Top 14 asked questions
- Are there any fees or charges?
It is free for the host to use timto and all the presents in the wish list are the same price as that on the respected retailer’s website. For full information regarding the costs of the service, please look at our costs page. - How does timto.co.uk generate revenue from the service as there are no setup charges?
We work in association with our suppliers and are remunerated for selling their vouchers and products. You will be glad to know that the price of the item is not affected by our remuneration as this is a normal business practice. The payments we receive from retailers allow us to keep many features of the timto service free! Consequently, it is really important that our customers use the special links located on the website to purchase their timto birthday presents. Significantly, we do not receive any remuneration for the money donated to charity. It is always been important to us that every penny earmarked for donation is given to the charity selected. We hope this information answers all your questions regarding the costs associated with having a timto birthday and using the service. If you have more questions please contact the timto team on 02920 090 906 or email us at info@timto.co.uk. - Is there a minimum amount guests can contribute to a fund?
No, there is no minimum amount. Guests can contribute whatever they like and all contributions are anonymous / confidential. - Why is the amount contributed by a guest confidential?
The amounts contributed by guests are not published on the timto party page because we respect the privacy of guests and did not want them to be subject to peer pressure. The concept has always been for guests to contribute the same as they would normally pay for gifts. - How early should I set up my timto account?
We recommend a timto fund is setup 4 weeks before the child’s birthday party. This gives the host sufficient time to send out the FREE timto invitations, for guests to contribute to the fund and then for the presents to be purchased in time for the party. However, the most important part of a timto party is to ensure the invitations are sent out with the relevant party code and password. Without this information guests will not be able to contribute to the fund & RSVP. - Can I donate to my favourite charity?
Yes, you can give to any registered charity. To check if a charity is registered, please click here:http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk (Scotland: http://www.oscr.org.uk/) - What is the minimum amount I have to donate to charity?
The minimum donation to charity is £5 per party. There is no maximum limit. - What are the benefits of timto?
Please look at our benefits page. - Can my child have their presents at the party?
Yes. The fund can be closed and the presents can be purchased at any time. We encourage the timto presents to be at the party so that family and friends can see what the collective fund has been used to purchase – most importantly the birthday child can have fun opening their great presents! - Who supplies the presents and experience activities?
To provide you with the widest range of gifts at the lowest possible price, we work in association with a number of key retailers: Amazon.co.uk, Red Letter Days, Mothercare, ELC and The Entertainer toy store. timto supply you with gift certificates/vouchers which you can then redeem to purchase the gifts in your wish list. This means you can then be provided various delivery options and high quality after sales customer service. - How do I tell the guests about the timto service?
We provide free invitations and an information sheet for you to give to your guests, which help explain the timto service! (download page) - Can I have a timto party anywhere in mainland Britain?
As a host you can use the service from anywhere in the UK and are only limited by the delivery of the presents from the retailers we work in association with. Furthermore, the service can be used by people in other countries to contribute to the fund – ideal for parents that work abroad and/or family that live overseas. - Can I have a joint party?
Yes, you can. There are 2 ways you can have a joint timto party, you can either:
(1) you can register separate timto funds for each of the birthday children.
Tip: To keep it simple for guests use the same party password and we will issue you with unique party codes. You can insert all the individual party codes on to one invitation.
Or
(2) register one timto party for all the birthday children.
Appoint a ‘lead’ parent to be responsible for managing all aspects of the account. To choose this option simply enter the names of all the children in the ‘first name’ text box on step 1 of ‘register a party page’. - How do I search for products in the timto shop?
Please refer to our how guide - using the wish list builder
Questions specific to the timto service
- Are there any fees or charges?
It is free for the host to use timto and all the presents in the wish list are the same price as that on the respected retailer’s website.
For full information regarding the costs of the service, please look at our costs page. - How does timto.co.uk generate revenue from the service as there are no setup charges?
We work in association with our suppliers and are remunerated for selling their vouchers and products. You will be glad to know that the price of the item is not affected by our remuneration as this is a normal business practice.
The payments we receive from retailers allow us to keep many features of the timto service free! Consequently, it is really important that our customers use the special links located on the website to purchase their timto birthday presents.
Significantly, we do not receive any remuneration for the money donated to charity. It is always been important to us that every penny earmarked for donation is given to the charity selected.
We hope this information answers all your questions regarding the costs associated with having a timto birthday and using the service. If you have more questions please contact the timto team on 02920 090 906 or email us at info@timto.co.uk. - Is there a minimum amount guests can contribute to a fund?
No, there is no minimum amount. Guests can contribute whatever they like and all contributions are anonymous / confidential. - Why is the amount contributed by a guest confidential?
The amounts contributed by guests are not published on the timto party page because we respect the privacy of guests and did not want them to be subject to peer pressure.
The concept has always been for guests to contribute the same as they would normally pay for gifts. - Why haven’t I heard of timto before?
timto was launched in March 2010. The launch of the service generated excellent media coverage and this can be seen in the timto press room.
First and foremost, timto provides great presents and fun for children. It is also convenient for guests and enables host parents to fundraise for charity by redistributing some of the money that may have been previously 'wasted' on individual gifts. - What are the benefits of timto?
Please look at our benefits page. - Is timto just a children’s service?
No, anyone can celebrate their birthday using the timto service. Also, in the next few months we will be launching timto celebration to catering for any kind of celebration! - Am I too old to have a timto birthday?
You’re never too old to have a timto party! Click here to register now - How does my child benefit from having a timto party?
Your children will a great fun building their timto birthday page, finding out who can attend the party (via RSVP Service), reading personal messages from guests and receiving special presents from the collected contributions. For example; an outdoor climbing frame, Nintendo Wii or an indoor kids sky diving experience day!!! - How do I as a parent benefit from having a timto party?
timto is a free, convenient & memorable service that provides an RSVP service, generates a feel good factor (i.e. the charitable donation) and provides an element of control over what types of gifts your child receives. - Can I have a timto party anywhere in mainland Britain?
As a host you can use the service from anywhere in the UK and are only limited by the delivery of the presents from the retailers we work in association with.
Furthermore, the service can be used by people in other countries to contribute to the fund – ideal for parents that work abroad and/or family that live overseas. - What’s the difference between timto and a traditional wish list?
With a traditional wish list, guests purchase presents individually. The timto service differs because it allows guests to contribute an overall fund, which can then be used to purchase collective gifts. Also, timto means ‘there is more to’ and therefore the hosts also make a donation to a charity, whereas with normal wedding lists there is no such requirement. - What have other people said about timto?
We have had fantastic feedback from our customers. Take a look at our testimonials page. - How safe is our personal data?
The safety and security of our users'/customers' personal and financial information is absolutely paramount to everything we do at timto.co.uk.
Some of the extensive security measures we have taken are:- timto.co.uk has a premium EV SSL certificate to encrypt and protect your personal information (please note the green bar and padlock on the URL of the websites).
- timto.co.uk is PCI Compliant and we use leading internet payment service, PayPal, to process card payments.
- How can I offer feedback to timto on their service?
We are always looking for feedback on the service so please email the team on feedback@timto.co.uk - How can I contact timto?
The timto team can be contacted by email info@timto.co.uk or telephone 02920 090 906 (for full details go to contact us page) - Are there any guides to help me use timto?
Yes. We have many guides to help you through many aspects of the service. Please go to our ‘how page’ - Is there a minimum amount guests can contribute to a fund?
No, there is no minimum amount. Guests can contribute whatever they like and all contributions are anonymous / confidential. - Can contributions be confidential?
The amounts contributed by guests are not published on the timto party page. However, guests can see who else has contributed and whether they intend on attending the party. - Are payments secure?
Yes they are. To provide you with the highest standard of security we transport you to the PayPal website to enable you to make contribution to a birthday fund. Using a world leading payment service provider, like PayPal, means that your data is protected by high levels of online secured. - Can I have a joint party?
Yes, you can. There are 2 ways you can have a joint timto party, you can either:
(1) you can register separate timto funds for each of the birthday children.
Tip: To keep it simple for guests use the same party password and we will issue you with unique party codes. You can insert all the individual party codes on to one invitation.
Or
(2) register one timto party for all the birthday children.
Appoint a ‘lead’ parent to be responsible for managing all aspects of the account. To choose this option simply enter the names of all the children in the ‘first name’ text box on step 1 of ‘register a party page’. - Why does the timto website use lower case letters instead of capitals?
the timto brand is meant to represent celebrations, life and fun! Our name, timto, is always written in lower case which is a theme repeated throughout our website. So if you are an English teacher please do not report the timto team for poor grammar! :-)
Questions specific to the party host / parent
- How do I tell the guests about the timto service?
We provide free invitations and an information sheet for you to give to your guests, which help explain the timto service! - How early should I set up my timto account?
We recommend a timto fund is setup 4 weeks before the child’s birthday party. This gives the host sufficient time to send out the FREE timto invitations, for guests to contribute to the fund and then for the presents to be purchased in time for the party.
However, the most important part of a timto party is to ensure the invitations are sent out with the relevant party code and password. Without this information guests will not be able to contribute to the fund & RSVP. - Can my child have their presents at the party?
Yes. The fund can be closed and the presents can be purchased at any time.
We encourage the timto presents to be at the party so that family and friends can see what the collective fund has been used to purchase – most importantly the birthday child can have fun opening their great presents! - My invites won’t open...Help?
You will need the latest version of Adobe to edit our invites. To download Adobe click here. - How do I edit the invitations?
Firstly, open the invitations on either ‘Your Account’ page or on the downloads page. Once the invitation is open select the shaded areas and type in the relevant information. For further help, please click here to view our ‘how to edit the invitations’ guide. - What do I do if the amount collected is less than the value of the wish list?
You have several options. You can remove items from the wish list, top up the fund
(NB: we do not make you buy the items in the wish list) - Can I change the items on my wish list at any time?
The wish list can be changed at any time and you are not required to purchase any of the items in the wish list. - What happens if I raise more money than my wish list requires?
You can either increase your charitable donation, or use the funds to purchase more presents! The decision is up to you! - What happens if I don’t use the entire value of the Amazon.co.uk certificate?
When you use your timto / Amazon.co.uk code the value of the certificate is applied to your personal Amazon.co.uk account. Therefore, if you do not spend the entire fund you can use the remaining fund at a later date.
NB: Amazon.co.uk gift certificates are valid for 12 months. - Can I close my birthday fund early?
Yes. You are able to close the fund at any time. - What happens after the party?
Once you would like to close your fund and order the presents log in to your account page and select ‘close a fund’. For a full description of the process please go to our how page and select the how to close your fund guide. - What happens if I lose my account password?
Press ‘log in’ on the top right hand corner of the homepage and select the ‘forgot password’ button. - What happens if I lose my timto party code and/or password?
Contact the timto team and we will be able to provide you with the password - Is there a minimum amount guests can contribute to a fund?
No, there is no minimum amount. Guests can contribute whatever they like and all contributions are anonymous / confidential. - Why is the amount contributed by a guest confidential?
The amounts contributed by guests are not published on the timto party page because we respect the privacy of guests and did not want them to be subject to peer pressure.
The concept has always been for guests to contribute the same as they would normally pay for gifts. - Are payments secure?
Yes they are. To provide you with the highest standard of security we transport you to the PayPal website to enable you to make contribution to a birthday fund. Using a world leading payment service provider, like PayPal, means that your data is protected by high levels of online secured. - Why should my child have a timto birthday?
Did you know that a child at their birthday party receives individual presents from school friends, which are collectively worth over £160?
Our research tells us that there is a phenomenal amount of waste linked to presents that are kindly bought for children's birthday parties by their friends. The 'waste' is a result of gifts that whilst appreciated are often unwanted, remaining unused or duplicated. Not to mention all the excessive packaging that accompanies today's toy products. This means that a significant amount of the money spent on a child goes to waste. Not to mention the time spent on deciding what to buy and purchasing a traditional gift. Current UK Society strives to find ways to support many 'charities and good causes' and likes to 'feel good' about doing so.
timto.co.uk links these two factors together to provide a truly heart warming birthday party experience! Our objective is to ensure that every child learns the true value of a gift whilst encouraging them to support people & organisations less fortunate that themselves. - How does my child benefit from having a timto party?
Your children will a great fun building their timto birthday page, finding out who can attend the party (via RSVP Service), reading personal messages from guests and receiving special presents from the collected contributions. For example; an outdoor climbing frame, Nintendo Wii or an indoor kids sky diving experience day!!! - How do I, as a parent, benefit from having a timto party?
timto is a free, convenient & memorable service that provides an RSVP service, generates a feel good factor (i.e. the charitable donation) and provides an element of control over what types of gifts your child receives. - How long are my vouchers valid for?
The gift certificates / vouchers are valid for the following periods:- Amazon.co.uk = 12months
- Red Letters days = 10 months
- Mothercare and ELC = no expiry date
- The Entertainer = no expiry date
- I can’t find products in the timto shop?
Please refer to our how guide - using the wish list builder - How do I search for products in the timto shop?
Please refer to our how guide - using the wish list builder - Can the price of products in the wish list change?
The actual price you pay for products will be set by Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase only and may vary slightly (+/-) from the price in your wish list. - What happens if I try to purchase an item from my wish list using Amazon.co.uk, but discover that it is ‘out of stock’?
In general, items in your wish list will be available, however, stock levels can fluctuate.
In the event a wish list item is ‘out of stock’, you may be able to pre-order the item which will secure your purchase when it returns to stock. If this service is not available, please to return to Amazon.co.uk at a later date or contact the timto team. - Can I have a joint timto party?
Yes, you can. There are 2 ways you can have a joint timto party, you can either:
(1) you can register separate timto funds for each of the birthday children.
Tip: To keep it simple for guests use the same party password and we will issue you with unique party codes. You can insert all the individual party codes on to one invitation.
Or
(2) register one timto party for all the birthday children.
Appoint a ‘lead’ parent to be responsible for managing all aspects of the account. To choose this option simply enter the names of all the children in the ‘first name’ text box on step 1 of ‘register a party page’.
Questions specific to guests attending a timto party
- Is there a minimum amount guests can contribute to a fund?
No, there is no minimum amount. Guests can contribute whatever they like and all contributions are anonymous / confidential. - Why is the amount contributed by a guest confidential?
The amounts contributed by guests are not published on the timto party page because we respect the privacy of guests and did not want them to be subject to peer pressure.
The concept has always been for guests to contribute the same as they would normally pay for gifts. - Are payments secure?
Yes they are. To provide you with the highest standard of security we transport you to the PayPal website to enable you to make contribution to a birthday fund. Using a world leading payment service provider, like PayPal, means that your data is protected by high levels of online secured.
Questions specific to charitable donations & charities
- What is the minimum amount I have to donate to charity?
The minimum donation to charity is £5 per party. There is no maximum limit. - Can I donate to my favourite charity?
Yes, you can give to any registered charity. To check if a charity is registered, please click here: http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk (Scotland: http://www.oscr.org.uk/) - Can I donate to my school PTA?
Yes you can. We prefer it if the PTA is a registered charity, if not we can make the donation to the School itself. - Can I donate to a charity that is not featured on timto?
Yes you can, but the charity must be registered. You can check on this website: http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk (Scotland: http://www.oscr.org.uk/) - How do I donate to a charity that is not listed on the timto website?
On step 3 of ‘register your party’ you can enter the details of a charity you would like to support and timto will manage the donation! - Can I register a charity with timto?
Yes you can, please go to this page (http://www.timto.co.uk/good-causes) and select the button to indicate whether you would like to register a school PTA or registered charity. - Can I donate to more than one charity?
Using the automated service you can only donate to one charity, however, if it is really important to you that you donate to two charities please contact the timto team and we will try to facilitate multiple donations. - Do you have a complaint about the way we fundraise?
If so, please send a letter to Mr. L. Cornish explaining your complaint:
Address: Mr. L. Cornish. Managing Director, Timto Ltd, The GTi Suite, Valleys Innovation Centre, Navigation Park, Abercynon, Rhondda Cynon Taff, South Wales CF45 4SN.
Please refer to our Fundraising Standard Board page for more information.
Questions specific to vouchers, presents & retailers
- Who supplies the presents and experience activities?
To provide you with the widest range of gifts at the lowest possible price, we work in association with a number of key retailers: Amazon.co.uk, Red Letter Days, Mothercare, ELC and The Entertainer toy store. timto supply you with gift certificates/vouchers which you can then redeem to purchase the gifts in your wish list. This means you can then be provided various delivery options and high quality after sales customer service. - How long are my vouchers / certificates valid for?
The gift certificates / vouchers are valid for the following periods:- Amazon.co.uk = 12months
- Red Letters days = 10 months
- Mothercare and ELC = no expiry date
- The Entertainer = no expiry date
- What happens if I don’t use the entire value of the Amazon.co.uk certificate?
When you use your timto / Amazon.co.uk code the value of the certificate is applied to your personal Amazon.co.uk account. Therefore, if you do not spend the entire fund you can use the remaining fund at a later date.
NB: Amazon.co.uk gift certificates are valid for 12 months. - Who will deliver the presents?
The presents will be delivered by the retailer you choose or you can purchase the presents in person, using our high street store vouchers.
You can select to use our online service (Amazon.co.uk), experience day service (Red Letter Days) or high street stores vouchers (The Entertainer, Mothercare and/or ELC) - Can I return my gift if it’s unsuitable?
timto.co.uk only issue gift certificates. All queries relating to products should be directed to the retailer who supplied the product. Each retailer has their own returns policy. - What happens if there is a problem with a product that I have bought?
timto.co.uk only issue gift certificates. All queries relating to products should be directed to the retailer who supplied the product. Each retailer has their own returns policy - Does it cost more to purchase items from the timto shop as opposed to buying them directly from Amazon.co.uk or Red Letter Days?
No, products cost exactly the same! - Who are your retailers?
timto work in association with the following retailers: Amazon.co.uk, Red Letter Days, Mothercare, ELC and The Entertainer toy store. - Can the price of the products in the wish list change?
The actual price you pay for products will be set by Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase only and may vary slightly (+/-) from the price in your wish list. - What happens if I try to purchase an item from my wish list using Amazon.co.uk, but discover that it is ‘out of stock’?
In general, items in your wish list will be available, however, stock levels can fluctuate.
In the event a wish list item is ‘out of stock’, you may be able to pre-order the item which will secure your purchase when it returns to stock. If this service is not available, please to return to Amazon.co.uk at a later date or contact the timto team. - I can’t find products in the timto shop?
Please refer to our how guide - using the wish list builder - How do I search for products in the timto shop?
Please refer to our how guide - using the wish list builder - How long does it take to receive the gift certificates / vouchers?
Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates: We will notify you by email when your Amazon.co.uk gift certificate has been issued. This can take up to 2 working days, however we aim to process an order within 12 hours.
The certificate will be in the form of a unique code that will be located securely in timto your account page.
To active your code you must click the ‘buy the items on your wish list’ button.
High Street Vouchers: You will receive your vouchers in the next 3 working days.
Experience Days: You will receive your e-certificate in the next 3 working days.
