M.J. Bale Review: Sizing, Shipping, Returns and What to Check Before You Order

This guide is for Australian shoppers who are thinking about ordering menswear from M.J. Bale and want to understand the returns, shipping and fit information before paying. It is not a review of the products, and we have not tested any product. Store policies change, so read the current pages at checkout.

Disclosure: We earn a commission or a fee when you click or buy through some links, at no extra cost to you. We label those links as ads. We have not tested any product or store mentioned here.

Quick answer

• Real business: an Australian company with an ABN, stores and a phone line, per its own pages.
• Change-of-mind returns exist: full-priced items can be returned for a refund, exchange or credit note, but you pay a flat $12.50 to post them back.
• Sale items are narrower: the store offers a credit note or exchange for sale items, not a refund, unless the item is faulty.
• Reviews are mixed: ProductReview.com.au shows a low average, mostly about durability and value. Trustpilot has none.
• Verdict: a genuine, established Australian retailer with clear written policies. The main risk is not scam behaviour. It is whether the quality suits the price, and whether you are happy with the returns terms on sale items.

At a glance

Who runs M.J. Bale

The terms say the contract is with Newbale Clothing Pty Limited trading as M.J. Bale, with an ABN. The returns address is in Rosebery, NSW, and the site lists stores across Australia plus Myer and David Jones counters. The domain has existed since 2010, which fits an established business rather than a new shop.

Sizing and fit

We could not read a size chart on the store. The fit guide page the site links did not show readable content when we fetched it, and we did not find another size guide page. Here is what we could confirm from product listings on the site (read 26 Oct 2026):

• Product descriptions name a cut, such as Slim Fit, Regular Fit or Athletic Fit. The names appear in the text of many items, so check the cut on each product, not just the size.
• Shirts we looked at are listed in neck sizes from 36 to 50, in whole numbers up to 44 and then in steps of two.

Measure a shirt you already own and like, compare it with the chart, and ask customer service by chat or email if you are between sizes. Our guide to reading clothing size charts online explains how.

The FAQ says wedding-party consultations and fittings are free, and says off-the-rack suit alterations typically take 1 to 2 weeks and made-to-measure suits 4 to 12 weeks.

Shipping and delivery

The standalone shipping page we tried returned "not found", so the shipping details below come from the store's FAQ page (read 26 Oct 2026).

• Standard: estimated 2 to 6 business days from dispatch. Free for Australian orders over $100, otherwise $12.50.
• Express: estimated 1 to 3 business days from dispatch, $14.95.
• New Zealand: shipped from the AU site. The FAQ says it does not ship other international orders from the AU site and points to a global site, which we did not read.
• Click and Collect: standalone stores only; allow 1 to 3 business days.
• Split shipments: multi-item orders may come in separate parcels, each tracked, at no extra charge.

Returns and refunds

The returns policy (read 26 Oct 2026) says:

• Full-priced goods can be returned within 30 days for a refund, exchange or credit note.
• Sale items are credit note or exchange only, at the store's discretion.
• Goods must be unworn, unwashed and unused, with tags.
• Excluded from change-of-mind returns: made-to-measure, altered or personalised items, goods from its Laneway sale events, items bought with gift cards or credit notes, and socks, underwear, swimwear and masks.
• Postal returns use an online portal. Change-of-mind returns cost a flat $12.50, taken from your credit. Faulty returns are not charged this fee and original shipping is refunded.
• Refunds go back to the original payment method. Credit notes last one year.
• Goods bought at Myer or David Jones cannot be returned to M.J. Bale.

Compared with Australian Consumer Law

The consumerlaw.gov.au page we read (26 Oct 2026) says goods must work properly, do what they are supposed to do and match their description, and that if they are faulty, broken or not as described you may be entitled to a refund, repair or replacement depending on the problem. The store says it does not exclude these rights.

The credit-note-only rule for sale items covers change of mind, not faults. If an item is faulty or not as described, the guarantees apply whether it was on sale or not. We could not read the ACCC pages to check whether stores must accept change-of-mind returns at all. The page we did read does not say they must, so change-of-mind returns look to depend on the store's own policy.

What shoppers say

• ProductReview.com.au: 2.4 out of 5 from 93 reviews, about 33 percent positive and 67 percent negative (read 26 Oct 2026).
• Trustpilot: the profile has no reviews and is unclaimed (read 26 Oct 2026), so there is nothing to learn there.

Recurring themes in the ProductReview reviews, as customer opinions: shirts and trousers wearing out within months, prices that some feel do not match quality, mixed experiences with store staff, and complaints about discounts not honoured and credit instead of refunds. Some reviewers praised the style, fit and knowledgeable staff. We did not verify any review.

Verdict

M.J. Bale looks like a genuine, long-running Australian retailer with written policies, an ABN, stores and phone support. We found no scam signs. The caution is quality-for-price feedback and sale-item terms.

Think twice if you are buying sale items and may want your money back, because the policy offers credit or exchange only.

Checklist before you order

1. Check the cut name (Slim, Regular, Athletic) and the size chart, and compare with a shirt that fits you now.
2. Note whether the item is full price or sale, because refunds differ.
3. Remember the $12.50 return fee on change-of-mind postal returns.
4. Keep tags on and do not wash or wear the item until you are sure.
5. Photograph any fault on arrival and email service@mjbale.com with proof of purchase.
6. If you pay with Afterpay, return through the channel you bought from.

What we could not confirm

• A readable size chart or fit guide.
• The standalone shipping policy page, which returned not found.
• The global (non-AU) site's shipping terms.
• ACCC pages on consumer guarantees (access was blocked), so we relied on consumerlaw.gov.au.
• Reddit, Google review and Sitejabber results.
• Which return window applies: the policy says 30 days, but the portal steps say to drop off within 14 days.
• Refund timing: the policy says up to 7 business days, the FAQ says 2 to 4 plus 2 to 3 for the bank.
• The customer phone number: two different numbers appear on the contact and FAQ pages.

Related guides

• How to tell if an online store is legit
• Refunds and chargebacks
• How to spot fake reviews
• How to read clothing size charts online

Last checked: 26 October 2026. Sources: M.J. Bale, returns (no date shown); M.J. Bale, FAQs (no date shown); M.J. Bale, contact (no date shown); M.J. Bale, terms (no date shown); ProductReview.com.au, M.J. Bale (relative dates); Trustpilot, mjbale.com (no reviews); Consumer Law, for consumers (no date shown); RDAP, mjbale.com (26 Oct 2026). Terms change: read the current terms at checkout.