Shipping & Customs Policy

About this policy

Some of our courses include a physical training kit — typically containing flavour standards or other materials you’ll use alongside the digital course. This policy explains how we ship those kits, what to expect, and (importantly for international customers) how customs and import charges work.

Digital-only courses don’t involve shipping at all — access is provisioned to your account online once payment is confirmed. This policy only applies to orders that include a physical kit.

This is the customer-friendly summary of our shipping position. For the full legal detail, see clause 7 of our Terms and Conditions. Where there is any conflict between this page and the Terms and Conditions, the Terms and Conditions take precedence.

The short version

• We ship worldwide using door-to-door international courier services.
• Delivery is charged at checkout based on your destination.
• Customs duties, import VAT, and any other charges levied on arrival in your country are your responsibility — not ours.
• Digital course access starts immediately once payment clears — you don’t need to wait for the kit to arrive to begin learning.
• If you have any questions about shipping to your country, email hello@nexusbycara.com before placing your order.

What you pay at checkout

At checkout, you’ll see three separate line items where applicable:

• The digital course or programme price
• The physical kit price
• The delivery charge (calculated based on your destination)

These three components are itemised separately on your invoice for clarity and for customs purposes.

What’s included in the delivery charge

The delivery charge covers:

• Collection of your kit from our UK premises
• International courier transit to the address you specify
• Standard packaging and handling
• Shipment tracking (we’ll send you a tracking reference)

What’s NOT included in the delivery charge

The delivery charge does not cover any costs that arise once the kit reaches your country. These are your responsibility and may include:

• Customs duties and import tariffs levied by your country’s customs authority
• Import VAT or equivalent sales tax payable on importation
• Excise duties applicable to the kit contents under local law
• Customs broker or clearance fees charged by the courier or any third-party agent
• Inspection, examination or storage fees charged by customs or any border authority
• Fines or penalties arising from your failure to comply with local import regulations or to hold any required licences or permits

How we declare value for customs

This is technical but matters: when we ship a physical kit, we declare the value of the physical materials only on the customs paperwork. The digital course — which is delivered separately via the Platform — is not included in the customs value of the shipment.

That’s because the digital course and the physical kit are two genuinely separate deliverables. The course is a service delivered online; the kit is a discrete consignment of tangible goods. We declare the kit at its standalone commercial value.

This is the correct customs approach and reflects the actual nature of the transaction. It also means the customs charges you pay are based on the physical kit value, not the combined course + kit price.

Your responsibilities as the importer

When you order a kit for delivery to your country, you are acting as the importer. This means:

• You confirm that the kit contents are permitted to be imported into your country
• You hold any required import licences, registrations, permits or authorisations
• You agree to pay all applicable duties, taxes and charges promptly when they fall due
• You take responsibility for any local regulations that apply to the storage, handling, use or disposal of the kit contents

We don’t represent that kit contents are importable into any particular jurisdiction — it’s your responsibility to check before ordering.

About kit contents

Physical training kits typically contain reference compounds, flavour standards, and other materials used for sensory training and evaluation.

When your kit arrives, please:

• Review all instructions and safety information supplied with the kit before use
• Store the contents according to the instructions supplied (typically cool and dry, away from direct sunlight)
• Use the contents only for their intended purpose (sensory training, evaluation and proficiency testing), following the supplied instructions
• Comply with all applicable local laws relating to handling, storage and disposal
• Keep contents secure and out of reach of anyone they’re not intended for

Delivery timescales

Delivery dates given at checkout or in any confirmation email are estimates only. Actual transit times depend on the destination, the courier’s service level, and — importantly — customs clearance, which is outside our control.

For most destinations, transit takes a number of business days once the kit is dispatched. Customs clearance can add anywhere from a few hours to several days, depending on your country and the courier.

Important: Your digital course access begins as soon as we activate your account after payment is confirmed. You don’t need to wait for the kit to arrive before starting the course — the early lessons can typically be completed without the physical materials.

If delivery doesn’t go to plan

If we get it wrong or the courier makes a mistake

If delivery fails because of something we did wrong (incorrect address details we used, missed dispatch, etc.) or because of a courier error, we’ll fix it and re-dispatch at no extra cost to you.

If the issue is at your end

If delivery fails because of something within your control — such as an incorrect or incomplete delivery address you gave us, unavailability to accept the delivery, or failure to meet import or customs requirements — here’s what happens:

When the kit becomes yours

Risk in the kit passes to you on delivery to the address you specified. Once the courier has delivered the kit, it’s in your care — we’d recommend storing it appropriately and following the safe handling guidance above.

Returns and refunds for kits

Kit returns and refunds are covered in detail in our Refund & Cancellation Policy. In short:

• We can refund the kit price only if the kit is returned unopened and undamaged within 14 days of delivery, at your cost
• Delivery and re-delivery charges are not refundable, unless the delivery failure was caused by us or our courier
• Once a kit has been opened, used, or returned damaged, no refund of the kit price is available

For the full position, see our Refund & Cancellation Policy.

Your digital access is independent

To be clear: digital course access does not depend on the physical kit arriving. The two are delivered separately:

• Digital course: activated on your account as soon as payment clears — typically within minutes. Access begins straight away.
• Physical kit: dispatched separately via courier; arrival depends on destination and customs clearance.

No delay in kit delivery (whatever the cause) entitles you to cancel your digital course or request a refund of digital access.

Questions about shipping?

If you have any questions about shipping to your country, expected customs charges, or anything else covered in this policy, we’d much rather help you before you order than help you afterwards. Please get in touch:

• Email: hello@nexusbycara.com
• Telephone: +44 (0)1372 439 990, Monday–Friday (excluding English bank holidays), 08:00–18:00 UK time
• Post: Cara Technology, Bluebird House, Mole Business Park, Station Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7BA, UK

Version history

v1.0 — Initial Shipping & Customs Policy. Effective 26 May 2026.

v1.1 — Removed references to alcohol-containing kit materials, as no current kits contain alcohol. Effective 26 May 2026.