use of our website and the sale and purchase of goods from the website are governed by our terms and conditions as set out below. "we" or "our" means tea, the essential accessory, essential tea or tea trade ltd, "you" or "your" means the person accessing, using or ordering from our website over the internet.

prices, description and availability of goods

prices are subject to change without notice and all goods are sold subject to availability. where goods are temporarily out of stock we will contact you so that you may choose between a refund on the item, having it shipped when it is back in stock or selecting an alternative product. whilst we take the utmost care to ensure the product descriptions, pictures, information and prices are accurate we do not accept liability for any inaccuracies, errors or omissions. colours may vary slightly from those shown on the website due to the nature of hand made items and also the image limitations of internet technology.

sales tax

value added tax (vat) is calculated on shipping destination. when applicable it is included in the price for orders shipped to destinations within the european union (eu). for orders shipped to destinations outside the eu the price excludes vat but orders may be subject to local sales tax or import duty. these are not included in our prices and customers remain liable for payment of these taxes or duties on or following delivery.

how to order tea

online:

1. shop by browsing through our website. click on the collection to see the full range.
2. click on the relevant image to access the individual item's product page, you can then choose the colour and quantity you would like.
3. add merchandise to your shopping bag by clicking on the 'add to bag'.
4. review the items in your shopping bag. you may remove, delete or update your shopping bag by clicking on either 'remove' 'delete' or 'update'.
5. to continue shopping click on 'continue'.
6. to proceed to checkout click on 'checkout' at the top of the page and follow the instructions.

by phone:

you may place orders via the telephone. please contact tea at (+44) 0870 803 3032, who will be pleased to help you.

payment methods

you may order online using a credit / debit card (we accept american express, delta, maestro, master card, solo, visa (not electron), visa electron debit). all prices are in pounds sterling (£) and credit / debit card transactions for orders outside the uk will be converted by the card company at their current exchange rates.

your shopping basket displays the goods you have purchased with an indication of the delivery timescale. we aim to dispatch your package within 1 business day, upon receipt of your order. an email will be sent confirming your order and estimated delivery date. all delivery times quoted are estimates based on normal delivery time and your choice of delivery method. our standard method of shipping is 1st class. the costs for delivery are shown below.

£0 to £50 delivery cost £3.75
£51 to £100 delivery cost £6.00
£101 and up delivery cost £7.50

failed delivery

we will deliver the goods to the address for delivery that you specified when you placed your order. please be accurate when you give us your address details as we will not be liable if the address that you have given and that we will deliver to is incorrect.

cooling off period and cancellation / returns

we want you to be satisfied every time you shop with us. if for any reason you are unhappy with the items purchased you may cancel your order and return the items to tea within 5 business days from your receipt of the goods, you will receive a refund within 30 days of cancellation. all items must be in their original packaging with tags attached to receive a full refund.

when returning goods, please contact our office, (+44) 0870 803 3032. a return authorization number will be issued and an email notice will be sent for you to enclose with your return. we recommend that you use recorded delivery, as proof of shipping is not proof of receipt. unless the goods are defective, damaged or not as specified on your order acknowledgement, you are responsible for the cost of returning goods to the merchant. if however the goods are faulty then the postage costs will be refunded.

please note that we cannot refund any ‘sale’ items unless damaged.

refunds will be credited to your original method of payment.

gift returns

if you have received an item from tea as a gift you may return it for an exchange only.

complaints

should you have a complaint with the service or product we provide please contact customer services by e-mail: info@essentialtea.co.uk or telephone: (+44) 0870 803 3032.

we aim to:

• acknowledge complaints within 2 business days
• advise you how long it will take to resolve the complaint
• keep you informed throughout the process

statutory rights

your uk statutory rights are not affected by our returns policy.

security

all online payments are processed via payPal and now credit card information is stored.

we will take all reasonable care to keep your order secure, but in the absence of our sole negligence we cannot be held liable for any loss you may suffer if a third party obtains unauthorised access to any of your data, including credit card details that you have provided.

we comply fully with the distance selling regulations 2000; electronic commerce regulations (ec directive) 2000; and the privacy and electronic communications regulations (ec directive) 2003. more information can be found at www.dti.gov.uk.

use of the website

we will try to allow uninterrupted access to this website but please be aware that access to the website may be suspended, restricted or terminated at any time.

intellectual property

the copyright in the material contained in the website, together with the website design, text and graphics and their selection and arrangement and all software compilations, underlying source code and software (including applets) belongs to tea trade ltd, its subsidiaries or the providers of such information. all rights are reserved. none of this material may be reproduced or redistributed without our written permission.

tea, the essential accessory, and essential tea are the trading names of tea trade ltd, (po. box 287, bridgend, cf31 9hy). other product and company names (if any) mentioned on this website may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

liability

if you have a valid claim in respect of any of the goods which is based on any defect in the quality or condition of the goods or their failure to meet specification in accordance with these terms, we shall be entitled to replace the goods (or the faulty part in question) free of charge or, at our sole discretion, refund to you the price of the goods (or a proportionate part of the price). we shall not be liable to you in connection with this agreement in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise for any loss of profit, anticipated savings or data (in each case whether direct or indirect) or any indirect loss.

our aggregate liability to you in connection with this agreement shall not exceed the value of the goods ordered by you.

notwithstanding anything else in these terms and conditions, we accept unlimited liability in respect of death or personal injury caused by our negligence.

variation of terms and conditions

we reserve the right to change, modify, substitute or remove without notice any information on the website from time to time.

governing law

these terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with english law. any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the english courts, to which both parties submit.

gift wrapping

each item sent is wrapped in our branded tissue paper and delivered to your door in a sealed parcel box. in addition to this we offer a gift wrapping service for the sum of £2.50 for each item individually wrapped. this includes a luxurious embossed wrapping paper tied with a quality designed ribbon with price tags removed for your discretion. please keep hold of your receipt as proof of purchase. please refer to our returns policy with reference to gift items.

fabric

our scarves are made (where mentioned) of 100% fine indian silk. where stated the scarves are made of 50% indian silk and 50% indian cotton. the shawls are made of 50% indian silk and 50% finest indian wool. the throws and bedspreads are made from 100% indian cotton. the bed runners are made from 50% silk and 50% indian wool with thick indian silk brocade stitching. the curtain material is made from 100% finest indian silk. because of the delicate nature of these hand woven fabrics, all tea products are advised to be dry clean only.

care instructions

due to the delicate nature of our fabrics and materials all tea items are dry cleaned only.

becoming a stockist

we would be interested to hear from boutiques or stores that offer a similar product range and that feel they have the right target market profile for tea.

if you would like to stock the TEA range please contact – contact@essentialtea.co.uk