FAQs/ Store Policies
Below are a handful of FAQs and policies that you may find helpful! If you have other questions, please reach out via email (buteostudio@gmail.com) or on instagram @buteostudio.
All of the pieces on your website are sold out - how can I buy one of your pieces?
I am a part-time potter and update my shop a few times a year once I finish a batch of work. I announce the time and date of each sale a few days in advance, via my newsletter (you can sign up on the home page of my website) and on Instagram. My sales tend to sell out quickly, especially for my Clayviary pieces, so I recommend setting a reminder and logging in right on time to buy a piece.
Can I reserve/hold a piece that I would like to buy?
Nope, I'm sorry! In fairness to everybody, all of my pieces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Will you make another ____?
Maybe?? I have lots and ideas and not enough time, so I don't repeat species often, but it DOES happen!
Do you take custom orders?
I love doing custom orders, but have limited bandwidth for them. Whenever I decide to open up my custom orders, I will similarly announce it in advance via newsletter and Instagram. I usually take on about 5 custom orders at a time.
Do you accept returns/refunds?
I do not accept returns or refunds due to the risky nature of packing and shipping ceramics. Each item will be photographed and accurately described so that there will be no surprises when your order arrives.
My piece arrived damaged- now what?
Please inspect your order upon arrival and contact me immediately (within 24 hours of delivery) at buteostudio@gmail.com if it arrives damaged, with photographs of the broken piece and the box/packaging. So long as you contact me within 24 hours of deliver, I will evaluate the issue and either replace or refund your piece. Please retain the broken pieces and packaging so that I can provide all necessary information to my insurance provider.
Since I have started selling and shipping pottery, I have shipped hundreds of pieces of potter and have only had two pieces break in transit- one was in my first batch of shipped pottery and it was my fault, the other went on a three-week-long joyride with the USPS around the western united states and arrived broken.
Can you help with a shipping delay?
All domestic orders will ship out within 5 business days, probably less. Tracking info will be sent to the email address provided with your order. If the piece has serious delays in transit, please contact me and I will help to resolve the issue with the USPS. Please be patient, as I am mostly powerless once the piece is in their hands. I have had Mostly great experiences with USPS, with a couple of notable exceptions.
Lost/Stolen Packages:
Once a piece has been delivered to the correct address, neither I or the USPS can be held responsible for the piece's safety. Please follow the USPS tracking info and retrieve your piece ASAP upon delivery. If you have just placed an order and are concerned about potential theft, please reach out to me promptly (within 12 hours, preferably), and we can determine whether to add a required signature to delivery, or to update the shipping address to your local post office so you can pick it up at your convenience.
International Shipping Notes:
I now offer worldwide shipping!
When calculating shipping costs outside of the US, The shipping provider that I use sometimes gets better rates than my website platform, in which case I will refund you the difference. For most parts of the world outside the US and Canada, I think (???) shipping costs should be somewhere around $25-40 USD in most major cities, but could be higher in more rural areas. I am new to international shipping (as of March 2024) and I will update these notes as I learn more.
Any additional import taxes/duties/tariffs are the responsibility of the customer. I will do my best to find out if you will be charged any import fees, and make sure that you are aware/prepared for those added costs before I put your piece in the mail.
For any order outside of the US and Canada, I will check in with the customer before I mail the piece(s) to verify: 1. final shipping charges; 2. that the customer is aware that they will be responsible for any import taxes; 3. that the customer is aware that international shipping may be slow. You are not comfortable with the full cost and timeline of your purchase, let me know, and I will cancel your order and relist the piece(s) on my website. If I do not hear back from you within 1 week, I may cancel your order and relist the piece(s) on my website. Please let me know if you have any questions, my goal is to avoid nasty, expensive surprises, and to make sure everyone has a great experience.