Our obligations - and yours - explained

 Delivery and Returns
Important information for deliveries to the EU 

There may be local duty and/or taxes payable on goods delivered outside the UK.  The Brontë Society is not responsible for paying these charges.
Customs charges and policies vary widely from country to country. 
Orders for international shipping will be subject to import duties and taxes levied on arrival in their destination country.  Please note that you are liable for any additional charges for customs clearance and if a package is refused and has to be returned to us, you will also be liable for the cost of this. 
If you are unsure of charges and regulations which may apply to your order, please contact your local customs office for information.  Generally, customs forms for internal packages will list the value of the contents of your order by product type.
Your privacy is important to us and we know that you care about how information about your order is used and shared.  You should therefore be aware that cross-border deliveries are subject to opening and inspection.

Deliveries for Christmas 2023

All orders are selected and packaged by hand at the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth. To give your order the best chance of arriving in time for Christmas, the cut off dates for UK and International deliveries for Christmas 2023 are as follows:

International deliveries – Sunday 10 December
Deliveries to the UK -  Friday 15 December

While we will try our absolute best to ensure deliveries arrive in time for Christmas, please be aware that parcels may be subject to postal delays. We advise customers to allow as much time for delivery as possible when placing an order online.

Delivery information 

Brontë Parsonage Museum Shop orders are sent first class via Royal Mail - we may use a courier service if the purchase is of a higher value or of a heavier weight.
We will make every effort to dispatch goods within four working days, and hope to achieve delivery to UK addresses within seven working days of receipt of your order, provided the goods are in stock. However, this may vary in peak periods such as Christmas and during seasonal sale events and during any periods of disruption to services.

Europe and Rest of World deliveries are sent by Air Mail and can normally be expected to arrive within 10 working days. However we ask that you allow 21 working days from dispatch before contacting customer services.

Made to order products such as jewellery may take up to 6 weeks for UK delivery and 8 weeks for international.

Larger orders will be delivered in a re-used or recycled box as part of the Brontë Parsonage Museum's commitment to the environment, focusing on reducing its paper and cardboard consumption.

Postage rates are calculated according to your delivery address, the weight and the size of the package. As you progress through the shop checkout, you will see that the correct delivery charge is added to your order based on the country that you enter for your delivery address. The rate is based on the actual weight of the items that you are ordering, which is automatically calculated by the shop.

Please note: If your order weighs over 4kg it will not be covered by the postage options in the online shop. You will see a message to this effect and will not be presented with a postage rate. If this is the case, please email nicola.peel@bronte.org.uk for assistance.

Part Deliveries

If you have ordered more than one item, from time to time we may have to deliver your order in separate shipments. Regardless of the number of deliveries you receive, you'll only be charged the amount that was originally quoted to you at the time you placed your order. All delivery charges will be charged to you on the first order/delivery, any dispatch of a parcel thereafter to complete your order will be free of charge. 

Packaging

Our paper padded bags are made from 100% recycled paper. The tissue used in our boxes is fully compostable and may also be placed in your household recycling.

Returns & Exchanges

We hope that you are happy with your purchase, however if you are not, please return it to us in its original condition within 28 days of receipt and we will be happy to exchange it or give you a refund. Return postage charges are non-refundable unless your order was faulty or incorrect. Please note: this does not extend to items which are made to order.

1. Package your return items

Wherever possible, please return the items in their original (or similarly robust) packaging. Please note that when returning an item, the parcel is your responsibility until it reaches us. We recommend that you ask your Post Office for a proof of posting (available free of charge). This guarantee does not affect your statutory rights. Returns should be sent to:

You can cancel your order by telephoning +44 (0)1535 640181 or by email to  nicola.peel@bronte.org.uk 
 

3. Return your goods in person to the Brontë Parsonage Museum shop, Haworth

You may also return an online order in person to the Brontë Parsonage Museum Shop, Haworth. 
Please contact us on +44 (0)1535 640181 or email nicola.peel@bronte.org.uk and let us know that you would like to return the item in store.

4. Exchanges

If you require a different item, please return the original item and contact us via email to request a different size/colour and we’ll do our best to post one out to you upon receipt.

5. International

International customs duties and sales taxes are not refunded for shipments outside the EU. If you are returning anything to us from outside the UK you must complete a customs declaration, correctly indicating that the package contains “returned goods” or similar. We will not pay customs duty in order to receive back the returned item(s).

6. Exceptions

Please note: items excluded from this policy are items that are made to your specifications or clearly personalised; perishable or edible items such as chocolates; and items which have been sealed where the seal is broken, including pierced earrings. These items are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged unless they are faulty or damaged.

7. Faulty or Damaged

In the rare event that goods are delivered faulty or damaged please contact our retail team on +44 (0)1535 640181 or email nicola.peel@bronte.org.uk so we can arrange a replacement or a refund. Goods are classified as faulty if they are received damaged, or when a manufacturing fault occurs within 6 months of purchase. Items that are damaged as a result of wear and tear are not considered to be faulty.

8. Payment

Payment is taken from your card once your order is placed and you have received your email confirmation.

Any refunds granted will be credited to the Debit or Credit Card used at the time of order processing. Once we receive the item(s), we will issue a refund or replacement(s), whichever is requested and depending upon availability.

Refunds will be issued within 14 days of receipt of the returned goods. A refund will be issued for postage paid only when the item is found to be defective or incorrectly supplied from the original order. If you fail to return goods at your expense, the Brontë Parsonage Museum Shop reserves the right to charge the direct costs for their recovery and may offset that amount against any refund due.