Placing your order:
You can place your order online via 128-bit secure server (US and Canada).
Customers from Canada please contact us first if ordering an instrument. You
can also email or phone us at (210)
862-2151 with your credit card
information. If mailing payment please send to the address
here. We prefer of course that you contact us via
email or phone before ordering to make sure of availability and also to get
to know you and your needs as well! We want this to be a personal and
enjoyable experience and highly encourage you to contact us with any
questions, etc. first!
METHOD OF PAYMENT: We accept credit cards
online or by phone, money orders, or personal checks, Paypal, Western Union
wires, Bank to Bank wire transfers. Please allow up to 10
business days for personal checks to clear. There is a $25 charge for all
returned checks. You may place your credit card order on our online secure
webserver or submit it to us by
phone or send it to us by fax: 210 657-6456. If you are more comfortable with that. Our card processing is done via
secure server at First Data. All information submitted will be kept strictly
confidential. Payment for International customers please see
below.
RETURNS: In case you are unsatisfied with your purchase
of an "in stock" instrument (highly
unlikely!), you may return it within 3 days of receiving it. If you need to
return it you must call first for a Return Authorization. The shipping for
returns must be paid by the customer, there are no refunds for shipping from
us or to us in the event of a return. Also, COD's on returns will not be
accepted, simply call or email first for a Return Authorization!! Please
note carefully how the instrument was packed when you received it as it
needs to be returned exactly the same way and fully insured. You may exchange the instrument
for anything of equal value
or receive a full refund of the purchase price less shipping and a 15 %
restocking fee for all "in stock" instruments. Any
damage as a result of mishandling or packing or missing accessories will be
deducted from the refunded amount.
CLOTHING RETURNS:
All sales are final, we cannot accept returns on
clothing. All clothing is sold as is without any guarantees. All
clothing is made in India by hand and due to this there may small
imperfections, but that adds to the uniqueness of the items in our opinion.
With the exception of shipping damages, we will not be able to offer refunds
or exchanges for sanitation and health reasons, as well.
WARRANTY:
All items, including electronic instruments, are sold as is and without
warranty. Please inspect your instrument or order when it arrives.
You have 3 days to request a return authorization. Please see
"Returns" above.
DAMAGED ON ARRIVAL: In the event the whole or part of the shipment is
damaged upon arrival, since we do insure all of our shipments, a claim can
be filed with the shipping company, i.e. FedEx, UPS, USPS or other courier
or agency. We will do everything in our power to obtain a
reimbursement of the items included in the shipment and send you
replacements or issue a refund.
In the case of a reported damaged or broken item, we reserve the right to
replace the item or issue a refund in accordance with our return policy as
stated above. It will be solely at our discretion what action will be
taken. The freight for the return of the damaged or broken item,
if replaced, will be the customer's responsibility, but we reserve the right
to determine who pays for the freight based on the circumstance of each
occurrence, and it will be solely at our discretion. We
will pay for the freight to deliver the replacement to the customer in the
event a replacement is shipped to the customer. Before any item can be
replaced, the original broken item must be returned for inspection to our
shipping address as stated in our "contact us" page.
RETURNS ON INTERNATIONAL ORDERS: All international orders are shipped fully insured.
Should there be a any damage (very unlikely) with an international shipment,
we will do everything we can in placing a claim for the damaged items with
the courier. The customer must cooperate fully in obtaining
documentation, pictures, witness statements, etc. in order to process the
claim. We will then either ship a replacement or issue a refund solely
at our discretion if needed. There is no recourse for damage caused by
the customer or negligence on the customer's part. In all cases,
however, we will determine the best possible solution for the problem and we
will do our best to resolve the problem. There are no returns for
international shipments. However, we reserve the right to
determine to either replace a shipment or issue a refund or take whatever
other action at our disposal to resolve any issue with International orders.
There are absolutely no returns on international orders due to customer
change of mind or customer change of heart or "not wanting" the item after
all. The best solution is always full cooperation from the
customer to resolve any issue. It is gratifying and very calming to
worries about international shipments for the prospective customer to know
that we have never had any damage with any international shipment to
anywhere in the world.
RETURNS ON CUSTOM ORDERS: There are no returns on Custom orders unless
defective.
OTHER
RETURNS : There are no returns for reed or wind instruments due
to health regulations. Defective books or CD's and/or Tapes will
be replaced by us.
REFUNDS : We reserve the right to determine if any refund is due
based on the circumstances of each occurrence. We, Sitars Etc. will be
the sole and final arbiters in the determination of whether a refund is
issued or denied base on the circumstance of each occurrence.
BLEMISHES AND APPEARANCE: With Indian instruments there
are always minor 'inconsistencies', usually some visible and some so small you won't notice for
awhile. These instruments are made exclusively by hand with minimal tools so
expect slight variations...by air shipping our instruments we have
eliminated the finish & structural damage problems associated with shipping
via ocean container. In rare cases when shipping from our shop to our
customers in hot summer months there may be some adverse affect on the
finish which is the responsibility of the customer as every method available
will be used during packing to insure this does not happen. Should this
occur however, we will do our best to help you resolve the problem, it's
easily fixed! (Well, sort of......) Please be aware that Indian Classical
Musical Instruments are not finished to the quality of Western Classical
Musical Instruments. Due to the way they are made, by hand, in the
same way they have been made historically, they come with unexpected
imperfections not normally expected. We think, that is part of the
beauty of hand made instruments.
There may be slight variations in color and
appearance from the website photos due to color limits in web formats and
also designs will change slightly depending on the craftsmen. Most of our instrument photos with a few exceptions have been taken in
natural light and no color adjustments, etc. have been made to enhance
appearance. In some pictures the light levels may be adjusted for better
viewing.
MANUFACTURER'S DEFECTS:
All our non electronic instruments are hand made by artisans in India or
the Middle East including Persia, the same way they have been making them
for decades or centuries with little or no regard as to quality control. They, by their very nature, will
have imperfections which are unavoidable, some very visible and some sometimes go by unnoticed by
us. This sometimes is what makes an instrument a great instrument.
We do not assume any responsibility for manufacturer's defects in
workmanship, or finish. Please inspect it carefully. Most of the time these
imperfections should be left alone, however, if you wish to make
corrections, we will be most happy to try to assist you. We have very
capable staff that will help you.
BLEMISHES ON
FIBERGLASS CASES:
Please note that our
instruments are shipped from India in their fiberglass cases whenever
possible. They are shipped by air. But in order to keep the
costs to a minimum, they are not packed in cardboard or other container and
are shipped in the fiberglass case. When we get them, the case shows,
at times, small dings, scrapes, and rarely, small missing pieces. This
does not affect the purpose of the fiberglass case and we do everything
possible here to re-polish and re-finish the case as much as possible to
correct some of these problems. All our cases are new and we would
never send a "used" case, please be assured of that. This is just the
result of the shipping method and not intentional.
INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS: We will
gladly accept orders from customers outside the US with the exception of a
few countries which US law prohibits us from shipping to. Payment can be by
credit card, PayPal, bank to bank wire, Western Union wire, or by International Money Order in US funds. If by credit card and the issuing
bank does not support address verification, there will be a 3% surcharge on
the order. There are no returns for international shipments. We realize this is an inconvenience for some
but it's necessary due to the logistical difficulties, please read
Returns on International orders,
above. However, we have some
cost saving options for our overseas customers in some instances. Please email for details.......
CUSTOM DUTIES, TAXES & VAT. Overseas customers are responsible for all of their
customs charges, taxes, etc., charged by their respetive countries. Please be assured that we will ship your
instruments following the proper methods as prescribed by the laws of your
country. You can inquire with the Customs Authorities in your country to
determine the amount of such duties, taxes or VAT, if any that would be due.
All instruments
can usually be shipped directly from India to our overseas customers at no
additional cost other than the purchase price plus regular shipping charge.
Duties, Taxes or VAT charged by the country of residence, is the customer's
responsibility.
There are a few restrictions depending upon location, please contact us for
further details!
CUSTOM ORDERS: We are able to have
your sitar or tabla custom made to your specifications. In most cases there
are no returns on custom ordered instruments unless the modifications are
within 'normal' standards, and they must be prepaid in
full. Allow 6 to 12 weeks for delivery (sometimes longer, sometimes not!).
Please confirm with us as to whether your instrument can be returned before
committing to your custom order!
BACKORDERS OF INSTRUMENTS
(except Rikhi Ram): We generally do not
have a huge stock of instruments, we are getting them as fast as they can be
made in India and will NEVER rush the makers! They come in 1 at a time,
that's it! If you would like to order one
of our instruments and we don't have one in stock you may choose to order
one anyway and 100 % of the price will be required up front. If you choose to cancel
your order, your payment will be refunded in full minus a 10%
stocking and processing charge for backordered instruments. Or you may choose to wait and we will notify you
when more instruments are in with but cannot guarantee that one will be
available; however we will try our best! On pre-orders for sitars expect to
wait anywhere from 30 days to 6 months depending on the maker, teak sitars
generally take longer to make. Out of stock Tablas take about 3 to 4 weeks.
We will update you regularly as to the progress of your instrument!
BACKORDERS OF RIKHI RAM
INSTRUMENTS :
If you wish to order a Sitar, harmonium, tabla, etc. from Rikhi Ram then
your order must be prepaid in full with no exceptions. Our normal return
policy applies however there is a 20% restocking and processing charge due
to the method of shipping from India. Backordered instruments
from Rikhi Ram will normally be available within 8 to 12 weeks but can take
up to 6 months. We will update you regularly as to the progress of your
instrument!
SHIPPING: All instruments are very
carefully packed and shipped via UPS, FedEx or USPS. On certain products we use USPS
priority mail. We will not ship C.O.D. and must have a physical address, not
a PO box, except for USPS. We ship SIGNATURE REQUIRED whenever
possible. If you wish to make other arrangements, please call or email
us at the time of purchase. International shipping will be arranged on a case by case basis
depending on customer preference and cost. As of November 2005, we have had
ZERO shipping damage!
