Code of Ethics

Hordern House Rare Books adheres to the strict code of ethics set out by I.L.A.B below.

Members of the national associations affiliated with the I.L.A.B. (hereafter, for the sake of brevity, referred to as 'members') should conduct all commercial transactions according to these usages which expressly indicate that members offer to their clients a clearly defined code of practice based on high ethical standards.

Description and disclosure

Members shall be responsible for the accurate identification and description of all material offered for sale. All defects, significant restorations and sophistications should be clearly noted and made known to those to whom the material is offered or sold. Unless the parties agree otherwise, a full cash refund shall be available to the purchaser of any misrepresented material.

Technical terms

Members should, as professionals, be conversant with and responsible for the correct use and interpretation of the technical terms of the trade.

Price

Members shall be responsible for the accurate and professional pricing of all material offered for sale, regardless of whether they are dealing with experts or amateurs.

Authenticity

Members shall vouch for and make every reasonable effort to substantiate the authenticity of all materials offered for sale. Should it be determined that such material is not authentic or is questionable, then it shall be returnable for a full cash refund, or on some other mutually agreed terms. Material shown to be not authentic, or of disputed or undetermined nature, shall not again be offered for sale unless all facts concerning it are clearly disclosed.

Stolen property

Members shall be responsible for passing to the buyer clear title to all material sold, and shall not knowingly purchase, hold or attempt to re-sell stolen material. They shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure that materials offered to them are the property of the seller. They shall make every effort to prevent the theft of antiquarian books and related materials. They shall cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities to recover and return stolen material, and to apprehend those responsible.

Damage in transit

Responsibility for damage in transit shall rest with the sender. Members should attend to be careful and appropriate handling, packing, posting and shipping of material to ensure that it reaches the buyer in the same condition as when purchased.

Terms and conditions

It should be understood that books are normally offered for sale in catalogues at the prices affixed, subject to prior sale, and that payment is either due in advance, or, when satisfactory credit has been established, promptly on receipt of the goods. In the case of special offers, courtesy requires that an option to purchase be assured for a certain time which should be specified. Any divergence from these generally accepted terms should be expressly stated.

Bank charges

The supplier must be paid the full amount of his invoice; the buyer is responsible for all clearing and bank charges relating to the transaction.

Tenders

When a bookseller makes an offer to purchase books the price should be valid either for an immediate transaction or for a stated period of option.

Clear pricing

Members should ensure that all material offered for sale in an open shop or at book fairs is clearly marked with the selling price. Material not for sale or being processed or reserved, should be appropriately segregated.

On approval: term

Consignments 'on approval' requested by a prospective buyer must be supplied with a clear indication of the term allowed for a decision. When this term elapses the sale shall be deemed to be concluded if the goods have not been returned. If returned, postal charges both ways shall be borne by the prospective buyer.

On approval: responsibility

Members who ask for material 'on approval' or 'on consignment' shall hold themselves responsible for such material from its arrival until returned or fully paid for. However, this responsibility does not extend to damage and loss due to war or to any risk which cannot be covered by insurance.

Multiple orders

If a multiple order cannot be filled in its entirety owing to part of it having been previously sold, this does not constitute grounds for the cancellation of that order unless so stipulated on the order.

Valuations and appraisals

Valuations must be carried out scrupulously in the spirit of these usages and customs. They involve the moral responsibility of the bookseller towards the owner of the material.

Valuations: Tax Law

Members offering valuation or appraisal services shall be responsible for being conversant with the relevant regulations as stipulated by local tax laws. They shall conduct such appraisals in strict compliance with these regulations.

Auction commissions

Members who receive from a client instructions to purchase at a public auction sale should also accept responsibility for the careful inspection of the material to be bought and should not solely rely on information supplied by the seller or by the auctioneer. He or she should, of course, also exercise the utmost discretion and eliminate any risk of conflict of interest.

Bookseller's premises

Members should never approach or solicit customers in another member's shop, book fair booth, or place of business without the introduction or consent of the proprietor.

Interpretation

This compendium of usages and customs has been set out in English and French. If any dispute should arise as to the interpretation of a paragraph from one language to the other, the Committee of the ILAB shall decide which is the correct interpretation.

Delivery/Shipping

Unless specified otherwise, all goods will be shipped using Australia post or Fedex. Should you require a specialist courier service, please select ‘special delivery' and a staff member of Hordern House will contact you. We will then advise of the cost of delivery before charging you. Should you wish to organise a courier from your end, we will comply with your instructions. All orders are processed within two business day.

Please allow 3-7 days for delivery within Australia, and up to 21 days for international deliveries. Since all of our publications are limited editions, items cannot be back-ordered. Once all available copies are sold, the title is listed as out of print and can no longer be purchased. Hordern House endeavours to make this information apparent on our website.

We do, however, sell second hand editions of our publications. If you require a  specific publication that is out of print, please contact us directly.  We will advise you if we have it in stock or list your name for the future.

Refunds & Returns

Incorrect book/not as described/damaged

You are eligible for a full refund of the purchase price including the original shipping costs if your return is a result of an error on the part of Hordern House.  We may at our discretion also refund your return shipping costs.

To receive a refund, you must return your item directly to Hordern House:

1.         within 14 days of the estimated or actual delivery date whichever is later; and

2.         in the same condition you received it in.

Book did not arrive

You are eligible for a full refund of the purchase price and shipping costs if your book has not arrived 15 days past the estimated delivery date. You may initiate the refund between 15 days to 30 days past the estimated delivery date. (For example, when the estimated delivery date is November 1, the refund request can be initiated between November 16 and December 1 only.) If the book subsequently arrives, you must advise return all refunded monies to us.

If the bookseller provides tracking information confirming that the book has been delivered at the address supplied, your refund claim will be rejected. If a book is returned to Hordern House for reasons including but not limited to incomplete address, unclaimed, returned to sender or similar reasons the refund amount will include the purchase price only. We will not refund any shipping costs incurred by us in such instances.

Change of mind

For the majority of our books we are happy to accept returns if you have changed your mind about a book, but some books we have store policies not to accept returns for change of mind. 

We recommend you contact Hordern House directly before initiating any returns. Hordern House in its absolute discretion may accept or reject your return request for change of mind.  Please do not ship the book until you have received written confirmation from Hordern House. 

If we accept your request, you will be refunded the purchase price of the book only. We will not refund the original or return shipping charges or pay shipping for return of the book.

How to Initiate a Return

We will only accept returns within 14 days of purchase. Books returned to us must be in immaculate and in re-saleable condition. If Hordern House accepts the return and is not at fault in any way, we will refund the price of the book only.

Your refund will be processed once we receive the book back. We recommend that you use a traceable method of shipment; if the book does not arrive and tracking is not provided, the refund will not be processed. If an item reaches you in damaged condition or if an error is made on our part, please contact us immediately and we will advise how to return the book to us. We will refund the cost of the item plus shipping in this instance.

For any refunds processed by us, the monies will usually be refunded in the same manner they were originally charged. That is, if your credit card has been charged via our secure gateway we will refund that card in the same manner. If you paid with a cheque, we will issue you with one for the refund amount. All refunds will be in Australian dollars. We take no responsibility for any discrepancies in the refund amounts arising from any fluctuations in the currency exchange rates.

Our Liability

We will not be liable for any loss of income, loss of profits, loss of contracts, loss of data or for any indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind howsoever arising and whether caused by tort (including negligence), breach of contract or otherwise. Our maximum aggregate liability for any items supplied to you whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise shall in no circumstances exceed the amount payable by you to us in respect of the item(s) in question.

Store Policies

All prices listed on the Website are in Australian dollars and are subject to change without notice.

How do I purchase books?

Each item listed has an Add to Cart facility. To purchase, simply click on the Add to Cart button which will add your item to the cart where you may view your selections. Your cart holds all items you have selected and when completing your purchase we will advise you of the shipping and handling charges.

What are my delivery options?

Within the cart select your delivery method from the drop down menu below the item(s) you have selected.

Standard Australian and Worldwide Delivery is Air Mail.

You are more than welcome to come into our store and collect the items you have ordered. If you choose to do so, please select "Collect from Store" and consult our hours of business here.

Should you prefer to use another method of delivery (eg. FedEx, Toll etc.), please select "Special Delivery" and proceed to "Check Out". We will advise of costs by e-mail.

There may be instances when our site cannot accurately calculate the correct postage for your order. If that is the case the site will default to "To be advised" and we will provide the details by e-mail as soon as we can. For our complete policy on Delivery/Shipping please click here.

Can I buy more than one item?

If you wish to purchase more items, or have not finished browsing, click on the back button which will return you to the last page you were viewing.

You can return to, or view, your cart at any time by clicking the "View Cart" icon located at the top right hand side under the header.

How do I remove items from my cart?

Should you change your mind regarding any purchase in your cart, you can remove items by clicking the appropriate box in the "Remove" column (beside the item you wish to remove) and then clicking on the "Update" button.

Where do I add my details?

Once you have finalised your purchase, click on "Check Out", where you will be asked to provide your contact and delivery details. This information will only be used to ensure that your order reaches you in a timely manner.

What if this is a gift?

If the purchase is a gift, and you would like it to be delivered directly to the recipient, please be certain to provide your contact details for payment, and the recipient's details for delivery.

Library & Trade orders (delivery with invoice)

Enter the information as described above. In "Payment Method" select the option "Invoice". This option is only available for libraries or trade clients with pre-arranged agreements. Your order will first be passed to Hordern House for verification (in practice this takes no more than one business day).

How do I pay?

Once you have entered your contact details, please read our security agreement and click on the "Continue" button on the bottom of the page. This will take you through to our Secure Internet Payment System.

You will be asked to select the credit card with which you would like to pay, list the card number and its expiry date. Once you have supplied these details, please click on "Continue". A pop up screen will appear, confirming the amount to be charged to your card. Please click on "Confirm Payment" if you agree.

Your payment will now be processed, and you will immediately be advised whether it has been successful. If your transaction is successful, another pop up screen will appear providing your payment record. You will also be sent an e-mail to the account you have specified, which lists your Internet Purchase ID number. Please retain these details for your records.

What if my card has been charged incorrectly?

If you have any concerns with amounts charged to your card, please contact Hordern House immediately.

How Long Before I Receive My Order?

Ordinarily, we process orders within 2 working days, and dispatch according to the method of delivery chosen. In our experience, domestic airmail usually takes between 3 and 5 working days, and shipments to Europe and the USA require another 5 working days. However, as with most mail-order businesses, we ask you to allow 21 days. We will, of course, contact you if there are any foreseeable delays.

Cancellation of Orders

Orders must be cancelled by telephone, direct e-mail, or fax, to Hordern House and will only be accepted if they are received before we have dispatched the books. Cancellation can or will only be confirmed by e-mail, fax or letter from Hordern House Rare Books.

Refunds and Returns

We offer Refunds or Returns of our books sold to you in accordance with our Refunds & Returns policy here.

Other Forms of Payment

We do accept cheques or money orders. Please complete your order online and select the appropriate payment option at the bottom of the order details page. Then send your cheque or money order to us. Orders made in this way will not be sent until the cheque or money order has cleared. Please be advised that cheques and money orders will only be accepted in Australian dollars. Cheques and money orders should be sent direct to:

Hordern House
77 Victoria Street
Potts Point NSW 2011
AUSTRALIA

Queries can also be sent to this address. Alternatively we can be contacted by email at rare@hordern.com; by phone on [+61] 02 9356 4411; or by fax on [+61] 02 9357 3635.

Privacy

All of the information you provide will be used to process your order only. We do not disclose this information to any third party except as explained under our Privacy Policy. Although we encourage all of our customers to agree to remain on our database in order to be notified of forthcoming publications by e-mail, you can be removed from this service at any time by simply typing 'remove from database' on the subject line of a reply e-mail. We are strongly opposed to all forms of spamming and we do not trade any personal information. Please view our full policies on privacy here.