By making a purchase or placing an order with me you are stating that you have read, understand, and accept my sales policies. SO PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE PAGE. Apologies but I am NO LONGER shipping to either Germany or France unless you set up and pay for your own shipping and associated documents, or have me ship to someone in the USA who can forward onto you. Thank you for your understanding.
PAYMENT METHODS:
I accept Paypal and through them also debit & credit cards. Personal checks and money orders are also fine. Cash is also accepted in person. All payment forms must clear my bank before items will be shipped. If a payment bounces and incurs any fees, the fees and repayment will be passed back to the buyer.
Payment must be made at the time of sale unless you inform me that you are sending a payment through the mail. Electronic payments such as Paypal MUST be received absolutely no later than 3 days in the event of auctions. I generally do not hold pieces without a non-refundable deposit. If you are slow mailing a payment instead of using Paypal, in that case you have a 7 day window to get payment to me. Tracking numbers and signature confirmation are encouraged but not required. An agreed upon deposit will hold a piece for whatever length of time we have both agreed upon.
Overseas payments must be electronic and converted to US dollars at your own expense.
TIME PAYMENTS/LAYAWAY:
A non-refundable deposit must be made up front to secure the artwork or custom order and an agreed duration of payments made in writing. Payments must be made monthly and timely, ideally within 3 days of invoice or due date. If you default on making your payments timely you are at risk of loosing all money paid up to that point without refund and I will relist the item up for sale to other buyers.
If for any reason you must delay or skip a monthly payment then you need to let me know in ADVANCE of the payment due period. I allow one, and ONLY pass on making a payment if it's an emergency but if it happens a second time, I reserve the right to consider it default on all payments made. The exception is if I won't be able to work on your commission order for a while, then payments can be a lot more flexible. Sometimes I accept an order for something I know I won't be able to start for 6 to 12 months, in which case if people skip payments around the holidays or whatnot, that is fine.
I do try to give monthly updates and payment reminders if you are on such a payment plan as mentioned above. All other payment plans are automated through Paypal and deducted from your bank account.
DEFAULTING/LATE PAYMENTS & REPUTATION:
If you default on payments, bounce payments, or generally have a questionable reputation as a buyer, then I reserve the right to refuse to make sales to you and any monies paid up to that point may be in default, becoming non-refundable. If applicable, monies owed will be turned over to a collection agency. I will be reasonable about this but do not jerk me around or you will be black listed and I will post negative feedback on Facebook and other transaction sites. Everything is carefully documented and any transaction with me may be published to back up a dispute. That said, I will make every reasonable attempt to work it out with you BEFORE I make any such decisions and post any negative feedback. I appreciate and require the same in return - see below.
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK:
PLEASE contact me BEFORE you post or share any negative comments about myself or my work either in private or public. Be reasonable and allow me an opportunity to discuss the issue with you and see if we can come to a mutually satisfactory solution. Your satisfaction is VERY important to me and I value honesty and integrity. Things happen that may be out of my control or yours but that doesn't mean it can't be fixed.
If you don't attempt to contact me first, or if you post unreasonable negative comments that can be considered slander and damaging to my business, I will consult a lawyer or otherwise take steps to make it stop, up to and including restitution. Let's try not to go there, please. Treat me how you yourself would also like to be treated and I will try to do the same for you. Mutual respect.
Thankfully, I have NEVER ever had any significant trouble with any buyers of my work. I have always been blessed with wonderful clients who are frequently repeat customers of my work. I build friendly relationships. If you ever have any problems of any kind just reach out to me.
ALL SALES ARE FINAL - Except:
All sales are final on identically produced items such as unpainted resins, bronzes, original finish ceramics, and prints. These are non-refundable unless damaged or defective (see Return Policy below). Any items being sold for me, such as through an art gallery or casting service, are subject to that individual distributor's policies. These items are considered very easy to resale by the buyer and often at the buyer's profit on markup once the editions are sold out from me.
If you have no idea how to resale these items, you are welcome to contact me and I will assist you. I am particularly keen to avoid buyers dumping my work in resale under valued so do not be afraid to reach out to me to ask what the current resale value of a piece should be. This helps protect everyone's investment in my work.
Custom Orders are highly subjective as to how easy they are to resale, either by the buyer or by myself. Obviously a custom order portrait of your children or pet may not appeal to anyone else. Therefore such pieces are never generally returnable for a refund. I will make every effort to send photos at various stages, start to finish, before shipping to elicit buyer feedback to ensure your /complete/ satisfaction before shipping. If you are not entirely satisfied once your item arrives you must contact me within 7 days to discuss options - sooner is better than later. Outside of that time frame the item may be non-returnable at my discretion. I am more likely to accept the return of an item for 'adjustment' to make it more acceptable to you rather than issue a refund or replacement. I run a small business and I do not keep a cash reserve. Payments made are used to cover my own monthly costs.
All sales once completed, especially one of a kind items that are not being mass produced, are subject to the same as mentioned above as for custom orders. I generally no longer accept returns due to the time it consumes. Time costs me money and lost work, not to mention fees I may not be able to recover. Yes, this is a change from my previous blanket policy of 'Satisfaction Guaranteed'.
I have never, ever had anyone dissatisfied with my work upon delivery and I have never been asked to return an item for refund. These policies are in place 'just in case'. If an item is obviously defective in some manner, or becomes so at a later time that is clearly my fault and not caused by something I have no control over, then exceptions may be made for repair or refund.
RETURN POLICY:
Generally, all sales are final - but there are some exceptions. Refunds may be requested if you have waited an unreasonable period of time for an item. If you ordered a sculpture that is being cast, or a custom order, a wait period of 6 months is not unusual. Anything over 6 months however may be reasonable grounds to request a refund IF YOU PAID FOR THE ITEM IN FULL. Items paid for with time payments will be subject from the date of the last payment.
Custom orders that have not been started may be refundable but custom orders I have begun work on may not be at my discretion. I have no control over wait periods for casting, or in this day and age there may be profound delays in shipping, so please be patient. I will make efforts to communicate and publish any delays to my newsletters or Facebook posts. Items already shipped may be presumed lost after a period of time determined not by me but by the shipper. All shipping comes with tracking numbers but insurance is the responsibility of the buyer. See shipping details below.
You have 7 days from the date of delivery to contact me if you have any issues. I must be contacted BEFORE you return the item and all shipping charges, insurance, and tracking are at the buyer's expense. You will have up to 14 days from the date of delivery to post mark your return back to me. Appropriate insurance and tracking numbers are strongly encouraged.
Returns may be requested if, and ONLY if, your items arrive damaged or faulty in some manner, and only if you have contacted me in writing first. I will REQUIRE photo documentation of the damages or faults before shipping it back to me. Upon it's return to me I will either replace the item, repair or otherwise correct the item, or issue a refund or credit (minus shipping costs) at my discretion. Obviously I can't replace items that are sold out and no longer in stock. Repairs or color corrections may take time.
Items MAY NOT generally BE RETURNED just because you change your mind and no longer want or like it. Instead, resell it. Contact me if you want assistance as I often help advertise such pieces and I can suggest pricing and locations to list such sales.
I do my best to fairly represent my work. Be aware that color and contrast are not mine to control as every electronic device will display my work differently. I make every effort to adjust my digital images to be as accurate and true a representation of the artwork as it is possible to do on my end. You are welcome to contact me if the colors are really not what you expected and don't like it but it will be at my discretion whether I'll accept the return. See above.
SHIPPING:
Apologies but I am NO LONGER shipping to either Germany or France unless you set up and pay for your own shipping labels and associated documents, or have me ship to someone in the USA who can forward onto you. Thank you for your understanding.
I use the United States Postal Service. Why? Because there is NO OTHER CARRIER easily available in my area! Some people can get fancy package pickup at their homes but not where I live. No delivery service reliably comes up our mountain to pick up or drop off. We don't even get reliable 911 service out here. Everything on my end goes through my post office. If you require another shipper other than USPS please contact me and I'll see if it's reasonable for me to locate something.
UPS UPDATE: There have recently been UPS drop boxes installed out in my area so I may begin using this service more in 2023. Now we also have a regular UPS driver, he is also more willing to do pickups. FexEx is still high unreliable in my area.
The same applies when shipping anything to me! UPS sometimes will deliver up here but it entirely dependent on the individual driver. FedEx WILL OFTEN NOT DELIVER TO MY HOME so please do NOT use them to send anything to me. I have to go down to the Post Office in person for pickups as my USPS mail carrier will not drive off of the paved road. There is an UPS distribution center (a tiny one) in a nearby town but it is /extremely/ difficult (or impossible) to utilize due to their very short (and unreliable) hours. For some reason Western North Carolina businesses are very lax and unreliable about maintaining their posted hours (even my Post Office sometimes).
If any item is marked ppd (postage paid) or free shipping, this is domestic shipping within the United States ONLY and will be standard flat rate, WITHOUT INSURANCE unless you pay additional for it. All overseas shipping is additional based on the buyer's location. You will need to contact me with your shipping address to acquire a shipping quote which may be billed separately if you have already paid for your item(s). The same is generally true of my galleries. Purchase the item online or over the phone and shipping or pickup will be arranged separately unless otherwise noted.
OVERSEAS SHIPPING: Some countries have changed their shipping policies, such as GERMANY. It is the /buyer's/ responsibility to know what these restrictions are and instruct me as even my local Post Office employees may not know. If I ship it and it is returned because the forms were not filled out correctly, or the box was the wrong size, or not the right kind of recycling material - that is on the buyer's expense, not mine. So make sure you know your own country's shipping restrictions or custom duties, etc. I can't possibly keep track of every country as these rules are always changing, though I do try to be aware if I ship to that location regularly.
INSURANCE & TRACKING:
Strongly encouraged but up to you to pay for! If items are lost or damaged in shipping and you wish to file an insurance claim with the shipper, I will provide the insurance receipt for YOU to do so. The shipper may require you to take in the parcel so they may inspect the packing, the item, and the damages and they may require you to turn it over to them. If there is a good reason why you can't, contact me and I'll try to help.
I do NOT use discount shipping services like Pirate Ship or Shippo. Why? Because if you read their feedback reviews they have a very high complaint ratio for NOT paying insurance claims. They will take your money and sell you shipping insurance on parcels but have very bad reviews for not paying claims. If I send you a sculpture or a painting I'm sure you as a buyer do not want me to use a shipper who won't honor the insurance should your item be lost or damaged.
If you need additional documentation for value, or a repair quote in writing, let me know and I will attempt to provide it. However long or difficult it may be to receive compensation is entirely between you and the shipping company. It can take months so be patient. In most cases I can repair damage to an item if you are willing to send it back to me, rather than having to give it up to the shipper for a full refund. This is completely at the discretion of the buyer.
Items that are lost or damaged in shipping and are not insured are entirely at my discretion to replace, repair, or credit. It's really on you. Please note that international shipping is ONLY insured through USPS while the parcel is still in the USA. Once it departs overseas the insurance may not be honored, or may be restricted only to loss rather than damage, depending on the shipping service used.
All VAT charges, customs fees, taxes on the buyer's end, are the buyer's responsibility. I do not falsify customs declarations for overseas shipping so do not ask. That is illegal.
SHIPPING TO A THIRD PARTY:
As a general rule, if you paid via Paypal, I prefer to ship to your verified Paypal address. Or to the address on your check, money order, etc. But if you request in writing that I ship elsewhere I can certainly do so. If you want an unpainted resin shipped directly to a prepper or painter, I can do that. Doing so voids certain Paypal guarantees so I must have it in writing that you agree to and understand what rights you are giving up with Paypal in that case.
GIFT WRAPPING:
If you want anything gift wrapped with a card, let me know and I'll be happy to do it for a small additional fee. Do not request I mark items a gift for customs for overseas shipping unless it really is and only then if you have paid for gift wrapping! Even then I will consult with my shipping company as to the latest regulations.
LONGEVITY OF MY WORK:
Any issues you have past the initial return window are not my LEGAL responsibility. This is what collection insurance is for. I do my utmost best to use the very highest quality materials for my work, including archival and acid free when I can afford it and it's reasonable, but some things are beyond my control. That includes sticky resin casts, oxidation or dirtying of colors, cracking, scuffs & chips, dunting, etc. If you encounter any long term problems with my work I DO WANT TO KNOW but it is up to my discretion whether or not I can help. I may have suggestions or I might offer to replace the item or issue a credit but I am under no legal obligation to replace or refund the work outside of the return time period.
REPAIRS:
I do offer repairs or updates of my own work even if it is old! I will charge for this service unless the repairs are very minor. Certain pieces of my work do have life time guarantees for free MINOR repairs in the past and I will continue to honor that. The buyer must pay all shipping and insurance (and any other associated costs) to get the item to me and back again. If you desire a repair, please contact me in advance to discuss it before you ship. As my time allows I may also accept older work back to update it. Contact me to discuss the details.
UPDATES & TIME PERIODS:
It is ALWAYS reasonable to request an update of information but only if you haven't already asked for an update recently. Good communication is ideal and you have every right to ask after the status of your purchase or order. Just don't pester me often or I won't have as much time to work in the studio. I will do my best to reply timely.
Custom orders can easily take 6 months or more than a year to fill if I already have a backlog. I generally will not accept custom orders on any given kind of work if I think I'm already booked a year out. If you need an item in a much shorter time period, I do sometimes accept rush orders - but that must be sorted out in writing ahead of placing your order and there will be additional fees. Otherwise, do not expect things to be fast - but also don't be afraid to ask up front. Once work is started I do like to provide step by step photos when I have the time to do so. Obviously if you need something done by a specific date you ideally need to contact me several months in advance. Last minute orders are unlikely to be feasible, especially right before the holidays.
AUCTIONS:
All bidders must abide by the auction site's rules. After the auction ends, these sales policies apply. Electronic payments must be made within 3 days of the auction closing, 7 days if slow mailing your payment. If you are slow mailing your payment you need to contact me within the 3 days to inform me. Overseas payments must be electronic and converted to US dollars at your own expense. Payment will be expected IN FULL unless time payments have been worked out and agreed to in writing, then only an agreed amount needs to be paid as a non-refundable deposit.
I only accept payment from, and I only ship to, the auction winner. If the high bidder defaults I reserve the right to offer the item to the next highest bidder or I may relist the item.
Any technical glitches outside of my control that include auction sites, Paypal issues, email non-delivery and so forth are not my responsibility. Do your own follow up! If you don't hear back from me in writing it is best to assume that I did not receive it. Do your due diligence to confirm. If you wait months to contact me about something that should have been shipped earlier, and it was shipped on time, don't be surprised if I can no longer help you get a refund or replacement.
Example: Buyer pays off an unpainted resin. My casting company is likely to ship it the following week without long delays. There will never been a backlog on shipping resin orders unless I tell you there is one and what it is. If you don't get your piece but you wait several months or a year before you follow up to ask me about the shipping date, the edition my be closed and the mold destroyed by that time. There are also time limits on how long we can wait to file insurance claims.
INSURANCE:
While pieces you own are in my possession for custom orders, it is upon YOU as the owner of the piece to insure pieces against loss or damage. In the past I have tried to take responsibility for pieces while in my possession against any damage or loss. But my Collector's Insurance has made it very clear that client pieces that are not owned by me are NOT included in my coverage.
COPYRIGHTS:
I retain all tangible rights to my work, EVEN WORK FOR HIRE, unless otherwise put into writing. If you are interested in the rights to any of my work, or licensing of those rights, please contact me. Do NOT ALTER any of my work in any way without documenting and claiming the alterations as your own. Defacing an artist's work is not legal in many countries. If my rights as an artist are infringed upon I will enforce my rights through a court of law. YES I FILE COPYRIGHTS WITH THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS for published works, prints, editions, etc. So do not reproduce my work in any form without written permission. DO NOT make a too similar likeness of my work! If in doubt, look up copyright laws. Ignorance is no excuse. Document your sources as I do mine.
That said, buyers of my unpainted resin sculptures or unfinished ceramic bisques DO HAVE my written permission for minor alterations to such as the mane, tail, ears, base, and to paint or glaze the pieces accordingly to finish them IF THEY WERE UNFINISHED. YOU MAY NOT ALTER ANY PIECE I HAVE FINISHED, be it hand painted, custom glazed, or intended to remain a bisque, without my written permission except to REPAIR and restore it as closely to it's original condition as possible. You must document any alterations or repairs accordingly. The ONLY pieces you may alter or finish your own way are very clearly outlined in writing, such as unpainted resin editions or bisques that are CLEARLY sold with the intent of others to finish. To do otherwise is defacing my work and punishable by law. If in doubt, please contact me.
No pieces of my work may be reproduced in whole or in part without my express written permission. See Photography exceptions below.
PHOTOGRAPHY:
Owners of my work, and especially sculpture pieces associated with the model horse hobby, have my written permission to photograph the pieces for insurance, showing, or resale of the item (not sale or licensing of the images). Persons who purchase my work also have my permission to use MY PHOTOS for showing, resale, or promotion as long as they are clearly marked as my images and you are in no way selling the images.
All images on my website are copyrighted Paige Easley Patty or Hyn Patty LLC, or are used by written permission. Linking back to images on my website for use of Pinterest, Facebook, resales of my work, or wanted ads, is allowed.
QUESTIONS?
As always, if you have ANY questions that aren't covered in the above sales policy, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am always happy to hear from you and I will try to make timely replies. THANK YOU for your interest and support of my work. I could not do this without my wonderful clients (many of whom have become dear friends) and many of whom have been encouraging and supportive, or repeat buyers, of my work since the 1970's!!! I am truly grateful.
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All rights reserved. All content on this website that is not copyrighted by FASO Inc, is copyrighted by Paige Easley Patty of Hyn Patty LLC or used with the original copyrighter's permission and may not be reproduced without written permission of the copyright holders.
