Thanks for visiting Hi-Strung Designs Jewelry! At Hi-Strung Designs, we value you as a customer. We want you to feel comfortable doing business with us, so we strive to keep our policies as clear and simple as possible, with fair, appropriate protections for both you and us. We want you to be completely delighted with everything you purchase from Hi-Strung Designs! We take great pride in designing unique, fine artisan pieces made with high-quality materials and meticulous craftsmanship. We use great care in making our jewelry, and each piece is thoroughly inspected before we ship it to you. We guarantee that every piece of our jewelry is free from defects in materials and craftsmanship prior to leaving our studio. We invite you to become a Hi-Strung Designs Preferred Customer, in order to receive notice of special offers, seasonal promotions, and of new items added to our website or our ArtFire studio. You may register at the bottom of our main studio page, or at our primary website at http://www.hi-strungdesigns.com . You can rest assured that we will not sell or trade your registration information with anyone else. You can order from us with confidence, knowing we will treat your information appropriately. ================================= Characteristics of Hi-Strung Designs Jewelry ================================= All of our jewelry is made by the designer, and made to order, by hand, using high-quality materials. Please note that natural gemstones and pearls will vary in size, color and texture. Additionally, natural gemstones and pearls often contain slight inclusions. These slight variations should be expected and appreciated, because they give each gemstone and pearl its authenticity and beauty. Likewise, hand-formed silver, Vermeil, and 14K gold-filled elements will vary in shape. All of these characteristics add to the beauty of Hi-Strung Designs jewelry. No two pieces are exactly alike, and many items are specifically designed to be limited edition or one of a kind. Please also note that computer monitors vary widely in resolution and color. We do our best to accurately describe and display the specifications of each piece of jewelry we sell, so you know what you are getting. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us before ordering. We will respond as soon as possible, and generally within one business day. ======================== Custom-Length Necklace Orders ======================== Find a necklace you love but would prefer a different length? Unless the item is a one-of-a-kind piece, or the last of a "Limited Edition" piece, we're often able to accommodate a custom order for a specific length. Additional charges for materials will apply, based on the length desired. We're happy to provide you with a no -- obligation price quote & timeline for the custom-length order process based on the piece(s) you are interested in. Custom orders placed require a 50% non-refundable advance deposit, and are not returnable since they are made to individual customer specifications. Contact us for information and pricing specific to the necklace(s) you are interested in! ================ Ordering ================ You We use PayPal to process payments for orders-however you do NOT need a PayPal account to use the PayPal Payment process. You may pay using your Mastercard or Visa without having to set up a PayPal account. You may also use the PayPal process to pay using funds in your PayPal account. Full payment is expected when you place your order. PayPal handles the encryption of your financial information to help protect your identity, safeguard against hacking and prevent fraudulent activity. As a verified PayPal vendor, Hi-Strung Designs does not receive your confidential information from PayPal. For information about PayPal policies to protect buyers and sellers, go to www.paypal.com. If you wish to contact us about an order you have already placed, please use the "email me" link on our main studio page in order to contact us. Sales Tax By law, we must charge sales tax on all orders shipped to California. =========================== Complimentary Custom Packaging =========================== Each piece of jewelry is beautifully packaged in complimentary, custom designed gift packaging, ready to give as a gift or enjoy yourself. Each item will include a tag or earring card with a detailed description of the piece, highlighting the unique materials used. All orders are packaged with care instructions to assist you or a gift recipient in carefully handling your jewelry and protecting it from coming in contact with products that could cause damage, in order that you can enjoy your jewelry for years to come. Orders are shipped with an itemized invoice, including prices, unless you are shipping the item as a gift. ============================== Purchasing Gifts: ============================== To have one or more items shipped as a gift, please indicate "Gift Item" in the section of the order form titled: notes to seller. PLEASE NOTE: During check out, the notes to seller section will be on the right side of your screen. Please type your message and click "send message" to capture the "notes to seller" information first, then complete the rest of the check out process. We're happy to package items together or individually--just specify your preferences. We will also be glad to include a personalized gift card for one or more recipients at the same address. Please include your gift message(s) in the notes to seller section of the order form, and indicate which item(s) the card should accompany. We will delete prices from the shipping slip that is included with the order, and will email you, as the purchaser, a receipt for your records. ============================== Shipping and Handling ============================== All Hi-Strung Designs jewelry orders are shipped from Northern California. All items are shipped within two business days of confirmation from PayPal that payment has cleared. We take great care in making our jewelry, and we take that same care to package it so that it will arrive safely and securely, yet quickly to you. We ship via U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail with delivery confirmation, at USPS published flat rate prices. See chart below. **Please note that we are unable to ship to P.O. Boxes. **International Shipping- via Expedited or Ground Shipping: Please contact us for shipping rates for your international destination. We do offer ground and expedited shipping and will research the most cost effective carrier for you. We comply with all laws regarding accurate disclosure of contents shipped. All customs/duties fees are the responsibility of the purchaser. Contact the customs office in your destination country for specific information. USPS Priority Mail: Orders to US destinations are shipped via USPS Flat Rate Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation. We use USPS small, regular, and large flat rate shipping boxes which each have had a shipping charge assigned to them by USPS, You are only charged the USPS published rate. Your shipping/handling charges will be based on which size box is needed to carefully package the number of items you have ordered. The new January 2013 USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Shipping charges for U.S. Destinations are as follows: 1-2 Items: $5.80- fit in a Small Priority Mail box 3-5 Items: $6.25-fit in a 7x7x6 Priority Mail box 6-9 Items: $12.35-require a Medium Priority Mail Flat Rate box 10 or more items: $16.85-require a Large Priority Mail Flat Rate box Shipping charges will appear as 0 until you reach the PayPal screen during the check out process, when accurate charges will be added to your order based on the item count listed above. Delivery generally takes 2-4 business days within the U.S. but we cannot guarantee USPS delivery times. Peak holiday seasons and bad weather may impact delivery times. We will notify you via email when we ship your order, and will provide you with the USPS delivery confirmation number at that time. Hi-Strung Designs accepts no responsibility for lost packages if USPS has confirmed delivery at the destination. ============================== Returns and Exchanges ============================== We want you or your gift recipient to be absolutely delighted with every purchase from Hi-Strung Designs. We use great care in making our jewelry, and each piece is inspected before it is shipped. We guarantee that every piece of our jewelry is free from defects in materials and craftsmanship prior to leaving our studio. Should you or your gift recipient wish to return a piece of jewelry for exchange or refund, please contact us. We will be happy to exchange one item for another, or you may receive a refund for the original purchase price as long as the item meets the following criteria: **Item Condition: All items returned for exchange or refund must be in original, unworn condition, with the tags attached, and secured inside the custom gift box-just as they were when you received them. Returns or exchanges that do not meet the above criteria will not be accepted. Original shipping and handling fees are not refundable. To Request an Exchange or Return: All returns and exchanges must have a Return Authorization number (RA#). To receive an RA#, call 650-207-3328 Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. PST. To help us to expedite your request, please be prepared to provide the following information: - Your first & last name - First & Last name of purchaser (if different than above) - Order number - Daytime phone # - E-mail address - Billing & shipping address(es) - Reason for requesting the return/exchange - If an exchange, indicate the item you would like to receive, and if there is a difference in price, your credit card number for the exchange. Items eligible for a refund will receive a credit for the purchase price and tax (if any) paid on the item(s). Original shipping and handling fees are not refundable. The credit will be issued to the original form of payment. You will receive a return authorization number and address by e-mail. The item must then be received by us within 10 days. Items shipped to us for return/exchange must be securely packaged in a shipping box with appropriate padding and shipped with delivery signature required. We also recommend you insure the package; refunds will not be issued for packages lost in transit. You are responsible for the costs associated with shipping your return/exchange to us and for any shipping and handling fees associated with an item you receive in exchange. Refunds and exchanges will not be honored for items shipped to us without an RA#. We realize there will be times when something is just not as you expected it, and we want you to love everything you purchase from Hi-Strung Designs. However, we reserve the right to refuse future orders from customers whom we deem to have made excessive returns or exchanges. ============================== Repairs ============================== Hi-Strung Designs jewelry features high-quality materials and expert workmanship. We guarantee that every piece of our jewelry is free from defects in materials and craftsmanship prior to leaving our studio. To assist you in enjoying your jewelry for years to come, your order was packaged with care instructions to assist you in carefully handling your jewelry and protecting it from coming in contact with products that could cause damage. However, you may occasionally encounter a problem that needs fixing. Repair Policy: Within 90 Days Should a piece of jewelry need repair within 90 days of the order date, call 650-207-3328 Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific time and be prepared to provide the following information: -Your first & last name -Order number -Daytime phone # -E-mail address -Billing and shipping address(es) -Reason for requesting a repair You will receive shipping instructions by e-mail. You are responsible for the cost of shipping your item for repair, however, if all of the original parts and components are present and shipped to us, there will be no charge for the repair & we will pay for shipping costs associated with returning the item back to you after repair. If a number of original parts or components are now missing, please provide specifics when you contact us, in order to discuss the repair options available to you. Items must be securely packaged with appropriate padding and shipped with delivery confirmation & signature required. We recommend you insure the package; we will not be responsible for packages lost in transit to Hi-Strung Designs. If we are unable to repair the item for any reason, we will contact you to discuss next steps, which will be based on our determination of the cause of the breakage, the condition of the piece when we receive it, and/or the circumstances surrounding the need for repair. Repair Policy: After 90 Days Should an item need repair more than 90 days after the order date, call 650-207-3328 Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Pacific time to discuss the problem. We are often able to repair older items; however, if some parts of the item are missing or beyond repair, sometimes we cannot obtain the same materials used in the original piece. We will certainly do everything we can so you may enjoy your jewelry again. You are responsible for the cost of shipping your item for repair. Items must be securely packaged with appropriate padding and shipped with delivery confirmation & signature required. We recommend you insure the package; we will not be responsible for packages lost in transit to Hi-Strung Designs. We will inspect the item to determine whether it can be repaired, & will provide you with an estimate for the materials & labor charge via e-mail. We will need your acceptance of the repair charges before making any repairs. Upon authorizing the repair, you are responsible to provide payment for the cost of materials & labor to repair the item, and shipping and handling to return the item to you after repair. If we are unable to repair the item for any reason, we will contact you to discuss next steps. You are responsible for the shipping & handling charges associated with us returning an item to you that we are unable to repair. ============================== Terms of Use Policy ============================== Use of the Hi-Strung Designs studio on ArtFire constitutes your agreement with all policies of Hi-Strung Designs. All content placed here by Hi-Strung Designs, including designs, text, graphics, pictures, videos and other information is the intellectual property of Hi-Strung Designs. All jewelry described & depicted are the original creations & intellectual property of Hi-Strung Designs.