PAYMENTS AND TAXES:
Currently, I use PayPal to process payments for my store. You do not need a PayPal account to use your debit or credit card or even Venmo to checkout through PayPal. If you prefer to use a payment processor other than PayPal, please contact me to discuss options. (I have the option to create accounts with Stripe or Square for my shop, but I have not yet done so.)
Indiana residents will be charged 7% sales tax automatically at check out. I will not come anywhere near the thresholds for online sales tax collecting for other states, so sales tax will not be charged for customers who reside outside of Indiana.
MINDFUL PACKAGING: What's inside the package?
Each apron is neatly wrapped in a recyclable plastic bag to protect the fabric inside the mailing envelope. Decorative cellophane wrap & re-used packing bubbles protect the purses and totes inside the shipping box. (Packing slips are tucked inside the wrapping. Should the shipping materials or address label become damaged during shipment, this gives the USPS another method of identifying where the package should be delivered.)
SHIPPING INFORMATION:
Most items in my store are sewn AFTER order confirmation so they may take 7 to 10 business days to ship. Items in the READY TO SHIP section ship immediately. All packages ship via the United States Post Office with tracking. I do periodically check the tracking to see when each order arrives. On the rare occasion that a package goes missing, this allows me to be proactive in filing the official forms to (hopefully) get the package moving once again to be received in a timely manner.
(1) If a package is deemed missing by the USPS (after their mandatory waiting period) an Official Affidavit will need to be filed by the recipient via the USPS website--before replacement or refund from me. Packages damaged during shipment will also require an Offical Affidavit to be filed with the Post Office. ➜ The USPS often requires evidence of damage (item + packaging) so please keep everything until the claim has been settled. Sometimes photographs of damage will suffice, but other times they request to see the damage in person.
(2) If USPS tracking shows "Delivered" although you have not received your package, please contact your local postal office. (GPS may be used to pinpoint the delivery location.) Also check with other household members, neighbors, etc. In many instances, the package does turn up! (Also, be aware that some postal carriers scan packages "delivered" a day [or two] BEFORE they've actually delivered the package! This is very common!)
(3) If all attempts fail to locate your package, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'm always ready and willing to help! The next step is filing an insurance claim, which will require that YOU sign an Affidavit regarding the missing (or damaged) package before replacement or refund. The customer and the seller both have affidavits to file to complete this process.
➜ Please provide a secure location for your packages to be delivered. Porch piracy has become such a huge problem that shipping insurance companies have begun to deny insurance claims for packages that have been marked "delivered" by the carrier.
HONESTLY HANDMADE? Who really makes your products?
Every item in my shop is individually handmade by me (no staff, no outsourcing, no dropshipping) in my home in rural North Eastern Indiana. I do not keep a large inventory of pre-made items. Listing photos show the original sample [purse, apron, or baby blanket] that I created to take photographs for the shop listing. (*First samples are ready-to-ship while supplies last.) Subsequent products may vary slightly due to the nature of creating everything individually from scratch. Nothing in my shop is mass-produced-- everything is individually cut & sewn by Laurie after order confirmation. No two items will be completely identical simply due to the nature of handmade creation by human hands. 😀
CUSTOM ORDERS: Can I customize or personalize a product?
Yes! Feel free to contact me to CUSTOMIZE your order by using different fabrics, trims, etc. (This applies to my existing aprons: Chef Apron, 50s Smock Apron, Pinafore Apron, Twirly Skirt Apron, and Multi-Pocket Apron. I do not create new designs from scratch by request.)
If you want to add embroidery (adding your name or monogram) to an item purchased from my shop--there is a $10/per item fee for PERSONALIZATION. Please feel free to contact me for details. (I am still setting up my new website and have not figured out the best place to offer this service-- but I am able to add embroidery.)
PLEASE NOTE: If your purse or apron has been customized, or personalized, or if the item has been altered by your request-- it is not eligible for return.
OTHER CONCERNS AFTER RECEIVING YOUR ORDER?
✏️ Please contact me ASAP should you have any questions, concerns, or problems with an order from my shop. I would be happy to help in any way that I can. I am always available to answer your questions during normal business hours (8:00-5:00 EST Monday through Friday) but I do try to keep in contact using my phone during the off-hours.
CAN I RETURN AN ITEM? Yes. My return policy is based on common sense principles, as listed below:
✔️ Stock items that are returned in the same 100% BRAND NEW (UNALTERED, UNWASHED, UNDAMAGED, & UNUSED) condition as they were received will be eligible for a full refund, minus the original shipping fee. Buyer pays return postage plus the tracking & insurance that are required.
🚫 IF there are any signs of wear or damage (food/ stains/ cosmetics/ human or pet hair; perfumes, smoke, or other pungent odors, etc) ~OR~
🚫 IF damage occurs due to improper packaging for return shipment, then the item is not eligible for a refund.
✔️ Exchanges can be made, but they must be handled like a return to be processed correctly. Please contact me for full details.
WHAT IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RETURN? Personalized and/or customized items
🚫 PERSONALIZED ITEMS: If your purse or apron has been personalized with embroidery, it is not eligible for return. This makes the item ineligible for resale in my shop.
🚫 CUSTOMIZED ITEM: If your purse, tote, or apron has been customized with materials specifically requested by you, OR if the item has been altered by your request-- it is not eligible for return. These changes make an item too "single-customer-specific" and thus ineligible for resale to the general public.