Frequently Asked Questions
With over 70 years experience in ceramics, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and personal touch and are always more than happy to answer any queries or questions you may have. If you would prefer to speak to a member of our friendly team, please give us a call on 01782 319435 and we will be happy to help you. If you are calling outside of our opening hours of Monday- Friday 9am- 4pm, we will give you a call back as soon as we re-open. You can also e-mail us on enquiries-cromartiehobbycraft@outlook.com.
How do I order via your website?
Our site is both for retail and trade customers.
RETAIL CUSTOMERS: The prices shown prior to logging in are retail prices, and are therefore shown inclusive of UK standard VAT (currently 20%).
NEW AND EXISTING TRADE CUSTOMERS: If not already registered, for your first on-line order through our site please Trade Register. Once registered, you will be able to log in to your trade account, view your trade prices and place orders.
Please note, our trade accounts are operated on a payment before despatch basis. At our online checkout you have the option to pay for your order securely through Sage Pay by credit/debit card, but if you would like to arrange an alternative method of payment or would prefer to speak to a member of our team before your order is processed, please give us a call on 01782 319435.
I have registered for an online trade account, how long will I have to wait before I am able to log on and see my trade prices?
When you register for a trade account with us, your application is sent through to a member of our team to be actioned. We will usually give you a call to confirm or send an e-mail no later than the next working day with your new log in details. Please note, our trade accounts are operated on a payment before despatch basis (please see above.)
I have received my new username and password, however I still seem to be having trouble logging in?
If you are experiencing any difficulties with accessing your account please call us on 01782 319435 or email us on enquiries-cromartiehobbycraft@outlook.com and a member of our team will be pleased to help you.
I have not received a confirmation email, what shall I do?
If you have placed your order and have not received a confirmation, please let us know as this could indicate that your order has not been processed correctly. Please note due to spam filtering some e-mail accounts may automatically send your order confirmation e-mail to the spam or junk folder. Please ensure you add enquiries-cromartiehobbycraft@outlook.com to your list of trusted senders to prevent any e-mail updates being accidentally deleted.
Can I order over the phone?
If you would prefer to place your order with a member of our sales team please give us a call on 01782 319435. Alternatively you can e-mail us on enquiries-cromartiehobbycraft@outlook.com and we will contact you to confirm receipt of your order and arrange payment.
What methods of payment do you accept?
We accept most forms of payment including Visa, Visa Debit, Master Card and Maestro. Your card will be charged when your order is processed. We use a secure server to process payment and your credit card details are encrypted during this process. You can be completely secure in the knowledge that nothing you pass to Sage Pay via our servers can be examined, used or modified by any third parties. If you would prefer to pay by cheque or bank transfer, please contact us. Please note, if your card transaction declines this may cause a delay with despatch of your goods.
How do I change or cancel my order?
Due to our fast shipping process, it is important to let us know as soon as possible if you would like to amend or cancel an order. Please note, if you would like to add to an order you have already placed with us, you will need to contact us no later than 12 midday on the day the order is due to be despatched in order to give us time to pick the additional items and repack your order. After this, it may be necessary for us to send any additional items as a separate package, which may incur an extra charge.
How are your shipping charges calculated?
Our shipping charges are determined by the shipping destination and weight of the goods once packed. For most orders to the UK mainland, we can provide a shipping cost at the time of ordering; however please note for orders to the Highlands, Islands and overseas your online order acknowledgment will state "Shipping Quotation to Follow"- we will then contact you separately with an accurate shipping quote. PLEASE NOTE if your address has restricted access or is down a narrow road, a dedicated vehicle may be required which can incur an additional charge- if this is necessary we will contact you to confirm on receipt of your order.
How can I obtain free shipping?
As a new trade customer, your first delivery of £250 or more excluding VAT is completely free of charge (based on an economy delivery to UK mainland only.) After this, we will send an order of £1000 (ex VAT) or over free of charge on our economy service (3 working days) or by next day delivery for a subsidised cost of just £10. (Please see details of forthcoming pallet charge increases at the top of our FAQs section.)
Do you ship internationally?
We can ship worldwide however please note restrictions on inbound goods may apply for some countries- we can contact you with an accurate quotation including shipping.
Can I collect my order or arrange my own transport?
If you would prefer to collect your order or arrange your own transport, please let us know at the time of ordering. If ordering with us online, please select the Collect option and let us know on which date you would like to collect in the Special Instructions section. If you are arranging for a courier to collect your order, please inform us so that we can ensure the goods are packaged correctly for transport.
How long will my order take to arrive?
Orders placed via our website over the weekend will be picked, packed and despatched during our normal opening hours of 9:00am- 4:00pm Monday to Friday, therefore for instance an order placed on Friday evening would be processed first thing on Monday.
Orders placed before 12 midday Mon-Fri are usually despatched the same day. We will try our best to accommodate for urgent orders placed after 12 midday, however please note at busier times this may not be possible, therefore please try to bear this in mind when placing your order.
We offer a choice of next working day delivery, or economy delivery, which will normally be delivered to you within 3 working days. PLEASE NOTE, DUE TO POTENTIAL FACTORS BEYOND OUR CONTROL SUCH AS TRAFFIC DELAYS AND RESTRICTIONS, WE CANNOT OFFER A GUARANTEE OF NEXT DAY DELIVERY.
A Friendly Reminder for Our Valued Customers
We understand just how essential it is for you to receive your orders promptly and hassle-free. To ensure a smooth delivery experience, we kindly request your cooperation in a few important matters:
Please make sure you're available to receive your delivery. If our delivery attempt is unsuccessful due to unavailability, a re-delivery charge may apply. We want to help you avoid any unnecessary costs.
Your security matters to us. Please refrain from requesting goods to be left outside your premises without prior permission. We're committed to keeping your orders safe and sound.
During the ordering process, please inform us of any potential delivery challenges, such as parking issues or narrow access roads. This information helps us ensure a smooth delivery experience. Please note that any parking charges incurred due to unforeseen restrictions will be passed on to our customers.
Our carton and pallet deliveries are despatched via courier. Orders placed over bank holiday periods or during our Christmas shut-down are processed when we re-open.
Please note, pallet deliveries are delivered to kerbside only unless otherwise discussed.
Smaller parcels are usually despatched by Royal Mail First Class post. Goods sent by First Class mail to a mainland UK address normally arrive within 1-2 working days after posting, but please note this is not guaranteed.
During peak times, such as school holidays or in the lead up to Christmas for example, we experience a higher volume of orders. We despatch goods on a first come, first served basis, so if your order is urgent please contact us to let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you. We would also advise that you place orders in advance where possible, as although we endeavour to despatch your order quickly there are occasions where traffic or weather conditions may affect delivery.
Can I specify a time for my delivery?
Usually delivery can be made any time between 8:00am and 6:00pm. If you would like your goods to arrive in either the morning or the afternoon, we can arrange this for you at an additional cost- please specify when placing your order and we will contact you to confirm.
What happens if nobody is present at my address to accept my delivery?
If the courier cannot leave the goods in a secure place they will usually send a text message, e-mail or a drop card to inform you that a delivery has been attempted- this will give details of your tracking number & local depot so you can call them to arrange collection or to have your goods re-delivered. However please be aware that this can incur an additional delivery charge. Please note, prior permission from yourself as the customer is required in order for goods to be left unattended at your premises, and should you choose to do so this is at your own risk- Cromartie will not take any responsibility for any missing or damaged items that have occurred due to the goods being left at the customers request.
What is your policy regarding damaged/ broken items on my delivery?
Where possible, please check your pallet or delivery carton for any signs of outer damage – if any is evident please sign for the goods as damaged and inform us within 48 hours. In the event of an order arriving with damaged, broken or faulty items, we require a photo of the goods in question by e-mail to enquiries-cromartiehobbycraft@outlook.com to enable us to follow this up with our couriers- we will then discuss any issues with you and arrange either a replacement or alternatively a credit note at our discretion which will then be refunded to your original payment method, normally within 7 days.
How do I return items to you?
Subject to exceptions, we are happy to accept returns of incorrectly ordered or mispicked items within 28 days of delivery. Your 28 day period begins on the date shown at the top of your invoice. Please include a note or copy of your sales order or invoice with your goods to enable us to process your refund. We can either arrange a refund for the returned items or a credit note, the value of which will be refunded to your original payment method.
Goods must be returned in a fully resaleable condition and any lids, packaging and labels must be intact. Please note, we will only refund or credit the sale value of incorrectly ordered goods – not any return postage. We reserve the right to refuse an exchange or refund if goods are not returned in a saleable condition.
Please return items to:
FAO Returns
Cromartie Hobbycraft
Park Hall Road
Longton
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire
ST3 5AY
Getting in touch with us
How do I contact customer services?
If you would like to speak to a member of our team please call us on 01782 319435. Alternatively you can e-mail us on enquiries-cromartiehobbycraft@outlook.com or fax us on 01782 599723.
Our office opening hours are Monday- Friday 8:00am- 4:00pm and our phone lines are manned between the hours of 9:00am and 3:30pm. If you leave a message outside these hours, we will contact you as soon as we are open.
You can also leave us a message on our Facebook page.
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