1. Snapshot
- Where we ship: all of New Zealand, urban and rural, including Waiheke, Stewart Island, and the Chathams.
- Carriers: NZ Post and Aramex (CourierPost network) — selected per parcel for the fastest realistic transit time.
- Handling time: Auckland metro orders placed before 2:00pm NZT on a business day are dispatched same-day. Orders placed after 2:00pm, on weekends, or on NZ public holidays dispatch the next working day. Outside Auckland metro, dispatch is the next working day after order placement.
- Free shipping on every order of $100 or more, anywhere in NZ.
- Tracking emailed automatically the moment the courier scans the parcel.
No hidden fees
The shipping price you see at checkout is the shipping price you pay. We don’t add fuel surcharges, “rural levies”, or signature fees on top of the rate shown. Rural addresses are priced into the rural column below.
2. Rates by zone
Rates are in NZD and include GST. The exact figure for your address shows at checkout once you’ve entered your delivery suburb.
| Zone | Urban | Rural | Estimated transit |
|---|
Most North Island parcels are charged at the lowest tier; weight tiers only kick in when you order four or more cartridges or any toner unit. South Island heavy-tier rates apply only to multi-toner orders.
3. Handling time vs. transit time
These are two separate clocks, and we’re only in control of the first one:
- Handling time — the time between you clicking Pay and the parcel being handed to the courier. Same-day for Auckland metro orders placed before 2pm on a business day. Orders placed after-hours, on weekends, on NZ public holidays, or outside Auckland metro dispatch the next working day.
- Transit time — the time between the courier picking up your parcel and them leaving it at your door. This is set by NZ Post / Aramex networks; we publish their target windows above as estimates.
If the courier misses their target, we chase them on your behalf — please email or call as soon as the parcel is more than one working day past estimate and we’ll open a trace and (if it doesn’t turn up) replace your order.
4. Mixed orders and split shipments
Sometimes we’ll split your order into more than one parcel — usually so the faster items reach you sooner. You’ll get a separate tracking number for each parcel and pay shipping only once, never twice.
5. Tracking, signatures, and delivery
- Every order ships tracked. The tracking link arrives by email on dispatch and is also visible inside your account at /account/orders.
- Standard delivery is no-signature-required to a safe drop point. If no one’s home and there’s no obvious safe spot, the courier leaves a calling card and re-attempts the next working day or holds at the nearest depot.
- You can request signature-required delivery in the order notes — no extra charge, but it does add a day if you’re out when the courier calls.
- PO Boxes are accepted via NZ Post; couriers can’t deliver to a PO Box, so we automatically choose the right carrier for the address you give us.
6. Cut-offs and public holidays
2pm NZT, Monday – Friday, is the daily cut-off for same-day Auckland-metro dispatch. Orders received after 2pm, on weekends, on NZ public holidays, or outside Auckland metro dispatch the next working day. We don’t dispatch on Saturday, Sunday, or NZ public holidays — Auckland Anniversary Day and Wellington/regional anniversary days follow the local courier network. The two longest pauses each year are Christmas Day to 2 January and the Easter weekend.
7. International shipping
We ship to New Zealand addresses only. The most common reason customers ask: returns from Australia or the Pacific Islands take longer than the cartridge is worth, and we’d rather refer you to a local supplier than send a parcel that may sit in customs.
8. Problems with delivery
- Marked delivered but not received: check with neighbours and your courier’s safe-drop notes, then email us within 5 working days. We’ll open a carrier trace and replace at our cost while it’s investigated.
- Damaged in transit: photograph the box and contents before opening further, email the photos with your order number, and we’ll dispatch a replacement same-day.
- Wrong address entered: if you spot a typo before dispatch (most orders), call us immediately on 027 474 0115 and we’ll fix it before the courier picks up.
For full refund and return rules, see our Refund & Return Policy.
9. Questions
Email support@inkcartridges.co.nz or call 027 474 0115. We reply within one business day.