This page serves as the Policies and Instructions Contract between the buyer and seller when doing business with
The Estate Sale Store at any of it's online locations including but not limited to Ebay, www.estatesalestore.com, iBid,
or Amazon.com.

Our merchadise comes from New England area estates plus excess inventory left over from our closed bricks and mortar store.  Most of what we sell is mint to near mint but if we feel the item is exceptional, rare, or vintage hard-to-find, we will list the item and explain all the faults we can find with it.

You can count on our honesty and fairness when you do business with us and we back that up with hundreds of transactions and a very high, if not the highest, 100% FEEDBACK score from our customers.    

Communication is also very important to us.   That's why we frequently check our email and always get right back to the customer.   We do our best to maintain these standards and if anything does go wrong, because to err is only human,  please be patient.  We may have had a bad day or something might have happened.  We want you to be assured that any problem will be quickly corrected.  Our goal is always happy repeat customers.

We are also a PayPal Verified Merchant accepting all major credit cards so any transaction you do with us is processed through PayPal's secure Encrypted Transaction Page which is the safest way to do money transactions on the internet. When you see the "https:// prefix"  in your menu bar, you'll know that your information is being transferred over the line encrypted.

Like all antique and collectible people, our specialty is antique and collectible glassware.   You'll find we run one of the largest free online glassware identification databases on the net, but we sell everything with the exception of very large items such as furniture. The type of items you will find here are the same type of items you'd find at any estate sale, yard sale or tag sale in your neighborhood with one exception.  We'll only carry the best, rarest and hard-to-find pieces of the finest quality available.

You'll also find some really old  United States Stamps and First Day Covers. As we downsize our collection, you will find a variety of interesting subject areas in stamp collecting and many very old stamps, many much older than you'd normally find on Ebay. We are not expert stamp appraisers and in most cases are not able to grade the stamps for sale, but will always describe the condition to the best of our ability on most items where appropriate.

    * PayPal
    * Money Order (on Ebay--only allowed with certain transactions; see Ebay Rules and Policies)
    * Certified Check (on Ebay--only allowed with certain transactions; see Ebay Rules and Policies)
    * Personal Check with permission  (on Ebay--only allowed with certain transactions; see Ebay Rules and Policies)
       Please do not send personal checks without checking with us first.
          o If you have not checked with us first, we have the right to return your check, cancel your purchase, and relist.
          o If we agree to accept your check, shipping can be delayed up to 20 days for your check to clear the bank.
          o Cashing your check does not restrict our remedies under this contract.
    * E-Check (through PayPal) takes 3-4 days to clear with shipping delay

U. S. Shipments
Standard Shipping Service:  This means that we can use any shipping method which we feel is justified depending upon weight, zip code, amount charged, etc.

We generally use USPS Priority Mail for most shipments and DHL for heavier pieces.  If we cannot ship Priority Mail for the stated shipping fee, we will give you the option to use Parcel Post or pay the additional fee for the Priority Mail.  We do not use UPS.

                + Stamps:  One Stamp:  $1.50 per stamp 1st Class Mail
                + Additional stamps by weight + $2 handling
                + Stamps are mailed in plain envelopes but are enclosed in protective sleeve and/or baggie for protection.

Books:  Media Mail unless otherwise specified before payment.

We offer combined shipping.  Actual weight plus nominal handling fee.  If you pay before your invoice, we cannot undue the transaction and guarantee a combined discounted shipping.

Occasionally, we may need to send a supplement invoice for unsuspected increases or changes in shipping costs, but this is not done as a scapegoat to increase your fees after the fact.  Occasionally means:   

Experience has enabled us to give pretty accurate shipping estimates and when we list a shipping amount it usually will not change unless there is a gross error and this must be reciprocal. This rarely happens (twice out of 300+ sales); and if it does, you will be emailed that an additional amount is due and why.   After you receive this email, you can opt out of the transaction if you are not happy and  your money will be refunded.  At this point, we must both agree to leave positive feedback.

All types of variables go into determining the final shipping cost such as; box size, actual weight, packing materials used, what carrier will ship what type and size package, etc. Until the package is finally prepared, it is impossible to know exactly what a piece will ship for unless you prepack which creates too much manpower to unpack and offer combined shipping. We've developed a good formula and we use it.

International Shipments
Things have changed in the international shipping world as of late.  Sellers can no longer send packages first class mail with insurance.  Priority Mail boxes and weights over 4 lbs. makes shipping overseas almost entirely prohibitive in terms of cost. The old 6 week standard cargo low cost shipping method has been eliminated by the U.S. Post Office.

    * Please contact us for a shipping quote to your country since we've found that what the Ebay and USPS
       shipping calculator projects as a shipping fee is not always the case when we get to the post office.
       (Also see insurance below.)
    * You will be responsible for all fees due at your side of the border which include taxes and duties or special fees.  You        should call your post if you are not sure about these fees.
    * You are also responsible if an item you purchase is a prohibited or restricted item for shipment into
       your country and is confiscated because it is not an allowed import.   We do our best to prevent this before
       shipping by checking the USPS.com site, but you are the person who knows your country's policies,
       rules or laws better than we know them.  An example would be restrictions on the value and size
      of silver jewelry shipped into Hong Kong. 

Insurance
USPS Insurance rates can be found at www.usps.com.

Breakable items over $30 ~ Insurance is required.
All other listings ~  shipping insurance is optional unless stated as required in your listing.
If your listing or invoice doesn't offer insurance, contact us for information or a new revised invoice.  

Unfortunately, insurance recoveries are limited to the cost of the item and does not include shipping.

Packages that are not insured or cannot be insured are the buyers responsibility if there is a  loss because of damage in shipment, theft, lost package, etc.

If you know there is a package coming, please keep an eye out for it.   Our policy is to ship within 48 hours after receiving payment, so most shipments should be received within a week.   Sometimes if you're not home, your postal delivery person will not leave your package but will instead leave you a slip in your mailbox or on your door to pick it up at the post office.  Be on the lookout for these slips especially if you have a tendency to stock-pile your mail and not look through it every day..  I also once had a package left with a neighbor who failed to tell the owner that they were holding the package, so also check with your neighbors if a package is very late and the post office doesn't have it.

Email us right away if you feel your package is late or missing.

Insurance and International Shipments:  

THE Ebay Shipping Calculator is only a guide!!!

Insurance cannot be purchased on items that are shipped using International 1st Class Mail which is the cheapest form of shipment International Shipping.  To qualify for this shipping service your package needs to be shipped in an envelope and/or a small box and weighing less than 4 lbs. depending on who is working at the post office the day we drop-off the package.

If you want your package insured, you will need to use International Priority Mail which is automatically insured up to a contents value of around $70.

We will not be responsible for international packages that do not have insurance or indemnity and are lost, stolen or damaged.

These are the rules that apply if your listing does not have a return policy on the listing page for the item you are interested in purchasing.  These rules are not necessarily written in stone, but these rules take precedence.  Always contact us if you have any questions or a problem with your purchase.
 
In order to be fair and equitable, the following policy applies to all sales with TheEstateSaleStore:

AUCTIONS:   When we send an item to auction, it is being presented at a substantially discounted value or wholesale price.

MOST LISTINGS HAVE A  7 DAY SATISFACTION MONEY BACK GUARANTEE, BUT IF NOT STATED ON THE LISTING PAGE THAT MEANS THE SALE IS FINAL OR "AS-IS".

SOME LISTING HAVE A MERCHANDISE CREDIT.  CHECK YOUR LISTING PAGES.

RETURN POLICY DETAILS

    * Items must be returned before money is refunded or credit is granted.

    * Refunds include your purchase price less shipping.  For example, you buy an item
        for $100 plus $8 shipping for a total of $108.  We refund the $108 but you
        most pay for the return shipping to us.

    * Don't Wash, Clean or Polish; inspect first:  Our items are invisibly marked
       and should be returned to us without that mark being disturbed.
  
       For example, if  a customer
       buys a $300 vintage gown then wears it to a party then cleans it, our mark will
       be removed by the cleaning process.  To inhibit this type of behavior, clothing has
       a 3 day return policy so check the clothing out right away.
.
       If there is a dispute about the authenticity of the merchandise returned to us (especially high
       end antiques and collectibles), there will be no refund if our mark has been removed or changed.

    * We can legally identify our merchandise.

    * Items must be returned with insurance if sent with insurance.

    * Items must be properly packaged using USPS guidelines and/or in the case of glass and pottery, the
       Glass and Pottery Seller's Association (GPSA) guidelines as posted on their website in order to be
       eligible for a refund or credit.  Generally, it should be sent back to us in the same packaging fashion
       in which it was received.  If we receive the item back broken or damaged because you improperly
       packaged the item, you may not receive a refund.  It's up to our discretion.
       If you need assistance, we can help you by email.

    * Merchandise Credit is always available and is good for one year from the date of sale.

Unresolved Disputes:  
                     By transacting with The Estate Sale Store,
                     you are agreeing that any dispute that cannot be rectified
                     through mutual agreement between you, the "Buyer", and us, the "Seller",
                     will go through an online arbitration service either recommended by Ebay Policy
                     or mutually agreed upon by the Buyer and the Seller.  
                     If chargebacks are levied against The Estate Sale Store for any reason
                     by the Buyer's bank or credit card company all costs or remedies incurred
                     by the Seller will be paid for by the Buyer. 
   

It's usually best to wait for your invoice where you can use the Pay Now Button for credit card, debit card and PayPal payments.  You can use PayPal for credit card and debit card transactions even if you do not have a PayPal account.

IMPORTANT:  If you are sending a money order or certified check, contact us within 3 days of the auction close to let us know.

If we haven't heard from you within 5 days either by email or payment, we reserve the right to relist the item and you must agree to mutually withdraw from the auction so we can recover our fees from Ebay.

If we mutually withdraw, we both agree to forfeit the right to leave feedback.  It's as though the transaction never occurred.

Please remember to leave feedback after you receive your product.  We will then know you have received your purchase and are satisfied or e-mail first if you have a problem.  It is our policy to always leave feedback last to give us a chance to remedy any problems should they arise.