~ ~ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ~ ~
The Studio will be closed August 1 - 7 for a little Summer Break
all orders placed while I'm away will be filled asap upon my return
What forms of payment do you accept? Is my credit card information is secure? TOP
Hippos accepts payments via PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
Yes! You can rest assured that your information is secure. The
shopping cart system is Mals e-commerce and it's a secure cart using
128-bit SSL. PayPal is also covered by the 128-bit SSL using Verisign. Do you offer WHOLESALE to your customers? TOP
Yes, Hippos does offer wholesale.
* Hippos Eating Alligators will only sell wholesale to approved qualified applicants.
* Hippos offers substantial discounts to wholesale customers.
* Minimum Initial Order: $150.00 / Minimum Reorder: $100.00 (* Order Totals after the discount has been applied).
When will my order ship? TOP
Once payment has been received, in stock items ship asap... normally within 1-2 business days. If you need your package faster... just give me a ring or send me an email and I will do my best to accommodate you.
What are your Shipping Fees? LOW FLAT RATE* SHIPPING TOP
PRIORITY MAIL FLAT RATES via United States Postal Service
UNITED STATES $ 7.49, includes Delivery Confirmation and Insurance up to $500.00
CANADA * $ 22.25, includes Insurance for up to $500.00
WORLDWIDE * $ 28.95, includes Insurance for up to $500.00
FIRST CLASS FLAT RATES via United States Postal Service
CANADA * $ 5.18, includes Certificate of Mailing, NO Insurance**
WORLDWIDE * $ 8.47, includes Certificate of Mailing, NO Insurance**
* Customs Fees May Apply
** International Customers - Please note that Insurance and Tracking are Not Available for International First Class Mail - so, if you choose this method of shipping you will have to assume the risks involved as I cannot be responsible for lost or damaged packages... also, there is no available estimated delivery date.
Do you ship Internationally? Will there be any Custom Fees? TOP
YES I do and I am happy to offer Flat Rate Shipping including Insurance Internationally! See question What Are Your Shipping Fees? (above) for more information.
*** CUSTOM FEES MAY APPLY ***
DUTIES AND CHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH INTERNATIONAL ORDERS - International orders (shipments outside the U.S.) may be subject to import duties and taxes which are levied by the destination country's government and are solely the responsibility of the recipient. The recipient of goods is considered the importer of the ordered goods and is responsible for compliance to the laws and regulations of the destination country. If you have any questions, please contact your local customs office in order to ensure that you comply with all laws and regulations of the destination country. Do you charge sales tax? TOP
Yes, 8.25% sales tax is charged for all retail orders placed by Texas residents.
If you are in Texas, but the items you are purchasing are for resale... please email me your Texas State Tax ID Number (info@hipposeatingalligators.com), or include your Tax ID info in the notes section of your order, so that I can waive the sales tax for you. Some of the items I've ordered are on backorder... so when will I get them? TOP
All orders placed that contain items on back-order will be held until the entire order is ready to ship. You will receive an email shortly after placing your order with the estimated shipping date of your entire order.
If you would prefer to have your order split into 2 separate orders (one order for your in-stock items and a second order for your back-ordered items) and have the 2 orders shipped separately... just let me know and I will be happy to do that for you. Please do note that since this is now two separate orders being shipped out in two separate packages, you be charged a shipping fee for each package.
Please note that the prices listed are for In Stock Items Only, Items on Back Order are subject to change due to the Current Silver Market Rate. Can I Special Order Sterling Silver Findings? TOP
Yes, if the quantity of findings you wish to order exceeds the quantity we currently have in stock you can place your order as a "Special Order" via email. Just send me an email (info@hipposeatingalligators.com) with "Special Order" in the subject field. I will email you a copy of the Invoice for your Special Order and Estimated Shipping Date... and I will request your approval. Pre-payment will be required on all Special Orders. Once a Special Order has been approved by the customer it cannot be canceled and and is non-returnable.
What is your Return Policy? TOP
Retail merchandise may be returned for a full refund (minus shipping and handling). All Return Items must be returned within 7 business days of receipt. All Return Items must be in original (unused) condition and must be mailed back in the original (or similiar) packaging along with a copy of the invoice. I highly recommend insurance and delivery confirmation on all returns. Be sure to contact me via email prior to returning any merchandise. I can not accept returns on special orders. If you need to return an item, please contact info@hipposeatingalligators.com. How do I contact Hippos? Are you open to the public? TOP
Mailing Address - Hippos Eating Alligators, P.O. Box 406, Dripping Springs, TX 78620
My Studio Hours are Monday - Friday from 10am- 3pm.
At
this time Hippos Eating Alligators is a working studio and is not open to
the public... I hope to eventually have some events here at the
studio... sign up for our newsletter if you are interested in getting this information when it is available. What sizes do your adjustable rings fit? How do you adjust them? TOP
My adjustable ring findings can easily be sized down to 5 and up to 11.
Although it's not necessary, I recommend using a ring mandrel to size my adjustable rings. I think this makes the rings easier to size and it keeps the shape nice and perfectly round. Please take care not to over work the rings, my rings are very sturdy and well made and will last for many years, but opening and closing a ring over and over can weaken the metal... this is true of all adjustable jewelry.
Do you have any tips for gluing? TOP
I've found that I get the best gluing results when... I really rough up both of the surfaces to be glued... I clean the pieces really well with alcohol... I let them dry completely before I apply glue to them... I let the pieces sit for the recommended cure time without touching or moving them... If it is humid and / or cold outside - I find a dry warm place to let them cure and I double the time I let them sit untouched. My number one choice for glue is - Triolyse Metal and Glass Adhesive. I think it is a great product, easy to use and has a super fast cure time. A number of online glass fusing supply stores will have this glue available for purchase. I've also had great results with E6000. What is Gold Vermeil? TOP
Vermeil is a French word that is pronounced "vermay". It is sterling silver jewelry that has a very high quality karat gold plating. Our gold vermeil is 120 layers of 14K gold over a solid core of sterling silver. Are your designs Copyrighted? TOP
© 1990-2009 Hippos Eating Alligators Jewelry Designs are protected by US and International Copyright Laws.
I worked really hard designing my line of custom ring and pendant bail findings. Creating these pieces was a very time consuming and was a very expensive process for me. I have copyrights for all of my designs to protect my work from being stolen and reproduced without my permission. It is not just unethical... it is also illegal to copy an artists work without permission.
What is Dichroic glass? TOP
Dichroic Glass with its amazing color and depth, is one of the hottest materials being used by glass artists today.
Dichroic glass is glass that has been coated with thin layers of metallic oxides in a high temperature, vacuum furnace. It is characterized by having more than one color when viewed from different angles.
Dichroic coatings transmit certain wavelengths of light, while reflecting others creating an effect similar to the iridescence found in dragonfly wings and peacock feathers. |
