The Artifact Company Policy Page
Updated 2019/04/04
What This Page Addresses:
This Page addresses policies The Artifact Company has set in place over the course of doing business as a service-related company for the public and private archaeological artifact-collecting community. This Page addresses policies The Artifact Company has set in place over the course of doing business as a mail-order and web-based retail company.
General Policies
General Terms and Conditions
Refund and Return Policy
Authenticity Return Standard
Shipping & Receiving Policy
Artifact Policies
General Artifact Policy
Flint & Stone Policy
Organic Material (Bone, Plant, Shell and Leather goods) Policy
Pottery Policy
Questions and Suggestions:
The Artifact Company is a fair and reasonable company. If you have an issue with The Artifact Company, please contact The Artifact Company and we will resolve it within our stated policies. If you feel that your inquiry has not been satisfactorily addressed, The Artifact Company will attempt to locate an independent mediator to settle the issue.If you have questions or suggestions, please contact us at:
The Artifact Company
P.O. Box 1005
Mount Sterling, KY 40353
1-800-466-3836
Payment Information:
We accept Personal Check, U.S. Postal Money Order, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Paypal as forms of payment. Our Paypal address is info@theartifactcompany.com
At the completion of an eBay Auction, if you are the winning bidder, please look for an invoice in your e-mail from us via Paypal. We do not at this time accept payment directly through our company website for security reasons. For negotiated prices, please pay by mail or by phone: 1 (800) 466-3836
The Artifact Company
Return & Refund Policy
Updated 2019/04/04
What This Return and Refund Policy Covers:
This policy covers how The Artifact Company treats products and services that The Artifact Company sells through the course of operating a retail mail-order business. This policy includes service-specific refund policies covering our auction, appraisal, authentication, and grading services, and any other services The Artifact Company offers, as well as exceptions to the policy. This Policy is in addition to, and in some instances overrides, our General Terms and Conditions. This policy does not apply to the products or services of companies that The Artifact Company does not own or control, or to people that The Artifact Company does not employ or manage. This policy does not apply to artifacts purchased prior to September 30, 2015. The Artifact Company changed business structure effective to that date and is now a subsidiary of Apollo Auction Group, LLC. Any return inquiries concerning return agreements on purchases made prior to that date need to be made to the proprietor of The Artifact Company prior to September 30, 2015. The Artifact Company disavows all warranties or guarantees made prior to September 30, 2015. Artifacts purchased between September 30, 2015 and the current date are subject to The Artifact Company return policy in effect at that time.
General Returns Policy:
You may return new, unopened products sold and delivered by The Artifact Company other than items sold through our Auction within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. Items should be returned in their original packaging. We’ll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error.
This page outlines the details of our returns policy rules and exceptions
Auction Purchases
Items that are Not Returnable
Partial Refunds
Items returned for Authenticity reasons
Orders Returned After 30 Days
Exchanges
Items Purchased from other Sellers
In-Store Returns
Items purchased through Amazon.com Affiliate Store
Product Specific Policies
Be sure to visit our Product Specific Policies section for more information on returns for the various branded product lines (microscopes, cases, other scientific devices).
Auction Purchases
Auction Credit in the amount of the total purchase price including premium will be the only form of ‘refund’ given on auction purchases. A buyer may use this credit against any future purchase of any type from The Artifact Company. Items purchased at auction that were not accompanied by preexisting Certificate of Authenticity, or listed as Decorative or Contemporary; whether through LiveAuctioneers, Phone, Absentee, or Floor Bidding have 30 days from the DATE OF THE AUCTION to get the item examined by a commercial authenticator listed in the approved list of authenticators from that particular auction. Please note that as authenticators enter or leave our list of accepted approved evaluators it is not a direct statement as to their ability or the ability of anyone not listed. Example: An auction is held on May 1st, a winning bidder would have until May 30th to notify us of a return for authentication reasons. The item MUST be accompanied by letter from the authenticator used. Items sold with a preexisting Certificate of Authenticity are strictly ‘AS-IS’ and no return can be accepted per Kentucky State Auction Law. If you do not accept the opinion of the issuer of said Certificate of Authenticity, DO NOT BID. If you require additional time to complete authentication, you must notify us before the end of the 30 day period, and in fact notification should be done before the date of the auction. We are required under Kentucky State Auction Law to pay all consignors within or no later than the 30th day after completed sale. After that time, any allowed returns are at the consignor’s sole discretion and it is out of our hands.
On Items Purchased at Retail or on eBay:
We offer a no-questions asked, 30-Day Money Back guarantee as long as the item is returned in the same condition it was sent, including all paperwork. If you are not satisfied with your item for any reason, please simply return it for a complete refund less S&H.
Items that are Not Returnable
The Artifact Company does not accept returns of the following items:
Auction items for which no guarantee was provided per terms of auction or items returned beyond the 30th day after an auction without authorization.
Service Products: Such as Authentication Evaluations or Appraisals.
Artifacts of which associated paperwork (including certificates of authenticity from other authenticators) is not returned, or missing.
Artifacts received in damaged condition. Artifacts received with damage will be returned to the buyer so they might file a claim with the shipper (i.e. USPS, UPS, FEDEX, etc.). Any product missing the serial number or UPC. Gift certificates. Used Medical Equipment, Gold or Silver Bullion, including silver or gold coins sold for metal value. Items sold as decorative or contemporary. Items purchased from sellers other than The Artifact Company, including items which may originally have been purchased from The Artifact Company, regardless of remaining return period between The Artifact Company and original purchaser.
Partial Refunds
Partial Refunds will be issued for the following items:
Any item that has obvious signs of use. Any opened display case or frame purchased as new. A minimum 15% restocking fee will apply. Any product other than artifacts not returned in the condition it was received.
Items Returned for Authenticity Reasons
The Artifact Company examines every item it sells for authenticity. Items returned for authenticity reasons must be accompanied by a formal report conforming to The Artifact Company Standards of Evaluation reporting. A refund will not be made unless such a report accompanies the item. Please make your authentication firm aware of our requirements prior to shipping to them.
Orders Returned After 30 Days
Orders that were delivered more than 30 days ago will not receive a refund. Items returned for warranty issues such as those due to craftsmanship or materials returned in the original shipping container will receive an exchange only if the remaining factory warranty has not elapsed. Please read the Product Specific Policy for your item.
Exchanges
If you received a faulty item and need to exchange it for the same item, contact us immediately at 1-800-466-3836 to return the item for a replacement. If you would like to exchange an item for a different one, please return the original item in its original package to us. A 15% restocking fee applies to all items exchanged. If the item exchanged has a greater value than that of the replacement, a credit will be issued taking into account the restocking fee. If the item exchanged has a lesser value than that which it is exchanged for, the difference in price must be paid in addition to the restocking fee. If a like item is exchanged due to warranty issues, the remainder of the factory warranty replaces the warranty on the replacement item. Please note that it takes us 3 to 5 business days to process returns once they arrive at our office.
Items Purchased from Other Sellers
As The Artifact Company Web site sometimes offers items for sale both by The Artifact Company and by third-party sellers, it is important in the returns process to know from whom the item was purchased. The Artifact Company Artifacts Brokerage service acts as an Escrow service for third parties wishing to market their artifacts while offering a no-nonsense approach to marketing authentic artifacts. All sales are conducted between the buyer and the third party. The Artifact Company is not responsible for any refunds between buyer and third-party seller, other than those outlined in the Brokerage Agreement. If the item to be returned was not sold by The Artifact Company, and The Artifact Company-Backed return period has lapsed as outlined in the Brokerage Agreement, you will need to contact the seller directly to follow the specific Merchant’s return instructions to receive a refund if any.
In-Store Returns
Items purchased from The Artifact Company can be returned in person at our physical location, if they meet the terms and conditions of any other return. Items purchased from The Artifact Company Brokerage sellers are subject to the individual merchant’s return policy beyond the terms of the original sale.
Items from Amazon.com Affiliate Store
Items purchased from the Amazon.com Affiliate Webstore under the ‘Supplies’ category, which includes all books, cases, and most scientific equipment like microscopes are handled by Amazon.com and any returns should be initiated via Amazon.com.
Product Specific Policies
Certain items The Artifact Company sells carry with them additional guarantees or factory warranties. Below are the Policies on each from the manufacturer:
Applied Scientific Devices Microscopes: 5 year warranty on craftsmanship and materials (excepting bulbs). Please return to The Artifact Company for exchange.
The Artifact Company
General Shipping & Receiving Policy
Updated 2019/04/04
What This Shipping Policy Covers
This policy covers how The Artifact Company treats items that The Artifact Company ships and receives, including items sent to The Artifact Company by private individuals for any reason. This Policy is in addition to, and in some instances overrides, our General Terms and Conditions. This policy does not apply to the practices of companies that The Artifact Company does not own or control, or to people that The Artifact Company does not employ or manage.
GENERAL SHIPPING POLICY
Our shipping charges are based on weight and overall value of the order plus any additional charges for special handling or services requested. Packages of excessive weight requiring special packing will also incur an additional postage charge. The Artifact Company custom-packs each item to ensure safety during shipping of fragile items. The Artifact Company custom-ships each item to ensure compliance with Postal Regulations and policies of private shipping companies. The Artifact Company offers U.S. Priority Mail (standard), U.S. Express Mail, and First Class shipping methods to all 50 United States. We also ship to A.P.O. addresses via US Priority Mail only. Please see our Firearms section for firearms specific shipping information.
We may recommend 3rd party Shippers for International or bulky shipments. Such arrangements are between the 3rd party and the buyer.
General Receiving Policy
The Artifact Company makes no warranty or guarantee that items shipped without some form of signature-required tracking service will be properly delivered by the shipper. The Artifact Company Shipping and Receiving Agents may at their discretion refuse items deemed to be shipped incorrectly, this includes items shipped via Parcel Post, Padded Envelopes, Damaged Packages and packages shipped without appropriate tracking services.
Damaged Goods Policy
Owners of items submitted accept all responsibility for ensuring proper shipment and packing of any items sent to The Artifact Company for any reason.
If items are received by The Artifact Company in damaged condition, the sender is contacted immediately to begin processing a Postal insurance claim when possible. The Artifact Company makes no warranty on condition of goods returned to sender as a result of shipping damage or loss. As of 11/12/2006, The Artifact Company no longer includes Postal Insurance in its flat-rate Return Shipping and Handling. Postal Insurance is available at additional cost payable at time services are rendered. In the case of a Postal Insurance Claim, the item will be surrendered to the USPS, and the owner will receive payment of the claim directly from the USPS.
DELIVERY AND LEAD TIME
Since the U.S. Postal Service may not deliver on certain days (even for express shipping), the actual delivery date may differ from the estimated transit time. For example: A Next Day order, leaving our offices on a Friday for New York, will not arrive until Monday, even though it has a one day transit time.
Standard shipping
Orders for services which have been completed, or for items that are in stock are usually shipped within 24 to 48 hours, excluding weekends. Barring exceptions, these orders ship out Monday through Friday at around 4:30 pm EST. If an order is placed before 12 PM EST, the order may ship out that same day.
Express shipping (Same/Next Day, 4-Day)
These orders are given top priority. Express orders for items that are in stock are usually shipped within 24 hours, excluding weekends. Barring exceptions, these orders ship out Monday through Friday at around 4:30 PM EST. If an express order is placed before 12 PM EST, it will usually ship out that same day.
Tracking Numbers
The Artifact Company will maintain records of shipping including tracking numbers where applicable. A valid email address is required for those wanting immediate notification of tracking information.
BACKORDERS
Shipping time on backordered items varies. You will be contacted via phone or email if you order a backordered item. At this point you can either choose to wait for the item, or remove it from your order. If you choose to wait, the backordered item will ship out to you automatically just as soon as we get it back in stock. Due to availability and vendor issues, we can only provide an estimate as to when this will occur. Payments for backordered items are made up front as part of the original order. This helps to keep shipping costs down, as it would be more expensive to charge for two separate shipments. If you choose to remove the backordered item from your order, a refund will be issued that is consistent with the original method of payment.
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING POLICY:
International shipments are billed at a custom rate. All items shipped are sent in accordance with International treaty and current U.S. Customs regulations. International Customers should expect to pay a higher shipping and handling rate along with any VAT or Customs duties their country may assess. We do not underreport values of international shipments so please do not ask.
The Artifact Company
Artifact Policy
Updated 2019/04/04
What This Policy Covers
This policy addresses how The Artifact Company treats artifacts submitted to The Artifact Company for: sale, consignment, trade, evaluation, appraisal, grading, or any other situation arising in which The Artifact Company is not the owner of the items in question. This Policy is in addition to, and in some instances overrides, our General Artifact policy. This policy does not apply to the practices of companies that The Artifact Company does not own or control, or to people that The Artifact Company does not employ or manage.
2019/04/04 UPDATE: ALL ITEMS SUBMITTED OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTEREST MUST INCLUDE A CULTURAL ASSETS GUARANTEE WAIVER BEFORE ANY SERVICE CAN BE STARTED. A SAMPLE SUBMISSION FORM IS AVAILABLE HERE
Flint and Stone Material Policy
The Artifact Company will examine any artifact made from a Flint or Stone at the owner’s request. The Artifact Company will not clean or expose submitted items to: solvents, surfactants, moisture beyond normal atmosphere humidity, radiation, or excessive sunlight, any organic materials submitted for evaluation excepting extreme cases where cleaning or sampling may be necessary with the owner’s permission. Flint and Stone items are recognized in some cases as being potentially extremely fragile, and every attempt will be made to prevent damage. The Artifact Company makes no guarantee that the item will sustain no-damage due to the evaluation and the submittor accepts any additional degradation or damage as a result of the evaluation.
Organic Material Policy
The Artifact Company will examine any artifact made from an organic material at the owner’s request. The Artifact Company will not clean or expose submitted items to: solvents, surfactants, moisture beyond normal atmosphere humidity, radiation, or excessive sunlight, any organic materials submitted for evaluation excepting extreme cases where cleaning or sampling may be necessary with the owner’s permission. Organic Materials are recognized as being potentially extremely fragile, and every attempt will be made to prevent damage. The Artifact Company makes no guarantee that the Organic material will sustain no-damage due to the evaluation and the submittor accepts any additional degradation or damage as a result of the evaluation.
Pottery Policy
The Artifact Company will examine any artifact made from Pottery at the owner’s request. The Artifact Company will not clean or expose submitted items to: solvents, surfactants, moisture beyond normal atmosphere humidity, radiation, or excessive sunlight, any Pottery materials submitted for evaluation excepting extreme cases where cleaning or sampling may be necessary through the course of examination or independent testing (as with Thermoluminescence) with the owner’s permission. Pottery items are recognized in some cases as being potentially extremely fragile, and every attempt will be made to prevent damage. The Artifact Company makes no guarantee that the item will sustain no-damage due to the evaluation and the submittor accepts any additional degradation or damage as a result of the evaluation, particularly in cases where sampling is necessary. In the case of Thermoluminescence testing, The Artifact Company will recommend a professional restorer who might best restore the object in question. Pottery items which have been overcleaned, over-restored, over-painted, or other unforeseen circumstances which make optical examination impossible, no-opinion will be issued and Thermoluminescence testing will be recommended to the owner.
The Artifact Company
Firearms Policy
Updated 2019/04/04
What This Policy Covers
This policy addresses how The Artifact Company treats firearms submitted to The Artifact Company for: sale, consignment, trade, evaluation, appraisal, grading, or any other situation arising in which The Artifact Company is not the owner of the items in question.This Policy is in addition to, and in some instances overrides, our General Policies.This policy does not apply to the practices of companies that The Artifact Company does not own or control or to people that The Artifact Company does not employ or manage.
Firearms Policy
The Artifact Company will not handle modern firearms at auction, for retail sale, or for consignment. The Artifact Company will only handle Pre-1898 Firearms and other Firearms considered ‘Antique’ by the BATFE. This includes Black powder Rifles, Pistols, small Cannon, and Replica Firearms of Pre-1898 Design that do not fire fixed ammunition. The Artifact Company will provide safe storage of any Firearms in its care.
Firearms Shipping Policy
The Artifact Company will ship any Antique or Pre-1898 firearm to any recipient legally able to receive said firearm. As laws vary from state to state regarding firearms ownership or possession, expect our ability to ship to be tempered by those restrictions and reviewed prior to shipment and invoicing. The Recipient is responsible for all additional costs of shipment including FFL shipment fees should delivery to a FFL license holder be necessary to the completion of the sale. The Artifact Company will not clean or expose submitted items to: solvents, surfactants, moisture beyond normal atmosphere humidity, radiation, or excessive sunlight, any organic materials submitted for evaluation excepting extreme cases where cleaning or sampling may be necessary with the owner’s permission.
Other Information:
Every item we list is in full compliance with Federal and State laws. All have been legally acquired and are to the best of our knowledge to date, appropriately described. If you have any questions regarding our listings, please contact us at info@theartifactcompany.com or by calling 1 (800) 466-3836.