Shipping & Delivery

You've just paid through the checkout - so what happens next?

After you place your order with us through the online checkout, we will send you an order confirmation via the email address you provided. This will indicate that we have received your order in our system and that payment has been successful. We advise that you keep this email in your inbox (or saved as a PDF), since it can act as a paper trail which can be used as a proof of purchase in case an issue does arise. This email also has details such as a printable order receipt, order number, and it also contains links to our policies, contact and FAQ pages.

Once an order is received, it will be processed with our distributors or with the clockmakers workshops. Our clockmakers and distributors do not work in their offices on weekends and so all orders made by customers on a weekend are sent to them first thing Monday morning. The clockmakers will then either package your clock if a pre-built model is already available OR they will begin production of your clock. Once packaged, your clocks are then dispatched directly from the clockmakers (or our distributors), from either Italy, Germany or Switzerland, and sent via their respective couriers (either DHL, GLS, DPD, UPS or FedEx) to your delivery address. They generally make several stops at International gateways, then continue to your local delivery hub, whereby they are then delivered to your delivery address. The length of transit time can vary depending on the courier and the distance travelled, and whether or not the package needs to pass through customs. However, as soon as your package is dispatched, we will send you the tracking details so that you can keep track of its progress.

How long will my order take if it is 'built-to-order'?

We give estimates for delivery time on each clocks product page and also in the order confirmation email. This estimate includes adequate time for production of your clock (which can be subject to parts and labour). Please note that different manufacturers have different lead times. Also, clocks can be delayed due to parts and labour (see section 'Late deliveries' below). Once your clock has been built and tested, then it will be dispatched from their workshop and we will send you the tracking information so that you can track your order to your delivery address. 

How do you track your order?

To track your order, just use the tracking information we send you once the order has been dispatched. We will inform you when your clock has been dispatched and also give you the tracking information via email. We obtain this email address when you go through the checkout process online. For this reason it is EXTREMELY important that you provide us with the correct email address (as well as a correct phone number). We cannot be held liable for untracked deliveries if you have provided an incorrect email address. We will send you tracking information of your order once it leaves either our warehouse, our distributor, or the clockmaker. If you do not receive tracking information from us by the estimated delivery time then please contact us so we resolve the issue. 

The tracking information will show:

  • The courier company processing the delivery.
  • Your package's tracking number (this can include letters and numbers and is used to identify your package with the courier). 
  • A package's location history. This where it has been and where it currently is - including postal hubs and general locations in a region. The workshops use different couriers (with the most common being DHL), so some couriers will also show when/where the package is 'Out for Delivery' to your address.
  • A packages general location at a given time. This will appear next to the location and shows when it arrived and/or was dispatched from a location. By 'general location' we mean it's current city or town, and the kind of facility it is at, be that a 'local mail depot' or 'international mail hub'. 

Delivery of your order to your shipping address

Once you receive the tracking information please make sure to check it's progress periodically so that you can be home (or organise a re-delivery) when the package arrives. For most couriers, the progress of your delivery is clearly shown on the tracking page. NOTE: You can ask us for help with your delivery at any time but please be aware that, once you receive your tracking information from us via email, it is your responsibility to receive the package when it is delivered. We cannot be held liable for what happens to a package if a customer(s) has failed to adequately organise the procurement of the delivered package. 

PLEASE make sure of the following:

  • You or someone you trust can receive the package if you are not home. 
  • If you live in an apartment block, community or shared house, please inform others that you are receiving a package. 
  • If you realise you won't be home make sure to contact us or the courier company to reschedule a delivery. We will try everything in our power to help you reschedule the delivery or inform you when it is next expected to be redelivered. 
  • If you have just ordered or realise soon after that you won't be home during the estimated delivery time then please contact us so we can halt the delivery at either our warehouse or with the manufacturer. But please be aware that once an order has left for delivery it is much harder to halt the delivery for long-term periods. 

In most cases, if no one is home, your package will simply be kept at the local couriers depot and can be redelivered. If you know in advance that you will not be home then please contact us as soon as you are aware of the fact so we can do everything in our power to either reschedule the delivery or to stop the package from being sent from our manufacturer or warehouse.

Delivery time:

Once your clock has been dispatched from either our warehouse or the manufacturer (in most cases, the latter), it can take time to be delivered to your shipping address. The estimated delivery times are as below:

  • Countries within UK and Europe: typically 10 to 14 business days (however this may vary per manufacturer).
  • Countries outside Europe: 15 to 20 business days (however this may vary per manufacturer).  

Late deliveries (or deliveries that occur after our estimated delivery time):

There can be a few reasons for a late delivery. Please be aware, our delivery time is only an estimate, though it is something we try our best to adhere to. In truth, nine times out of ten, the clocks are actually delivered to customers well before the estimated delivery date. But late deliveries can happen for different reasons that are completely out of our control. See below for some common reasons for late deliveries:

Delays in parts and labour 

Our clocks are not mass-produced by machines and instead are hand-assembled by a small team of skilled craftspeople in a single location in their respective workshops in Italy, Japan, Germany and Switzerland. Also, in all cases, the clocks are made out of materials sourced in small batches. Because of this small-scale nature of the clock workshops, the clocks can sometimes be delayed when there are shortages or delays in parts or labour. We try our best to manage delivery times, but sometimes, due to these delays in parts and labour at the workshops, the clocks can sometimes take a few days (up to many weeks to finish) than previously expected - thus the clock will be delivered much later than the estimated time. Therefore, we ask all of our customers to exercise some patience because of the nature of this clockmaking process. If there are any delays, we try to keep customers informed about the progress of their clocks and we work with the manufacturers to expedite the deliveries. 

Delays due to unforeseen customs interference in delivery

Our manufacturers are located in different parts of Europe including Italy, Germany and Switzerland (but also Japan for Lemnos clocks). Customs agents in these countries are sometimes required to inspect packages leaving the country and, because of this, our packages can sometimes be delayed by customs in the country of origin. This kind of inspection can happen to any kind of package leaving these countries and it is not something that is unique to Cuckoo Collections packages or clocks in general. Once a package is undergoing a 'longer-than-usual' inspection from customs, we quickly urge our suppliers to contact the mail depots and try expedite the process. However, at the end of the day, it is up to the whim of the customs agents and other 3rd parties, and sometimes the packages can be delayed by a week or more. We understand how frustrating it is to have this happen and we wish there was more we could do to expedite the process, however the process of mailing packages throughout Europe and the UK is not without its flaws. If a package has been held at customs we will inform you of the delay.

The customer has provided incorrect shipping details

When our orders are sent, the delivery details provided by the customer are used. Sometimes, if incorrect or erroneous details have been provided by the customer the the package is delayed while we correct the details and re-route the package. Please make sure to enter the correct details in the 'address' area in the checkout. 

Please understand that once the clocks are dispatched from our warehouse, or our clockmakers, or our distributors, and in the hands of the couriers, then they are essentially subject to the whims of the postal service. We will do everything in our power to assist you with any questions or concerns you have about delivery, but please understand that we do not control the postal service. As anyone will know when ordering things online, packages can be delayed and couriers can sometimes make mistakes. In our experience, very rarely are delayed packages unable to eventually be delivered to customers, and in nearly all cases, a little of patience was all that was needed until the clock was received without issue. However we understand that there are exceptions to this, and so if you believe your parcel is unreasonably delayed or if something else has occurred, then please contact us and we will do our best to assist. 

Can I refund my order whilst my clock is still in transit to my delivery address?

We cannot give refunds whilst a clock is still in transit to your delivery address. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous customers have taken advantage of us in the past and demanded a refund whilst a clock is still in transit, only to have the clock arrive at their address and for them to keep both the clock and the refund. For this reason, we only allow 'change-of-heart' refunds once the clock has arrived at a customers delivery address and the customer has had adequate time to choose whether to continue with the refund or to instead keep the clock.

Do you have any special instructions/timing/requests for delivery?

If you have any "special instructions" please make these known to us at the time of the order and we will do our best to adhere to them. If there is likely to be a delay in the normal delivery time we will contact you and advise you - this can sometimes be the case with some of the larger clocks or if a clock needs to be built-to-order by the manufacturer. If the delivery date is of importance then contact us in the first instance and we can ascertain the "stock position" of the clock and advise you accordingly.

Do you want your cuckoo clock delivered outside the UK?

If you are interested in buying one of our clocks but want it delivered outside the UK then we can help! Please contact our customer service team for a shipping and handling quote - we are happy to help you with any extra details you need or special requests. We will also help you with the duties and taxes (as they are the responsibility of the recipient and will be billed by the carrier upon delivery). For a shipping and handling quote and any questions you may have please contact us.

Backorder or Unavailable

If your item is on backorder or unavailable, we will reach out to you via email or phone and void the pre-authorisation or refund you the full amount of the purchase as well as offer you a coupon code for a discount on your next purchase. Our friendly customer service team will can also offer you other product options or inform you of when the clock will be available.

Guarantees & Warranties 

We have a two year warranty cover for all our clocks (unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer) that are deemed to be defective in parts or function. This excludes improper care or owner damage to the cuckoo clock. In addition for all our clocks we have our 30 day return policy.

When you receive your clock we recommend that you retain all packaging and instruction literature. In the unlikely event that you should have to return the clock this will minimise the likelihood of any damage being caused in transit and of safe return of the clock - this is vital to you gaining the full amount of your return. 

Please read more of our guarantee policy here.

 

THE BLACK FOREST GENUINE CUCKOO CLOCK CERTIFICATE (VdS Certficate of Authenticity)

Genuine mechanical Black Forest cuckoo clocks come with this seal of approval from the Black Forest Clock Association (VdS) guaranteeing that you get a quality hand-made clock from one of the approved clock manufacturers.

Open a PDF version of the Certificate of Authenticity (in German with English translation)

Learn more about the Black Forest Clock Association