Returns & Refund Policy In Detail

Returns and cancellations don't happen very often at Fiddleheads, but when they do Fiddleheads follows guidelines.

Frowning little injured girl with finger splint is holding her violin sadly

If you find yourself wishing to cancel or return your puchase, such requests are handled on a case by case basis.

Shop Smart

Customers are asked to purchase with confidence by considering all the provided product information, reading product reviews and customer testimonials, and asking questions. I also encourage customers to take instruments on trial if they have any doubts concerning the quality, sound, feel, aesthetics, etc.

[Fiddleheads' In-Home Trials]

Mine is a sole-proprietor business is working diligently to serve clients in harsh climate of ever-increasing banking costs and ruthless larger competitors. My products are already heavily discounted and my home-based operations run super lean, so I must protect my small business from loss in order to continue to offer service.

Returns

Customers wishing to return an item or items are urged but not usually required to replace the item with another item or to apply the value as a credit toward a future purchase. These solutions result in quite a satisfied customer who was glad to change out their item for one that's a better fit.

Some purchases can be returned for refund (less shipping) within 30 days of receipt of items as long as they are returned in the same condition in which they went out to the customer and a suitable reason is provided. Returns are determined only on a case by case basis.

Items which are damaged as a result of misuse or returns damaged/lost in transit are not refundable. In no case of accidental damage or negligence (other than in shipping from Fiddleheads to the customer) can an item be returned for refund.

[More on Fiddleheads' Shipping]

Other Refunds

Trials and trial credits, those clearly indicated to be used during the trial of an instrument, are refundable under the terms of Fiddleheads' Trial Policy.

Items covered by a manufacturer's warranty are replaced but only in the event of a proven manufacturing defect acknowledged by the manufacturer and not simply through misuse in the hands of the player.

In the event that a returned item has been played or used considerably or is damaged, the customer pays for any necessary costs to restore the item to new condition wherever possible. For example, a violin may need scratches removed with varnish touch-up work following a rough encounter with a player. Or a violin's strings may be worn-out and require replacements due to the instrument being used in multiple performances before being returned.

In the event the returned item can no longer be considered new for the purposes of a fair and ethical sale to a future customer, the item will be discounted and the customer who returned it will be deducted the difference from the online posted price at the time of sale to the new discounted price.

Fees

PAYPAL and SQUARE: Payments made using Paypal (Paypal balance, bank to Paypal, credit card, etc) or Square (credit card, bank to Square, etc) that are returned for refund are subject to their merchant fees (~2.5-3.5%). Similarly, trial deposits paid using Paypal or Square are subject to merchant fees in the event the trial item/s are not purchased.

WIRE: Payments made by wire transfer which are later refunded are subject to the wire receipt fee I incurred at the time of payment. This is typically $25 USD but can vary. Likewise, should Fiddleheads refund a payment via wire, the wire fee is deducted from the refund.

Fiddleheads pays Paypal and Square merchant fees as well as wire receipt fees for complete orders that are kept.

Credits

All store credits are kept on account with Fiddleheads and do not expire. These credits cannot be transferred to another recipient. Credit accounts holding a balance after 2 years from the date of the initial credit creation are subject to an annual account maintenance fee of 10% of the remaining balance starting the day after the second anniversary of the credit creation and are applied yearly thereafter. This applies to situations such as:

  • The result of a return where the customer wishes to retain a store credit (rather than as a refund)
  • Credits resulting from gift certificates/gift cards (Note: gift cards expire 3 years after the issue date)

Shipping Returns

Method

Return parcels shall be sent back using Canada Post (Canada) or US Mail/United States Postal Service (USA) only. Other countries can use their local postal service or EMS. Fiddleheads does not accept returns sent by other carriers as they often arrive with added fees. If these fees are assessed due to failure to follow these instructions, they will be charged back to the customer.

The speed of service (ground, air, etc) is up to the customer unless otherwise indicated by Fiddleheads. Trackable services are best (remember to keep the track number for reference).

In the case of trial and returned items, the customer is responsible for these items from the time it arrives with them until it arrives back with Fiddleheads, thus some customers choose to purchase extra return insurance for peace of mind.

Authorization

Returns must be granted an RA (Returns Authorization) number or Fiddleheads' written confirmation of the return in order to be processed and received. Please do not send the item/s back to me without receiving my explicit authorization and simple instructions/steps for the return. Not following these instructions may result in added costs* to the customer and/or rejection of the parcel.

*Added costs (for items coming back to Fiddleheads from outside Canada) can include brokerage fees, import inspection fees, duty, inbound taxes (remember I have already paid these to import these instruments from their makers), and other costs to import which resulting from the customer not following return instructions. There is a $20 charge for items returned to the wrong address resulting in a depot pickup or investigation to locate the missing parcel. (This can be avoided by contacting me for and following the RA info before you mail the return back.)

American & International Returns

Due to brokerage fees from couriers, Fiddleheads DOES NOT use UPS, FedEx, DHL for outgoing or incoming shipments from abroad/from outside Canada. Please send your returns back using only US Postal Service (US Mail) or post/EMS from your country.

All returned items from outside Canada must have the contents described on the customs forms as "CANADIAN GOODS RETURNING: Tariff ID/HS # 9813.00.00.97." The declared customs value should $0 (zero) as the violin is returning to country of export, unless you choose to insure the parcel, in which case indicate the insured amount same as value for customs.

For your convenience, I will send you the appropriate and necessary information in a PDF should you request a return.

Costs

Again, mine is a very small business with low prices that don't pad or subsidize low shipping rates. Outbound shipping costs from Fiddleheads to the customer are not refundable, and the customer is responsible for costs related to return shipping (inbound back to Fiddleheads).

Shipping usually costs more than the promotional rates Fiddleheads charges the customer at checkout. In the event a purchase or trial without purchase is returned, it is at the discretion of Fiddleheads to deduct the actual outbound rate from the deposit (I rarely do this unless it is significant).

In the case of discounted and promotional shipping (free, flat-rate and calculated by this site lower than the actual label price), the outbound shipping fee will be deducted at the higher, actual cost Fiddleheads incurred.

 

broken piggy bank with loose coins

Rare Exceptions

1. Fiddleaheads' standard priced and posted "Sale" items (not marked as "Final Sale") are indeed eligible for return and refund (less shipping costs) at the original purchase price. However, "Special Order" and "Final Sale" items (including commissioned instruments) are not eligible for return.

2. Cancellation of "Special Order" or "Final Sale" items (including commissioned instruments) which have not yet been sent to the customer results in the customer forfeiting the deposit paid at the onset of the order.

3. In extremely rare exceptions where customers behave unreasonably or inappropriately despite my best efforts to resolve an issue (see some examples below), Fiddleheads reserves the right to refuse returns of purchased items after 14 days of the customer's receipt of the item. Below are examples of the sort of scenarios (we've seen it all!) where returns may be refused.

  • A customer furiously claimed the master violin he purchased was "broken," but it was simply out of tune. He then refused a free tuning "lesson" over video chat and to send him free fine tuners. He was adamant he shouldn't have to tune a violin.
  • A player refused to believe that violin bridges are held in place by pressure. Outraged despite my assurance it was not meant to be permanently attached, he chose to glue it to the violin (ruining the varnish) then insisted I give his money back when he didn't like the sticky results of his "repair."
  • A non-playing customer with what was identified to be an online shopping/returns scheme was buying, carelessly manhandling, then returning violins at numerous of shops before attempting the same ploy at Fiddleheads. An investigation ensued between their bank and Paypal. Fiddleheads' restock fee (20%) for the wear to the violin and strain from the ordeal was fully honoured in their ruling months later.
  • A customer wouldn't provide any reason or explanation for a return but was also totally willing to keep the instrument given the circumstances. As they said they were willing to make other arrangements on their own, a return wasn't necessary.

Fiddleheads' firm policies sustain the health of this small business.