The Empty Pot

Order processing is typically 2 - 5 business days. We are closed on Saturdays and Sundays and holidays.

Shipping is connected directly to USPS and UPS and includes their live rates and shipping times.

Returns can be made for eligible items through the customer return portal within 30 days of the purchase date. Returns and order cancellations are subject to a fee of up to 4% of the purchase price for merchant card processing fees and materials. See full return policy in footer for complete details.

Follow these links to read our full policy for returns, exchanges, refunds and shipping.

Return Policy

Shipping Policy

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

Alder & Alouette sells arts and crafts materials, as well as toys, games, and puzzles, in compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). 

CPSIA addresses, among other things, lead, phthalates, toy safety, third-party testing and certification, imports and SaferProducts.gov. You may view a pdf of the law here and learn more about the law here.

Our arts and crafts materials are additionally Art + Creative Materials Institute Certified (ACMI) + AP certified as nontoxic.

Conformitè Europëenne (CE)

Our products also meet the European Union's CE requirements. 

The Conformitè Europëenne (CE) Mark is defined as the European Union's (EU) mandatory conformity marking for regulating the goods sold within the European Economic Area (EEA) since 1985. The CE marking represents a manufacturer's declaration that products comply with the EU's New Approach Directives. You can find out more about this requirement here. 

UKCA Marking

UKCA Marking – The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is the new UK conformity marking used for certain goods (including toys) being placed on the GB market, in place of the CE marking which is the conformity marking used in Northern Ireland and the European Union. You can read more about the UKCA marking here in sections 10 and 15.

 

USDA Organic

Some products are certified organic. If they are certified by the USDA, you can read more about that here.

 

GOTS Certified Organic

If they are Global Organic Textile Standard certified (GOTS), this is an International Standard and you can read more about GOTS here, as well as look up and confirm certification numbers for individual products.  

BIOLAND Standards

Many of our products are certified organic as part of the Bioland Standards. This is a German product only certification and includes some of the highest standards in the world. You can read more about the Bioland standards here. 

OEKO-TEX Standards

Products that are not necessarily organic may carry an OEKO-TEX or OEKO-TEX 100 safety certification as proof of non-toxicity. You may be more likely to see this in items that were dyed with non-plant dyes in order to verify that the dyes are nontoxic and free of or within a safe range of elements and other contaminants.

You may also see this on non-organic textiles to verify that the textile is free of or within a safe range of certain chemicals or elements. You can read more about OEKO-TEX standards here. You can verify if an OEKO-TEX label is valid or not here.

Q: The item I want to order is out of stock. How long will it take to be back in stock?

A: If you’d like to find out when something will be back, send an email to info@alderandalouette.com and we’d be happy to look that up for you. In your email, include the item and any sizes or colors, if applicable. 

 

Q: May I pre-order an item that is out of stock?

A: Yes, you may (if it has a preorder button)! If there is no preorder button, you can send us an email at info@alderandalouette.com and we can set up an order for you.

 

Pre-Order Policy
Purchase preorder items separately from in-stock items if you do not want your items held to wait for the preorder to come in. If you purchase them together, they will ship together, in most cases. If you separate your orders, they will ship separately. 

 

Q: May I special order items?

A: If you’d like special quantities or colors, or if you don’t see what you want, contact us by email or text to see if we can find and order these items for you. We are happy to help! info@alderandalouette.com or 360-358-3387

 

Q: Do you offer gift wrapping?

A: At this time, we do not offer gift wrapping. 

 

Q: Do you sell gift cards?

A: We do! We sell physical and electronic gift cards. Once an electronic gift card is purchased, we send the gift card code through email to the email address you provided at checkout. You may then forward the code to whomever it is intended.

 

Q: Can a sale price be applied to an order placed before or after a sale?

A: Unfortunately, we cannot apply discounts to orders that have been placed before a sale began or after a sale has ended. 

 

Q: An item I wanted to buy sold out during a sale. Do you offer rainchecks for the sale price?

A: We don’t offer rainchecks, and sale prices are limited to items on hand during the sale dates. 

Discounts and Promo Codes

Q: I found a discount code for your shop online but it doesn’t work. Why?

Only Promo Codes and Discount Codes sent to you through official Alder & Alouette communication channels are valid. Promo and discount codes found on other websites that we do not own are not valid and have been transmitted or created without our knowledge or permission. 

Canceling Orders

Q: May I cancel or change my order after it’s been placed?

A1. : Whether or not the cancellation is possible depends upon where your items are in the processing and shipping process. If you placed an order and then changed your mind, please contact us in writing via e-mail as soon as possible info@alderandaloeutte.com. You may also text us at 360-358-3387.

A2: Cancellation if Your Order Has Not Shipped Yet

If your order has already been processed, but not shipped, there may be a small restocking fee to cover the cost of packing your order and the card processing fees we cannot recover. If there is a fee, it will be deducted from your refund when we cancel and refund your order. Currently, this fee is up to 4% of your purchase price. 

A3: Cancellation if Your Order Has Already Shipped

If the order has already shipped, we are unable to cancel the order as it’s already on its way.

 

Sales Tax

Q: Do you charge sales tax?

A: Currently, we only charge sales tax in Washington State. If you are in a state where sales tax is not charged, you are required to keep up with that purchase total and report it to your state under their State Usage Tax system.  

Credit Card versus Debit Card

Q: Why do you recommend paying with a credit card instead of a debit card?

A: We recommend paying with a credit card instead of a debit card for a couple of reasons. Many credit cards offer extra insurance on products when purchased with a credit card. This is a nice, extra perk on your side in case the postal service or other delivery service loses or damages your package. We are not responsible for loss or damage caused by the shipping service. 

In addition, because of internet fraud, some orders may be declined through our payment processor as a security feature to protect you based on certain filters, like address verification. If this happens and you used your debit card, your bank may put a hold on those funds until the transaction is no longer pending. This could take several days and during that time, those funds will not be available to you. We do not have control over this and unfortunately, cannot help you if this occurs. Using a credit card instead does not impact your bank account if your card is declined for any reason.

This also applies to order cancellations and refunds. If you are paying with a debit card or using something like PayPal or Venmo or other payment services connected to your bank account or a debit card, even though refunding or canceling your order is quick on our end, it must be referred back through card processors and the payment service before making it back to your bank account. This could take several days and during that time, those funds will not be available to you. We do not have control over this and unfortunately, cannot help you if this occurs.

Shipping

Q: Do you cover my package if it is lost, mis-delivered or damaged during shipment?

A: The shipping services we use are separate companies from us, and we relinquish our responsibility to them once they pick up your package and leave our facility.  Therefore, we do not cover your package if lost, mis-delivered or damaged during shipment by a shipping service. Please use your tracking number provided to file a claim with USPS or UPS if the lose or damage your package during transit.  

 

Q: Do you ship Internationally?

A: Currently, we are only shipping to the United States and to Canada.

 

Q: Do you offer free shipping discounts?

A: Occasionally we may offer free shipping. When we do, you usually need to meet a price point and that range is somewhere between $129 to $199.

 

Q: What do you charge for shipping?

A: Our checkout is connected directly to USPS and UPS and so our shipping prices are determined by them. They base the shipping off a combination of factors, such as package dimensions, weight and the distance your package will travel. 

 

Q: How long does it take to receive my order?

A: There are two different times that affect this answer: Processing Time and Shipping Time. Please see our shipping policy HERE. 
 

Q: Will I receive a tracking number?

A: Once a shipping label has been created, you will receive a tracking number, though it may be the next business day before your package is actually picked up. If you cannot find a tracking number email sent to you, check your spam or junk folder.  You can also log into the customer portal at any time to see tthe status of your package. 

Q: How do I return or exchange a product?

A: See our Refund & Exchange Policy HERE for requirements and which items do not qualify for an exchange or return.

NOTE: We reserve the right to change our policies as needed and without warning or notice to you, the customer. Information on this page is not a guarantee.

Still have a question? 

Send an email to use at info@alderandalouette.com or fill out the form below and someone will be in contact as soon as possible.