Alex in Afterlife Terms of Sale, Custom Artwork & Shop Policies
Handmade and Natural Specimen Artwork
All Alex in Afterlife pieces are created by hand with great care and intention. Many items are made to order using ethically sourced insect and arachnid specimens that passed away naturally. Because these are real, once-living animals, every specimen is unique and may vary in size, shape, coloration, symmetry, proportions, positioning, and other natural characteristics.
Product photographs and videos are examples of my work and are provided for illustrative purposes. No representation or guarantee is made that a finished piece will look exactly like any photograph, video, prior piece, or other example. Finished pieces will be created as closely as reasonably possible to the advertised design, but natural variation is an inherent and unavoidable part of artwork created using genuine specimens.
Some collections, including made-to-order pieces such as the Love Bugs Collection, may also vary slightly in frame style, specimen positioning, embellishments, or other details depending on the availability of specimens and materials. Colors may appear slightly different in person due to lighting, photography, and individual screen settings.
By purchasing, the customer acknowledges and accepts these variations and understands that differences resulting from the use of genuine natural specimens do not constitute a defect, misrepresentation, or failure of the item to conform to its description.
Made-to-Order Artwork and Production Times
Unless an item is expressly identified as ready to ship, orders should be considered handmade and made to order.
Creating each piece is a time-intensive, hands-on process. Depending on the artwork, this may include sourcing specimens, rehydration, relaxing, pinning, positioning, drying, framing, preservation, embellishment, packaging, and shipping. Once appropriate specimens are received, the creation process itself may take several weeks. Specimen sourcing may require additional time that cannot reasonably be estimated because the availability of appropriate natural specimens is outside my control.
Any production, processing, completion, or shipping timeframe provided on the website, product listing, order confirmation, email, social media, or other communication is an estimate only and is not a guaranteed completion, shipment, or delivery date.
Processing and shipping may require additional time because every piece is created, packaged, and shipped personally by the artist.
By purchasing made-to-order artwork, the customer acknowledges and agrees that reasonable delays associated with specimen sourcing, the handmade creation process, material availability, or order volume do not, standing alone, constitute nonperformance, breach, or grounds for cancellation, refund, or chargeback.
All Sales Final
ALL SALES ARE FINAL.
Due to the handmade, made-to-order, custom, and natural-specimen nature of the artwork, purchases may not be canceled, returned, exchanged, or refunded because of natural specimen variations, differences from listing photographs, production time, changes in preference, or other characteristics disclosed in these Terms or the applicable product listing.
Refunds, replacements, exchanges, or store credits may be offered at my sole discretion on a case-by-case basis. Providing an accommodation in one instance does not waive these Terms or create an obligation to provide the same accommodation in another transaction.
Nothing in these Terms is intended to waive any right that cannot lawfully be waived.
Shipping and Delivery
Orders are generally shipped via USPS Priority Mail with tracking and the amount of insurance included by USPS for the selected service, typically $100.
I take great care in packaging artwork securely. Once a package has been accepted by the postal service or other carrier, carrier delays, handling, and other circumstances occurring during transit are outside my control.
If an insured item is lost or damaged during transit, I will reasonably assist the customer with filing an available insurance claim for the covered amount. Additional insurance, expedited shipping, or alternative shipping arrangements may be available upon request and must be arranged before shipment.
The customer is responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address. Carrier tracking showing delivery to the address or destination provided with the order shall constitute evidence of delivery.
Chargebacks and Payment Disputes
Customers agree to contact Alex in Afterlife directly and provide a reasonable opportunity to address any alleged issue with an order before initiating a chargeback or payment dispute.
A customer may not knowingly initiate or maintain a chargeback or payment dispute based upon false, inaccurate, or misleading information, including a claim that merchandise was not received when carrier tracking confirms delivery to the shipping destination provided by the customer, or a claim that merchandise was materially different from its description based solely upon natural variations, estimated production timelines, or other characteristics disclosed in these Terms or the applicable product listing.
If a customer initiates or maintains an improper or unsuccessful chargeback or payment dispute contrary to these Terms, the customer acknowledges that the resulting investigation, preparation and submission of evidence, interruption of business operations, payment-processing consequences, administrative burden, lost productive time, and other resulting losses are difficult to calculate precisely.
Accordingly, to the fullest extent permitted by Florida law, the parties agree that $500 constitutes reasonable liquidated damages representing a good-faith estimate of the costs and losses associated with investigating, documenting, responding to, and defending an improper chargeback or payment dispute. The parties expressly agree that this amount is intended as compensation for losses that are difficult to quantify and not as a penalty.
The $500 liquidated-damages amount is separate from any attorneys’ fees, court costs, filing fees, service expenses, collection expenses, or other amounts recoverable pursuant to these Terms or applicable law.
Nothing in this provision is intended to prevent a customer from exercising a legitimate, nonwaivable right to dispute a transaction under applicable law.
Attorneys’ Fees, Self-Representation, and Enforcement Costs
In any dispute, litigation, collection proceeding, or other legal action arising out of or relating to a purchase, chargeback, payment dispute, these Terms, or enforcement of these Terms, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs from the nonprevailing party, including fees and costs incurred before suit, during litigation, at trial, on appeal, and in proceedings necessary to enforce or collect a judgment. Attorneys fees are charged at an hourly rate of $350.00/ hour.
The customer expressly acknowledges and agrees that Alex in Afterlife is owned and operated by a practicing, licensed attorney who may elect to represent herself and/or Alex in Afterlife in any dispute or legal proceeding where legally permitted.
By completing a purchase, the customer expressly agrees that the attorney-owner is entitled to recover reasonable attorneys’ fees for legal services personally performed in investigating, preparing, prosecuting, defending, or otherwise handling any dispute or legal proceeding arising from the transaction, including the reasonable value of her professional legal time and resources, notwithstanding that she may represent herself or her business.
The customer agrees that self-representation by the attorney-owner does not waive, extinguish, or otherwise affect the contractual obligation to pay attorneys’ fees. Recoverable enforcement expenses may also include court costs, filing fees, service-of-process expenses, collection expenses, and other reasonable costs incurred in enforcing these Terms.
Governing Law and Exclusive Venue
These Terms and every purchase from Alex in Afterlife shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.
Any lawsuit, action, proceeding, or other judicial dispute arising out of or relating to a purchase, order, chargeback, payment dispute, these Terms, or the relationship between the customer and Alex in Afterlife shall be brought exclusively in a court of competent jurisdiction located in Broward County, Florida.
By completing a purchase, the customer expressly consents to personal jurisdiction in the State of Florida and exclusive venue in Broward County, Florida, and agrees to waive any objection to such jurisdiction or venue to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Care and Display
These pieces are intended for indoor decorative display only. To ensure their longevity, artwork should be kept away from direct sunlight, moisture, excessive humidity, and extreme temperatures.
Natural specimen artwork is decorative in nature and is not intended as a toy or for handling by children or pets.
International Orders
At this time, Alex in Afterlife does not ship internationally due to tariffs and other international shipping considerations.
Acceptance of Terms
By placing an order with Alex in Afterlife, the customer represents that the customer has read, understood, and expressly agrees to these Terms of Sale in their entirety. This includes the provisions concerning handmade and natural specimen variation, estimated production times, final sales, shipping and delivery, chargebacks and payment disputes, liquidated damages, attorneys’ fees and self-representation, Florida law, and exclusive venue in Broward County, Florida.
These Terms form a material part of the agreement governing every purchase from Alex in Afterlife.