Frequently Asked Questions
We have put together this buyer’s quick answer guide for the most frequently asked questions we have previously received. The responses should be read in conjunction with the relevant information given in our other shop pages including our Terms & Conditions page.
You have ‘mix and match’ offers, how do I place my order?
Many of our customers want to buy a selection of styles from the same range of products, for example a stout kit and a bitter kit from the same beer range. To help with this and to offer further savings, we have listed many of our beer, wine, liqueur and spirit kits in multipacks. Each listing will detail the choice of styles in that range and the number of these kits offered at that price. The listing’s picture may not show all the styles available so check the listing’s text for the complete range of styles you can choose from. Once you have decided on the number of products from that range you require (remember the more you buy the greater the savings per kit) you can then purchase the required multipack from our Ebay shop. Tip; if you type in the name of the product range into the shop search facility on our Ebay shop home page, the various multipack options for each range will appear in the right hand window, and you can then select the preferred multipack. If you are making payment by Paypal, please use the 'note to seller' to pass on your choices. If we do not receive your preferences with your payment we will e-mail you through your Ebay messages inbox to request confirmation of your choice, however, this will delay dispatch of your order. Contact Customer Services for further details or availability.
I have placed my order, what happens next?
If you have purchased only one item, you will receive a winning buyer/order confirmation e-mail message sent through to your Ebay messages inbox. This will detail your order, the order value, including carriage costs, our acceptable payment methods (including an invite to make immediate payment using Paypal) and our address should you wish to make payment by post.
If you have purchased more than one item, all your purchases made through our eBay shop at the same time can be combined into one parcel, subject to the weight, dimensions, value, and destination restrictions detailed on our shipping page, to reduce your shipping costs. eBay cannot calculate combined carriage costs automatically, therefore, once you have made all your purchases, please ignore the eBay generated ‘Invitation To Pay’ e-mail and select the ‘Request An Invoice’ option instead. We can then send an invoice with the correct carriage included.
If you make payment before receiving our combined invoice, we will combine your order for you and refund any carriage savings to you, however, due to the additional administration costs; you will appreciate we are unable to refund amounts below £1.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept the following payment methods;-
Paypal. You can also use your credit/debit card through Paypal.
Credit/debit card payments can be made over the telephone, see Customer Services for telephone number.
Postal orders and personal cheques made payable to Beers Unlimited, please see Customer Services for postal address.
Do you ship abroad?
Sorry we only deliver to addresses within England, Scotland, Wales Northern Ireland & Channel Islands
What carriage services do you use?
For most products listed, dependant on weight, dimensions, value and destination, we are able to offer a choice of carrier services using, Royal Mail 2nd Class, Royal Mail 2nd Class Recorded, Royal Mail 1st Class, Royal Mail 1st Class Recorded, Royal Mail Next Day, Royal Mail Standard Parcels, Parcelforce Express 48 & Fedex Next Day (Fedex service excludes Highlands & Islands, see shipping page). The carriage options will be detailed on each listing, the default options on the ‘Postage & Payments’ tab below the item photograph and the default options plus additional options under our ‘Carriage Cost Options For This Product’ banner in the product description itself. Please ensure you choose the correct service to meet your delivery expectations. Unfortunately we cannot accept buyer specified delivery dates. If you are unsure which is the best option to meet your requirements, please contact Customer Services.
Do you combine postage for multiple purchases?
All purchases made through our Ebay shop at the same time can be combined into one parcel, subject to the weight, dimensions, value, and destination restrictions detailed on our shipping page, to reduce your shipping costs. Ebay cannot calculate combined carriage costs automatically, therefore, once you have made all your purchases, please ignore the Ebay generated ‘Invitation To Pay’ e-mail and select the ‘Request An Invoice’ option instead. We can then send an invoice with the correct carriage included.
If you make payment before receiving our combined invoice, we will combine your order for you and refund any carriage savings to you, however, due to the additional administration costs; you will appreciate we are unable to refund amounts below £1.
Please see our Shipping Page for maximum rates to mainland UK excluding Scottish Highlands and for our fixed Own Van Delivery rate (SS postcode area).
The postage I paid was more than the postage cost shown on my parcel, why is that?
We are a VAT registered business and as such are charged by HM Customs & Excise to add VAT at the current rate to Royal Mail & Parcelforce carriage charges, therefore the carriage rates given on our listings include VAT at the current rate. VAT number supplied on request.
In the case of combined orders, if you did not request our combined invoice prior to making payment, because Ebay does not calculate combined carriage discounts you have inadvertently overpaid.
If the difference (including VAT) is greater than £1 we always refund the overpayment on dispatch of your order. You should have had an e-mail from Beers Unlimited confirming this refund and in the case of a Paypal refund you will also have had an e-mail from Paypal confirming the refund (this can also be confirmed by accessing your Paypal account). If you cannot find your refund please e-mail ebay@beersunlimited.co.uk
When will my order be dispatched?
Unless an item is out of stock, or we have a delivery address query, your purchase will be dispatched as follows;-
Order Received Will Be Dispatched By
Before 10.00am January-August September-December
Monday Tues/Wed Wed/Thurs
Tuesday Wed/Thurs Thurs/Fri
Wednesday Fri/Sat Sat/Mon
Thursday Fri/Sat Sat/Mon
Friday Mon/Tues Tues/Wed
Saturday Mon/Tues Tues/Wed
.
When will I know my order has been dispatched?
Our dispatch confirmation e-mail is sent to your Ebay messages inbox the same day/next day we send out your order. This will include any tracking details if available and an estimated time of arrival.
How long will my package take to arrive?
Please refer to our dispatch confirmation e-mail sent to your Ebay messages inbox or our Shipping Page for estimated time of arrival for the service you chose.
What if I am out when the carrier/postman tried to deliver?
Royal Mail recorded and next day services, together with Fedex services and Parcelforce express 48 services will require a signature at delivery. For some items that do not require a signature at delivery you may be able to give instructions explaining where you would like the item to be left if no one is present at the time of delivery, such as with a neighbour, this will be at the carrier’s discretion. If no one is present at the time of delivery (and in the case of Royal Mail’s standard services, the package is too big for your letterbox) the carrier will put a card through your letter box explaining how to contact them regarding redelivery or collection; however, as we have no control over the carrier this can not be relied upon or guaranteed, it is therefore, important to read the dispatch confirmation e-mail we will have sent and make a note of the estimated delivery date and relevant instructions contained. If an attempted delivery card is left, the instructions should be followed promptly, as packages that are not re-delivered or remain uncollected for the holding period specified by the carrier (usually 5 working days) will automatically be returned to us.
My order has not yet arrived and I have not received an attempted delivery card, what should I do?
Please check your dispatch confirmation e-mail for the date of dispatch, carrier service used and estimated time of delivery. Royal Mail recorded and next day services, together with Fedex services and Parcelforce Express 48 services will have a tracking number which you will be able to track on the relevant carrier’s website for an update on the status of your order. For Royal Mail’s standard services (2nd Class, 1st Class & Standard Parcels), there is no tracking service, therefore, for these services it is recommended that you make a visit to your local post office/sorting office 5 working days after the due delivery date to see if your parcel is there awaiting collection after an attempted delivery by Royal Mail but no calling card was left by the postman.
Can you send my order to a different address, such as my work place?
Delivery will usually be made to the address specified on your eBay account. For purchases where payment has been made by Paypal, deliveries will be to the confirmed Paypal address. For purchases where payment has been made by credit/debit card over the telephone, deliveries will be made to the address the card is registered at. Deliveries to alternative addresses, such as business addresses, can be made at Beers Unlimited discretion, please contact Customer Services before making your purchase.
I believe my order has been lost in transit, what do I do now?
Proof of postage has been obtained so your order is fully insured. Before contacting Customer Services to enter a claim for loss in transit, please refer to your dispatch confirmation e-mail and our Shipping Page for estimated delivery dates. We can only enter a claim for loss with the relevant carrier after the following time lapse; 10 days from date of dispatch for Royal Mail Next Day, Parcelforce and Fedex services, and 30 days from date of dispatch for Royal Mail 1st Class, 2nd Class and Standard Parcel services. The carrier may wish to carry out an investigation before agreeing to provide compensation for loss. We are therefore unable to resend your order or issue a refund until the carrier has concluded their investigation and authorised us to do so, usually within 3 to 4 weeks of the claim being made. Please see our Terms & Conditions page.
How do I claim for an item damaged in transit?
If your parcel appears to be badly damaged, you should not sign for it (an indication the parcel was delivered in good order) instead refuse it, and it will be returned to us. If the parcel appears in good order and on further inspection you discover an item is damaged, you must contact us within a reasonable time period - usually 24 hours after taking delivery. Please retain the damaged item and the packaging as the carrier may wish to carry out an investigation or require photographic evidence before agreeing to provide compensation for damage. We are therefore unable to resend your order or issue a refund until the carrier has concluded their investigation and authorised us to do so, usually within 3 to 4 weeks of the claim being made. Please see our Terms & Conditions page.
I have made a mistake on my order; can I change it or return it?
If the item(s) have not been dispatched we will cancel the order and we will refund payment in full. If the item(s) have been dispatched to you and we are unable to stop the delivery, you can refuse to sign for the delivery so that the item(s) are returned to us and we will refund your payment less our dispatch carriage costs and any return carriage costs incurred, we will also charge a 10% restocking fee. Delivered item(s) must be returned at your own expense, unused in their original unopened re-saleable packaging. If the item(s) are unused in their original unopened re-saleable packaging we will refund your payment less our dispatch carriage costs and any return carriage costs incurred, we will also charge a 10% restocking fee. If the products returned have been used or the product packaging has been opened and/or are not in the original condition we will be unable to accept the return or issue a refund and you will be responsible for the full cost of returning the items to you, including any charges incurred by us when you returned the goods. If payment for such a return delivery is not received within 14 days, we will assume the goods are no longer required and we will dispose of them. Before returning any items to us, please contact Customer Services. In the case of an order cancellation, contact should be by email, letter or fax, as order cancellation cannot be accepted by telephone. Please see our Terms & Conditions page for further details.
My item is faulty, can I return it?
In the unlikely event a product arrives faulty, please contact Customer Services regarding the nature of the fault. We may require additional photographic evidence or the return of the item to complete an investigation to confirm the fault. If the item develops a fault after use, please contact Customer Services regarding the nature of the fault. We may require additional photographic evidence or the return of the item to complete an investigation to confirm the fault. If the fault is proved we will either; issue a refund, replace the item or return it to the manufacturer for repair and subsequent return to you. In addition we will also refund your return postage costs up to the amount charged by us originally to send it to you. If you return the item before contacting Customer Services and the fault is not proved we will be unable to replace the item(s) or issue a refund and you will be responsible for the full cost of returning the items to you, including any charges incurred by us when you returned the goods. If payment for such a return delivery is not received within 14 days, we will assume the goods are no longer required and we will dispose of them. Please see our Terms & Conditions page.
You have sent me the wrong item, what should I do?
In the unlikely event you discover you have been sent the wrong item(s) please contact Customers Services within 24 hours of receipt of your order and they will investigate further. If we are at fault you will be sent the cost of the return postage (using a recorded service) and on receipt of the returned item(s) we will send the correct item(s) or issue a refund. For heavier items we may use our own carrier to collect from you.
What level of communication can I expect from you?
We would like to ensure you have a trouble free purchase experience and to this end will keep you informed every step of the way. We will contact you primarily through Ebay messages sent directly to your Ebay messages inbox. Each e-mail will detail the current stage of your order and what happens next. Time should be taken to read these e-mails carefully as important information will be provided to ensure everything goes smoothly as you would expect. We will automatically send a winning buyer/order confirmation e-mail message, a payment received confirmation e-mail message and an order dispatch confirmation e-mail message. Additional e-mails will be sent as required, such as confirmation of address requests and those necessary to complete a trouble free returns processes. If a telephone number has been provided on your Ebay profile, we may telephone you.
Do you have a shop? Can I collect?
Beers Unlimited (established in 1962) has been run by the current owner since 1986. The retail shop is situated at 500 London Road, Westcliff on Sea, Essex, SS0 9LD. The London Road is shown as the A13 trunk road from London into Southend on Sea on your road map. There is free parking on either side of the road. Help and advice is freely available. Collection of your order can be made from our retail shop; payment will be required on collection. Our opening hours are 10.00am till 5.00pm Monday to Saturday excluding Wednesday.
The item price in the Beers Unlimited Ebay shop may differ from that offered at the same time in the Beers Unlimited retail store. We are under no obligation to honour any retail store price or promotion in the event that it differs from those in the Beers Unlimited Ebay shop.
Will you leave me feedback?
We work very hard to ensure every customer is happy with the service we give, so if you have any concerns whatsoever, please contact Customer Services, they are there to help. We would like to post individual personal messages for each purchase, unfortunately, administrative time does not allow us to do so, therefore, we use an automated service which will leave positive feedback once we have received positive feedback from you. Please take this opportunity to help build a better Ebay community and leave positive feedback for our quality of service and receive positive feedback from us. Feedback is not intended for rating the quality of a finished product, this is a subjective matter. When entering your ‘Detailed Seller Ratings’, although we are confident you will award us the highest grades, please remember for ‘dispatch time’ we are only responsible for the speed of dispatch following your order (please refer to our Terms and Conditions page for dispatch times) and not the delivery date which is the responsibility of the carrier.
How do I contact Customer Services?
Contact can be made through the 'e-mail the seller' button
E-mail; ebay@beersunlimited.co.uk
Telephone; 01702 345474, please note an answer phone service is in operation outside normal opening hours.
Write to;-
Beers Unlimited
500 London Road
Westcliff On Sea
Essex SS0 9LD
Visit;-
Beers Unlimited
500 London Road
Westcliff On Sea
Essex SS0 9LD
Find our map location at www.bing.com
Copyright Beers Unlimited 01.04.2011
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