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The Chess Store has shipped to nearly every country in the world and we greatly appreciate our international customers - you're an important part of our business! There are some nuances with processing and shipping international orders so please take the time to read this page and contact us if you have any questions not answered here.
Payment - We Highly Recommend PayPal
We accept all major credit cards and PayPal. However, many international banks are unable to provide credit card address verification (AVS) which is essential for screening out fraudulent orders. PayPal eliminates this worry because each transaction is identified as being eligible for Seller Protection or not. In the case where PayPal will not extend Seller Protection we are unable to complete the order and a refund will be issued. This rarely happens though. For credit card orders where address verification is not available or there is not a match, we will contact the customer and attempt to find some alternative way to verify the credit card information. Where we cannot verify credit card information or the card holders authorization, we will cancel and refund the order.
Shipping Large and Heavy Items
Some of our products are very large and require multiple boxes and not every shipping option you are offered at checkout may be possible. There's simply no way to configure the product and shipping settings to restrict the valid shipping options because size and weight limits vary by country. If you select a shipping option that is not offered by the carrier due to weight or size of the package we will contact you and provide you the available options and cost.
Special Inspection
Due to the high cost of international shipping we open and carefully inspect every single item before we ship it to make sure there is no damage or defect. So if you receive an item and it looks like it's already been opened - it was us inspecting it.
Allow for Two Days to Ship Your Order
Because we open and carefully inspect each and every item on your order and often use special packaging to make sure it gets to you safely, it may take two days to ship your order. Please keep this in mind when selecting your shipping method if a specific delivery date is important.
Why is Shipping so Expensive?
We extend our discounted shipping rates to customers but even so we know that international shipping is very expensive, especially for the larger items. Shipping rates are calculated by the weight and volume of the package and its destination. Some countries are more expensive to ship to than others. You will find that USPS is usually the most affordable shipping method.
VAT, Duty, & Other Customs Fees - Not Included in Shipping
Every country has unique costs associated with importation that includes VAT, duty, and other customs fees. The shipping price does not include these. These fees are usually collected by the carrier at the time of delivery.
Available Shipping Methods
USPS Priority Mail International
Delivery in 6 to 10 business days.
USPS Priority Mail Express International
Delivery in 3 to 5 business days.
FedEx International Economy
Delivery in 4 to 6 business days.
FedEx International Priority
Delivery in 1 to 3 business days.
Please note that The Chess Store does not guarantee delivery times. The Chess Store will not reimburse shipping for missed guaranteed shipping times but will attempt reimbursement on behalf of the customer. Please refer to the USPS and FedEx web sites for more detail.
If You Receive a Damaged Product
If you receive your package and the box looks unusually beat up or damaged, please take a photo just in case you find your product damaged inside. This will help with processing the damage claim. Please contact customerservice@thechessstore.com if you find a damaged product. The Chess Store will file a claim with the carrier and work with you to replace the damaged product.
Returns
As with any order we offer a 30 day return policy. However, The Chess Store does not pay for return shipping except when we have shipped the wrong item and depending on what you ordered, paying to return an item may not be practical beause the shipping cost may be greater than the value of the product. So please consider this when ordering because returning it most likely is not a practical option.
Will The Chess Store Pay for Return Shipping?
If we ship the wrong item we will of course ship you the correct item at our cost. If we left something out of your order we will ship it to you at our cost. However, The Chess Store will not pay for return shipping for these reasons:
-Don't like
-Poor quality
-Blemishes, imperfections, and defects (example; scratches, chips, dings) not related to shipping damage
-You don't think the product matches the photo or description close enough
Please keep in mind that we do thoroughly inspect every item before we ship and we rarely get complaints, but everyone has their own expectation and subjective consideration as to what is acceptable and what is not.