To order call    1.800.206.6544 (US / Canada)   +1.416.232.0376 (International).     $75 minimum order

Terms and Conditions

for

Retail Customers

Wholesale customers: please see the Terms and Conditions for Wholesale Customers.

$75 minimum order

Please take a few minutes to review the following terms and conditions under which we do business.

Do not hesitate to call us at 1.800.206.6544 or send an e-mail to info@chichesterinc.com if you have any questions or if we can be of service. Overseas callers may call our Canadian administrative office at +1.416.232.0376. We do not accept collect calls.

Click on the links below to scroll down to the information you require.

Why Buy from Us? Return Policy
Payment Options Claims and Disputes
New York State Sales Tax Wildlife Products
Pricing Suitability for Children
Minimum Order Country of Origin and Authenticity
Shipping by UPS Native American Products
Shipping by U.S. Mail Canadian and International Orders
Insurance Legal Jurisdiction
Rush Orders Privacy Policy
Drop Shipments Federal Employer Identification Number
Back Orders A Final Note

 

Why Buy from Us?

We have been in business since 1992 and provide quality merchandise to major museums, theme parks, stores, catalog companies, movie production companies, manufacturers, and individuals world wide.  Many of these products are not readily found elsewhere.  This is what we do for a living, and we want to remain in business for many more years.  See About Us for more information about our company.

Payment Options  

              Pay me securely with any major credit card through PayPal!

1) We accept major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover), cash (all major currencies), PayPal, money orders, bank drafts, some business checks with an approved application on file, prepayment by personal checks (orders will be held until check clears), and wire payments.

a) Credit cards and PayPal are our preferred means of settlement. Credit card orders will be limited to US$500.00 per month per customer for a minimum of six months. We may lift the credit card limit at our discretion.

b) Large orders can be paid for by bank draft or wire transfer (T/T).  For wire/banking instructions, see Chichester Banking Information.  There is a US$39.50 additional charge for wire payments to cover the cost of the incoming wire fees. 

c) To pay by PayPal, go to www.paypal.com and enter in the requested information. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can sign up for a free Personal account. Provide us with the email address to send the PayPal invoice to. Please do not pay us until you receive the PayPal invoice from us.

2) Net 30 terms to select institutions, museums, and corporations only with proper identification.

3) Interest will be charged to overdue accounts at the rate of 2% per month. Late accounts may be denied future credit terms.

4) No merchandise will be shipped to overdue accounts until payment in full is received.

5) A US$52.50 NSF fee will be charged for all bounced checks. If your bounced check causes us to bounce checks, you will be held liable for any NSF charnges incurred.

6) We can hold orders for seven (7) business days should you wish to send a Walmart or Postal money order. We can call you with the total. We generally do not like to hold orders for customers who want to send payment by money order or wire transfer.  Too often these checks and wires never arrive.  We have turned down customers who wanted to purchase merchandise by credit card while we were waiting for funds that never came.  If we give you a quote for merchandise and you send funds promptly, chances are that the merchandise will still be there and can be shipped promptly.  Should we sell out of an item while you are sending payment, we will give you an option to backorder the item, take a partial shipment, or get a complete and prompt refund.  If you do not send the payment as promised, we will not offer this service to you again.

7) We restrict payment by COD money order to approved customers only. We ship promptly and will inform you of the COD amount so you can have a U.S. postal money order or Wal-Mart money order ready. We only offer COD by UPS and will charge you their COD fee per box. This is not a preferred means of settlement by us.  If you are interested in paying by COD, please review our COD policy

8) If you send a personal check or Cashier's check with an order, we will hold the check for up to 10 business days to ensure that it clears prior to shipping any merchandise.  If we decide not to accept your order, we will return the check.  In general, we prefer payment by Walmart or Postal money order instead of personal check--we have had too many problems with personal checks.  We will ship promptly all orders that are paid for by Walmart or Postal money order.

New York State Sales Tax

All New York residents will be charged New York State sales tax on both the value of the goods and freight unless a tax exemption certificate is on file prior to shipping.

Pricing

1) All merchandise is priced in U.S. dollars unless explicitly stated otherwise.  Some large-scale trade deals are denominated in other currencies, such as euros, South African Rand, Canadian dollars, or British pounds, etc.

2) All prices are subject to change without notice.  Price changes will be confirmed before shipping.

This website is updated frequently, so the prices shown should be the ones in force.  If there has been a change that has been overlooked or is in error, we will notify you before shipping and update the website promptly. 

We usually try to maintain stable prices, but recent volatility in foreign exchange rates has caused us to review prices more frequently.

Minimum Order

Given the high cost of handling small orders, we have a minimum order of US$75.00 per shipment.  You can mix and match merchandise, but the order must total US$75.00 before shipping cost. 

We have a minimum order of US$250.00 for Canadian orders and US$500.00 for other international orders (see International Ordering Information).

We get occasional calls from people hoping that we will waive the minimum order.  Unfortunately, the cost of preparing an invoice, packing an order, tracking, getting credit card approval, providing a box, etc., is too high for us to justify shipping orders under this amount.  Consequently, we enforce this policy.  Sorry.

Shipping by UPS

1) We rely on UPS ground service. If you have special shipping requirements, please let us know.

2) All shipping charges are to the account of the buyer.

3) Click on the picture below to determine shipping times by UPS Ground:

4) UPS does not honor its "guaranteed ground ship dates" for about two weeks before Christmas.  Please allow a few extra days to be safe.

5) UPS will charge a customs brokerage fee for most shipments to Canada and overseas.  You may also have to pay duty and taxes.

Regular UPS ground service is cheap and relatively fast--usually 1-5 business days anywhere in the continental U.S. 

Because of problems with credit card fraud, we no longer offer express services to new customers.  We need time to establish that you are the legitimate credit card holder and that the goods are going to a legitimate address.  We will not rush this process.  If you call at the end of the day and are in a rush, we will not be able to help you.

If you have ordered from us before and require express service, please keep in mind that using 3-day select generally doubles the cost of shipping and using next-day air doubles it again.  For express shipments you pay for either weight OR volume.  Express service is expensive!  We usually alert customers to this fact of life, but many people often don't have a clue as to what it will cost for express service.  A box of 100 rabbit skins (about 15 pounds) may cost only $15.00 or $20.00 to send to California by ground service but be $90.00 by next-day air.  If in doubt, please ask before having us send you something by express service and then charge you four to five times what you believe is "reasonable."  

For retail orders over US$500, we will ship with Signature Required.  An adult will have to sign for the package.

Shipping by U.S. Mail

We can send parcels by U.S. mail if you wish.  Keep in mind that we cannot track the parcels once they are mailed.  Normally, delivery time is 2-3 days anywhere in the U.S. for Priority Mail.  We will insure the goods, but cannot be held accountable if the U.S. Post Office takes a month or more to deliver your parcel.

If you request that we ship by mail, we will send the parcel by Priority Post unless you instruct us otherwise.  For Alaska or other remote areas, there can be significant differences in price and delivery times between priority mail and parcel post. For larger cities, there is not much difference in the service or price.  If you want slower, cheaper service, please let us know.

For shipping quotes by U.S. mail, you can see their website at www.usps.com and then click on Calculate Postage in the red bar at the top of the home page.  Follow the instructions and you can see how much it costs to ship varying weights by different service levels (priority mail, parcel post, etc.). All shipments by mail are entered into the USPS on-line system and are picked up the next day. If you require immediate shipment, we can take the parcel to the post office for same day shipping for an extra rush fee.

If applicable, please see International Ordering Information for shipping information for orders to addresses outside of the United States of America.

For retail orders over US$500, we will ship with Signature Required.  An adult will have to sign for the package.

Insurance

All shipments are insured at the buyer’s expense unless prepaid in full and an insurance waiver is signed.  Insuring parcels with UPS is generally very inexpensive, so why not do this? Our packers have an excellent record in guarding against damage, but damage can occur, truck drivers have accidents, and parcels occasionally go missing.  In the event of an insurance claim, UPS requires you to keep the original carton. Put all damaged items as well as packing materials back into the original carton it was received in and hold for UPS.  Write or call us within five (5) days so UPS can examine or pick up the carton.  

Rush Orders

We process shipments in the order in which they were received. We will charge a US$78.75 rush fee if you place an order at or after 2:00 pm and would like us to ship the same day.  This service is subject to time constraints.  The later in the day you call, the less likely we can ship the same day.

We will charge a US$52.50 drop off fee to make a special run to the UPS or USPS shipping depot in Niagara Falls, New York.

We will charge a US$105.00 drop off fee to make a special run to the UPS or USPS shipping depot in Antwerp, New York.

Drop Shipments

We will not provide drop shipments unless we have a very high comfort level about the transaction.  In general, all orders must be shipped to the same address as the billing address for the credit card.  If you prepay by wire transfer or bank draft, we are more willing to consider drop shipments.

Back Orders

We stock thousands of items.  Many of these items are made by artisans or are imported.  Our goal is to attempt maintaining adequate inventory in all catalogued items.  In general, we can inform you of availability on our specific web pages or at the time of ordering.  If something is out of stock, we will attempt to let you know immediately.  You can either request that we backorder this or cancel the order. We do not enforce the minimum order for merchandise that is backordered. Back orders are open, active orders for a period of six months and will be filled as soon as the goods become available.  If you do not want this service, it is your responsibility to cancel back orders.  Returned back orders are subject to a 15% restocking fee. Shipping charges for back orders are to the account of the buyer.

If you specify a credit card for payment and there is a backorder, we will use the same card to process the backorder unless you tell us differently.  We will send a copy of the invoice along with your order.  The invoice will be put inside the box or put inside a pouch taped to the outside of the box.  If you require a phone call with the total, please let us know at the time of ordering.

Return Policy

Chichester, Inc. will not accept returns without prior authorization. All returns must be approved in advance and have a return authorization number labelled clearly on the package.

Rest assured that you may return any item that you buy from us if you are not 100% satisfied at the time of receipt. Please call us at 1.800.206.6544 or +1.416.232.0376; write us at Chichester, Inc., 2045 Niagara Falls Blvd, Unit 9, Niagara Falls, New York 14304; fax us at +1.716.298.0313; or e-mail us at info@chichesterinc.com  within five (5) days of receipt to let us know that there is a problem and return the merchandise promptly--no more than 30 days after our ship date on the invoice. We will provide you with a return authorization number to write on the box. The return authorization number will be in the format: RAyymmddXX where RA is for the return authorization, yymmdd is the date, and XX is the initials of the person you spoke to.  The return authorization number must be on the outside of the box for our warehouse to accept the shipment.

There is no re-stocking fee for returns on retail orders on up to three (3) items on a single order as long as we do not explicitly state on the invoice or by email that we reserve the right to impose a 15% restocking fee. We understand that customers may not like something that we send for whatever reason and respect this decision. Upon receipt of the returned merchandise in its original condition, we will issue a full refund for the value of merchandise, but not for shipping costs. You are responsible for shipping and insurance costs both ways.  We have had customers request that we ship something by next-day air and then want to return the item and get a full refund on the value of the goods and shipping.  Sorry, but we do not think this is reasonable.  If you are in a rush, please keep in mind that you will be paying the cost of expedited shipping.

If you return a wholesale order or more than three (3) items on a retail order, we will charge a 15% re-stocking fee on the total value of all merchandise.  For example, you could return 50 rabbit skins without any problem, but not one each of 100 different products. It is very rare that someone will buy a bunch of items and then return most or all of them.  Nonetheless, there are some zingers out there who have no compunction about ordering 30 items and then sending most of them back.  If you place a frivolous order and want us to spend time picking and packing an order, preparing an invoice, incurring fees for using the credit-card payment system, and then send all of this stuff back and have us reverse the process, be prepared to pay for this service.  We also charge shipping and insurance both ways.

For returns on all international shipments, there will be no refund on shipping or customs clearance costs. We will charge a 15% restocking fee on the total value of the merchandise and you will have to pay shipping and clearance costs for the return.

All refunds will be processed within 7 business days upon receipt of the returned merchandise.

Please understand that we do not offer merchandise on a consignment or trial basis. No returns will be accepted after our guarantee period.  

We do not allow a longer return period for gifts.  Sorry. If you do not think that what you are considering ordering is something that the recipient will want, please do not order.

We have very few returns. We do our best to ship quality merchandise and to encourage customers to ask questions about our products prior to shipping.  If in doubt, please ask first.  This will save both of us time, money, and hassle.  If you have any questions or concerns, please send us an e-mail at info@chichesterinc.com  or call us at 1.800.206.6544.

Claims and Disputes

Our goal is to deal with any problems that arise as quickly as possible (i.e., less than 30 days).  If we owe you money for some reason, we will either send a check or credit your credit card or PayPal account promptly.  If there is a problem or we have overlooked something (lost fax, deleted e-mail, misplaced message, etc.), it is your responsibility to stay in touch with us to resolve the matter as soon as possible.  We will not process claims more than 30 days after the ship date. Please help us resolve claims or disputes quickly.  It's better for both of us.

 Wildlife Products  

U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE STATUS

Chichester, Inc., is licensed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as an importer/exporter of wildlife products.

We do not buy, sell, trade, or barter any species that are listed on the U.S. Endangered Species list.

LIST OF ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES IN NEW YORK STATE

See the following link for the full list of endangered or threatened species in New York State: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7494.html

In compliance with New York State law, we possess a special permit that permits the sale of legally acquired alligator, crocodile, and caiman products at both the retail and wholesale level.

The following species are relevant to our line of business and are listed as specific items we do not stock, buy, or sell in New York as a service to our customers and as reference for our staff as they are considered to be endangered in New York State:

Common Name Genus and Species New York Status
Cougar  Felis concolor    Endangered
Gray Wolf    Canis lupus  Endangered
Massasauga Rattlesnake Sistrurus catenatus  Endangered

The following species are relevant to our line of business and are listed as specific items we do not stock, buy, or sell in New York as a service to our customers and as reference for our staff as they are considered to be threatened in New York State:

Common Name Genus and Species New York Status
Canadian Lynx Lynx canadensis  Threatened
Northern Long-Eared Bat Myotis septentrionalis Threatened
Timber Rattlesnake  Crotalus horridus  Threatened
Canebrake Rattlesnake   Crotalus horridus   Threatened
Banded Rattlesnake   Crotalus horridus  Threatened

Sales of grizzly bear furs, hides, skins, etc., are heavily restricted and are considered endangered from most U.S. populations. Consequently, we do not deal in this item and list it here as a reference for our customers and staff.

Common Name Genus and Species New York Status
Grizzly Bear Ursus arctos Not Listed

All wildlife products are shipped with the understanding that it is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure that he or she may legally possess and/or re-sell the purchased wildlife products (e.g., furs, hides, skins, claws, teeth, etc.) in his or her jurisdiction. Any fines, fees, legal fees, penalties, loss of business, and/or court costs, etc. incurred on the part of Chichester, Inc. for illegal shipments will be to the account of the buyer. We will not knowingly ship illegal products. Each state, however, has its own laws.  There is no way we can keep track of all these changing laws. If you are uncertain about the legality of owning a specific wildlife product, check with your state’s officials before ordering.  

All wildlife products are shipped on an ex-works basis.  The final sale occurs at our loading dock in Niagara Falls, New York.  We engage UPS, FedEx, the United States Postal System, or any other carrier on your behalf to transport products purchased at our warehouse for final delivery to your destination.

Please note that although we have sent tanned furs and feathers to many countries without any problems, we have had problems recently shipping a tanned beaver skin to Germany and dried horse tails to Italy. We have no control over Customs and can never be sure what Customs in every country will do. It is your responsibility to check the import laws in your country. If your country's Customs refuses your order for any reason, we can credit you for the product once we receive it back in our US warehouse, but you will still have to pay postage and insurance both ways.

Suitability for Children

Abuses by Chinese suppliers have resulted in recent legislation in the United States by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) concerning lead and phthalate content in toys and other items designed for sale to children.  In order to comply with CPSIA regulations regarding the sale of merchandise to children 12 and under, we must run tests on items targeted to children.  Each test costs nearly US$500 and must often be done on multiple parts of an item.  While we have no reason to believe that any of our products contain lead, the legal system in the U.S. is such that we cannot recommend any of our products for children under the age of 13 unless we offer explicit certification that the items comply with CPSIA regulations.  We are working with U.S. suppliers who are certifying their products and we expect to certify a small subset of the merchandise that we import or manufacture as well. In general, if this new legislation retains its existing form we expect to discontinue many items generally purchased by children 12 and under. 

At this time, none of our products are properly certified to meet CPSIA regulations and we DO NOT RECOMMEND THEM FOR CHILDREN 12 AND UNDER.

NONE OF OUR ITEMS ARE SUITABLE FOR INFANTS OR TODDLERS.

For more information on the CPSIA, please see the government website at the following link: http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.HTML

Tymeagain products are not recommended for aggressive or extremely physical individuals.  They are designed for role playing and as use in theatrical props, not for combat.  If you have doubts about the suitability of the Tymeagain toys, please do not order them.

Country of Origin and Authenticity

We sell a variety of Native American-made products, products made by non-Natives, and imported products.  In order to ensure compliance with the laws concerning product markings and Native authenticity, it is important to leave the country of origin and authenticity tags on all products.

Native American Products

If you have any questions about the authenticity or Native American origin of any of our products, please do not hesitate to call us at 1.800.206.6544.  Ask to speak with Paul Crosby.  Paul is the only person in the company authorized to make formal statements concerning the authenticity of any products.  We indicate as clearly as possible in our literature and on the website which products are Native-made or Native-assembled and which ones are not. 

We are strong supporters of recent legislation designed to stop the misrepresentation of imported or non-Native merchandise being sold as though it were Native made.  We also work closely with many Native American artists and craftsmen and want to ensure that there will always be a market for their work.

For more information on the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 and the Indian Arts and Crafts Enforcement Act of 2000, please see the website of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board at www.iacb.doi.gov.

Canadian and International Orders

We export to many countries and hope we can ship to you.  Please see International Ordering Information for special terms and conditions for shipments to addresses outside of the United States of America.  (Shipments to Puerto Rico are considered to be U.S. domestic orders.)

Legal Jurisdiction

In the unlikely event of any legal proceedings, all parties agree that the jurisdiction shall be Niagara Falls, New York, USA.

Privacy Policy

We cherish our own privacy and respect yours.  We will neither sell nor give your e-mail address, address, phone number, or other contact information to anyone else. When we ask for a phone number or e-mail address it is so we can contact you in case of a problem with your credit card or if we have a question about your order.  E-mail addresses are used to send out tracking data so you can monitor the progress of your shipment. We hate spam and will not send any to you.

Federal Employer Identification Number

Please call our staff in Toronto at 1.800.206.6544 or +1.416.232.0376 if you require our federal EIN.

A Final Note

We value your business and look forward to serving you. These terms and conditions are designed to help avoid any misunderstandings between us and to facilitate a good business relationship.  

Thank you for letting us serve you!