Help/FAQs

Contacting Us

What are your opening hours?

Mon - Fri 8.30am - 5pm. We are closed at weekends and bank holidays.

Can I leave a telephone message out of hours?

Yes, we check all messages as soon as we arrive in the morning of our next working day and will call all UK customers back within in the hour. It helps us if you also leave an e-mail address or second phone number.

Ordering From Us

Do your prices include VAT?

Yes, all prices quoted include VAT. (Some ex-VAT prices are also quoted but these are marked as such and are shown alongside the VAT inclusive price.)

How can I make an order?

We accept orders by post, fax, phone, e-mail or via our website.

What payments do you accept?

Payment can be made in almost any form. The only notable exception is Paypal. Please note that we do not accept Green Shield Stamps.

Can I order on line and pay by cheque or Postal Order?

Yes, please make cheques & POs payable to ‘BEADS UNLIMITED’ . In order to avoid the necessity for credit notes & refunds, you can write across the bottom of the cheque ‘Not to exceed £...(the total cost of your goods)’ leaving the rest of the cheque unfilled.

Please note that cheques particularly from first time buyers may be delayed to allow time for them to clear.

Orders to be paid by cheque, postal order and money order will not be processed until payment is received. Highlands & Islands customers please add 20% for postage and we will issue appropriate credit note (or refund if required). Overseas customers, including Republic Of Ireland, please contact us.

Collecting From The Brighton Bead Shop

Can I order on line and collect from the Brighton Bead Shop?

Yes, our deliveries to the shop from our warehouse take place on Friday. To guarantee collection please order by close of business on Wednesday. Collection at other times may be possible but we can’t promise unfortunately. Please phone or ask for a call back to discuss this with us.

If I wish to collect from the Brighton Bead Shop can I pay at the shop?

The simple answer is yes. The advantage of ordering this way is that you can be reasonably sure of getting what you want without waiting at the counter and you can add other items while you are at the shop if you wish of course.

Sending Your Order

How much are your postage & packing charges within mainland UK?

Please note mainland UK excludes Highlands & Islands postcodes below.
Order value £5 - £29 postage cost £1.95
Order value £30 - £99 postage cost £2.95
Order value £100 - £199 postage cost £4.95
Order value £200 or over post free

How much does it cost to send orders to highlands & islands address within UK?

Postage is charged at cost. Orders are sent by most cost effective means available. If urgency is an issue we can quote for alternative delivery methods.

What postcodes are classified as highlands & islands for purposes of your postal charges?

First two characters = BT, IV, KW, HS, ZE or IM
First four characters = KA27 - KA28 inc.
First four characters = PA20 - PA49 inc.
First four characters = PA60 - PA78 inc.
First four characters = PH17 - PH26 inc.
First four characters = PH30 - PH44 inc.
First four characters = PH49 - PH50 inc.
First four characters = TR21 - TR25 inc.

Why do you feel the need to charge postage when other bead companies do not?

Compare our prices. There’s no such thing as a free lunch!

How much does it cost to send orders outside UK?

Postage is charged at cost. Orders are sent by the most cost effective means available. If urgency is an issue we can quote for alternative delivery methods. We cannot compensate or repeat orders unless insurance charges are paid.

Can you quote for delivery charges before goods are sent?

We are happy to quote for different delivery options before confirmation of your order should you require this. Please note that we can only quote if an actual order has been placed. It is not possible to estimate the charges until the order has been packed and weighed. You do not commit yourself to acceptance until you confirm.

What is your policy regarding VAT refunds to businesses located outside the UK?

Businesses operating within the EU must quote their VAT number to qualify for removal of the VAT element of their order before despatch. Orders posted to all addresses outside the EU will have VAT removed before despatch.

What is the easiest method of payment for international orders?

The easiest method is credit card. Sorry but euros, dollars or any other foreign currency cannot be accepted. Your credit card company will convert at the prevailing rate of exchange. We cannot accept cheques or money orders drawn on foreign banks.

Can I make an order on the web, by e-mail or fax and pay by cheque?

Yes, simply mark on the order ‘cheque to follow’ or something similar.

Despatching Your Order

How quickly will my order be despatched?

We aim to despatch your order on day of receipt. The cut off for same day despatch is normally midday but can be as early as 11am depending on our workload. After this time your order is likely to wait until the following day. It is extremely rare for orders without outstanding queries to be despatched later than 24 hours after receipt.

How quickly will my order arrive?

We usually use first class post and 48 hour parcel service. First class post normally arrives within a day or two & is not traceable. Two day parcel services are not ‘officially’ late until the end of the relevant day following despatch but, with a bit of persistence, can normally be traced.

Can I guarantee next day delivery?

Yes, the cost is £5 plus our regular postage charge and does not apply to highlands and islands unfortunately. We will pull out the stops to get next day delivery orders out the day we receive them. As a guide orders received after midday can be difficult to process immediately depending on our workload, the size of your order and how soon the postie is due. It is always best to phone to confirm, we are all very friendly.

Problems With Delivery Of Your Order

What happens if my order doesn’t turn up as expected?

There are, unfortunately, rare occasions when delivery fails to meet expectations. In these circumstances we will do our utmost to find out where the package has gone astray and keep you fully and promptly informed. If your order has been despatched through Parcelforce and hasn’t arrived on time with a bit of persistence it can almost always be traced.

If my order has been lost do I still have to pay for it?

Don’t worry though after ten days we will we will refund or credit you if your order has not arrived.

What should I do if any of my goods are damaged?

Please let us know as soon as you receive your goods. We will advise the best course action. In some circumstances we will ask for the products to be returned for inspection. There are occasions when this is not necessary.

Some very small proportion of breakages must be expected. We cannot be held responsible for negligence or improper handling on the part of the Royal Mail, Parcelforce or other delivery or handling agencies. In general if serious damage has occurred in transit (we had tyre tracks across one parcel!) compensation can be claimed against the handler.

Questions About Stock

How high are the stock levels in your mail order dept?

Our stock levels are buoyant. We work hard to keep high stock levels and examine the sales trends of every line we carry to try and ensure maximum satisfaction. However, with the best will in the world it is not possible to keep 100% stock 100% of the time.

How high are the stock levels at The Brighton Bead Shop?

We try to keep at least two wholesale packs of each line of stock. For popular lines such as threads and fast moving glass beads the quantity held would be much greater. Shop staff are happy to contact our mail order dept to let you know what stock is available if we have insufficient stock to meet your needs. We can then discuss a convenient arrangement to ensure you receive the stock you require.

Are all your items exactly as they appear on your website and in your catalogue?

A proportion of our goods are constructed of naturally occurring materials or may be handmade. We are very strict with quality control to ensure that we supply the closest match possible to our displayed products. Some small variation in colour and size should be tolerated however. Slight variations are part of the charm of hand carved and dyed bone beads and glass lamp beads for example. No two are ever identical.

What happens if you are out of stock of part of my order?

Most out of stock items are already noted on the site. Where they are not and you have ordered them we apply the following policy.

If the goods are due in stock within 10 working days we will charge you and send the remaining items on without charging for postage. Please let us know if this unacceptable for any reason.

If the goods are not due within ten days and they make up an important part of your order we will try and contact you to ask if you would like to be informed when they arrive in stock.

Can you inform me when goods are back in stock?

If you let us know which pieces you are interested we can contact you when these products are next available.

Can you inform me when out of stock goods are likely to be available?

We may be able to give an immediate broad indication of delivery times. If your needs are very specific or urgent we are happy to provide more detailed information.

Oh Dear I Am Not Happy

What do I do if I am not happy with something?

If something doesn’t seem right please let us know as quickly & politely as possible. We will do our best to work out how the problem occurred & to provide the swiftest possible solution.

Written criticism, (constructive or otherwise!) will be examined in detail & will always elicit an individual response. We are very happy to receive (fortunately very rare) written complaints. Please e-mail us at mailbox@beadsunlimited.co.uk or write to Beads Unlimited, PO Box, Hove, BN3 3SG. We know who our happy customers are because they continue to shop with us. It is always better to know who our unhappy customers are rather than have any ex-customers.