Return Policy

I am typically very pro-active about helping ensure you get the item of your dreams, so especially on high value items like coats or skirts, you can expect to receive an email from me prior to shipping your item out, touching base to see if you have any questions and to be sure you're getting the item that you really want. Returns are always a loss (including time and shipping costs) that I want to try to avoid.

I will generally go to great lengths to try to provide a good buying experience. That said, people who attempt to abuse my return policy will be banned under my Terms of Service... not to be rude, but to enable me to maximize my time and attention on creating my art and on serving my best customers. 💖

General purpose behind these policies:

I am not a big business that can afford to offer gimmicks like "try before you buy" and free returns, so please feel free to reach out with any questions/doubts before purchase. The advantage to being a small business is that you actually get to talk to a real person. I'm here to help.

  • If the return is due to my error, I bear the costs of the return
  • If there was no error/mistake on my part, the buyer bears the costs of the return

    Returns- short version: 

    • Email me within 14 days of receipt to arrange a return (please do try to let me know sooner rather than later.)
      No phone calls, no direct messages on a social media platform - sorry, email only 📧: persephone@persephonelove.com. 
    • You have 21 days total from the date you receive your item to get the item in the mail to be sent back to me, which includes the 14 days mentioned above (am I not generous? 😎)
      • Items simply sent back with no attempt to email me will be treated as abandoned.
        (You will not be ignored - if you do not hear from me within about 24 hours, please make sure your email shows up in your sent folder. If it does not show up there, please go ahead and forward the original to me. Unless I am on vacation or incapacitated, I rarely take more than a day to respond.) 
      • Items sent after the 21-day return window has closed will be treated as abandoned and are not entitled to a refund. 
    • Items sent back must be unworn/unused/unwashed and undamaged.
      • No smoke smells/no perfume/no sweat smells/no pet hair/no pet urine/ no food or beverage stains.
      • Tags must still be attached. Please do not remove them until after you've tried on the item and are sure you are happy with the fit and style. 
      • Damaged or used items sent back are not entitled to a refund and will be treated as abandoned.
    • Generally no exchanges -just returns/purchases.
      • This is because sending items back and forth incurs a shipping cost. If you are local to me, I may be able to make an exchange work - please just get in touch with me via email.
    • No after-purchase price negotiation; when you purchase an item, this means that you have already agreed to the purchase price. 
    • I charge a 10% restocking fee unless there is a clear and glaring error on my part.
      • My e-commerce payment gateway providers (i.e. Paypal, Shopify, etc) charge me fees to receive money from sales which I do not receive back, even if I issue a refund - this, along with the time/effort involved in a return, is the reason for the restocking fee on returns that aren't due to my error.
    • Buyer is responsible for return shipping unless return is due to my error
      • Refund issued after item is received back in unused/undamaged condition - not before. No exceptions. 
      • If items are sent back to me without insurance and are lost/damaged in transit, I cannot issue a refund for this. Please send items with insurance - that way you are covered if something happens. 
      • If I send you a prepaid label to obtain a better return shipping rate, I will deduct this cost from your refund for returns that are not due to my error. If I do this, I will also deduct the cost of insurance. 
    • The original shipping cost to send the item to you is not refunded.
    • I will do my best to get you a quick resolution but I have no control over the processing times of payment providers (i.e. Paypal, credit card) for how fast they process your refund after I initiate it. 
      • If you have further questions/concerns regarding issues such as when and how your refund was applied back to your account, you'll need to reach out to your payment processor regarding those details. Your payment processor (i.e. your credit card, or Paypal, etc) will not give me any transaction information about your account, for obvious privacy reasons - you must be the one to contact them. 
      • If you used Paypal, their contact info is right HERE. 

    Cancellations:
    I'm generally pretty quick to send items out, but if you realize you bought the wrong item or need to cancel for any reason, please send me an email immediately so I can try to help you. 

    • If I haven't accepted your payment (payment processors call this "capturing" a payment), I should be able to cancel your order with no penalty.
    • If I have already accepted your payment and/or sent your item out, my standard refund policy applies. 

    Payment disputes associated with returns:

    • I have never had a payment dispute thus far. That said, I spent many years in law enforcement and have zero tolerance for attempted credit card/bank fraud. I reserve the right to pursue any/all legal action available to me against fraudsters or people who abuse my policies.
      • People who attempt to use their payment processor to force a return that does not comply with my standard refund policy will be permanently blacklisted from any future purchases and can expect a well-documented, professional rebuttal presented in the event of any dispute. 
      • People who file a payment dispute with their bank while retaining the item(s) in question may be subject to legal action not limited to, but including potential referral to a collection agency and/or suit filed in small claims court to recoup my losses, including any fees I am charged for the dispute.
        • Attempts to keep both an item AND receive a refund may also be referred to local law enforcement as well as the US Postal Inspection service for attempted mail theft/fraud.

            Longer version:
            Be aware that imperfections are part of the charm and uniqueness of hand-made items that aren't mass-produced in a sweatshop somewhere.😁 They are made with a lot of love and care. However, if something simply doesn't fit or isn't something you love, you do have the option of a return, less the shipping cost and a 10% restocking fee - unless I clearly made an obvious error. Other than trying on briefly for fit, clothing items and any items made with fabric/textiles MUST be returned UNWORN and UNWASHED. Coats must have the original paper hang-tag still attached (to help show that the item hasn't been improperly washed). The "hang-tag" refers to the small business-card-like tag that has my logo and SKU# of the item. It is paper, so will be damaged if washed. Other items not specifically described here must be returned in unused condition. No smoke smells, no perfume, no sweat stains/smells, no pet hair/urine, no melted sequins (never ever iron sequinwork... if you do, they will melt and the item is now damaged and I cannot issue a refund on items damaged by the buyer).

            Buyer must email me at persephone@persephonelove.com within 14 days of receipt or purchase of item to request a return so that we can arrange for it to be sent back to me with a tracking number - buyer is responsible for the cost and liability of return shipping. I can't give credit for items that are sent without a tracking number and get lost/damaged on the way back to me. And I adore you I really do, but I am not Zappo's - no procrastinating and sending me an email after the return period expires.😓 Items must be sent back to me within 21 days of purchase/receipt - this means the carrier you choose MUST show possession of the item in their system on/before Day 21. No emailing me and then holding onto the item past the 21 days - that's cheating. 🤨 So you get 14 days to decide, and another week to get it in transit. I'm only one person, and my generosity has to have limits in order to stay in business. I don't do "exchanges", it's just too much administrivia to keep track of  🤯 - everything is either a purchase or a refund, to each its own transaction. Refunds for returns will be issued when the item is actually received back in unused/undamaged condition, not before - that is part of "buyer is responsible for return shipping". Also, the cost of sending the item to you that you paid at the time of purchase is not included in your refund because shipping carriers did their job and have to be paid. 

            I highly recommend the use of a service like Pirate Ship to send items back to me as rates at retail counters for the USPS and UPS tend to be way higher when you pay at the counter. I am willing to help you with this if needed by sending you a label to print and use - just be aware if you ask me to send you a prepaid label though, I WILL deduct the cost of return shipping and insurance from your refund on ALL returns that are not due to my error.  

            Why I charge a restocking fee:
            My e-commerce provider and payment gateways (i.e. Shopify, Paypal, etc) charge me a fee to receive the funds from a purchase that you make. Even if I refund the original purchase, I do not get that fee refunded back to me.😥 This is why unless it is a clear and glaring error/mistake on my part, I charge a restocking fee to offset my losses. 

            Refund processing:
            I have no control over the processing times of payment processors  (i.e. Paypal, your credit card company, etc) for how fast they process your refund after I initiate it. I will generally do everything in my power to handle things within my control and on my end as quickly as possible. When I receive notification from the payment processor that the refund has been completed, I consider my obligation fulfilled at that point. I may be way easier to get in touch with than a big company, but payment processors will not give me information pertaining to your account for obvious privacy reasons. Exactly how/when the refund is applied back to your account, is entirely up to the payment processor you used and not anything that I have any control over or responsibility for. If you paid with a credit card, there's generally a customer service number on the back of your card.

            If you paid using Paypal, their contact info page is right HERE. Note that with Paypal, they have a lot of different ways to fund a purchase, which will impact how they apply your refund - I do not see or have access to any of that information at any point, so I have no way of knowing how they will apply your refund. That is strictly between you and Paypal and not something I get involved with at all. If you have any confusion about how/when your refund was applied, they are the only ones who can answer that question for you. I've provided a link to contact them as a courtesy, but I can not do it for you. You must be the one to reach out to them. 

            NO post-purchase haggling
            Also, while I will often go above and beyond to try to provide great service and I put lots of passion and effort into everything I make, I do not haggle over my prices post-purchase - no exceptions. The price variation in my coats is explained HERE and on my WTFact (aka Frequently Asked Questions) page as well. As all of my items are handmade rather than mass-produced, an occasional charming imperfection is to be expected. Thankfully, no one has yet attempted to haggle after purchase. 

            If you're not sure about something, please feel welcome to just ask before your purchase. I'm only one person but I generally try to respond pretty quickly. And err on the side of caution. I'd rather have you wait for the right item and be happy, since returns take up everyone's time and there is always a loss involved. I try REALLY hard to be amazing but I am not Zappo's or Amazon, the "try before you buy" model just doesn't work for a one-person micro-business. I'd have to raise all my prices a LOT to cover all the administrivia involved in constant returns like that. Please reach out if you are not sure. 💖

            Examples of clear and glaring errors:

            • I clearly sent you the wrong item
            • The measurements essential to fit (bust, waist, sleeve length) do not perfectly match my description
              • Total bust measurement is off by more than ~4 inches
              • Total waist measurement is off by more than ~4 inches
              • Sleeve length is off by more than ~2 inches
            I try very hard to get measurements as accurate as possible but many of my garments are stretchy and difficult to measure precisely. Measurements are intended to help my buyers find the best fit, not to be used to avoid the cost of a return when the buyer changed their mind. 

              Not a clear and glaring error:

              • Color does not exactly match what you see on your monitor or mobile device
              • Hood length is off by a few inches (this is not essential to fit)
              • Hood on coat or hood-style hat is bigger or smaller than buyer thought (dimensions on these are difficult to measure precisely)
              • Sleeve circumference is too loose/too tight (I typically do not measure this but sometimes mention it in fit notes - if you have trouble with sleeve fit, please just email me before purchase and I'll get a measurement for you)
              • Neck to hem length on coats (some variation may happen, especially on pixie-hem coats)
              • Arm-warmers are too loose or too tight
              • Leg warmers are too loose or too tight
              • Coat contains wool in places that bother you
                • I try really, really hard to note which coats are 100% cashmere and which ones contain wool and I usually try to use wool in places that don't come into as much contact with the skin but on coats that contain wool, please assume that the wool will come into contact with your skin.
              • Sequin work or embroidery does not go all the way to the seam edge (often this is deliberately done to make putting pieces together easier and to avoid putting sequins thru the serger)
                • Buyer changed their mind about the purchase
                All of my items are hand-made, but I am not a precision quilter - while I am a bit neurotic about aesthetic appeal, please expect the occasional charming imperfection with these garments. 😇

                    If by mistake, you are sent the wrong item (this has never happened, but just in case):

                    • I will arrange to pay the costs to have the incorrect item sent back to me
                    • I'll get the correct item sent out right away after I receive the incorrect one back
                      • The reason for this delay is that my coats in particular are high-value items. Most people are honest, but I cannot afford the risk of someone trying to keep something that was not what they have purchased. Large retailers will often absorb the loss and let you keep incorrect items while they send out the correct one - sorry but I cannot afford to do that. I must have a way to ensure that the incorrect item gets back to me. Please be aware if you opt to keep the incorrect item, your right to a refund is voided.
                    • I double and triple-check all my items while shipping so the chances of this are HIGHLY unlikely, but if this were to happen, this is how it would be handled. Full disclosure. 💖

                    Customers who abuse my return policy:
                    I have written my return policy with every attempt to be reasonable and to comply with Europe's very consumer-centered return rights, which I do support and absolutely will do my best to be fair and reasonable while providing great service. I have yet to have a single payment dispute in all my years of selling as a business. That said, I also spent many years in law enforcement and fraudulent credit card chargebacks are no better than attempting to shoplift from a brick-and-mortar store since those folks are attempting to have an item without paying for it. Attempting to use a payment dispute (aka a chargeback) as a way to circumvent my 21-day return period is also an abuse of my policies. Between my law enforcement background (with some of that working for an attorney) and my hobby in genealogy, I'm very good at finding out information about people and I will use these skills both to protect innocent consumers from unauthorized purchases, as well as to protect myself from scammers and fraudsters. I helped my former law enforcement agency track down information that was instrumental in helping them win a major legal case. Scammers, beware of me. To everyone else, I'll just ask nicely: I'm only one person and I'll generally put in enormous effort to ensure you're happy. Please do not abuse my policies. They are there to protect both of us from hassle and headache. 

                    Please feel free to also read through my WTFact (Frequently Asked Questions) page as well - lots of helpful info there too.

                    Note: Please be aware that this policy does NOT apply to my occasional eBay or Poshmark listings, which are my personal items that I sometimes sell. So if you bought something out of my closet on eBay or Poshmark, it is NOT returnable here.