FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Do you accept credit cards?
Visa, MasterCard, and Amex transactions are available by contacting CRE8 (Kathleen) at the Galiano Twirly Tree Shop by phone: 250-539-2600
The product looks different than what I ordered.
Well, it's glass. Achieving and maintaining proper lighting environments for pictures and display on many different computer screens is prone to some errors of perception, especially in terms of color ranges, shades, intensity and saturation. Generally, this has not been an issue with any clients to date, but you should be willing to accept some very minor differences in shade or saturation of a particular color. Glass pieces on this site are not mass produced, but rather individually hand crafted. Depending on the shape of the piece and the other colors, one or more colors may be muted, or saturated slightly to achieve an overall artistic balance and aesthetic to the piece. The picture on the screen is just one of several pieces of that type, not the actual piece you will receive. While there may be slight variations under close scrutiny they will essentially look the same from 2 feet away.
How much does shipping costs?
Shipping is calculated and charged to the nearest dollar rounded up. You are paying ONLY for essentially the exact cost of shipping as incurred. As I ship many items/pieces to vendors/retailers/customers, my shipping costs are a little lower due to volume pricing. This is essentially a pass through cost for customers.
Can I insure the item/product for shipping.
If you wish to insure the item/product for shipping please let me know when ordering.
What if the glass piece is broken during shipping?
While the product is indeed glass, it isn't fragile. All products are shipped in adequate packaging to protect the item from normal activates during the shipping process. It is very rare that a product is damaged during shipping. Should it occur please advise me as soon as possible to mediate the problem. I would also appreciate a picture of the damaged piece and packaging, from your cell phone or whatever, if possible.
How long does shipping take?
Purchased glass pieces, are usually shipped via Canada Post for Canadian orders and most international orders. You can view Canada Posts shipping time standards here. You can request expedited or express delivery at the time or ordering if you wish, at your costs. Usually normal shipping is more than sufficient to receive your purchase in a reasonable time frame. If you have a hard deadline for delivery, such as a birthday/special occasion gift, please let us know when ordering and we will advise the best shipping method to meet that deadline. You can also request courier service if you like, it does happen, but is rare. You will have to pay for these extra costs up front however, unless you are a regular customer on a billing cycle.
Refunds / Exchanges
CRE8 does not currently have a refund or exchange policy. We try very hard to ensure customers are satisfied with their purchase decisions, as most of our business is indeed through friends of friends and recommendations. If you are unhappy with your purchase please let us know, through the contact page and it will be dealt with on a case by case basis. Please remember, that most glass pieces are fairly low costs items, sold at near materials plus time prices, so the costs of dealing with refunds / exchanges usually exceeds the value of selling the item itself. Again, we will do what we can to ensure you're happy with the glass piece you purchased, but would prefer you ensure you are happy with the product before purchase.
If I order more, can I get a break on pricing?
Most glass pieces are sold at near materials plus time pricing. A significantly large order might likely receive a lower per item cost as the materials and time can be better managed. For most customers ordering a few glass pieces will not result in a different in per glass piece pricing although you would likely save on shipping a little. If you believe you are ordering enough to warrant a difference in per piece pricing, let me know and we'll see what happens. Keep in mind that the price margin per piece is quite small, so it's unlikely that the price difference,if any, would be significant. If you are a vendor or retailer of course volume pricing is more likely.
How much lead time is required for "small" volume orders?
Lead time varies based on work loads and other business and artist related ventures. It is quite likely I will be able to accommodate most requests of a reasonable nature. If for example, you plan on giving out individuals glass pieces, possibly with a company insignia, at a business function for 50 people ... I would likely require at least 3 weeks lead time not including shipping to accommodate that request. Doubling that "lead time" provides a nice safety margin, if possible.
This FAQ did not answer my question.
If you have questions or concerns not addressed by this FAQ, please forward the question / concern to us directly. We will address your question / concern and also add it to this FAQ.