COVID19 UPDATE: Please note that shipping may take longer than usual due to the virus. I will try my best to get orders shipped out as soon as I can each week. To maintain social distancing, I am limiting how many times I leave the house to drop off packages at the post office. As for commissions, I’m currently taking a break and not taking custom orders at the moment. Thank you so much for all your support during this difficult time. And thank you for your patience. Hope you are all staying safe and healthy. - Nancy of Tomb of Achlys
Q: I have a question about my order, how long does it take for you to respond?
A: I check my DMs and email every day, so I will usually reply that same day or within 24 hours you've contacted me. Please be patient and do not spam me, such as contacting me multiple times through dms, comments, and email. I do have a life outside of what I do. Please do not think I am ignoring you, I do see your messages, and will contact you on my own time and when I get a chance to. If for any reason I don’t respond to you within 24 hours, I am either out of town or don’t have any cell service. I understand your concerns and I promise I will answer your question(s) asap.
Q: What can I do if my order comes damaged?
A: Please message me immediately with photos either on here, Instagram, or Facebook. I will review the photos and see if I am able to replace the frame or issue a full refund. Minor damages or imperfections can easily be fixed and I’d be more than happy to guide you through that process. All packages are insured with shipping insurance. I realize that my pieces are very fragile and I do my absolute best to pack each order with extra padding and care to make sure your order arrives to you safely and in one piece. Tomb of Achlys is not responsible for any damages caused by the delivery carrier. Contact USPS for a claim.
Q: Shipping
Q: Where do you ship from?
A: Fresno, CA (California) United States
A: Please keep in mind that I am a one woman shop and not Amazon. I personally hand write each thank you card, bubble wrap, pack, and box every single order individually with love and care, which does take a lot of extra time out of my day. When I am packing orders after a large shop update, it usually takes me the entire day/weekend to pack up 20+ orders. I tend to wait til the end of each week (Saturday) to start packing orders and then I drop off packages at the Post Office on the following Monday. Once I create a shipping label for an order, you will automatically receive an email with a tracking number notifying it has shipped.
I try my best to include a disclaimer on each listing, especially on preorders or made to order pieces. But just in case you've missed it or the listing is unavailable, here is a short answer. For preorders and made to order pieces, please allow at least 1-6 weeks for shipment and tracking info. This is the usual time frame I give myself to gather supplies, specimens, create the frame, and wrap special packaging (if needed). These orders do take time to create and I do treat these pieces as if they are a custom order sincc they are made to order. If you have any further questions or concerns about your order, feel free to contact me.
For large items, I ship USPS Priority Mail and that usually will take up to 1-4 business days to arrive. For smaller items, I ship USPS First Class Mail and that usually will take up to 1-7 days to arrive. Please keep in mind that I have no control over the tracking number information, that is all run by USPS, not me. Please allow up to 24 hours for any tracking info to appear and an estimated delivery date.
If any reason your item says it’s “delivered” and you haven’t received it, that is an issue you should take to USPS or your local Post Office. You should file a claim if necessary. Please do not email me if this is the case, contact USPS. I am not responsible for any lost packages caused by USPS.
International Shipping:
As of 10/6/2021, I am not accepting international orders. The only countries that I am accepting orders from is the U.S. and Canada as an exception at this time. The U.S. Postal Service is currently raising shipping costs and limiting international orders in which I have no control over. To avoid of the possibilty of international orders being delayed or lost in the mail, I have decided to close international shipping for my shop till further notice.
Please do your own research of products that cannot be shipped in your country before checkout. I am not responsible for any items that aren’t approved or held at customs. Any other info about shipping is posted above. Contact me via instagram or email at [email protected] if you have any further questions.
Q: Do you take commissions/custom orders?
A: As of right now, I am not accepting commissions/custom orders. I simply do not have the time to take any at the moment. I will announce on social media platforms for when commissions are open again. I do shop updates each month in which I post previous on instagram before a shop update goes live.
Q: How are your products cruelty free & ethically sourced?
A: All my pieces are 100% cruelty free & ethically sourced. I will never or have ever killed any animals to create my art. Creating these pieces are a way to celebrate death in a beautiful way, so it's not forgotten or being wasted by simply being thrown in the trash.
As to where I source my specimens, mainly butterflies and moths, they are raised in butterfly aviaries all over the world. The bug supplier that I do source from, the money that they use/receive to supply to the butterfly houses helps keep their operation running, which in turn saves the native species of insects and plants from becoming endangered or extinct. This financial incentive motivates governments in third world countries to maintain their natural flora and fauna. Every specimen that I use in my pieces do naturally live out their full lifespan and aren’t harmed in any way.
As to where I source other animals, I am very careful as to where I buy from and ensure that they are sustainability sourced and weren’t killed for the purpose of taxidermy. They all come from different places around the world. Many die from illness or injury in farms, zoos, nature preserves or forests, some are from other taxidermists. I do not support trophy taxidermy nor do I source endangered animals to create my art.