Online & Distance Sales
We understand how daunting it can be buying something online without seeing it or trying it first, especially when it comes to rare or valuable guitars. We want to make your shopping experience as comfortable and seamless as possible.
If you receive your order and it is not as you were expecting, we offer a 14-day hassle-free returns policy for all online and phone orders, provided that:
- The goods were purchased outright via online or phone order (where you were unable to try or see the product before committing to a purchase).
- The goods are normal stock items and have not been specially ordered or customised at your request.
- A valid receipt or proof of purchase is produced.
- Original delivery charges are non-refundable.
How to Initiate Your Return
1.Notify Us & Request a Returns Number: Within 14 Days.
Contact our team in writing within 14 calendar days of receiving your delivery to inform us of your intent to return the item. You can email us at [email protected] or use our website contact form. We will then authorise your request and issue you an official Returns Number.
2.Package the Item Securely: Follow Packaging Guidelines.
Carefully pack the guitar back into its original retail box and shipping carton. Please ensure all tags, films, and accessories are included, and strictly follow the Returns Packaging Reminder instructions below to avoid value deductions.
3.Ship the Goods Back to Us: Within 14 Days of Authorisation.
Organise shipping to get the item back to our shop at your own expense and responsibility. You have 14 days from the date your return is authorised to get the goods back to us. We strongly advise using a tracked, insured courier service, or you may hand-deliver it back to the store.
Condition Criteria for Returns
Goods must be returned to us in the same condition they were sold. To qualify for a full refund, your return must meet the following strict criteria:
- Packaging: All original and supplied packaging materials must be completely intact, in a saleable condition, and not defaced or written on.
- Protective Films & Tags: Any plastic coverings, protective films (on pickguards, pickups, LED screens, etc.), stickers, labels, hangtags, and accessories must be present, intact, and in re-saleable condition.
- Signs of Use: There must be no signs of use, play, or wear.
- Sealed Items: Goods in packets or containers must be unopened, and factory seals must remain intact.
- Manufacturer Registration: Items must not have been registered with the manufacturer, and extended warranties must not have been redeemed.
Returns Packaging Reminder: Please protect the original product box. Do not use black, heavy-duty tape, and only apply tape over existing tape lines. Do not write directly on the product packaging. Please place any new returns labels directly over the previous shipping label.
Right of Refusal and Resale Fees
Under the UK Consumer Contracts Regulations, you are permitted to inspect a guitar as you would in a physical shop. However, if an item is returned to us and has been handled beyond this requirement (e.g., the packaging is ruined, accessories are missing, or it shows signs of play), Guitar Village reserves the right to deduct an appropriate fee from your refund to reflect the diminished value and loss in the guitar’s current resale value.
Once the goods are safely received at Guitar Village and have passed inspection, we can either exchange them or process a refund. Refunds are usually processed within 7 days of receipt, though it may take up to 30 days to process.
Damage During Return Transit
Because organising the return shipping is entirely the customer’s responsibility, Guitar Village cannot be held liable for any items that are lost or damaged in transit back to us.
- If a returned item arrives at our shop damaged, the return cannot be accepted for a refund.
- We will notify you immediately and provide photographs of the damage so that you can log a claim and seek compensation directly with the courier service or postal provider you chose to use.
- The damaged goods will be held for your collection or returned to you at your expense so you can present them to your courier for inspection.
- We strongly recommend that you use a fully tracked, signed-for courier service and purchase adequate shipping insurance to cover the full value of the goods.
Purchases Made Via V12 Retail Finance
Orders placed online or over the phone using V12 Retail Finance are fully covered by our 14-day returns policy and your statutory 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Credit Act.
- No Partial Exchanges: Because a finance agreement is a product-specific and price-specific legal contract, we cannot offer direct exchanges for items bought on finance. If you wish to change your item, the original finance agreement must be cancelled in full, and a new finance application must be submitted for the alternative item.
- Condition & Value Reductions: Returned items must strictly meet our mint condition criteria. If a finance return is accepted but shows signs of use or diminished value, Guitar Village reserves the right to deduct a resale fee. Because the finance agreement will be cancelled, any deducted fees must be paid to Guitar Village via an alternative payment method before the V12 agreement can be officially closed.
- In-Store Finance: Please note that the 14-day cooling-off return period does not apply to finance agreements executed in-person at our shop counter where you have inspected the goods prior to purchase.
In-Store Sales
The 14-day distance selling returns policy does not apply to purchases made in the shop. We cannot offer refunds on items bought in-store if you simply change your mind, but we may consider offering an exchange or a credit note depending on the circumstances. Please see our terms and conditions at the counter for more information.
Faulty & Damaged Goods
- Faulty Items (Within 30 Days): Under the Consumer Rights Act, if an item develops a manufacturing or structural fault within 30 days of purchase or delivery, it can be returned to Guitar Village for a full refund.
- After 30 Days (Warranty Coverage): If a fault develops after the initial 30 days but within the item’s warranty period, Guitar Village will arrange for the item to be repaired or replaced free of charge, provided the issue is a verified defect.
- Brand New Items: Covered for the duration of the official manufacturer’s warranty period.
- Pre-Owned / Second-Hand Items: Covered by a 3-month Guitar Village store warranty from the date of purchase.
- Once these respective warranty periods have expired, any subsequent repairs will be fully chargeable to the customer.
- Exclusions: The warranty only covers structural, electronic, or manufacturing defects. It does not cover standard wear and tear (such as fret wear, nut wear, or string breakage), routine setups, or damage caused by misuse, accidental dropping, neglect, modifications, or exposure to extreme temperatures and humidity levels (such as wood cracking due to dryness).
- Independent Repairs: Guitar Village will not cover the cost of any repairs undertaken independently by a third party without our prior written knowledge and authorisation. All warranty claims must be reported directly to Guitar Village so we can manage the repair through official channels.
- Transit Damage upon Delivery: If your order arrives damaged from our courier, you must notify Guitar Village within 24 hours of receipt. You must provide photographs of the outside packaging, the inside packaging, and the damaged item itself so we can log a claim with the courier.
