Frequently Asked Questions
About Us
Merrythought has been hand-making the quintessential English teddy bear in the World Heritage Site of Ironbridge since 1930.
We are based at Merrythought Village, Ironbridge, Shropshire, TF8 7NJ.
We would be delighted to welcome you to the Merrythought Teddy Bear Shop at our home in Ironbridge.
Not only is this historical shop located next to the famous Merrythought factory, but it is the only retail shop in the world that is exclusively dedicated to Merrythought teddy bears, and it has a small museum area too.
Our opening hours are:
Monday to Friday 11.00am - 4.00pm.
Saturday and Sunday 10.00am - 4.00pm
You can find your nearest Merrythought stockist here:
You can ring our dedicated Merrythought Team Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday.
Certainly, just phone our web team on 01952 403344 and they will be happy to complete your order over the phone.
Unfortunately, we do not currently offer factory tours, but the Merrythought Teddy Bear Shop is open 7 days a week and has a small museum area, so well worth a visit.
Our Teddy Bears
Merrythought has handmade traditional teddy bears in the World Heritage Site of Ironbridge, Shropshire, UK since 1930 and continue to today.
Please click on the plus button next to the Description and Composition and Care for full product information and if you require any further help please ring 01952 433044
For the ultimate gift, why not have your bear personalised?
Simply follow the instructions on the page below, choosing your ribbon and thread colour, and entering up to two lines of text that will be embroidered onto your bear’s paw.
We advise sponging the surface of the teddy bear with a light detergent or light cleaning spray, and using lukewarm water to wipe clean. Please DO NOT immerse the bear in water.
We do not offer a repair service at this time. We recommend researching teddy bear repairers/restorers in your local area.
Please email us with an image of the bear plus close ups of any labels as these help us to identify and age your bear. We will not be able to positively identify a bear as a Merrythought without a label. We are only able to offer a limited identification service due to the large volume of enquiries we receive and can only identify a maximum of two bears per customer.
Please note due to the high demand for this request it may take us 2-4 weeks to answer
your email so we thank you in advance for your patience.
For valuations we regret to inform you that Merrythought is unable to carry out this work as this is the domain of antiques experts for which we are not really qualified to give advice.
We would suggest contacting an auction house or there are also a number of antiques and collectables magazines on the market which may have useful contacts. We recommend Daniel Agnew on the following link but please note charges may apply.www.danielagnew.com/other-services/antique-teddy-bear-doll-soft-toy-valuation-service
Delivery
We currently use DHL, FedEx, and Royal Mail.
Please see our Delivery & Returns page.
Please see our Delivery & Returns page.
Orders can be traced using the tracking number sent to your mobile, or emailed upon request. A signature will be required, and delivery can be re–arranged with the courier directly if necessary.
If you are not at home when delivery is attempted, a card will be left detailing how the delivery can be re-arranged or where the parcel may be collected from.
Unfortunately, we cannot deliver to a PO Box, as our couriers require a signature for every parcel delivered.
We deliver to over 50 countries worldwide, please choose your local flag from the home page to see our website in your local currency and to see the carriage, import and local tax charges which may apply to your order.
Yes, you will be responsible for paying any customs and import charges for the country in question.
We offer a third party international checkout option from our homepage.
This option offers you the ability to see any applicable tax or import duties before purchase.
Please choose the flag of your country from the top left hand side to access the international checkout.
Returns
Please return to the address below, and follow the advised instructions
Returns Address:
Returns
Merrythought Ltd
Merrythought Village
Ironbridge
Telford
Shropshire
TF8 7NJ
Customer Services 01952 908198
When returning a parcel, please ensure:
- The item(s) is packed well to ensure it arrives in its original state, and use the original packaging where possible.
- A letter with your dispatch note is enclosed detailing the order number, your address, contact details and reason for return. (This helps to process the return quickly.)
We will aim to process your refund or replacement as quickly as possible, usually within seven working days.
If you have any questions regarding your returned item please contact us on 01952 433044
"Please be advised that we cannot be held responsible for items during transit and all returns will be sent at your own cost"
Return delivery charges are only refundable where goods are faulty.
Please be advised that Personalised products are not returnable unless faulty. This does not affect your legal rights.
We will email you on the email address held for the order to inform you of the receipt of your returns and to confirm the refund has been processed to the payment method used for the order.
We will aim to process your refund or replacement as quickly as possible, usually within seven working days.
Payment
We currently accept payment via PayPal, and can also process card payments over the phone.
Our website utilises128 bit SSL encryption, the Industry standard for Financial Institutions, to process card transactions via Shopify payments online system. You can have confidence that this information is held with the very high levels of security you would expect from a major financial services company.
We accept all major credit and debit cards including American Express, Diners Club, Discover and JCB.
We also accept payment via PayPal
The cost of your order will be based on the UK price in pounds sterling, but can be viewed in your local currency by choosing your country flag from the home page. Your final order price including any local taxes can be viewed by adding a product to the checkout.
For a standard web orders using a credit card, debit card or PayPal, your card/account will be charged at the point that you place your order.