Shipping Terms - USA & International*

OUR SHOPPING CART'S CALCULATED SHIPPING FEE IS AN ESTIMATE BASED ON YOUR ORDERED MERCHANDISE.  YOUR ORDER'S SHIPPING FEE WILL BE ADJUSTED IF NECESSARY.  YOU WILL BE ADVISED OF ADJUSTMENTS OVER $3.00 VIA EMAIL AND GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT FROM SEVERAL ALTERNATE OPTIONS IF AVAILABLE.

!! ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS !!

When selecting your shipping options, please DO NOT select Global Priority Flat Rate Envelope Small.  That small envelope is NOT large enough for 99.9% of all orders.
International PayPal Users -- in the event you select this shipping option, your order will be put on hold until the shipping issue has been resolved and the balance of the shipping fee has been received.  In the event you should choose to cancel your order, the PayPal payment will be refunded less the PayPal fee assessed by PayPal for that order.

We offer FREE shipping on orders over $200.00 and SHARED shipping on orders over $150.00**.   Your order totals will be revised before credit card charges are processed.   PayPal customers with orders over either of these totals should check the payment option for "Check/Money Order" and provide your PayPal Email/ID with your request for billing in the "Comments" section during check-out.

Upon Check-Out, our ordering system allows you to choose from several shipping services.  Your shipping fees and options are based upon the total combined weight of the products you have ordered.  

Shipping Services include:

• United States Postal Service (USPS)
• Federal Express (FED-EX) [This service is not currently part of our on-line offering of shipping options but is available to us and will be used whenever we find it offers a more competitive rate for you.]
• United Parcel Post (UPS also known as The "Brown" Company)
• DHL / Airborne Express

USPS weight and size restrictions of packages may automatically move your product into the FED-EX/UPS/DHL Ground Service category for shipment if they exceed USPS weight limits. 

Any additional fees required for special handling of a product (such as special packing material required for glass products) will be shown on that specific product's page immediately above the "Add to Cart" button.  These fees will be automatically added to your total order at Check-Out.

Delivery Tracking & Insurance Info:    Shipping charges may or may not include insurance or tracking delivery features -- your selected shipping method ultimately determines whether or not these features are in place on your package so please choose your method carefully. Packages shipped without delivery tracking or insurance become your full financial responsibility in the event of loss or damage during transit.  Please be sure to request these additional features in the "Comments" section during checkout.  Any additional charges required (see below) will be added onto your order's total.

USPS offers delivery tracking for $0.45 (45 cents) [please be aware that USPS packages can and do get lost even with tracking] and insurance up to $50.00 is available at $1.30 extra (not applicable to International Global Priority mail).  Additional insurance with USPS is available at an incremental rate for amounts over $50.00.  We use the USPS Click-n-Ship Service whenever possible which provides the $0.45 tracking delivery at no additional cost to either of us.   Insurance is always additional.   Fed-Ex and UPS includes delivery tracking and insurance on all of its shipping options for their quoted fee.

International Orders cannot be insured for Global Priority shipments.  Airmail Letter or Airmail Parcel items can be insured.

As a service courtesy to you, we always check shipping options in the event we feel we can find a faster delivery method for approximately the same price or a less expensive method with the same delivery speed than that which you selected.   A shipping module isn't smart enough to know when we can ship via a Flat Rate Envelope method.    :-)   PayPal refunds are not issued for amounts under $3.00 -- instead, a credit is applied and held on account for you.

~~ International Shipping Issues ~~

In the event, that you should experience any difficulty with the shipping calculations, please contact us immediately by email and we will finalize your order and the shipping options by email.  No charges will be assess by credit card until resolved and any PayPal differences over $3.00 will be refunded.

Remember please:  International Orders cannot be insured for USPS Global Priority shipments.  ONLY USPS Airmail Letter or Airmail Parcel items can be insured.

* INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS -- PLEASE NOTE -- Your Country's Customs department may assess your incoming package with State and Government Taxes as well as Custom Clearance Fees.   We are not responsible for these fees or taxes assessed on your purchases.

** New 02/28/05 - USA Shipments ONLY.

Returns Policy

We want you to be satisfied with everything you buy from our store.

If  you are not pleased with your purchase for any reason, merely return the item or items to us postmarked within 15 days of receipt for refund.* 

Please contact us first for a Return Merchandise Authorization number (RMA#).

Along with the product or products you are returning, you will need to:

1. write the RMA number on a photocopy of your invoice
2. include that photocopy of your invoice in the package
3. attach a note (or write on the photocopy) telling us whether you would prefer a refund or an exchange for the amount of the product
4. provide insurance (if shipping through the USPS) and tracking information (UPS OR USPS) on the shipment.  That information should be emailed to us as soon as you have it.

*Refund Issues:

• Internet Classes will not be refunded unless cancelled by the teacher or by Via Von's.

• Items can not be returned after 15 days.

• We will refund your shipping costs ONLY if the return is as a result of our mistake.

• Due to photocopy theft potential, all Books and Painting Packets (including kits with patterns and surfaces combined) are not refundable UNLESS there are extreme circumstances which warrant it.  Please immediately contact us by phone or email to discuss the issue in the event you feel a return is due you.

• We will not refund any PayPal or Credit Card processing fees that have been incurred for your order's payment nor for your refund processing.  Your refund's total amount will reflect these fee reductions.
   
• We reserve the right to refund for a product in lieu of return if we deem it a more appropriate solution.
   
• "Freebie" items are non-refundable/non-replaceable.