Frequently Asked Questions

If you’ve been unable to find the information you need, please take a look at our FAQs below or get in touch

Shipping

How much is shipping?

Our shipping is calculated based on the weight of your order, and the delivery destination, and will be displayed in your checkout. 

For more detailed information, and our international shipping rates, visit our Shipping & Delivery Policy.

When will my order ship? 

Once you’ve placed your order and received your confirmation email, we aim to process and dispatch your order within 1 - 2 business days on Monday - Thursday. We don't ship on Fridays to avoid your chocolate sitting in warehouses over the weekend, and possibly being heat damaged.

You will receive an email confirmation once your order has been shipped, which will include your tracking number. 

What countries do you ship to? 

We currently only offer international shipping to Australia, and Japan. We do advise against shipping to countries with hot climates, as the premium nature of our chocolate means it has a low melting point and is best kept at 20 degrees celsius or lower. 

Do you offer tracking? 

Yes we do. Once your order has been shipped, you’ll receive a tracking number via email and a link to the correct delivery partner for your order.

If you don’t receive a tracking number, get in touch with our team. 

How do you protect my chocolate from melting during shipping?

We gift wrap all orders with care, and for most orders offer complimentary heat-wrap to protect your chocolate while it’s being shipped. 

We use express delivery for our domestic orders and tracked international shipping, and avoid shipping on Fridays to ensure products aren’t sitting in warehouses or courier vans for too long over the weekend.

The premium nature of our chocolate means it has a low melting point, and therefore is best kept at less than 20 degrees celsius. Whilst we take every care to ensure your order arrives in perfect condition, we cannot control the climate. If it is a hot time of year where you're sending the chocolate, please be aware of this risk. 

 

Orders & Returns

How long until my order is delivered? 

We aim for delivery within:

  • 1 - 3 business days for domestic orders
  • 3 - 14 business days for Australian orders (depending on the shipping option that was selected).

You'll receive a tracking number via email when your order is shipped, with a link to the correct shipping provider's tracking site.

In order to keep the chocolate delicious, we like to avoid putting it at risk of heat damage. As such, we won’t dispatch on Fridays to reduce the risk of it sitting in hot temperatures. It may take an additional day to arrive pending when you ordered your chocolate.  

What’s your return policy? 

Unfortunately, as our products are consumable, we can’t accept returns. 

I made a mistake on my order. Can I fix it? 

Let us know as soon as possible using our contact form, or by emailing shop@whittakers.co.nz . Include the order number and the details of the error. We’ll do our best to resolve the issue before the order is dispatched.

How do I cancel an order?

To cancel, email us as soon as possible at shop@whittakers.co.nz and include the order number. If the order was made less than 24hours ago, we may be able to cancel it before the order is dispatched, and issue a refund. 

An item is missing from my shipment/I received the wrong product. What should I do? 

We have strict processes in places to ensure the fulfilment of our Chocolate Lovers’ treats are accurate. However, if there has been an error, contact us on shop@whittakers.co.nz and include your order number, and we'll help you out.

My order has arrived damaged. What can I do? 

We do everything we can to ensure your delicious treats arrive in great condition and are ready to be enjoyed. If this is not the case, please email us at shop@whittakers.co.nz or get in touch using our online form. If possible, include your order number and an image of the damage, and we’ll do our very best to help out.

My order hasn’t arrived. What do I do? 

During busy mail seasons (such as over Christmas), a small delay may be possible due to the high volume of parcels out for delivery with our delivery partners. 

If you haven’t received your order within 5 days of the expected delivery window, or if the order status suggests it’s been delivered but you’ve not received the parcel, get in touch using our online form or email us at shop@whittakers.co.nz. Please include your order number and tracking number, which you will have received once your order was shipped. 

I want to order some chocolate for someone else. Can I do this?

You certainly can! Simply input the person’s details you want the chocolate to be delivered to at the checkout as the shipping address, and it’ll be sent straight to their door. We won’t include the receipt.

Can I make a bulk order?

The more the merrier! We offer shipping rates up to 12kg nationwide and up to 6.2kg for our international destinations.

For any orders above 6.2kg, these may be split over multiple parcels to ensure your chocolate can be wrapped securely. 

If you would like to make an order larger than we offer shipping options for, please get in touch and our team can help process the order and work out the best shipping or pick up option for you. 

Do you offer corporate gifting?

Treat your staff, partners and clients (and maybe yourself too!) to a luxurious Whittaker's gift. Our decadent range is perfect for corporate orders, and can be wrapped in 100% recyclable, NZ designed giftwrap and personalised with a card. 

We look forward to offering corporate gifting options online soon. In the meantime, send us an email at shop@whittakers.co.nz or contact us here and our friendly team will be able to help.

 

Billing & Refunds

What payments do you accept?

We accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express debit and credit cards. Unfortunately we cannot offer payment via Paypal or bank transfer. 

What will appear on my statement? 

Keep an eye out for *SP WHITTAKERS SHOP on your bank statement. 

How long does a refund take? 

It can take up to 72 hours for a refund to be processed back onto the card used for the payment. 

Sustainability

How sustainable is your packaging? 

All of our locally crafted gift wrap & greeting cards, and courier boxes are 100% recyclable, as well as our Cocoa Lovers Assortments’ product bag and Whittaker's Cocoa Pods® giftbox. 

Our NZ Post courier bags are compostable, and we're trialling a new compostable wrap for our individual Whittaker's Cocoa Pods®.

Our insulation pouches are soft-plastic recyclable.

Unfortunately, our square wrappers and our Whittaker's Cocoa Pods®, Artisan Selection and Minimix product wrapping are not recyclable. However, we’re working towards this. You can read more about our journey to sustainable packaging here

Dietary & Ingredients 

Are your Assortments products gluten free? 

The Cocoa Lovers Assortments products have no added gluten. Our Minimix Assortment has gluten in the Berry Forest flavour only.  

Are your Assortments products vegan friendly?

Our Cocoa Lovers Assortments are vegan friendly, as they have no added dairy. 

Do any Whittaker's chocolate products contain palm oil? 

No, we don't use palm oil in any of our chocolate products. Find out more about the ingredients we use and our focus on ethical sourcing.

General 

Where are you based?

Whittaker’s chocolate is proudly made in Porirua, New Zealand. We fulfil our online store out of Auckland, New Zealand. 

Why can’t I buy your other products online? 

As we’re new to all this online shopping, at the moment we’re starting with Assortments. But if it goes well then you can rest assured we will look at offering more of our range. 

We’d love to hear your suggestions or what you’d like to see added. You can use our form to submit your ideas and feedback or email us at shop@whittakers.co.nz

How does Whittaker’s keep my information safe? 

The security of our Chocolate Lovers’ data is very important to us. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. 

When you are producing chocolate in your factory, what are the main rules and regulations you take into account? 

Our factory and fulfilment centre operates according to regulations established in the joint Australia-New Zealand Food Standards Code, the Health and Safety At Work Act (2015) and the Fair Trading Act.