Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a list of questions that we are sometimes asked. This is not an exhaustive list so please feel free to email any you may have.

1. What do the emails I receive mean?
2. How long do I have to wait for my delivery?
3. When will my delivery arrive?
4. If I get an email notification about items not being available will any other available items be dispatched?
5. How long does it take for an unavailable item to become available?
6. How much will delivery cost?
7. Do you ship outside the UK?
8. Is there any discount if I order bulk?
9. Can I use my OAP / Student / Early Bird discount?
10. What does the 7 day flag mean?
11. I can’t get my account to work, can I order by phone?
12. When will the money be taken from my account for the goods?
13. What happens if I don’t receive all my goods in my delivery?
14. Do I have to wait in on the delivery arriving?
15. What happens if I’m not at home when you try to deliver?
16. Can I specify a time for delivery?
17. Do you do next day delivery?
18. Do you deliver in the evenings or at weekends?

1. What do the emails I receive mean?

It is very important to us that you are kept fully informed of the status of your order. We do this by sending Order Status emails. There are several emails that you could receive and they are all explained in greater detail below.

Order Confirmation

When you place an order you will receive an email with all of the details of the order including the products you have ordered, the total cost, the billing address and the delivery address. This email is just to let you know that we have received your order and that we will now be processing the order.

Awaiting Stock

If we are unable to dispatch the order the next day (Monday to Friday only) you may receive an email to let you know that we are awaiting stock. This generally means that we are expecting a deliveryshortly, your order will then be packed and dispatched immediately.

Part Dispatch

If we have most of your order but we are still awaiting a delivery then we may dispatch part of your order. Your delivery slip inside the package will let you know which has of your items are not included.

Dispatch

When we have packaged and posted your items you will receive an email confirming that your items are on their way. You may be given a tracking reference that will enable you to find your order if it is not delivered within the expected time scales. See our

Delivery section for full details.

Complete

When we have tracked your order and have received confirmation from the Royal Mail, you will receive an email letting you know that we now believe the order is complete. If this is not the case you should Contact Us and let us know immediately.

Cancelled

If you have requested that we cancel your order you will receive an order confirming cancellation. At this point we will also refund any payments made.

Returned

If you have returned items to us you will receive a confirmation email when we have received the goods. At this point we will check that all of our conditions have been fulfilled and that the returned items are in their original packing and good general condition. We will then process any refunds necessary.

2. How long do I have to wait for my delivery?

Orders placed before 7pm Monday to Friday will be picked overnight and packed the next day. Dispatch will be in the afternoon and delivery usually takes 3 - 5 working days.

Orders placed between 7pm Friday and 7pm Sunday will be picked overnight on Sunday and packed on Monday. Dispatch will be in the afternoon and delivery usually takes 3 - 5 working days.

If any of your items are unavailable we will send an email giving you details. Most products can be sourced within 7 days. If we have any difficulties we will contact you to discuss the problems and possible solutions

.

3. When will my delivery arrive?

Delivery is normally between 3 - 5 working days after you receive our email informing you that the order has been dispatched.

4. If I get an email notification about items not being available will any other available items ordered be dispatched?

We will normally hold available items until the whole order is complete. If you wish us to part dispatch the order rather than wait for the order to be complete, please contact us by emailing webshop@realfoods.co.uk.

5. How long does it take for unavailable items to become available?

Most items can be soured by us and be ready for dispatch within 7 days. if for some reason it is going to take longer we will contact you with further details.

6. How much will delivery cost?

If you live in the UK and order over £15 of items then delivery is FREE!

If you live outside the UK or you are ordering less than £15 then you will be able to see the delivery charge added to your basket when you view the basket.

7. Do you ship outside the UK?

We can ship to anywhere in the world (although restrictions may apply on items such as alcohol)

8. Is there any discount if I order bulk?

Ordering products, where available, in full sacks or full boxes will give you the cheapest price per kilo. If you buy 2 sacks or boxes you will receive a further 5% discount, order 4 and you receive a 10% discount (already included in the prices displayed in the web shop).

If you wish to order large quantities of items with no box or sack prices please contact us with details of what you wish to buy and we will provide you with our best price.

9. Can I use my OAP / Student / Early Bird discount?

We are sorry, but because we offer free delivery for orders placed through our web shop we are unable to offer any of the discounts that we offer in our 2 retail stores in Edinburgh.

10. What does the 7 day flag mean?

The 7 day flag means that the item is not currently available for us to pick.

In normal circumstances we would expect the product to become available within 7 days. If this is not the case for any reason we will contact you with further details.

11. I can’t get my account to work, can I order by phone?

Unfortunately we are not able to accept telephone orders for our web shop.

However, we are very happy to work with you to resolve any problems that you may be experiencing with ordering online.

12. When will the money be taken from my account for the goods?

Money is taken from your account just before we dispatch the goods to you.

13. What happens if I don’t receive all my goods in my delivery?

If you don't receive all your goods in your delivery please check you invoice which will be included with the goods.

If you have been charged for goods you have not received please contact us immediately giving your order number and we will arrange for your card to be refunded.

If you have not received goods and you have not been changed for them please check you emails to see if you have received any further information from us about these goods. If you have not, please contact us giving you order number and we will investigate.

14. Do I have to wait in on the delivery arriving?

At present we use a courier for items over 1kg and Royal Mail for those under 1kg.  The courier will deliver between 8:30-5:30 Monday to Friday, Royal Mail will follow your usual postal times. 

It is best that you are available to sign for the order, however  if you have a safe place you would like the delivery to be left in case you are not at home please give us this information at the time of ordering.

15. What happens if I’m not at home when you try to deliver?

If you have not given us details of a safe place for the delivery to left in then the package will be left at your nearest post office and you will receive a card with the details.

16. Can I specify a time for delivery?

It is unfortunately not possible to specify a time for delivery at present.

17. Do you do next day delivery?

At present we do not offer this service, delivery normally takes 3 - 5 working days from dispatch.

18. Do you deliver in the evenings or at weekends?

Delivery is Monday to Friday during the working day.