Refund and Returns Policy

Our goal in shipping is to be perfect in every shipment we make. We are near 100% in our shipping success to our customers. It’s so rare an event that we almost don’t need a returns process. But, sometimes things do go wrong, and we ask for your patience to let us make things right.

If you received a shipment that was for a different customer, e.g. not you, please let us know.

For your shipment, we have a 30-day return policy which starts at the time of shipment to be able to return and get a refund. If over 30 days have passed since your purchase was shipped, please call us, but note that in this case, we are unable to consider a full refund or exchange.

To be eligible for a return, your item must be:

  • Unused, undamaged, and complete (e.g. not missing parts).
  • In the same condition that you received it.
  • In the original product packaging.

For example, if the product was in a sealed box (e.g. puzzles, kits, games, etc.), the seal on the box must be unbroken.

Several types of goods cannot be returned for refund consideration. These include custom-manufactured products, gift cards, sale items, discontinued items, and downloadable software products.

Return Process

We strive to make everything right with your order. If you have a problem, our goal is to correct it as soon as possible.

Follow These Steps:

  • Contact us via phone or email.
  • Provide proof of purchase (your invoice with the Invoice number).
  • This is how we connect you (your name, address, charge method, etc.) to the item and link that to the payment processor.
  • Describe the problem. Why do you want to return the product?
  • We will email you, upon confirmation of proof of purchase and eligibility, an RMA (Return Materials Authorization) number.
  • Once you have the RMA, enclose the RMA, a copy of the invoice or packing slip with the product, and ship the product back to us.

You are responsible for shipping and insurance charges to return the item. If insurance is not purchased, you assume the shipping risk, which may result in no refund should the shipper damage or lose the package.

If you cannot find your receipt, we can sometimes find it from the name of the person who purchased it, the approximate date it was purchased, etc. Contact us for help on this.

To be eligible for a refund, you must provide us with your original invoice, billing and shipping address, email address, and phone number – all of which should be listed on your original invoice. If you have moved since the order was placed and this information has changed, please contact us for help.

Refunds

Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item and the status of the approval or rejection of your refund.

If you are approved for a refund, we will process your refund within 5 business days (usually the same day).

We will send you a follow-up email with a notification that we have processed the refund via the payment processor.

Credit will be applied to the original method of payment used to purchase the item (e.g. if you charged it on a credit card, it will be refunded on that credit card). The refund amount is composed of the price you paid for the item and the associated portion of the sales tax. However, your actual refund may have additional deductions for fees imposed by your payment processor or your bank, and for international orders import/export/customs charges (which we do not control).

After this, the payment processor or bank does their work to do the refund and post it to your account.

Late Reimbursement or Missing Refunds

If you suspect your refund is late or missing, please note that refunds typically take about 5-10 business days for the payment processor or bank to post them to your account once we have processed the refund. For international orders, this can take an additional couple of weeks, which varies based on the payment processor. We do not control this part of the process.

Steps to take if you haven’t received a refund after you receive our email stating that we refunded the item plus the additional payment processor time:

  • Check with your charge card company bank or payment institution to see what status they have.
  • Email us if they do not have the transaction, and we will put a trace on the transaction.

Damaged Shipment

Before opening a box that has obvious signs of damage:

  • Take photos of all sides of the box and keep the original packaging.
  • This is how we connect you (your name, address, charge method, etc.) to the item and link that to the payment processor.
  • However, if you find any damage, take photos of the damaged product inside the packaging and keep all the internal packaging materials.
  • If you purchased insurance, follow the claim process of the shipper (UPS, USPS, or FedEx) they will request copies of these photos along with a copy of your invoice.
  • If you did not purchase insurance, the shipper may provide some basic level of coverage.

Contact us via email, and we can let you know if that carrier provided any basic coverage. For example, USPS Priority Mail may provide up to $50 of insurance at no additional charge.

Lost or Missing Shipment

  • Contact the Shipper with the tracking number for your order.
  • Once the shipper picks up the package, the buyer assumes the liability for the shipment – this is called Free on Board (FOB) Origin. This is why many customers purchase the insurance the shipper provides. For some cases, the shipper provides a minimum level of insurance coverage as part of the shipping cost.

A historical note: in the thousands of packages that we have shipped over the past years, we can’t remember when a package was lost (meaning the shipper did not confirm delivery). We are amazed at how good our experience with USPS and UPS has been.

What Should You Do if You Suspect Your Package Was Stolen?

A concern that many of our customers have been telling us about is porch pirates stealing packages from homes at alarming rates, here are the recommended steps both preventative and what to do if the problem is suspected:

  • Preventative: Install a camera system; it provides a deterrent and gives you proof that it was stolen or not delivered.
  • Track your package with the shipper to make sure it is delivered.
  • Check with your neighbors – Sometimes packages are delivered to the wrong address, or a well-meaning neighbor will pick them up to prevent theft. A quick check with the neighbors may help.
  • Contact us to let us know if there is a problem. There may be things we can do to help.
  • File a claim with the shipper, e.g. USPS, UPS, etc. This does several things – lets them know there is a problem, allows them to do a detailed tracking of the package, and if they provide some level of insurance, or you purchased insurance – starts the insurance process.
  • Check with your credit card company; they may provide complimentary purchase protection, and they may simply issue you a refund.

Missing Product in Your Shipment

  • Confirm on the packing slip in the box that the item was shipped.
  • Sometimes we split the shipment into multiple packages for various reasons (e.g., to keep the package under a certain weight class or size class, to do a partial shipment, etc.)
  • If the item was marked as shipped but not in the package, please contact us with the invoice number and tracking number.
  • To help insure against an error on our part, we weigh every package being shipped, have the weight of the products in the package, and know the weight of the packaging. If this doesn’t match, it helps us catch and fix the problem before it is shipped to you.
  • Upon receipt of this information and confirmation, we will replace the missing item at no cost to you.

Defective Items

Our goal is to have 100% defect-free products delivered to you. If you believe you have a defective product, please contact us and describe the problem. Make sure to include a copy of the invoice or the invoice number.

If the product is defective, we will, at our option, either:

  • Repair or replace the product
  • Supply replacement parts
  • Or issue you with a full refund for the product, including its portion of tax and shipping, if applicable.
  • If we choose to replace the product or provide parts, we will ship those items to you at no cost (including sales tax and shipping)

Gift Returns

If the item was noted on the original order as a gift when purchased, you’ll receive a gift credit for the value of your return. Once the returned item is received and approved, a gift certificate will be emailed to you.

If the item wasn’t marked as a gift when purchased, you will need to have the purchaser contact us.

Need Any Other Help?

Contact us at [email protected] for questions related to refunds and returns.

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