Order processing & dispatch

1.1  Processing days

We process orders on Monday–Friday, excluding Dutch public holidays. Orders placed at the weekend or on a public holiday are processed on the next available business day.

1.2  Dispatch confirmation

As soon as your order is collected by our carrier, we send a dispatch confirmation email containing your order summary, carrier name, tracking number (active within 2–4 hours), a live tracking link, and your estimated delivery window. If you have not received a dispatch confirmation within 3 business days of ordering, check your spam folder first — then contact hello@takekova.com.

1.3  First subscription order

Your first order includes the KOVA Welcome Kit — the reusable aluminium vessel, welcome booklet, sample sachets, and your first 30-day refill sleeve. Because the Welcome Kit requires an additional assembly step, first orders may take up to 2 extra business days to dispatch. We will confirm your dispatch date in your order confirmation email.

Carriers & delivery windows

We use different carriers depending on your delivery country, selected on the basis of reliability, letterbox compatibility, and tracking quality. All delivery times are estimated under normal operating conditions.

2.1  Why letterbox delivery for the Netherlands

KOVA’s 30-day refill sleeve is specifically engineered to fit through a standard Dutch letterbox (380 × 265 × 32 mm). This is a deliberate design decision — the matchbox-style sleeve format was built around the PostNL brievenbuspakket specification from day one. No missed delivery cards. No redelivery scheduling. No post office collection. Less than 1% failed delivery rate versus 8–12% for parcels requiring a doorstep signature.

Note: The aluminium vessel included in your Welcome Kit cannot fit through a standard letterbox. Your first order is therefore dispatched as a regular parcel requiring doorstep delivery or collection at a PostNL pickup point.

2.2  DHL Packstation — Germany

German customers can have orders delivered to a DHL Packstation — an automated 24/7 parcel locker network with over 12,000 locations across Germany. Enter your Packstation number and your DHL Postnummer at checkout.

Shipping costs

All prices include VAT at the applicable rate for your delivery country. Shipping prices are reviewed annually — the price at checkout at the time of your order is the price you pay.

From your order to your door

Here is exactly what happens between the moment you click confirm and the moment your refill sleeve lands in your letterbox.

Tracking your order

Every KOVA order is tracked end-to-end. You can follow your parcel from the moment it leaves our fulfilment centre to the moment it is delivered.

5.1  Tracking not updating

Tracking is typically active within 2–4 hours of dispatch. For DHL international shipments, tracking may show no movement for 24–48 hours while the parcel transits between hubs. This is normal. If tracking shows no movement for more than 72 hours after dispatch, contact hello@takekova.com with your order number — we will investigate with the carrier within 1 business day.

Delivery address & failed deliveries

6.1  Providing your address

Please ensure your delivery address is complete and correct: full street name, house number (including apartment/flat number), postcode, city, and country. For Germany: include your DHL Packstation number and Postnummer if applicable. An incorrect address is the most common cause of delivery delays. We are not liable for delays or non-delivery resulting from an address error you provided.

6.2  Changing your address

Subscription customers can update their delivery address at any time at takekova.com/account. Changes made before your next dispatch window (typically 24 hours before scheduled dispatch) apply to your next order. For a parcel already in transit that needs redirecting, contact hello@takekova.com immediately — we will attempt a carrier redirect, though this is not guaranteed.

6.3  Failed delivery

If a parcel is returned to us, we will contact you within 3 business days and offer redelivery or a full refund. We reserve the right to charge a redelivery fee if the original failure was caused by an incorrect address you provided.

6.4  Safe place delivery

You can set a safe place preference (porch, outbuilding, neighbour) directly in the PostNL or DHL app. Once a parcel is left in a safe place per your instruction, delivery is considered complete and our liability for subsequent loss is limited.

Damaged or lost in transit

7.1  Damaged in transit

If your order arrives physically damaged:

• Photograph the outer packaging before opening it further
• Photograph the damaged contents
• If any sachet seal integrity appears compromised, do not consume the product
• Contact hello@takekova.com within 48 hours of delivery with your order number and photographs

We will arrange a replacement within 3 business days. We file the carrier claim on your behalf — you do not need to contact PostNL or DHL directly.

7.2  Lost in transit

An order is considered lost in transit if:

• Netherlands: no delivery or tracking update within 5 business days of dispatch
• Germany: no delivery or tracking update within 8 business days of dispatch
• Other EU: no delivery or tracking update within 14 business days of dispatch

If your order meets these criteria, contact hello@takekova.com with your order number. We will open a trace investigation with the carrier and provide an update within 3 business days. If the carrier confirms the parcel is lost, we dispatch a replacement at no cost within 2 business days — or issue a full refund if you prefer.

7.3  Delivered but not received

If tracking shows your parcel as delivered but you have not received it, first: check your letterbox thoroughly (PostNL Brievenbuspakket parcels can be folded and less visible); check with neighbours; check any safe place you may have designated. If you still cannot locate it, contact us within 7 days of the stated delivery date. We assess each case individually and will always try to find a fair outcome.

Subscription shipping

Public holidays & seasonal delays

We operate on standard Dutch business days. Our fulfilment partner does not dispatch on Dutch public holidays. The following dates are non-dispatch days:

During the pre-Christmas period (approximately 15 November–31 December), carrier networks across the Netherlands and Germany experience significantly higher volumes. Delivery times may be 1–3 business days longer than standard estimates. We will publish advance notice of expected seasonal delays on our website. Subscription customers whose billing date falls on a public holiday will have their order processed on the following business day.

Our shipping & packaging footprint

We think carefully about how we ship — not just how quickly. Here is what we have done to reduce the environmental footprint of every KOVA delivery:

• Letterbox-first design — the refill sleeve was engineered to fit through a standard Dutch letterbox. Letterbox delivery eliminates failed delivery attempts, each of which roughly doubles the transport emissions per order.
• Mono-material packaging — our refill sleeve uses FSC-certified recycled board. Our sachet material is Mondi FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate — a mono-material paper laminate designed for recyclability. No mixed-material pouches.
• Right-sized parcels — we use the minimum packaging needed to protect the product in transit. No void fill, no air pillows, no oversized boxes.
• Reusable vessel by design — the aluminium vessel is designed to last years, replacing the need for a new container with every monthly order. Aluminium is infinitely recyclable with no quality loss.
• LUCID registered — we are registered with the German Verpackungsregister LUCID as required by §9 VerpackG, and participate in a dual system for our German packaging obligations.
• Verpact (NL) — registered packaging producer with Verpact for the Dutch market.

Contact us

For any shipping-related question — delayed order, tracking issue, wrong address, or damaged delivery — we are here:

For refund and return questions relating to a delivery, see our Refund & Return Policy. For subscription delivery management, see our Subscription Terms.