Buckingham First Day Covers

Terms and Conditions

Our principle term is enjoy your hobby!

The rest of this page gives information on:
  1. Refunds and Returns
  2. How to Pay
  3. Dispatch
  4. Copyright
  5. Customer Privacy and Data Protection
Refunds and Returns

Everything we sell is sent on a 30 days approval. If you do not like the cover for any reason, you can send it back to us for full credit or refund. If you are a regular customer, we normally credit your Internet Stamps account with us and use the credit towards your next order. We do this because when we sent out refunds by cheque, many customers found it inconvenient and returned the cheque to us to pay for their next cover anyway. If you would prefer us to refund your credit/debit card or to send you a cheque however, just let us know.

How to Pay (if not buying from our on-line shop)

For written, phoned or faxed orders you can pay by cheque, postal order or by debit/credit card. We are happy to accept Maestro (Switch), Visa, MasterCard and American Express. If you pay by card, we will not charge your card until your order is ready to post so, if you are making advance orders, you will not pay until they are ready.

Why we prefer Credit or Debit Cards

There are many great things about using plastic. Firstly, we only charge you as we invoice so you do not have to keep money in your account. Then, if we have to refund, we can do it electronically so it’s instantaneous. Paying by card allows us to sort things out quickly and when we invoice, all of the paperwork is done so your account is immediately correct.

Why you too are better off using your Card

Remember the card provider looks after all transactions. If you ever have a problem, your bank will help. Tony once got his accommodation refunded by Barclaycard on a holiday that went wrong, so he knows about these things! Not that you will need that protection when dealing with Buckingham Covers but, still, it’s reassuring for you to know that we need the goodwill of the card issuer: this gives you strength. It also means you are in a better position to grab any one-off covers. A cheque has to be posted, recorded then invoiced, whereas with a card all it takes is a phone call and we can send your cover straight to you.

Dispatch

We are happy to deliver anywhere in the world, including PO boxes. We’re also happy to send the invoice to one address and the order to another (useful for present buyers or if you are working away from home).

If the covers you have ordered are in stock and you are paying by credit/debit card (or your account is in credit), then we’ll aim to get your goods in the post to you within 24 hours of receiving your order. Please note the word ‘aim’! We are usually pretty good at this but because we are a small company, on very busy days, it can take longer as poor Vi disappears under piles of orders and we have to excavate to find her. Remember also that we advertise covers in advance so they may not be ready yet when you order. New covers often take longer to arrive due to many unforeseen circumstances (see Producing First Day Covers ...what could possibly go wrong?). Signed covers in particular can be a very long wait as it depends on how quickly the signatory gets them back to us. As a general rule, please allow 28 days (from the date of postmark for new issues) for the delivery of your order. If your order is for a present or you need it by a particular date, please contact us to let us know. We’ll do our very best to help.

Customer Privacy and Data Protection

Buckingham Covers and our parent company, Internet Stamps are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of our customers personal details. We meet all the terms of the UK Data Protection Acts of 1984 and 1998.

Unless you tell us otherwise, we will send you occasional brochures, catalogues and newsletters. If you do not want us to send you any information, please email us or contact us by phone or post (please remember to tell us who you are!). We’d really appreciate knowing if you don’t want further information as otherwise it is a waste of time both for us and for you! If you do not respond to our information within a 6 month period, we will cease to send it anyway.

All data is collected securely and is not passed onto third parties. One thing that sometimes concerns customers is what we do with your phone number. We never pass on phone numbers to anyone else but we like to have them for ourselves as it is such a quick and easy way of checking order details with you. For example, if we have taken your credit card details down incorrectly, a quick phone call usually sorts out the problem straight away rather than delaying your order by writing to you. Many of our customers become like personal friends and like us to phone them if a cover they want becomes available; but we only do that if we have built this kind of friendship with you. If you prefer not to be disturbed, we’ll leave you alone!

What information do we hold on you?

When a customer registers with us to place an order by phone, post or over the website, we collect some or all of the following data:

Customer Account Number
This is a number that is unique to you and means we can look you up quickly on our computer system. The advantages are that you’ll get quicker, smoother service when placing your orders.
Name/Title/Address
We need all these things to get your order to you in the first place. We then store them so you don’t need to give us the information all over again if you want to place another order in the future. We also use the information to send you free magazines and newsletters in the future. You can opt out of these by emailing betty@buckinghamcovers.com and asking to come off our mailing list.
Phone number
Strictly optional, but we do like to have a contact number, if possible, to sort out any problems or questions about your account quickly and easily. We never give it out to anyone else and we never cold call..
E-mail address
If you have an email address, this is another really helpful way of being able to contact you to sort out problems or questions about your account. We do NOT use it to tell you about terrific offers, new covers or sheets and exciting autographs unless you sign up for our enews online. We do not share email addresses with ANYONE else.
Payment Card Details
If you pay by credit or debit card, we securely hold information about that card, including the card holder’s name, card number, card start date (if applicable), card expiry date, card issue number (for some debit cards only). We use these to process the card payment and to deal with any future queries or refunds associated with it. It also means that you can place future orders without having to give us your card details each time which is both convenient for you and, arguably, more secure.
Past orders
We keep a record of what you have ordered in the past so that we can refund or replace anything if you wish to return it. This information also helps us get to know you and what you like so we can let you know about similar products that might interest you in the future.
Out of stock orders
If you order something that we couldn’t provide at the time as it was out-of-stock, we’ll keep a record that you wanted it. That way, if we ever get one in the future, we’ll be able to offer to you. This does not commit you to buying the item in the future and we cannot guarantee to hold the same price, but at least it means you’re in with a chance of getting what you want eventually!
Your interests
If you tell us that you are interested in a particular area of collecting, such as military, cricket or animals, we’ll keep a record of this so we can keep you up-to-date about new products that you might like.