want to go into our Giving Department and view the different options there. Some shoppers prefer to 'browse the shelves' and you can also do this online by selecting from the menu of departments and categories on either the top or the left-hand side of the page.

How can I be sure if an item is right for me?
We feature a wide range of information about our products. Click on any item to bring up a page giving further details that will help you to decide if it's right for you. If you still have further questions, you are welcome to email us—use the Contact Us form. We'll get back to you as quickly as possible with an answer.

What is a shopping basket?
Think of it as the online version of a shopping basket. It's where you put your items until you are ready to make your purchase. At any stage in your visit to this site click on 'Shopping Basket' to see its current contents. You can remove items or change the quantities (you may for instance want to buy more than one plate)!

How do I add items to my basket?
Every time you find something you want to purchase, all you have to do is click on the ADD TO MY BASKET button in order to place the item into your basket. You can keep adding or removing items from your shopping basket until you are ready to make your purchase.

How do I check out when I've finished shopping?
Check out is an easy and straightforward three-stage process:

1. Enter your details in the Create an Account screen if you have not shopped with us before. Then the next time you shop with us you can use your email address and Password as a login and you will not have to re-enter your billing and delivery details.
2. Enter your Billing Address—this is where your invoice will be sent.
3. Enter your Delivery Address—this is where the items ordered will be sent
4. Enter your Freight Options. You can also choose gift wrapping and message options at this stage. Click on 'Continue' to enter your credit card details securely. Then choose 'Submit Order" to complete. You then have an option to print out a copy of your order receipt for your records.

How can I shop faster on your site?
Use the "Search" page to quickly narrow down your search to identify exactly the right items. Also, create an account with us for your first order and your billing and delivery address details will not have to be repeated for subsequent orders. Of course you will still have the opportunity to change these details or add further delivery addresses at any time. This information will remain confidential to Living & Giving.

Why should I give you my email address?
When you place an order, we need to be able to email you to confirm that we have received your order and to keep you informed on its progress. Even if you have not yet shopped with us, joining our email list will enable us to let you know about special offers and promotions.

How much information do I need to give about myself?
In order to make a purchase online, you will need to supply the following personal details:

1. Your surname and first name.
2. Your email address.
3. Delivery address and billing address (these may be the same).
4. Contact phone number/s.
5. Your payment option - we accept payment by the major credit cards.

Why can't I use a PO Box as my delivery address?
We are committed to making sure that each delivery reaches the right person in a timely fashion. We need to deliver to a home or work address where someone can sign for the delivery. Therefore PO Boxes are not an option.

I'm accessing this site from outside New Zealand. Can I still place an order?
Yes, but only if the delivery address is within New Zealand. At this stage we do not deliver outside of New Zealand. 
What methods of payment can I use online?
For online shopping with Living & Giving, we accept the following credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Diners Card and American Express. We do not accept other forms of payment, including Eftpos, cheques, direct credit or cash on delivery.

What if I don't want to put my credit card details on the Internet?
No problem! Please call our Team on 0064 0800 548 464. Be sure to have the details of what you want to order, where you'd like it delivered, and your credit card number handy when you call. You can contact them during the following hours

Mon-Wed 9.00am - 6.00pm; Thurs 9am - 7.00pm; Fri 9.00am - 7.00pm;
Sat 9.00am - 6.00pm; Sun 10.00am - 5.00pm

You can also place your order by fax on +64 9 307 0117.



How safe is it to give you my credit card details?
Completely secure. We use advanced encryption technology that makes personal information such as credit card details unreadable as it travels over the Internet. Thanks to this technology, your credit card number and its expiry date become virtually indecipherable while in transit on the Internet.

How can I check that my transaction will be completely secure?
If you are using Microsoft Explorer or Netscape as your Internet browser, there are two ways of verifying the privacy of your transactions. When you are on a page that asks you to enter your credit card details, check for these signs to be sure your transaction is secure: a security icon (a key or a lock) will appear on your screen, and the address of the document you are accessing begins with https:// (secure hypertext transfer protocol).

Where's my order?
You can easily check on the progress of your order by logging on to this site using your email address and password and clicking on 'My History' to see its current status. We'll also notify you by email when your order is dispatched. You can also contact our Customer Care team on 0800 LIVING (0800 548 464).

How much do you charge for delivery?
Our delivery charges are as follows:

Auckland $5.00
North Island excluding Auckland $7.00
South Island $10.95

Some large/heavy items may incur higher delivery charges - we will notify you of these BEFORE sending your order. Please note that delivery rates offered in stores may differ.

How soon can I expect to receive my order?
We aim to deliver within 2-4 working days (Monday–Friday) of you placing your order, however on occasion certain items may be temporarily out of stock. If this happens, you will receive an email to advise of the expected delay time.

Can I pick my order up from my local store?
Unfortunately we do not have the facilities to hold items in any of our stores.

I've forgotten my Password. Can you help?
No problem. Click on Login at the top of the page. This takes you to the Account Login page where you can click the Forgotten Password? link to request your password. This is an automated service so you'll get a prompt reply anytime of the day or night.

How do I return an item purchased online?
You can return any product you buy from us for a full refund or exchange within 14 days of purchase, no matter what the reason. The product must be returned in its original condition with packaging and invoice.

To return product please visit your nearest Living & Giving store with a copy of your invoice and credit card for refund (if required). If you do not live close to one of our stores then please call CustomerCare on 0800 LIVING (0800 548 464) and we will advise you on how best to return the goods to us.

If the goods have been damaged in transit please call our Team on 0800 LIVING (0800 548 464) and we will arrange to replace the damaged product(s).

How can I tell if my order has gone through successfully?
Once you have completed all required details and clicked Process Order you should see a confirmation message on screen. This tells you that your order has been successfully processed. There may be a short delay before the confirmation message appears. If there is a problem with processing your order (such as a field left blank or an incorrect card number) you'll be notified straight away. You'll also receive an automated email confirming that your purchase has been successful.