Terms of service

Terms of Service

These Terms of Service apply when you use the Countess Bees website or purchase products from our online store.

Throughout these terms, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to Countess Bees. “You” and “your” refer to the person using our website or purchasing from us.

By placing an order through our website, you agree to these Terms of Service. Please read them before placing your order.

1. About Countess Bees

Countess Bees is an independent UK business based in Chester, England.

Countess Bees
67 Greenfields
Upton
Chester
CH2 1LL
United Kingdom

Email: contact@countessbees.co.uk

Our online store is powered by Shopify.

2. Our Products

We take care to describe and photograph our products as accurately as reasonably possible.

Many Countess Bees products are handmade using natural beeswax. Natural variations in beeswax, including variations in colour, tone and appearance, may occur between products and batches. Small variations associated with the handmade nature of a product are not necessarily faults.

Colours may also appear slightly different depending on your screen or device.

Product dimensions described as approximate may vary slightly due to the handmade nature of our products.

Nothing in this section affects your statutory rights where goods are faulty, damaged, not as described or otherwise do not meet the requirements of applicable consumer law.

3. Product Availability

All products are subject to availability.

Some products may be produced in small quantities, available seasonally or offered for a limited period.

We may withdraw or discontinue products from sale or limit the quantity available to purchase.

If we are unable to fulfil an order after payment has been taken, we will contact you and provide an appropriate refund.

4. Prices and Payment

All prices are displayed in pounds sterling (GBP).

Countess Bees is not currently VAT registered and prices therefore do not include VAT charged by Countess Bees.

Any applicable delivery charges will be displayed before you complete your order.

Payment must be made using one of the payment methods offered at checkout.

We take reasonable care to ensure prices displayed on our website are correct. If we discover an obvious pricing error after an order has been placed, we will contact you before fulfilling the affected item. You will be given the opportunity to continue at the correct price or cancel the affected item for a refund.

5. Placing an Order

When you place an order through our website, you are offering to purchase the products in your basket.

You are responsible for checking your order, delivery or collection details and contact information before submitting it.

After placing an order, you will receive an electronic confirmation. If we are unable to accept or fulfil your order, we will contact you and refund any payment taken for the affected items.

We may refuse or cancel an order where there is a legitimate reason to do so, for example where a product is unavailable, there has been an obvious pricing or product-information error, or we reasonably suspect fraudulent activity.

Nothing in these terms limits any cancellation rights you have under applicable consumer law.

6. Delivery

We aim to dispatch orders within the timeframe stated in our Shipping & Collection Policy.

Available delivery methods, estimated delivery times and applicable charges are shown at checkout.

Delivery estimates are not guarantees and delays can occasionally occur due to circumstances outside our reasonable control.

Our responsibility for goods during delivery is governed by applicable consumer law. We do not exclude or restrict rights concerning delivery or the passing of risk that cannot legally be excluded.

Please see our Shipping & Collection Policy for further information.

7. Local Collection

Where available, you may choose local collection when placing your order.

Please wait until you receive confirmation that your order is ready before travelling to collect it.

Collection information, including the collection location and relevant opening times, will be provided with your collection notification.

8. Cancellations, Returns and Refunds

Your rights to cancel an online order and our arrangements for returns and refunds are explained in our Return and Refund Policy.

For most goods purchased online, consumers have statutory cancellation rights. Our own 30-day returns policy operates alongside, and does not replace, your statutory rights.

Certain personalised, bespoke or custom-made goods may be excluded from change-of-mind cancellation rights where permitted by law.

Please read our Return and Refund Policy for full details.

9. Faulty, Damaged or Incorrect Goods

We are under a legal duty to supply goods that conform to the contract.

If an item arrives damaged, is faulty, is not as described or you receive an incorrect item, please contact us at contact@countessbees.co.uk so that we can help resolve the issue.

Nothing in these Terms of Service affects your statutory rights.

10. Gift Packaging and Optional Extras

Where optional gift packaging or another paid extra is available, the additional charge will be clearly shown before you complete your purchase.

Selecting gift packaging does not create a separate product and does not affect your rights in relation to the product purchased.

11. Using Our Website

You may use our website only for lawful purposes.

You must not knowingly misuse the website, interfere with its operation or security, introduce malicious software, attempt to gain unauthorised access to the website or use it in a way that infringes the rights of Countess Bees or another person.

We may change, update or temporarily suspend parts of the website where reasonably necessary, including for maintenance, security or improvements.

12. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated, content created and owned by Countess Bees, including our original text, photographs, graphics, branding, logo and designs, is protected by applicable intellectual property law.

You may view and use the website for your own personal, non-commercial purposes.

You must not reproduce, distribute or commercially use content owned by Countess Bees without our prior permission, except where permitted by law.

Third-party content, trademarks and services remain the property of their respective owners.

13. Third-Party Services and Links

Our website may use or provide links to services operated by third parties, including payment, delivery, social media or other online services.

Those third parties may have their own terms and privacy policies.

Countess Bees is not responsible for the content or operation of third-party websites that we do not control.

14. Privacy

Your personal information is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Our online store is hosted by Shopify, which processes certain information in connection with providing the Shopify platform and related services.

Please read our Privacy Policy for further information about how personal information is collected, used and shared.

15. Liability

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where it would be unlawful to do so, including liability that cannot be excluded or restricted under applicable consumer law.

We are not responsible for losses that were not reasonably foreseeable when the contract was formed or that were not caused by a breach of our obligations.

Nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer.