If it's your first time ordering on-line, first of all well done....you've got this far so it can't be all bad!!! Just remember we are only a phone call away, so if it all goes 'pear shaped' we can sort it out at this end. Don't forget we are only a small business so we wouldn't send out 100 Hellhounds prints without raising an eyebrow first!! Don't forget when you press the 'Send Order' button, we first have to retrieve it from the web cart, send it into our order processing software, and only then, when the order is packed and ready to be sent out, do we take payment from your credit or debit card. So you've got at least a working day to get in touch & let us know that you didn't mean to send it!!
What about the security of using your credit card on-line?
For our customer's security & our own peace of mind, we have had to give this a lot of thought. So we've opted for your credit/debit cards to be encrypted to 128 random bits of information (this is a lot!) We then decrypt this information with a 'decryption key' offline, which only we are privy to. All your details are also protected by numerous passwords. According to the people that supplied the software for our shopping cart, customers are much more likely to have their credit card stolen in the real world (rather than the virtual one) or have their card details taken from a bill or receipt that has been thrown away. In fact, so far, contrary to what the newspaper scare-mongers say, neither of us have actually know of anyone who has had problems with ordering on-line in this way.
Can I send a Vanishing Point product as a gift?
We are happy to send limited edition prints or any product to friends or relatives, enclosing any personal messages or greetings that you have with the order. (We normally put these in one of our greetings cards for you). Shop on-line as usual, adding your chosen item to your basket. When you come to check out, put your name & address in the 'invoice address' section & your friend or relative's address in the 'delivery address section'.
How quickly will my item be delivered, and who will deliver it?
We aim to send out all orders within 5 days. But it is usually much quicker than this. Prints and small items are sent by Royal Mail (Recorded Delivery). For mounted & framed limited edition prints, as well as enamel signs etc, we send out orders twice a week by courier on a next day delivery service. We will advise you of the day that we expect your order to arrive with you.
Can I have my order delivered on a specific date?
If you would like your order delivered for a specific day or you have a very important deadline, let us know & we will make sure we get your order to you in time.
Overseas deliveries and UK Islands
While we can send loose and mounted prints, enamel signs etc to Overseas addresses and UK Islands. We regret that at this time we are unable to send framed prints to you. This is because of the fragile nature of the glass & as yet we haven't found a reliable enough courier that covers all these areas! UK Islands include the Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and Scottish Islands. We can however send goods to the nearest UK mainland port for you to collect at your convenience.
Does my order need signing for?
If your order is being sent by Royal Mail ( loose prints/small items) you will not need to sign for it. It will be delivered with the rest of your daily post. If your order is being sent by courier (larger orders & framed or mounted prints), you will need to sign for the parcel. If you know that you are going to be out or at work when the courier comes, we can either deliver to an alternative address (i.e. your work address or to a friend or relative) or you can give us delivery instructions so that the courier can leave your parcel for you (i.e. in your garage or porch or with a neighbour) without you having to sign.
What time will the courier come?
We wish we had the purchasing power of Tesco.com et al. so that we could give our customers a two hour slot, but unfortunately we're too much of a small fish for that! The courier will call between 8am-5pm. But don't forget you can ask for your parcel to be left somewhere if you are going out or we can deliver it to another address if it's more convenient.
What if my order arrives damaged, or if it is lost en route?
Even though we are sending very fragile items such as glass, we very rarely have a breakage. Although our couriers are very reliable, bless them, our packaging is designed to withstand the very roughest of treatment. (We first tested it by throwing a packed framed print out of an upstairs window onto concrete below & it didn't have any damage!)
If in the extreme case of items being damaged in transit or being lost - contact us straightaway & we will organise a free replacement to be sent out to you ASAP with our sincere apologies! It will not be your fault - it is up to US to sort the problem out for you as quickly as we can!
What will you do with my details? & Data Protection
Just to reassure you that we do not pass your details onto any third parties & we will only use your name, address & telephone details in connection with the order you have placed.
How can I pay?
Credit & Debit cards: We accept VISA, Mastercard, Switch, Paypal, Solo & JCB cards. You can pay with your credit/debit card on-line or you can place the order over the telephone with your card details or you can post your order with your card details. We do not process your card payment until your order is ready to send out, no matter how you place your order with us.
Cheques/Postal Orders: You can place your order on-line & select 'Cheque/Postal Order' in the 'Select a Payment type' section if you prefer & then post your cheque or postal order to us. Alternatively you can just do it the good old fashioned way with a letter & cheque in the post!
Cash: Although it is safe once it reaches us, we do not advise you to send cash through the post.
What is your complaint procedure?
So far we haven't had to have a complaint procedure - because it has never got to that stage! We take complaints very seriously and if the phone line is busy when you ring, we would be back in touch by return. The same applies to email. It would give us sleepless nights if we didn't resolve a problem straightaway. As it is our own business, we are very proud of it & take problems very genuinely to heart.
How do I shop on-line? A step by step guide!
First of all, relax - what is the worst thing that can happen? You may make a mistake, but if you do don't worry - just call us or email to let us know. It's as simple as that.
We are happy for you to use us as your 'first time guinea pig!'
Right here we go…
First of all you want to decide what you want to look into - Original Pintings/Enamel Signs etc . Click on the link for 'Original Paintings' or 'Enamel Signs' on the Home page or on the Menu Bar (the black and orange vertical column on the left hand side).
From 'Original Paintings' you can decide to look at choose what you want to look at & click on one of these.
Browse through the section, until you see what you might like more information on or what you might like to buy. Click on either the 'more info & buy' button by the product or on the image itself or on the title of the product.
This will give you additional details about the item you have chosen as well as the option of buying.
Some items will have several options, which you will choose from in the drop down menu next to the item. For example, you are able to purchase a print 'framed', 'mounted' or 'loose'. Then decide how many of an item you want & click on the buy button.
A pop up window will appear saying, 'you have added an item to your basket'. At the bottom of the page you will notice a cream horizontal bar named and a small thumbnail image of what you have choosen will appear in it. It will also show your 'running total' including P&P. This will automatically update each time you buy an item.
Carry on adding items to your basket as above until you are ready to check out.
To check out, click on the 'check out' button on the menu bar or on the checkout button beside the product you have chosen. This will show you what you have ordered, the quantities & the price. If you need to amend or delete items you can do so by ticking the box next to the relevant producting & then clicking the 'remove button.'
When you are happy with your selection, choose how you want to pay. If you want to pay with your credit or debit card on-line, select this option. You won't be asked for more details about your card until you press the send order button. You will then be directed to a secure payment page where you will fill in all your credit or debit card details, send a cheque by post or telephone through your credit or debit card details.After deciding on your method of payment, fill in your personal details in the order form, making sure that you fill in all fields marked with a red star. There is also space for you to send any additional information to us i.e. 'going away on holiday until the end of the month, wait until I get back' or 'our house is difficult to find ask the courier to ring us first' or 'If I'm out, leave my parcel with no. 4' etc.
Once you have done this click on the send order button at the bottom of the page. You will receive an email confirmation to let you know that your order has been processed successfully.
That's it! Well done! We'll be sending your goods out shortly!
Any queries do get in touch by telephone 013873 71488 or email russ@vanishingpoint-art.com
