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Welcome

Welcome to River Rock Arts! I am a one-person business and creator of ceramic mugs, home décor, jewelry, and anything else I can make with my hands. All items are handmade by me, so no two will be exactly alike. I can be contacted at RiverRockArts1@gmail.com. Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Payment

I accept PayPal. Payment is expected at the time of purchase. Payment must be made in full and the payment confirmed before the item is shipped. I accept PayPal at this time. Sales Tax: Maryland 6% sales tax will be collected through PayPal from Maryland residents.

Shipping

Safety is my priority when packaging items for shipment. I don’t gift wrap or use fancy packaging for this reason. All items are generously wrapped with bubble wrap and cushioned with enough packing peanuts to prevent the items from moving during transit. Shipping charges on my listings include postage, packaging expenses, and insurance. I ship to the countries stated in the listings at this time, but I am willing to ship to any country covered by my insurer. I don't have it stated on my listings because the shipping costs for my heavier items can get quite expensive for international shipping. However, if you are willing to pay the shipping and my insurer will insure packages to your country, I am willing to ship. The item will be shipped after I receive confirmation of your payment. I will send you an e-mail to let you know the item has been shipped. I also request a return e-mail confirming receipt so that I know that the item was received, especially for international shipping. I mostly use new boxes with new bubble wrap and packing peanuts for cushioning. If I am able to obtain recycled materials, that will be reflected in the shipping quotes on my listings. For U.S. buyers: The shipping quote on my listings for USPS parcel post includes the cost to ship by USPS Parcel Post from my location to the furthest location within the U.S. If my actual cost is more than $1.00 less than the quote, I will refund the difference to your PayPal account, or you can contact me with your location, and I can reserve the listing for you and change the shipping cost to the cost for your area. This seems to be the best way around the limitations for entering the shipping costs in the listings, which don't allow for U.S. zone shipping rates. If you order multiple items, I will calculate my cost based on the packaging, insurance, and postage needed and refund any overage greater than $1.00. For international buyers: Safety is my priority when packaging items for shipment. I don’t gift wrap or use fancy packaging for this reason. All items are generously wrapped with bubble wrap and cushioned with enough packing peanuts to prevent the items from moving during transit. Shipping charges on my listings include postage, packaging expenses, and insurance. I ship to the countries stated in the listings at this time, but I am willing to ship to any country covered by my insurer. I don't have it stated on my listings because the shipping costs for my heavier items can get quite expensive for international shipping. However, if you are willing to pay the shipping and my insurer will insure packages to your country, I am willing to ship. The item will be shipped after I receive confirmation of your payment. I will send you an e-mail to let you know the item has been shipped. I also request a return e-mail confirming receipt so that I know that the item was received, especially for international shipping. I mostly use new boxes with new bubble wrap and packing peanuts for cushioning. If I am able to obtain recycled materials, that will be reflected in the shipping quotes on my listings. For U.S. buyers: The shipping quote on my listings for USPS parcel post includes the cost to ship by USPS Parcel Post from my location to the furthest location within the U.S. If my actual cost is more than $1.00 less than the quote, I will refund the difference to your PayPal account, or you can contact me with your location, and I can reserve the listing for you and change the shipping cost to the cost for your area. This seems to be the best way around the limitations for entering the shipping costs in the listings, which don't allow for U.S. zone shipping rates.. If you order multiple items, I will calculate my cost based on the packaging, insurance, and postage needed and refund any overage greater than $1.00. For international buyers: Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges, which may be high for some countries, are your responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to find out what these additional costs will be prior to purchasing. Your post office may also charge you a handling fee for imported goods. Per U.S. and international government regulations, I cannot mark purchases as gifts and must declare the actual value. Falsifying customs forms is illegal and can result in your package being confiscated, fines levied and/or other penalties. If a package is returned to me by customs due to the refusal of the buyer to pay the taxes/duty owed and I am charged for the return shipping, the return shipping cost will be the buyer's responsibility. Packages that are shipped internationally can take several weeks or more to arrive, especially if the package is sent 1st Class International, the most economical method for packages up to four pounds. This is not said to scare you but to let you know the reality of the possible long delivery time that could occur when buying international. If your package has not arrived within several weeks after I e-mail you to let you know it was shipped, please contact your post office and customs office with the customs declaration number that I will have e-mailed to you before reporting it as undelivered. Many times packages are not received because they were returned to the seller as unclaimed in customs. This is especially true if you are sending this to someone else as a gift. If you are sending your purchase as a gift, you must let recipient know to expect a package from overseas. You or the gift recipient are responsible for the taxes or customs fees. If the post office or customs office doesn’t have the package, please be patient and allow more time for delivery as international shipping has been known to take up to a couple of months or so to arrive.

Refund & Exchanges

Damages : Even though I package well, damages may occur during shipping. If you receive a broken item, please contact me immediately with pictures of the damaged package and item so I can file a claim with the insurer. Also, keep the item and the packaging as you originally received it. This is required by the insurance company. Refunds for damaged items will be made as soon as the claim is settled. Please be patient and know that I am doing everything I can to get the claim processed quickly. I will keep you updated as to the status of the claim as I get updates from the insurer. Nondelivery: If a package does not arrive within a reasonable amount of time (this will vary depending on the recipient's location), please first check with your post office first to see if they have it. If the post office has marked the package as delivered, please check with your neighbors to see if the package was left with them. Also, check with your postal carrier to find out where he/she delivered the package. If it has been marked delivered, and you still cannot locate it, I will file a claim with the post office to have them track it. All attempts to locate the package through the post office by both buyer and seller must be made before a package is declared lost. Refunds will only be given for packages that have not been marked delivered by the post office and after the insurance claim has been settled. Please be aware that the post office does not consider a package lost until after 30 business days in the U.S., 45 business days international other than Italy, and 60 business days for Italy. I will have to wait for this period of time to pass before a claim can be filed. Returns: If you are not happy with your purchase and wish to return it, please contact me within two days of receipt. I accept returns if the item is unused, undamaged, in resaleable condition, and is sent back in its original packaging, packaged the way you received it, and insured for its full value within five days after receipt. I also require that a tracking number be obtained on all returns. I cannot refund shipping costs. I will process the refund of the item cost minus associated Etsy fees that are not refundable to me after the item arrives safely and in the same condition it was in when sent. To avoid having to return an item, please read the listing completely before ordering. International Buyers: If a package is returned to me with notations of delivery attempts and/or as being unclaimed at your customs or post office and the item is undamaged and in resaleable condition, I will refund the cost of the item minus any return shipping that is charged to me and the associated Etsy fees that are not refundable to me. If the item is damaged, I will refund the cost of the item minus any return shipping charged to me after the insurance claim is settled if the return is covered by the insurer (returns of unclaimed packages may not be covered). It is your responsibility to let your post office know that you are expecting an international shipment and to check with them and/or your customs office for your package. It is also your responsibility to pay any taxes/fees/duty your country charges. If you refuse delivery because you do not want to pay these taxes/fees, this is not a legitimate reason for a refund or a claim of nondelivery. You are responsible for checking your country's regulations and the amount of tax/fees/duty you will owe before ordering.

Additional Policies and FAQs

I use only lead-free, nontoxic clays and glazes. All glazed items are dishwasher safe if loaded carefully and not placed beside another breakable item. All glazed items are also microwave safe, however, sometimes the handles can get hot if you put them in the microwave too long. It’s best to test to determine the best time for your model of microwave as each model can produce different results. Items that are finished with ceramic stains and are sealed with a spray sealer are not dishwasher or microwave safe. They can be cleaned with a dry or very slightly damp cloth only. I can be contacted at RiverRockArts1@gmail.com.