Overview
We want you and your recipients to feel good about your swag. If something is not right, please tell us. We will listen, review what happened and work with you toward a fair, practical resolution.
These policies explain what to expect when ordering products, approving artwork, receiving deliveries and reporting concerns to Ethical Swag.
How do I report a product issue?
Please inspect your products when they arrive and report defects, damage, discrepancies, missing items or dissatisfaction within 10 business days of receipt. Email info@ethicalswag.com and include:
- Your INQ number or order reference. If you are a gift recipient and do not have one, include the sender or organization name and your delivery details.
- The affected product, quantity and a clear description of the issue.
- The delivery date and tracking number, if available.
- Photographs where applicable. For shipping damage, photograph the product, outer carton, internal packaging and shipping label.
Keep the affected products and packaging until we provide instructions. Please contact us before returning, donating, discarding or attempting to repair an affected item. If a product appears unsafe, stop using it and let us know promptly.
For shipments sent directly to a client or individual recipient, the reporting period begins when that shipment is received. Business days are Monday through Friday, excluding applicable public holidays.
If you discover an issue later, please still contact us. Late reporting may limit the remedies available, but we will review the circumstances and any applicable warranty. The notification period is not a promise that every claim will be resolved within 10 business days.
What happens if products arrive damaged, defective or incorrect?
We will review your information against the approved order and artwork, and may request additional photographs or a product return. We will explain the proposed resolution and keep you informed while the issue is being reviewed.
For verified products received damaged, we will refund the affected products, unless we agree with you on a replacement or another resolution. For defects, missing items or products materially different from the approved order, we will work with you on an appropriate repair, replacement, refund or agreed credit.
Resolutions generally apply to the affected products and quantities. If one item in a swag pack is damaged or missing, this does not automatically qualify the entire pack or order for a refund. Please tell us if other contents were also affected.
We will confirm any return, replacement and shipping arrangements before proceeding. We do not charge return-handling or restocking fees to correct an approved damage, defect or fulfillment-error claim. An account credit will only replace a refund with your agreement. Refunds normally go to the original payment method, with an alternative arranged with the purchaser if needed. We will confirm the approved amount and expected processing time.
Can I return custom products or exchange sizes?
Custom products are made or decorated for your organization, so we generally cannot accept returns or exchanges because of a change of mind, an approved design choice or a size selected incorrectly. This does not affect our review of damaged, defective or incorrectly supplied products.
Please review product descriptions and size charts before ordering. Fit can vary between brands and styles, and samples can help with selection. If a product arrives in a different size from the one ordered, or you believe its sizing materially differs from the published information, contact us.
We understand that circumstances vary. If you have a concern outside these situations, please reach out. We may agree to an exception based on the circumstances, availability and costs involved.
What should I check before approving artwork?
You will see and approve your proof before payment is required. Carefully review your order details and proof, including spelling, artwork, product colour, sizes, quantities, decoration method, imprint dimensions and placement. Please submit any corrections before approval. You are responsible for having permission to use the artwork and branding you provide.
Digital proofs show the intended design and placement. Screen settings, materials and decoration methods can affect the appearance of the finished product. Minor variations in colour, texture, grain or finish may occur, particularly with natural or recycled materials. Exact colour matching is only available where confirmed for the selected product and decoration method.
These variations do not excuse a material departure from the approved order. Errors already present in approved artwork are different from production errors, but we will help explore the available options in either situation.
How do samples and product availability work?
Product samples are billed at the unit price. If you proceed with a decorated bulk order of the same product, the sample product cost is credited to that order. We will confirm any sample shipping or other applicable charges in advance. Return eligibility for undecorated products and samples varies by item; please ask before ordering.
Product availability can change before production is confirmed. If an approved item becomes unavailable, we will discuss alternatives, timing and any price difference with you before making a substitution. If no suitable alternative is agreed, we will confirm the options for the affected item and any related work already approved.
Any permitted production overrun or underrun, and how it affects billing, will be identified in your quote or order terms before approval. Tell us before approval if you require an exact quantity.
Can I change or cancel an order?
Contact us as soon as possible if you need a change or cancellation. We will check the order status and explain what remains possible. After your approval, products may have been ordered, decorated, assembled or prepared for shipping, and we may be unable to stop or change that work.
You may be responsible for approved work already completed and costs already committed that cannot be recovered, as well as applicable handling or restocking charges under your order or service agreement. We will explain those costs and any refundable balance. Submitting a change or cancellation request does not confirm that the order has been changed or stopped.
How are production and delivery dates handled?
Timing depends on the product, customization, quantity, approvals, required payment, kitting and destination. We will confirm the expected schedule for your order. Delays in approvals, payment, product availability or delivery information may affect that schedule.
Please tell us about an event or required delivery date before approving your order. Estimated timelines are not guaranteed delivery dates unless we expressly confirm a commitment in writing. Rush production and expedited shipping are separate services, with availability and charges confirmed for the order.
If a shipment is delayed, lost or damaged, contact us promptly. We will help investigate and coordinate with the relevant parties. Carrier, customs, weather and other disruptions may affect delivery; the appropriate resolution will depend on the circumstances and any written commitments for your order. A delay does not automatically result in a full order refund.
Ceramic Mugs
Ceramic mugs are fragile and may chip, crack or break during shipping, even with protective packaging. By approving an order that includes ceramic mugs, you acknowledge this risk.
Ceramic mugs received chipped, cracked or broken as a result of shipping are excluded from our standard damaged-product refund, credit and replacement policy, except where required by applicable law. We recommend ordering a small quantity of extra mugs to allow for potential breakage.
Please report any damage to info@ethicalswag.com within 10 business days of receipt, including your INQ number and photographs of the damaged products and packaging. We will review the circumstances and may offer a goodwill resolution, although compensation is not guaranteed.
This exclusion applies specifically to shipping breakage. Manufacturing defects, incorrect products and decoration errors remain subject to our general product issue policy.
What if a shipment is returned or cannot be delivered?
Please provide accurate recipient names, complete addresses and any required delivery instructions, and tell us promptly if they change. If a shipment is returned or requires correction because of an incorrect address, refusal or unsuccessful delivery, additional carrier, return-handling, restocking or reshipping charges may apply.
We will notify the project contact and confirm the next steps. Applicable charges will follow your quote or service agreement and the circumstances of the return. Please obtain return instructions from Ethical Swag before sending products to a warehouse.
How does this apply to warehousing and fulfillment programs?
Your service agreement sets out the specific storage, receiving, inspection, inventory, insurance and fulfillment arrangements for your program, including applicable fees. Products supplied by your organization must meet the agreed receiving and identification requirements. A warehouse receipt does not necessarily mean every individual product has been inspected.
Incoming inventory discrepancies and issues identified during storage should be raised promptly through your program contact. Recipients should inspect later shipments and report product issues within 10 business days of receiving them. We will consider when and how the issue arose, together with the agreed service terms and any applicable warranty. Storage does not extend product shelf life or manufacturer warranty periods.
If a product supplied by your organization has a manufacturing or decoration defect, we will help document the issue for you to raise with its original supplier. Concerns about our handling, packing or fulfillment should be reported directly to us for review.
What about product care, food and other perishable items?
Follow the care and storage instructions supplied with each product. Normal wear, accidental damage after delivery, improper care or unsuitable storage are generally outside our arrival-related product issue remedies. If a problem develops during normal use, contact us so we can review it and any applicable manufacturer warranty.
For food, beverages, plants, seeds and other time-sensitive products, discuss intended storage and distribution dates with us before ordering. Shelf life, environmental conditions and product-specific requirements can affect suitability for storage and later distribution.
Can usable products be kept out of landfill?
Where appropriate, we may discuss redecoration, reuse, donation or recycling as part of an agreed resolution. We will obtain your approval before arranging donation or redistribution of your branded goods. These options are voluntary and will not replace an agreed refund or other remedy without your consent.
How do these policies work with my agreement?
Project-specific terms expressly agreed with you in writing apply where they differ from this general policy. These policies do not replace the storage, insurance or liability arrangements in your warehousing or fulfillment agreement.
Our product issue remedies address the affected goods and agreed related service or shipping costs. Unless expressly agreed in writing or required by law, we do not cover indirect or consequential losses, such as lost profits or costs arising from a cancelled event. Nothing in these policies limits rights or remedies that cannot be excluded under applicable law.
Questions about an order or these policies? Contact info@ethicalswag.com. We are here to help.