FAQ — Questions the House Answers

Question 1

What is Meli?

Accepted Answer

Meli is a lifestyle shop by Meli — Family Reimagined. Decor first, furniture next: vessels, lighting, trays, sculpture, and bath pieces in marble, travertine, wood, and abaca. Edited in Dubai, delivered across the UAE. Shop the collections.

Question 2

Who is behind Meli?

Accepted Answer

Meli — Greek from Athina, living in Dubai. She imagines the pieces, specifies the materials, and shares the collections. The shop is operated by Athanasiou Family Lifestyle FZCO. Read about the house.

Question 3

Where is Meli based?

Accepted Answer

Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Orders ship to addresses across the UAE. The studio is here; fulfillment may leave from a partner warehouse on the way to you.

Question 4

What are the collections?

Accepted Answer

Five family collections, each named for a room and a mood: JAY (vessels), SAMIRA (trays and the table), NOR (lighting), HAMMAM (bath), and ATHINA (sculpture and outdoor pause). See every collection.

Question 5

What are Projects and Stories?

Accepted Answer

Projects is the work Meli is building in public — education, homes, hospitality, and the table, chapter by chapter. Stories are letters from the house: making, family, and the rooms that hold it. The shop is the objects; the rest is the life around them.

Question 6

How do I place an order?

Accepted Answer

Choose pieces from the shop, add them to your bag, and check out. You will receive an order confirmation by email, then a shipping confirmation with tracking once the order is dispatched.

Question 7

Do I need an account?

Accepted Answer

No. You can check out as a guest. An account is not required to shop, track, or write to us about an order.

Question 8

What is the MELI21 offer?

Accepted Answer

First orders over 350 AED can take 21% off with the code MELI21 at checkout. The minimum is the merchandise subtotal before VAT. If the code does not apply, write to us with your order details.

Question 9

Can I cancel an order?

Accepted Answer

You may cancel for a full refund only before the order enters processing. Once processing begins, the order cannot be cancelled. Contact us immediately at hello@meli.ae with your order number. Custom, personalised, made-to-order, or final-sale items cannot be cancelled after payment. See Returns.

Question 10

Do you make custom or made-to-order pieces?

Accepted Answer

Some pieces can be specified — dimensions, finish, or stone — on request. Made-to-order work is not covered by the usual cancellation window once payment is taken. Write to the house with what you have in mind before you buy.

Question 11

I have not received an order or tracking email.

Accepted Answer

Check spam and promotions first. If you have no confirmation after checkout, or no tracking within 3 business days of placing the order, email hello@meli.ae with your order number or the email you used at checkout.

Question 12

Where do you ship?

Accepted Answer

We currently deliver across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) only. If you are ordering from outside the UAE, contact us before checkout — we may be able to arrange delivery case by case. Full detail is on the Shipping page.

Question 13

Is shipping free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Standard UAE delivery has no separate shipping fee at checkout. 5% VAT is added on the merchandise subtotal as required by UAE law.

Question 14

How long does delivery take?

Accepted Answer

Orders are typically processed within 1–3 business days (Sunday–Thursday, excluding UAE public holidays), then delivered in 7–15 business days depending on your emirate and the courier. Busy periods may add a day. Timelines are estimates — customs, weather, and holidays can add time.

Question 15

How do I track my order?

Accepted Answer

A tracking link is included in your shipping confirmation email once the order is dispatched. If tracking is missing, stuck, or the parcel has not arrived within 60 days of dispatch, email hello@meli.ae with your order number.

Question 16

What if I miss the delivery?

Accepted Answer

Please give a complete address and a reachable phone number at checkout. Couriers may contact you before arrival and typically attempt delivery 1–3 times. Uncollected parcels may be held at a local post office for 3–7 days. Failed delivery from an incorrect address, an unreachable recipient, or a parcel left uncollected is not refundable as a matter of course.

Question 17

Tracking says delivered, but I do not have the parcel.

Accepted Answer

If tracking shows delivered, we treat the delivery as complete unless you can provide a non-delivery certificate from the local courier or post office with an official seal. Write to hello@meli.ae with your order number and that certificate. See Returns.

Question 18

What is the Meli Guarantee?

Accepted Answer

The Meli Guarantee is Meli's goodwill programme when a piece is not working in your home — scale, tone, or fit. It is not an automatic return policy. Contact us within 14 days of delivery. We may offer a partial refund (often around 50%) while you keep the item, store credit, a return to a UAE address, or — in exceptional cases — a more generous outcome. Read the full policy.

Question 19

What if my order arrives damaged, incorrect, or incomplete?

Accepted Answer

Report it within 30 days of the delivery date with your order number and photos or video. We will offer a refund, replacement, or reshipment as appropriate. This is separate from the Meli Guarantee. Do not send anything back until we confirm next steps.

Question 20

How do I start a claim or a goodwill request?

Accepted Answer

Email hello@meli.ae or write through the site with your order number, a short note, and photos where relevant. We will confirm the next steps. If a physical return is agreed, we send the return address and any reference number. Approved refunds go back to your original payment method; banks may take a further 5–10 business days.

Question 21

Can I send a piece back?

Accepted Answer

Not without Meli's approval. Where a physical return makes sense — including under the Meli Guarantee to a UAE address — we will send instructions. Return shipping is paid by you unless the return is due to our error or a defective product. Items must be unused and in original condition with packaging where a return or resale is involved.

Question 22

What is not covered?

Accepted Answer

The Meli Guarantee generally does not apply to final-sale or clearance items, custom or made-to-order pieces, opened hygiene products, bulky or fragile stone where return shipping is impractical, or repeat goodwill requests within 12 months. Natural stone variation, minor cosmetics that do not affect function, and damage to outer packaging only are not defects. Full exclusions.

Question 23

What about UAE consumer rights?

Accepted Answer

Nothing in our policies limits your statutory rights under applicable UAE consumer protection law, including rights relating to defective goods. If you are unsure whether your situation qualifies, contact us before sending anything back.

Question 24

What are the pieces made of?

Accepted Answer

Meli specifies marble, travertine, wood, and abaca. Each product page lists materials, finish, dimensions, and care. Natural stone is the body of much of the shop — honed, not pretending to be plastic.

Question 25

Will my piece look exactly like the photograph?

Accepted Answer

No — and that is the point. Travertine and marble carry unique veining, tone, pits, and texture. Slight variation from product photography is normal and not a defect. If you need a specific slab or tone, write before you buy and we will see what we can do.

Question 26

How do I care for marble and travertine?

Accepted Answer

Wipe with a soft damp cloth. Avoid acids (lemon, vinegar, wine left to sit), harsh cleaners, and abrasive pads. Stone likes care, not neglect. Use coasters and felt pads where a piece lives on another surface. Each product page has specific care notes when they differ.

Question 27

How do I care for wood and abaca?

Accepted Answer

Dust wood with a dry or slightly damp cloth; keep it away from standing water and hard sun. Abaca and fiber pieces prefer a dry wipe and a shaded room — moisture and direct heat shorten their life. Follow the care line on the product page for that piece.

Question 28

Are stone and glass packed for transit?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Fragile items are packed for the journey. Inspect the delivery when it arrives. If something is damaged, contact us within 30 days with photos or video, and note outer-packaging damage with the courier where you can.

Question 29

How do I know if a piece will fit my room?

Accepted Answer

Every product lists dimensions. Measure the surface or the corner before you buy — stone is heavier and more honest than a render. If you are unsure about scale, send us a photo or a measurement and we will tell you what we would do in your place.

Question 30

Which payment methods do you accept?

Accepted Answer

Checkout is through Shopify. We accept major cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay, and PayPal where those methods are offered at checkout.

Question 31

What currency are prices in, and is VAT included?

Accepted Answer

Prices are shown in UAE dirhams (AED) before VAT. 5% VAT is added at checkout as required by UAE law. Import duties for standard UAE delivery are included in the price unless we state otherwise.

Question 32

When am I charged?

Accepted Answer

You are charged when you complete checkout, not when the parcel arrives. Refunds, when approved, return to the original payment method.

Question 33

Is checkout secure?

Accepted Answer

Meli does not store your full card number. Payment is handled by Shopify and the payment providers you choose. See the Privacy Policy for how we handle personal information.

Question 34

How do I reach Meli?

Accepted Answer

Write through the site, email hello@meli.ae, or send a WhatsApp. For an order, include the order number. For a piece, a photo of the room helps more than a paragraph.

Question 35

Do you work with press, trade, or wholesale?

Accepted Answer

Yes — write to the house and say what you need. Contact is the door. We read every message.

Question 36

How quickly do you reply?

Accepted Answer

We read every note. Most messages hear back within one or two business days (Sunday–Thursday). Order issues and damaged deliveries are first.

Question 37

My question is not here.

Accepted Answer

Then write. The contact page is the shortest path. For delivery timelines see Shipping; for refunds and the Meli Guarantee, see Returns.

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