Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Have you got some unanswered questions regarding our delicious Cornish cream teas by post or buying from us? Here are some of our our most frequently asked questions. Of course, if you can't find the answers you are looking for here please contact us, we will be very happy to help
All of our parcels are dispatched via Royal mail tracked24, This is not a guaranteed service, although we are consistently getting a 98% success rate. You will be emailed with the tracking details when they are dispatched. If you require a guaranteed delivery service please contact us before ordering
UK Mainland Postage & Packing Rates
| Delivery Service | Price per hamper |
| Tracked 24 delivery service (up to 2kg) | £3.99 to £5.99 (depending on weight) |
| Tracked 24 service (2kg to 5kg) | £7.95 |
| Tracked 24 service (over 5kg) | £9.95 |
Delivery to the Highlands and Islands may take an extra day, so please take that into account when choosing your delivery date.
*Delivery lead times are based on Tuesday to Friday. Deliveries cannot be made on Mondays, or Tuesdays following a bank holiday.
*Please note all our Hampers/gifts are dispatched the day prior to the selected delivery date. This is in the expectation that the courier fulfills the delivery on the following day. Please be aware that although we make every effort to get your order delivered on the selected preferred date, delivery dates cannot be guaranteed. We would suggest setting your delivery date as early as possible to avoid any orders arriving late.
Non Mainland GB Deliveries
Offshore deliveries will incur an extra delivery charge and are a 2-3 day service. Due to perishability on some products, not all hampers will be available to these areas. Please contact us before ordering.
It's a gift, can I nominate a future delivery date?
Yes, at checkout we have the facility for you to select a preferred delivery date from a calendar. If a nominated delivery date is chosen we will not bake and pack your order until the dispatch date. This will guarantee your order arrives as fresh as it can be.
Can I send an order to multiple addresses?
Unfortunately, if you require delivery to different addresses the orders will have to be added separately. However, we are very happy to take care of that for you, just email us with the details (what you would like, delivery addresses, billing address, messages for the gift cards and preferred delivery dates) We will enter them on the system for you and email you one invoice for all, you will then just need to follow the payment link and we will activate the orders.
How will my order be sent?
All our orders are dispatched using a fully tracked Royal mail 24hr service. Highlands and islands may take slightly longer, please bare this in mind when choosing a delivery date.
How do I track my order?
Our hampers/gifts are dispatched via Royal mail tracked 24 network. When your order is dispatched you should receive an email with your tracking number. You can enter on the Royal mail tracking website to check on the progress or delivery status of your order.
However, the Royal mail will keep you informed of the progress of your delivery, they'll contact you with an estimated delivery time, and again once the delivery is made. If no one is in and we/they have not been notified of a 'safe place' they will notify you of a failure to deliver.
You can, at any point after dispatch, add delivery instructions to your order on the Royal mails tracking site. safe place, leave with a neighbor, change the delivery date. But please remember that these are perishable items so if you choose to extend the delivery time The Cornish Scone company are not responsible for the condition they arrive it
Does someone need to be present to accept delivery?
No, there doesn't need to be anyone there if you have a nominated safe place. As many of the items are perishable our default instruction to couriers is to leave the parcel in a safe place if no one is available. If you wish to specify any delivery instructions you can do so by leaving it with your message in the gift card box or emailing us. Any instruction you add will override our default instructions. Please note that if instructions are specified and these are adhered to by the courier, the parcel will be considered as delivered. In these cases, any responsibility for damage or loss as a result rests with the buyer.
Our carriers require accurate delivery information to be able to successfully deliver your items on time and in the best condition. It is the responsibility of the sender to ensure the full and correct delivery address is entered at the point of order. Please check your order confirmation carefully and notify us immediately of any errors. The Cornish Scone company or its carriers will not be held accountable for any delays in transit or non-delivery of orders with incorrect/incomplete addresses. In these circumstances we will endeavor to assist where possible but cannot guarantee a successful timely delivery or offer a replacement item(s).
It's a gift, will there be any purchase info inside the parcel?
Please don't worry, we never send any purchase info with our parcels, it is only ever sent by email.
What is the shelf life on hampers/gifts?
That depends on the hamper/gifts you are buying and the nature of the products inside. Many of our hampers/gifts have a long shelf life of 6 months+ however, hampers containing our freshly baked goods and dairy products are highly perishable.
As a general guideline, our scones should be used within 5-6 days, brownies 7-8 days and tiffin 12-14 days of the dispatch date. Cream should be consumed before the 'use by' date, and cheese by the best before dates provided on the products. The cream, cheese and pasties need to be refrigerated on arrival. If you are in any doubt, please contact us prior to ordering.
Please consider these shelf life times when choosing your delivery date. We cannot accept returns or offer refunds on any perishable products which were delivered but for use some time later.
How will my hamper/gift be packed?
Our standard carton packaging is a single walled box. Lined with bio degradable bubble wrap and tissue paper.
Our seagrass hampers add a real touch of class and are of the finest quality.
The contents of our hampers are carefully packed and where necessary, protectively wrapped to minimise the possibility of breakages during transit.
Can I add my own personalised gift message?
Of course you can. It's the little things that matter and to add that finishing touch we send every hamper out with our very own, high quality presentation gift card. This will be printed with your personalised gift message. When you choose the hamper/gift you want simply enter your personal message in the message text box on the cart page. Your message will then be automatically printed onto a label ready for adding to your hamper gift card.
Are product illustrations representative of what is included?
Although we make every effort to make our images representative, images on the site are for illustration purposes only. If in any doubt about the contents of a hamper/gift, please refer to the hamper contents list provided on the product page.
Product substitutions
All products we offer are subject to availability and may change without prior notice. On the rare occasion where stock that forms part of the hamper is unavailable we reserve the right to supply an alternative product. we will offer a replacement which will be of equal or higher value than the item replaced.
Recycling & Sustainability
We send our cream in Polystyrene boxes which are 100% recyclable where facilities exist. The reason we use these boxes is because perishable items that are shipped in Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) have a longer shelf life, reducing food waste. It is also the safest method of transporting temperature-controlled goods. Polystyrene also has strong environmental credentials. It is extremely lightweight, insulates efficiently, and has a low carbon footprint given that 98% of it is air. Neither does it generate waste while being manufactured.
Repurposing polystyrene isn’t as difficult as you might think. Here are a few ideas:
• Plants such as tomato plants can be potted and grown inside the larger boxes making them easier to move around rather than grow bags (also plastic)
• As a thermal cool box for frozen or chilled products - ideal for picnics
• As a drinks 'ice bucket' - perfect for the garden or BBQ's
• To stuff toys, cushions, or bean bags (in the case of packing beads)
For further information regarding polystyrene, we suggest visiting https://www.fswaste.co.uk/2021/02/is-polystyrene-recyclable/
Our insulated thermal bags can also be repurposed. Here's a great idea from one of our customers:
To use these as radiator backing insulation, simply cut along side seams carefully then place behind radiators in the rooms forcing heat to go back into the room and not out through the walls.
Pasties that pay for themselves!
Oxo-degradable bubble wrap is a more environmentally friendly form of cushion packaging, and is 100% recyclable. This bubble wrap is treated with raw materials which do not contain heavy metals. When the bubble film is exposed to the combined effects of sunlight, stress, microbes and heat the end result is a product which is digested harmlessly by micro organisms and turned into the basic elements of carbon dioxide, water and biomass.
Our 'heat seal' bags and tissue paper are also recyclable.
What if I need to cancel or return my order?
You can cancel your order by email up to 2 days before dispatch.
See Our Returns Policy for more information.