PURCHASING

Please know that having any of these one-of-a-kind pots in your CART, unfortunately does not guarantee that it will be yours. All items are available to everyone shopping my site until said product has gone through the entire checkout process. Some shoppers, while only browsing, tend to accumulate products in their cart and then just leave them there. For that reason online sales sites are now set up to keep inventories available to all, to eliminate that filling and abandoning cart issue. This generally isn’t a problem, but it can be if someone swoops in while you’re shopping and purchases something you have in your cart while you’re looking for multiple pieces. Please understand that I have no control over the process, nor the ability to change it.

Please very carefully review the multiple photographs of each item you wish to purchase. The photographs are of the actual piece you will be receiving in your order. I try to get the lighting and color as accurate as I can. The color balance of your computer screen, the LED or incandescent lighting in your home, or the color in the light of day, etc. all have the potential of altering the color appearance of your purchase. If you’re looking for very specific color matching, those purchases are best made in person. Small imperfections in handmade pottery are not uncommon, not a flaw, but part of the one-of-a-kind character inherent in works made by human hands, not like the sterile repetitious products churned out by computerized robotics and industrial machines. I do not do exchanges.

SHIPPING COST

It’s often advertised, but the truth is that there really is no such thing as free shipping. If a vendor intends on staying in business, shipping costs will always be factored in and added into the listed price.

Shipping costs can be significant and vary greatly depending on the distance a package travels, but shipping is also a great value in both time and money, if you don’t live near an artists studio or a gallery that carries their work.

I contend that the best and most fair method for all of my customers, those that come to my studio to purchase and those shipped to, both near and far, is to charge everyone the exact same price for my pottery and for those that require shipping, allow them the opportunity to choose their preferred shipping method. To serve my patrons better, my website is connected directly to 3 major shipping carriers USPS, UPS, FedEx, so that during checkout you will receive their realtime carrier pricing choices for the shipment of your purchase to your specific address.

All listed pottery has been individually weighed, measured and assigned a corresponding box that it will be individually shipped in. All shipping carriers connected to my site will have that information available for each item ordered and will use it to determine your shipping costs and offer time sensitive expedited options for the transportation portion of your order. Remember, you need to allow time for the packing and handling tasks to happen first before the carrier transport begins.

SAVINGS

By purchasing multiple pieces at the same time you can significantly reduce shipping charges, often up to 30% or more off the original quoted shipping prices, if your order can be consolidated into one box! Be sure to leave a note in the ‘additional information’ box at checkout, if you are purchasing multiple items at different times of the same day or all at once (everything must be shipped to the same address). As an example, my SET of four mugs and a pitcher shipped together in one box costs nearly half the price to ship that it would if you were to buy the pitcher and four mugs separately, requiring 5 separate shipments.

I will make sure to look for those multiple item orders and box them together, if possible, to lower shipping costs for you. Those reduced shipping cost adjustments will be made to the original payment method after I have completed the boxing, weighing and fully processed that new data into the shipping carriers system, from your multiple item purchase.

Please understand that the adjusted credit is not immediate as it is dependent on your credit card company’s refund processing timelines and can take up to two weeks for that process to finalize. However, you will receive an email confirmation that the process has been initiated on my end as soon as I request a refund amount for you. 

LOCAL PICKUP  

If you’re in the Sacramento, California area shipping costs can be eliminated by making arrangements for in-person pickup at my studio. Select the ‘local pickup’ option in the shipping area at checkout and I’ll contact you to determine a time to meet at my studio that works for you. ‘Local pickup’ is available by appointment only.

RETURNS

I do conditionally accept returns, so please contact me within five days of receiving your purchase with any issue you may have. If a return is approved, all shipping charges incurred will be the sole responsibility of the buyer. The pottery must arrive back to me in the same condition it originally left my studio. Any damage incurred during the return process, due to the buyers packing and handling will negate the possibility of refunding the purchase price. Shipping insurance should be available for you to purchase through the carrier to protect against carrier inflicted damage.

Return credit will be issued to the original payment method, after the return is received, inspected and approved. Please understand that the return credit is not immediate and is subject to your credit card company return processing timeline.

PACKING AND HANDLING

I work alone and therefore process and pack all orders myself, as well as create the art.

Orders will generally be packed and shipped out within 1-5 business days of purchase. Please allow extra time for carrier transit as well. I do not normally pack and ship on weekends or major holidays. I double box most everything in new boxes and strive to send orders in ways that are safe and cost effective for my customers. Other expedited shipping options through the carriers may be available to you at checkout. As mentioned earlier, if you have special urgent delivery needs, please contact me at mark@markslickpottery.com and I’ll see what I can do to hasten the packing and handling portion of your order.

SHIPPING MATERIALS

I strive to be environmentally responsible and consequently have made a commitment to remove plastics from the materials I use to pack shipments. As an alternative to foam pellets, I’ve started using biodegradable cornstarch packing peanuts. They’re non-toxic, so not a worry if a pet or child mistakenly ingests one. If you can’t reuse them yourself, then in only a couple of minutes you can easily and safely dissolve them in water to get rid of them. I’d suggest using the remaining water for your houseplants or lawn. I’m utilizing biodegradable paper packing tape and a die-cut paper bubble wrap alternative too.

I do have folks that give me their shipping materials that they’ve received, for me to recycle. If you receive a shipment from me containing plastic bubblewrap, rest assured it is just being reused by me to keep it out of the landfill awhile longer. Please reuse it again if you are able to.

SHIPPING CARRIERS

USPS - United States Postal Service

UPS - United Parcel Service

FedEx - Federal Express

Most patrons will choose USPS Priority for small pieces or UPS Ground for larger pieces and SETS.

*Are you in a hurry? Please understand that shipping carrier timelines ONLY refer to that transportation process and that only happens after I have completed the packing and handling portion of your order. If you have urgent shipping needs please contact me and I’ll let you know what I’m able to do to expedite packing your order and getting it to your chosen carrier ASAP. There may also be overnight shipping options available upon request.

Once I have delivered your purchase to the shipping vendor, you will receive an email from your chosen carrier informing you of your orders current status and they’ll provide shipment tracking capabilities too.

SHIPPING INTERNATIONAL

At this time,  I am not shipping outside of the United States. I do hope to change that in the future.

DAMAGED GOODS FROM SHIPPING

I pack everything with great care. Shipments to you are insured, so in the very rare event that an item is damaged in transit, please follow these steps…

Use your phone to photograph the damaged box and broken pot from several different angles, showing the specific source of the problem. The pots leave here securely packed in new boxes and in excellent condition, so please pay extra attention to any obvious damage to the packaging that was incurred during transit.

Contact me immediately. mark@markslickpottery.com

I will do my best to replace the broken piece with something similar, or if you prefer, to extend you a refund for the full purchase price, made to your original payment method.

Thank you for choosing to support the arts and artists like me! Life is better when there’s Art in it!