FAQ

How do I place an order? Ordering is easy! Simply leave a comment to the sales post with the name of the item you’re interested in, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Alternatively, email paigealexis@gmail.com with your order.

Can I reserve an item? Yes. However, I will only hold the item up to a period of 3 days from your reservation, before releasing it for sale. Exceptions made on a case-by-case basis.

What currency are the prices in? All items are listed in Singapore dollars, US dollars and Great Britain pound. Please visit http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic for current exchange rates + 3% interbank transfer. If you make payment via Paypal, the currency is automatically converted when you make payment. If there is a discrepancy between the Paypal conversion rates and the FXconverter rates, please take the Paypal rates as the standard. For more information on paying via Paypal, please see below. By default all prices on Etsy are in USD.

What modes of payment do you accept? POSB/DBS/UOB/Maybank bank transfers, local cheques, and PayPal (send payment to: paige_alexis@yahoo.com). I do not take credit cards or international money orders.

Buyers using PayPal, please let me know if you’re using a credit/debit card, because PayPal charges a percentage fee for all such transactions. I will let you know the corresponding charges.

PayPal also charges an additional fee of $1 for transferring the funds to a local bank account, which will be added to your purchase total.

For orders made on Etsy all fees are inclusive in the listed price in USD.

I’ve just placed an order! When and how will I be receiving it? Orders can be delivered through:

1) Local or international mail (postage charges apply)
2) Self-collection

I would recommend postage as it may be difficult to arrange a meeting time and place. Packages are posted within 3-5 days from receipt of payment.

Local mail takes approximately 3 working days to process and deliver from date of posting, and international mail depends on the location of the country. E.g. a package to the Philippines takes approximately 1.5 weeks to arrive; a package to the USA takes approximately 2 weeks.

If you require your item urgently, you can also arrange for option (2) and I will try to accommodate your request, depending on my schedule.

How much are shipping costs? Local postage ranges from $0.50 – $3.00 and above depending on weight. International shipping charges apply. You can visit SingPost’s Postage Calculator for more details.

For jewellery, the standard (gift bag) is SGD1.50 for the first item, and $0.50 for subsequent items. Gift boxes (on request) may cost slightly more.

You can combine shipping for multiple purchases!

Do you ship internationally? Yes. I regret to say, though, that I cannot absorb international shipping costs.

*Gift boxes are available on request at a fee of $1.50 (small), $3.00 (medium) and $5 (large) per box. This fee will be waived on purchases of $100 and above.

Do you do remakes? No, so that everyone can own an exclusive piece designed by Mel!

Do you do customisations? Yes, I do customisations for jewellery, but due to the nature of my job, I may not have time to entertain all requests. Still, you’re very welcome to ask, and should I have the time, you will definitely get your customisation.

A 50% non-refundable deposit is required before any work is begun, and the balance upon completion. This is to offset any initial costs I may incur, e.g. materials. Once work on the project begins, the deposit will be considered non-refundable. Customers are allowed up to 3 minor modifications to the design before a new customisation fee is charged.

A flat customisation rate of $10 will be charged per design in addition to cost of materials and artisan fee*. (*varies according to intricacy of project)

Emergency customisation fee of $10 will be levied on requests made less than 2 weeks in advance.

Any custom work will be OOAK and will not be remade for anyone else.

I notice that the prices of some items are different, even though the design/materials are similar. Why the price difference? The difference in price for my DIY creations depends on several factors:

1) Cost of materials
This is one main factor in my pricing. I import my materials from all over the world, and what I pay for them is reflected in the price of the final artwork. Shipping costs  and exchange rates are also factored into the pricing.

2) Availability of materials
Occasionally I may come across a rare item, such that there are only a few pieces available for purchase worldwide and thus more expensive.

3) Complexity of design and artist’s fee
As a DIY craft artist, I take pride in my pieces and charge a minimal fee for the work put into the pieces. Certain designs, though looking  simple, take a long time to put together, so the sales price includes the intangible effort and creativity.

What if my item gets lost/damaged in the mail? Will you refund me? I’m terribly sorry, but I cannot take responsibility for packages once I post them. I would suggest you opt for registered mail as it comes with a tracking number. This is, of course, no guarantee that items will get shipped safely (I’ve lost some items shipped via registered mail before), but it will help in tracking down the package and 9.9/10 times you WILL get your package via registered mail.

All jewellery is packed securely in bubble wrap and gift bags/boxes, clothes in sealed plastic, etc. If your item is damaged as a result of handling in the post office, it will not be through any fault of my own. Complimentary repair services will be provided for all jewellery as long as it’s designed by me (see below).

What if my jewellery gets damaged after I wear it? All Curious Curios come with the assurance of long-lasting wear provided proper care is taken. If your jewellery gets snagged on your clothes, forcefully tugged or breaks, simply mail it back to me with a self-addressed and stamped envelope. Repairs such as fixing a broken chain, fixing back loose details and findings are free, but replacing lost details, adding length to or changing chains, will be at the cost of the replacement materials. No repair fee is charged on top of materials’ cost.

Please see: http://melscuriosityshoppe.wordpress.com/2009/02/20/caring-for-your-jewellery/ for caring tips.

I love your work! Can I copy it?

Please don’t! If you would like to base your own work on my designs, that’s fine, but please ask me first for permission and credit me, otherwise you’ll be infringing on my copyright. Please don’t assume that just because I give permission for one piece, that you have free rein over the other pieces. Each piece must be individually requested for and credited on every post you make with that item.

All pictures and text (poetry, verses) are copyright of Mel’s Curiosity Shoppe.

All DIY work on this site by me is protected by the Creative Commons Act.

As a rule, follow the Seventh Commandment

I want to be an affiliate! How do we exchange links? Drop me a line and I’ll add you to my site under ‘Membership’!

Interested in a collaboration? Yes, definitely! I love working with indie artists and meeting new people, so if you have some ideas about working together, drop me a line and we’ll go from there.