Article 2: Purpose 

The purpose of these conditions of sale is to define the contractual relationship between the seller and the buyer and the conditions applicable to any purchase made through the seller's website, whether the buyer is a professional or a consumer.
The acquisition of a good or service through this site implies unreserved acceptance by the buyer of these conditions of sale.
These conditions of sale shall prevail over any other general or special conditions not expressly approved by the seller. The seller reserves the right to modify its conditions of sale at any time. In this case, the applicable conditions will be those in force at the date of the order by the buyer.

Article 3: Characteristics of the goods and services offered

The products and services offered are those listed in the catalogue published on the seller's website. 

Each product is accompanied by a description drawn up by the supplier. 

The photographs in the catalogue are provided for information purposes only and are not contractually binding. 

Some variations may occur, so we advise you to refer to the product description and, if in doubt, to Customer Services (contact details in article 1). Many products are available in limited quantities (sometimes 1 or 2 items). If a product is found to be unavailable after an order has been placed, the seller will immediately contact the buyer to offer a replacement item or cancel all or part of the order.

Article 4: Prices

The prices of products and services displayed on the site are indicated in euros, inclusive of all taxes (VAT and other applicable taxes). For deliveries outside Europe, taxes and customs duties are payable by the customer. It is the customer's responsibility to check with their local customs office for any additional amounts and for the right to import the product ordered. The price of teas is indicated by default per 100g, unless otherwise stated. 

The prices shown do not include shipping and handling costs, which will be added to the price when the order is placed. The seller reserves the right to change its prices at any time. 

Nevertheless, the prices applicable to the order are those in force at the time the order is confirmed. If, despite our vigilance, products are put on line at an obviously incorrect price, we reserve the right not to supply them. The seller reserves the right to pass on to its prices any changes in the rate of VAT that occur before the delivery date.

Article 5: Discount voucher / gift certificate

Unless otherwise specified, discount vouchers are valid for a maximum of one month. They may only be used once. If an order paid for with a discount voucher is cancelled, the voucher is lost.

They cannot be reimbursed in cash.

Article 5: Geographical zones 

Online sales of the products and services presented on the vendor's site are in principle reserved for purchasers residing in Belgium, France and Luxembourg, and for deliveries required in these geographical areas. For any buyer residing or for any delivery outside these zones, the customer is requested to contact the seller.

Article 6: Orders

Buyers wishing to purchase a product or service must : 

- be over 18 and have all the rights required to place an order

- fill in the identification form or give your customer number if you have one;

- complete the online order form, giving all the references for the products or services chosen

- confirm the order after checking it;

- acknowledge having read and accepted these terms and conditions
- make the payment in accordance with the conditions laid down
- confirm the order and payment.

The sale is deemed complete when the buyer confirms the order. 

We reserve the right to cancel any order that is not compliant, suspect or placed in bad faith. No goods will be dispatched without order confirmation and receipt of full payment for the order. Products and services are offered while stocks last. 

If an item is unavailable, the seller will inform the buyer by e-mail as soon as possible. The buyer will have the option of waiting (in the event of temporary unavailability) or cancelling the order for the unavailable items at no cost.

Article 7: Right of renunciation 

In accordance with the law, the consumer has the right to notify the seller that he/she withdraws from the purchase, without penalty and without giving any reason, within 14 calendar days from the date of delivery of the product. 

This right of renunciation does not apply to professional buyers. Within this period, the consumer must notify his intention to cancel by e-mail and return, at his expense and risk, the product delivered to the seller's administrative headquarters: 359 Route de Philippeville - 6010 Couillet.
Products must be returned in their original, undamaged packaging, accompanied by all accessories, the user manual and the original invoice/delivery note. 

We strongly advise you to return your order by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt. The buyer is responsible for any loss of the package during the return. Products returned in this way must not have been unpacked, unsealed or used in any way.
Goods that are incomplete, damaged or soiled by the customer will not be taken back. 

Loose teas packaged by us and other food products cannot be returned or exchanged.

Within 14 days of acceptance of the return of the goods, the seller undertakes to refund any payment made.
The cost of returning the parcel shall be borne by the purchaser.

The consumer cannot exercise the right of renunciation for contracts :

1° the supply of products made to the consumer's specifications or clearly personalised;
2° the supply of sealed goods which cannot be returned for health or hygiene reasons and which have been unsealed by the consumer after delivery;
3° the supply of foodstuffs, beverages or other everyday household goods delivered to a consumer's home, residence or place of work by distributors making frequent and regular rounds.

Article 8: Terms of payment 

Payment is made by Bancontact, bank card, Visa or Mastercard. The bank card, Visa or Mastercard is debited when the order is confirmed. To this end, you guarantee that you are the cardholder and that the name on the card is your own.
Goods are payable in cash. After 15 days, the order will be cancelled if no payment has been received.
Items ordered remain the exclusive property of the seller until full payment for the order has been received from the buyer.

We use Stripe's secure payment service:
- encryption and security of payment card numbers to prevent any risk of misappropriation
- banking transactions with SSL protocol guaranteeing confidentiality of information

Article 9: Deliveries 

Orders are processed and dispatched the day after they are placed. Friday, Saturday and Sunday orders are processed on the following Monday. On public holidays, orders are processed the following day. 

In the case of payment by bank transfer, the order will be processed on receipt of payment.

Deliveries are made to the address indicated on the order form, which can only be within the geographical area mentioned above; 
by collection from a post office of the purchaser's choice at the time of ordering.
In the event of absence on delivery to the address given by the buyer. Thereafter, the parcel will be kept at the post office mentioned on the delivery notice for a period of 2 weeks. 

If the purchaser fails or refuses to take delivery of the goods ordered, the seller reserves the right to demand performance of the contract or to consider, after prior formal notice, that the contract has been automatically terminated to the detriment of the purchaser. In the latter case, the seller will retain an amount equivalent to 30% of the sale price by way of compensation, with a minimum including the shipping and payment costs incurred.

In the case of sales to consumers, the goods are transported at the seller's risk until they are delivered to the delivery address specified by the buyer. From that moment onwards, the buyer alone assumes the risks.

In the event that the goods delivered are damaged, the purchaser is obliged to refuse the goods or to accept them only subject to a written reservation on the carrier's delivery note, to be completed jointly by the customer and the carrier. 

Any complaint regarding the goods delivered must reach the seller within 3 days of the date of receipt. The complaint must be sent exclusively by registered letter to the administrative headquarters and must be accompanied by a copy of the purchase invoice and the delivery note completed with the written reservation mentioned above as well as photo(s) supporting the complaint. After this deadline, no further claims for apparent defects will be taken into consideration. 

In the case of sales to professionals, transport is at the buyer's risk. The delivery times communicated by the seller are strictly indicative. The seller cannot be held responsible for any delay. 

In the event of a delay in delivery of at least fifteen working days, and only in the case of a non-personalised order (item regularly in stock), the purchaser may cancel the purchase without compensation for either party, provided that the purchaser notifies the seller by e-mail within 3 days of notification of the delay in delivery by the seller. The buyer will then be reimbursed by bank transfer to his/her bank account for the total amount of his/her order, including transport costs (if incurred at the time of ordering) within 15 working days. The parties will then be fully released from their respective obligations. 

In all cases, the following circumstances release the seller from its obligations with regard to the deadline:

1 - Force majeure (including, in particular, strikes, technical incidents, supplier delays and labour shortages);
2 - If the terms of payment are not respected;
3 - If the customer decides to make changes after the order has been placed.
4 - If the customer does not provide us with the required information within the specified timeframe

Indicative delivery rates :
For Belgium :

- Orders under €40 - Delivery costs from €7.90
- Orders from € 40 - Delivery charges free of charge.

For France : 

- Orders under €60 -  Delivery costs from €12.90
- Orders from €60 - Delivery charges

For Luxembourg :

- Orders under €60 -  Delivery costs from €12.90
- Orders from €60 - Delivery charges

For the rest of the world, prices on request depending on destination.

Indicative delivery times: 2 to 3 working days in Belgium and 3 to 5 working days within the European Union.
Additional time may be added if the parcel is checked at customs.

Article 10: Guarantee

With regard to consumers, the seller guarantees the products it sells in accordance with the law of 1st September 2004 relating to consumer protection in the event of the sale of consumer goods (articles 1649 bis to 1649 octies of the Civil Code). 

Consumers who discover the non-conformity of a product sold within 2 years of delivery of the goods must notify the seller within 2 months of the discovery by registered letter or e-mail.

This guarantee only covers defects in conformity existing at the time of delivery of the goods. Defects or damage due to improper use, such as water damage, oxidation, dropping or impact, negligence and wear and tear, are not covered by the guarantee. 

Similarly, repairs carried out by technicians not approved by the supplier will invalidate the warranty.
The invoice or delivery note serves as proof of the guarantee and must be kept by the consumer and produced in the original.

Professional buyers benefit from the manufacturer's warranty.

Article 11: Complaints 

If there is a problem with the conformity of the product delivered with the order placed, the complaint must reach us within 48 hours by email (info@lesommelierduthe.be) or in writing. If no complaint is made within this period, the products will be deemed to be in conformity and accepted by the buyer.

Our company undertakes, at the purchaser's option, to refund or exchange any products that appear to be defective or do not correspond to the order. It is the buyer's responsibility to provide proof of any anomalies or defects.

Refunds will be made within 14 days using the same method of payment.

Article 12: Responsibilities

The seller, in the online sales process, is only bound by an obligation of means; it cannot be held liable for any damage resulting from the use of the Internet and online payment, such as loss of data, intrusion, virus, breakdown in service or other involuntary problems.

The information provided on the site is given in good faith. Links to manufacturers' and/or partners' websites are provided for information purposes only and have no contractual value. The seller cannot be held responsible for information from these sites.

The buyer is responsible for the choice and use of the product delivered by the seller. The seller declines all responsibility in the event of inaccuracy in the information communicated to it by the buyer.

Article 13: Intellectual property

All elements of the seller's site are and remain the exclusive intellectual property of the seller. 

No one is authorised to reproduce, exploit, rebroadcast or use for any purpose whatsoever, even partially, any elements of the site, whether software, visual or audio.

Any simple link or hypertext link is strictly prohibited without the express prior written consent of the seller.

Article 14: Personal data

All personal data required to process an order is kept by the seller or its employees and may be passed on to companies with which the seller - or its suppliers - collaborates, where such communication is necessary to process the order.

The user also authorises the seller to use this data to draw up statistics in order to improve its site, the goods and the service it offers. This information may also be used to disseminate, by any means of communication, information relating to the seller's commercial activities to its customers.

Finally, the seller retains personal data to facilitate subsequent orders. Without prejudice to the foregoing, the seller undertakes not to disclose any personal information in its possession to any other company or business.
The data held by the seller may be requested and corrected at any time on request.

Article 15: Evidence

Within the framework of their relationship, the parties accept electronic means of proof (for example: email, computer backups, etc.).

Article 16: Settlement of disputes

These online sales conditions are governed by Belgian law. In the event of a dispute, please contact us first to find an amicable solution.

If no agreement is reached, only the courts of the judicial district of Charleroi shall have jurisdiction, unless otherwise provided by law.