Delivery & Returns
DELIVERY
New orders are currently taking around 8-10 weeks plus shipping time. This enables us to source materials not in stock (such as custom colours), develop patterns, and assemble your order. If you require your order for a specific date, please get in touch for an express service.
All items are shipped using either Royal Mail, TNT, FedEx. Royal Mail is used as standard for all orders, except where the customer has purchased a shipping upgrade, in which case we use Royal Mail Special Delivery for UK orders, and TNT or FedEx - whichever service is requested by the customer is what will be used and can differ depending on the customer's needs. If your package is lost or damaged in transit by Royal Mail, TNT, or FedEx, we will replace your order - just make sure to photograph the damaged package before opening in case of damage to the contents, and then photograph the damages to item(s) before wearing them. Any items that have been worn or shined by yourself cannot be returned. Occasionally, DPD will be used when other services are unavailable.
If you prefer we use an alternative courier for your order, please let us know at checkout. The cost may vary from out standard shipping fees, and we are not responsible for lost packages when an alternative courier is used. Therefore we highly recommend using one of the three couriers listed above. If you are unsure, please contact us for more information.
For guaranteed delivery services, we can offer a refund of postage in the event the order does not arrive by the date specified, but we cannot refund or accept returns for the order itself. Should you require your item for a specific date, please leave plenty of time to allow for any potential issues with customs and delivery. We are not responsible for delays due to the shipping and cannot accept returns as a result of orders delayed in transit.
Delivery within the UK
After your item has been made, it will be shipped using Royal Mail First Class Signed For or Royal Mail Special Delivery unless another service has been requested. For Special Delivery, Royal Mail guarantees packages to arrive the next working day. First Class Signed For usually takes one working day but can sometimes be longer.
International delivery
After your item has been made, it will be shipped using Royal Mail International Tracked and Signed For (where available) unless another service has been requested. International Tracked and Signed For usually takes 3-5 working days but can sometimes be up to two weeks.
Orders with upgraded shipping (which is different from rush orders with upgraded production) will be shipped using TNT or FedEx. This service is estimated to take 1-3 working days depending on your location. We are based in the UK, so the distance to you from the UK is what will affect the delivery time in this case. Delivery to Europe and the USA is estimated at 1-2 working days, whereas Australia is estimated at 3 working days. If you are unsure, please contact us for information.
Dark Virtue Designs is based in the UK and is not VAT registered, meaning our customers do not pay VAT at point of sale, regardless of customer location. All orders being shipped outside of the UK are subject to import duties and VAT applicable to the destination country. These fees are not the responsibility of Dark Virtue Designs, nor are these fees charged by Dark Virtue Designs. Some couriers may invoice fees after delivery to expedite customs clearance and delivery times. If you are unsure, please check with your country's customs regulations to find out your local VAT and duty rates.
RETURNS
Returns are unavailable on any made to order items, both standard sizes and made to measure. Ready to ship items are returnable if you change your mind - just contact us within 14 days of receipt of your item and then return it to us (at your expense) within 14 days if shipping within the UK, or 28 days for international orders. We do not accept returns on any sale items or any lingerie, catsuit, bodysuit, or any other garment intended for wear in the genital region for hygiene reasons. Any returned items must be returned unworn and in the condition it was received. Please do not shine your pieces until you have decided you wish to keep them. We only refund shipping costs in the event that an item arrives damaged.
On rare occasion, exception may be made to our returns policy on made to order items, for which a 30% handling and restocking fee is charged, based on the full cost of the item(s) accepted for return. Delivery and rush fees are non-refundable. Exceptions are made entirely at our discretion and will not be accepted in most cases due to the difficulty of reselling pieces made to a specific size and colour.
In order to avoid issues with sizing, we recommend choosing a made to measure option, or contacting us to advise which standard size might suit you. We cannot accept responsibility for items ordered in the wrong size, but if this does happen we would be happy to make adjustments for a tailoring fee (price will vary depending on the complexity of the modification required). It is not always possible to adjust a garment to fit, and in some cases may need to be remade, so it is best to make sure issues with fit are avoided before ordering by discussing it with us, or ordering made to measure.
Cancellation is only accepted within 48 hours of ordering (except for rush orders, where the cancellation period is 24 hours unless otherwise stated) - if production has begun and you wish to cancel without these times, then you may be eligible to cancel for a fee (to recover costs that we are unable to recover from purchased, used, or cut materials).