NOVICA - eBay FAQ

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Find answers to our most commonly asked questions here by clicking on one of the topics below:

Auctions

Bidding

Shipping

Payment

Feedback

Returns

Other

I'm looking for an item with the same design but that is a different color or dimension than the one that's listed. Can you custom paint or size or otherwise alter an item?

We are unable to custom make or make any physical adjustments to the items you see on auction. We do carry a wide selection of items so we suggest that you search our product listings exhaustively as you may just find the item you're looking for. A handy feature is our artisan link - simply click on the artist's name underneath the product picture to view all of the items available by that artist.

If you are interested in placing an order which totals US$1000 or more (before shipping) and/or ordering more than 10 units of the same item, we may be able to customize certain properties for select products. If your potential order meets these conditions, please submit a question with the item number and requested changes. Note that special orders, when feasible, generally have delivery times of 4 to 8 weeks.

Can I order two or more of the item on auction?

Depending on availability, you may be able to order more than one of the same item for which you've won an auction. If interested, follow the payment instructions (emailed at auction closing) for checking out through our secure server. Once in the checkout cart, if an additional item is available you will be able to locate it under the "Other items that may interest you" section in the lower part of the screen. If you need telephone assistance you may contact us at the number provided with our payment and checkout instructions.

Can I combine items from your website with won auction items in the same order?

Yes. If interested, follow the instructions (emailed at auction closing) for checking out through our secure server. Once in the checkout cart on our secure server, you will be able to browse our website and add additional item(s) to your cart.

What are the dimensions and/or weight of the listed item?

You can find the dimensions and weight of the item under "Product Information" in the product listing.

I missed one of your earlier auctions but am interested in the item. Will you relist the item?

Keep in mind that all of our products are hand-made and are available in limited quantities. Certain items that are not one-of-a-kind or unique may be relisted periodically. If you are interested in an item, please contact us and provide the original auction number and/or description so that we can tell you if the item has been relisted under a new item number.

Will you accept an offer that is lower than the posted minimum bid? Will you accept a "second chance" offer if the item did not sell?

No. Our posted prices are firm. In order to win the auction you must pay the "Buy it Now" price or have the highest bid on the item when the auction closes.

I've noticed an item has listed several times with a different minimum bid or "buy-it-now" price. Why does the price vary?

Price fluctuation occurs primarily because NOVICA products are available direct from our global offices and, as such, are subject to foreign currency fluctuations. These changes are typically very small, although in the case of large currency movements, the price swings can be noticeable. Another factor in price fluctuation is that artists have control over their pricing and can change their prices based on the supply and demand of their products.

I'm bidding on more than one item, can I wait until I finish bidding to pay for all of my won auctions together?

Yes, we recommend that you pay for all of won auctions at the same time, as this will allow you to combine shipping on your items, where applicable. However, no auction should go unpaid for over 7 days from the auction end date.

I mistakenly bid on an item, can you retract my bid?

No. As a matter of policy we do not retract any of our buyers' bids. Buyers can generally retract their bids if the auction has more than 12 hours remaining. We remind you that placing a bid represents a binding contract on your end to purchase the item should you be the winner of the auction.

A friend, relative or unknown person apparently used my eBay account to place a bid for your item. Can you retract my bid? If I am the winner of the auction will you allow the item to go unpaid?

No. We cannot be held responsible for improper use of your eBay account. If you do believe your eBay identity has been stolen by a stranger we suggest that you contact eBay immediately.

When will my item ship? How long will it take to arrive?

You can view our shipping rates and delivery times under the "Shipping Information" link in the product listing. For most items we provide "standard" and "expedited" shipping services to the continental US, and ship direct to you from our offices overseas.

How much will it cost to ship my item?

For most items we provide "standard" and "expedited" shipping services to the continental US, and the exact costs and expected delivery times are posted under the "Shipping Information" section of the product listing.

Do you or can you ship using the postal service?

No. For tracking and insurance considerations, all of our items are shipped by private courier. Current couriers which we work with include, but are not limited to UPS, DHL, FedEx, and companies with which the aforementioned may have service agreements The courier that delivers your order will depend on the shipping service selected and origin and destination of the item. In all cases our items travel fully insured and can be tracked, generally online.

Are your shipments insured? Do I need to submit additional funds for insurance?

All of our shipments are insured. You do not need to submit additional funds for insurance, as this is included in our shipping fee.

Will you let me know when my item ships? Can you send me tracking information as soon as it becomes available?

Yes. As a matter of policy we send shipment notification emails as well as tracking information as soon as it becomes available. Please make sure the email address you have registered with eBay will not block emails from us (orders@novica.com) and that you have sufficient space in your inbox.

Do you ship to PO Boxes?

No. Since all of our items are shipped by courier, we can only ship to physical street addresses.

Do you offer pick-up service so that I can save on shipping?

No, pick up is not available.

Do you ship items to locations outside of the USA?

Most items are available for shipment to locations outside of the USA. You can view the list of countries to which we can deliver as well as rates and delivery times under the "Shipping Information" link in the product listing. If your country is not listed in the full list, we are unable to ship there at this time. Please note that for orders shipped to locations outside of the USA the buyer is responsible for covering all customs fees, broker fees duties, taxes and/or related charges that may be incurred.

If I request the item to be shipped outside the USA can you declare a lower price than what was paid to decrease the fees that may be incurred in duties? Can the items be declared as "gifts"?

No. Since all of our shipments are insured by the courier we must declare them as full value commercial shipments.

My auction ended several days ago and my item hasn't yet shipped. Why?

We do our best to ship all orders promptly and will always stand behind the delivery times quoted in the item listing. In some cases, in order to offer you the lowest rate possible, we may hold your order for a few days until the date of the next scheduled bulk shipment from our overseas offices.

Why are shipping rates to Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico higher than for the Continental USA (lower 48 states) for some items?

Couriers tend to charge much higher rates to HI, AK, and PR as compared to the lower 48 states, and we have to pass those costs along. You can rest assured that our shipping charges are at or below actual cost and are the most competitive in the industry for courier shipments originating overseas.

Why are shipping rates to Canada for some items higher than those to the USA?

The rates to the US will generally be lower than those to Canada due to much higher shipping volume to the US. Also, we are able to offer a lower cost Standard (deferred) shipping option to the US, and this option is not currently available for Canada. You can rest assured that our shipping charges are at or below actual cost and are the most competitive in the industry for courier shipments originating overseas.

Why are certain items only available for shipping to the Continental USA (lower 48 states)?

The export requirements for certain items (eg. teak) from their countries of origin require special handling charges that are currently prohibitively expensive to locations outside the Continental USA. If you are interested in placing a wholesale order (more than US$1000) to a location outside the Continental USA please feel free to contact us as we may be able to provide you with a competitive quote.

I'm usually not at home when couriers attempt delivery, can you request that they leave the item without a signature? What do you suggest I do to receive the item?

We cannot request that the couriers leave any package without a signature. If you wish the shipping courier to do so you must have a signature waiver on file with them, or request a drop after the first delivery attempt. If you are generally not home when couriers make their deliveries we suggest that you provide an office or friend's address where the item can be received during normal delivery hours (generally business hours).

If I'm bidding on more than one item, can you combine my items to reduce shipping fees? Do you combine shipping?

We can combine shipping if the items are shipping from the same region and if all auctions are paid at the same time. To get a quote on the shipping rates of auctions you have won, please follow the instructions for "Combined Shipping for Multiple Auctions" under the "Shipping Information" section of the auction listing, or click on the following link: http://www.novica.com/sc.cfm

Please note that you must pay for all of your auctions together in order to qualify for combined shipping. If you pay for your auctions separately these will be captured as separate orders by our system and combined shipping will not apply. Please contact us if you need to get a combined shipping quote for auctions that you haven't yet won.

I mistakenly paid for my order and I selected the "normal" shipping option. Can I change to the expedited shipping option or vice-versa?

No. Generally speaking, you will not be able to change your shipping service once you pay for your auction and your order has begun processing. If you do wish to change your shipping service and less than 24 hours have elapsed since you paid for your order, please contact us and we will make every effort to change your shipping service.

What payment methods does NOVICA accept?

Our accepted payment methods (also displayed at the bottom of all product listings) are the following: (1) Credit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover), (2) Money orders and cashier's checks payable in US Dollars only (3) Paypal (accepted for auctions items only not for purchases made directly from our website). We DO NOT accept any of the following payment methods: cash, personal checks, wires from western union or other wiring services. Please do not place bids on an item if you are unable to pay using one of our accepted payment methods.

How do I pay for items I've won?

You will receive an email from us with detailed payment and checkout instructions immediately after winning an auction. Please make sure the email you have registered with eBay will not block emails from us (auctions@novica.com) and that you have sufficient space in your inbox.

Where do I mail my payment (if paying by cashier's check or money order)?

Once you complete the checkout process for a won auction (see under "How do I pay for items I've won"), you will receive a remittance slip with our mailing address for payments. We request that you do not send any payments unless you've completed our checkout process, as we may be unable to apply the payment to your auction or know where to send your item. If you prefer to complete the checkout over the phone, please call us at the telephone number provided in the payment instructions.

Can I pay for my auction and/ or go through checkout by telephone?

Yes. You will receive our telephone number in the payment instructions that we will email to you after winning an auction (see under "How do I pay for items I've won").

When will I receive feedback from NOVICA?

All buyers with fully and promptly paid auctions and who have satisfactorily received their items receive positive feedback from us. Please allow up to 4 weeks after you receive your order to receive feedback from us.

What is your policy on returns?

At NOVICA, we want you to be completely satisfied with your purchases. We believe that the creation of a bridge between consumers and world artists depends on extremely high quality products and extraordinary customer service and trust. For that reason, we allow customers to return products for any reason within 60 days of receipt. Please note that before you make a return you must contact us so that we can issue you a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number. For full details and step-by-step instructions on how to return an item, please see the NOVICA return policy section.

Will you include a biography and picture of the artist that created the item along with my order?

Yes. We provide a condensed biography and small picture (if available) of the artists that created the item with all of our orders.

Can you gift-wrap my item?

Many of our items come with our standard gift wrap, free of charge. If the item will be gift-wrapped, it will be stated in the auction listing. If the listing makes no mention of gift wrap, we will be unable to provide that service, even for an additional fee.

How do I know if a painting arrives unstretched or unframed? How are "unstretched" paintings sent? Do you stretch or frame paintings for an additional fee?

Please check under "product information" in the item listing for framing and stretching specifications. Unstretched paintings are generally rolled and sent shipped inside a sturdy tube, to both protect the painting and reduce the shipping cost. For paintings that are specified as unstretched or unframed, we do not offer any type of framing or stretching services at this time.

I have an item or work of art I believe I would like to offer to NOVICA -- how can I submit it for your consideration?

Please note that we work only with artisans in our regional offices abroad. At this time we do not work with any US-based artisans or artisans that wish to ship their products from the US. If you reside in a country where we have a regional office and wish to submit your hand-made works for consideration, please write to newproducts@novica.com.

I have an item or work of art that is similar to one or some of your listings. Can I submit to you a picture or send you a physical sample for appraisal or a professional opinion?

No. At this time NOVICA is not dedicated to appraisals, valuations or professional opinions of any kind.

I'm interested in ordering a large quantity of a certain item you have listed -- do you offer wholesale pricing?

Certain items may be available at wholesale prices for approved retailers only. Please contact us if you would like further information.

Do you have any stores, showrooms, or retail outlets?

No. Most of our items ship from our overseas offices as described in the product listings.

I have another question that isn't covered in your FAQs.

Please refer to our general FAQ section on our website by clicking on the link below: http://www.novica.com/info/

If you still have unanswered questions, please submit your question through the appropriate product listing. If you have a general question, please contact us through the "contact member" function on eBay. Our eBay store may be visited at http://stores.eBay.com/NOVICA-com.