*Due to the Covid 19 pandemic please do read the shipping policies.*
**Please note: postal services across the globe and within the U.K. are continuing whilst we all fight against corona virus. However, any estimated delivery date provided to you by Etsy for your order will NOT be as accurate as it ordinarily is under normal circumstances. Please be patient for you order, it is really appreciated. For all international orders, I am contacting each customer individually and informing them of the latest Royal Mail shipping bulletin for dispatches to their own specific country before shipping. Unfortunately, due to unprecedented circumstances, The Afternoon Tea Set cannot be held liable for late delivery or non-delivery during the ongoing corona pandemic. No refunds will be issued for undelivered items sent outside of the UK during the pandemic, but rest assured, that to date, I have had no non-deliveries and all my orders are getting through. I appreciate your understanding at this difficult time and really do appreciate your order. Thank you. This is a temporary policy note which takes precedent only whilst the corona pandemic continues here in the UK and across the globe.**
Orders (except of sale items - see third paragraph below) will be shipped within 1 to 3 working days of payment being received. (Working days here in the UK are classed as Monday to Friday and exclude weekends, bank holidays and public holidays).
I never make a profit from postage and packing charges. Where shipping costs are stated, I only charge what is necessary to cover costs, such as travel costs to the post office, which is some distance away, as I live in a rural English village with no post office of its own.
**Items included in a sale and showing a discounted price on their listing** I reserve the right to extend the 'dispatch within 1-3 working days' policy on sale items during busy sales periods, though this is a rarity. If your item is likely to be dispatched beyond the 1-3 working days period, I will keep you informed of progress and work to dispatch it as soon as possible. All purchases are packed and shipped in the order they are received.
I also reserve the right to extend the 'dispatch within 1-3 working days' policy on items during exceptionally busy periods, though this is a rarity. I will always post a shop announcement and note on my shipping policy informing shoppers when the dispatch period has been temporarily extended, so that potential buyers can be aware before ordering. If your item is likely to be dispatched beyond the 1-3 working days period, I will keep you informed of progress and work to dispatch it as soon as possible. All purchases are packed and shipped in the order they are received.
I should be notified of any in transit breakages or damage within 24 hours of you, or your chosen recipient, signing for it from the courier or receiving it from the postman. I WILL REQUIRE you to email a photo of any damaged or broken items and their original packaging, BEFORE I am able to discuss with you a refund or replacement as appropriate.
I will contact you to let you know when your order has been dispatched.
Estimated delivery times:
UK 1st class ~ 1 - 2 days
UK 2nd class ~ 2 - 5 days
Europe & Russia ~ 1 week or possibly up to 2
USA & Canada ~ 1 to 2 weeks
Australia and New Zealand ~ 1 to 2 weeks, longer to remote addresses
Everywhere else 1 to 3 weeks, depending on remoteness of destination.
(Please note these are ESTIMATES).
In the event of a poor postal service in a destination country, The Afternoon Tea Set retains the right to cancel an order to any particular country. The customer will receive a swift and full refund (including postage costs) when such a situation arises. However, the necessity to cancel an order is rare.
**INTERNATIONAL Orders (i.e. for delivery outside the UK): I use Royal Mail Tracked International airmail for all orders, unless stated otherwise on an item's listing. However, if you require any other type of postage, e.g. signed for, priority shipping etc. I am happy to provide a quote - please message me for details BEFORE placing your order.
I am not able to ask the Royal Mail to investigate shipment of parcels to international addresses outside of the UK until 25 business days AFTER the 7th business day delivery aim has passed, in accordance with their terms. Therefore, it is not possible for me to class an order as undelivered until after this time frame set by Royal Mail has passed. However, please rest assured that non-deliveries are extremely rare, so please be patient, especially at busy holiday times. I will always do my best to help if you suspect your parcel could be late. **Please note: In the event of an order being lost in the postal system outside of the UK, no postage costs will be refunded, only the item value. Once an item has left the UK, its delivery is out of my control and the destination country's postal system is responsible for its delivery.**
Please note that any parcel sent outside of the UK will have a customs label listing the item and price. This is a legal requirement.
**UK ORDERS (i.e. for delivery inside the UK): Items are sent via Royal Mail 2nd class, unless otherwise stated in the 'Packaging and Shipping' paragraph in the description section of their individual listing. Please read this section - more valuable items are sent 1st class and/or signed for. All orders under £20 will be sent 2nd class - if you require 1st class, you can upgrade your postage to 1st class at the checkout. If you would like recorded, tracked or next day/guaranteed delivery, please contact me BEFORE ordering. If a listed item is of sufficient value to warrant 'signed for' postage, this will be noted in the 'Packaging and Shipping' paragraph within the listing description. If the buyer is purchasing a combination of items which have a total value that warrants 'signed for' postage, I will message the buyer to inform them of this. Royal Mail parcel label barcode numbers are provided to all UK buyers, regardless of shipping class, so that they can track their order should they wish.
I am unable to ask the Royal Mail to investigate postage of parcels to UK addresses until 15 business days AFTER the 3rd business day delivery aim has passed, in accordance with their terms. Therefore, it is not possible for me to class an order as undelivered until after this time frame set by Royal Mail has passed. However, please rest assured that non-deliveries are extremely rare, so please be patient, especially at busy holiday times. I will always do my best to help if you suspect your parcel could be late.
PLEASE NOTE FOR MULTIPLE/COMBINED ORDERS WEIGHING MORE THAN 2kg INTERNATIONAL & DOMESTIC: For large multiple orders I reserve the right to ship orders in more than one parcel, for safe packaging and cost effective purposes. Rest assured that if this is done, it is due to it being the most cost effective and safe way to get your items to you - no one wants to receive broken goods. I will inform you if your order is to be shipped in more than one parcel. If you would like a shipping quote for a multiple order of more than one item please just ask BEFORE ordering.
