Returns & Refunds Policy

Returns & Refunds Policy

Last Updated: September 2026

Welcome to SQUISHTIDE! We pride ourselves on creating unique, premium stress-relieving squishies. Because our store offers both personalized hand-painted creations and ready-made novelty items, different refund policies apply to each category. Please review our terms carefully before placing your order.

1. 24-Hour Cancellation & 2D Concept Design Approval Window

  • Within 24 Hours of Ordering: You can request a 100% full refund for any order, no questions asked.
  • After 24 Hours (The 2D Design Stage): For all Personalized Custom Orders, once our design team begins drafting your exclusive 2D cartoon concept sketch, cancellation requests will only receive a 60% refund. This 40% partial charge covers the dedicated time and artisanal labor invested by our designers.
  • The 24-Hour Automatic Approval Rule: Once your 2D concept sketch is completed, it will be sent to your registered email for review. You have exactly 24 hours from the time the email is dispatched to request major feature corrections. To guarantee our strict international shipping deadlines, if we do not hear back from you within 24 hours, our system will automatically lock the blueprint as APPROVED, and the order will move directly into physical production.
  • No Cancellation During Production: Once production begins (either upon your explicit approval or via the 24-hour automatic approval rule), the order becomes FINAL SALE. No cancellations, alterations, or refunds can be accepted.

2. Customized & Personalized Products (Final Sale)

All custom hand-painted merchandise is made individually to order based on your unique conceptual specifications.

  • We DO NOT accept returns, exchanges, or refunds for change of mind, buyer’s remorse, or customer errors (such as uploading the wrong photo, selecting incorrect variations, or deciding you dislike the design after initial or automatic approval).
  • Artistic & Co-Creation Disclaimer: Our final physical products are three-dimensional, hand-painted artistic adaptations based on flat concept sketches, rather than 1:1 mechanical replicas. To ensure the best visual outcome on a pliable squishy surface, our professional artists reserve full rights for secondary artistic creation. This includes, but is not limited to, the re-imagining of background aesthetics, the hand-painted integration of decorative accent elements (such as stylized flowers, stars, or shading), and structural adjustments to characters' proportions.
  • Direct Dispatch Policy: To maintain peak logistical efficiency and preserve the exclusive unboxing experience, we DO NOT send photos of the finished physical product for a second confirmation prior to shipping. All approved designs are hand-painted and dispatched directly. These unique artistic touch-ups and creative modifications are an essential part of our premium custom service; therefore, they strictly do not constitute manufacturing defects or grounds for refunds/remakes.
  • Remake Option for Custom Orders: If you are unsatisfied for personal reasons after delivery, you may request a one-time remake at 30% off. You pay shipping costs. This is a courtesy option, not a right.

3. Non-Custom Ready-Made Items (30-Day Return)

For our catalog of non-customized, ready-made novelty drops and trending collections:

  • Customers have the right to apply for a return within 30 days of the shipment delivery date.
  • To be eligible for a refund, items must be entirely unused, unwashed, enclosed in their original packaging (including the protective transparent outer bag), and in 100% resalable condition.
  • Return shipping fees for change-of-mind returns are the sole responsibility of the buyer. Original shipping and handling charges are non-refundable.

4. Damaged, Defective, or Incorrect Items (The Unboxing Rule)

We enforce strict quality control to ensure your package arrives in pristine condition. If your order is verified to be materially damaged in transit, defective, or incorrect:

  • You must report the issue to support@squishtide.com within 48 hours of delivery.
  • MANDATORY PROOF REQUIREMENT: You must provide a continuous, unedited unboxing video clearly showing the shipping label, the opening of the outer mailer bag, and the inspection of the product inside its sealed transparent bag. Due to the vulnerable and pliable nature of squeeze toys, claims submitted without a valid, unedited unboxing video cannot be approved.
  • Resolution: Once the defect is verified by our team, we will arrange a 100% free remake/reshipment or a full refund. You do not need to ship the defective item back internationally.

5. Customs, Refused Packages, and Lost Shipments

  • Customs Duties and Taxes: We cover all applicable import duties and taxes for all regions we ship to. No additional customs duties or taxes will be charged upon delivery.

  • Refused or Undeliverable Packages: If a package is returned, abandoned, or destroyed because the recipient refuses delivery or fails to respond to a carrier’s or customs authority’s request for additional information when required, refund eligibility will be determined in accordance with our Returns & Refunds Policy. If you experience any delivery or customs-related issues, please contact our support team for assistance.

  • Lost Shipments: If the carrier officially confirms that a shipment has been lost in transit, we will arrange a free replacement at no additional cost to you.

6. Refund Details

  • Approved refunds are issued to the original payment method within 3–5 business days after verification.
  • Original shipping fees are non-refundable unless the issue is our fault.
  • Discounted orders: refund is calculated based on the actual amount paid.
  • Free shipping orders: standard shipping cost will be deducted for buyer’s reason returns.

7. How to Submit a Request

Email support@squishtide.com with your order number, issue description and supporting evidence. Do not return items before receiving our return authorization and instructions.