Delivery Terms

DRY GOODS DELIVERY

We use APC Couriers, which is a signed-for courier service that operates on a ‘Next Working Day’ delivery basis depending on the time and day you place your order. We aim to process all orders within a timely fashion (preferably on the day the order is received), and have them completed prior to our 2pm cut off point. This cut off point is the time at which our APC Driver collects the day’s Consignments (orders) from us. If an order is placed after this cut-off point, we will aim to have it processed and ready for collection on the next available working day.

If an item has become unavailable for any reason, we will contact you via phone or email with an estimated delivery time. Some items may require up to 5-7 working days to arrive to you according to the size, weight, packing and location of the product. Generally, this will be highlighted in the product’s description. Please note that items that have been specially ordered may take longer to arrive to you, depending on the location of the respective Wholesaler the product(s) are being sent from.
Please make sure you read the dry goods terms and conditions to follow below.

PLEASE NOTE: UNDER APC COURIER’S DELIVERY TERMS, THE COST FOR DELIVERY ENTITLES A CONSIGNMENT TO BE DELIVERED A MAXIMUM OF TWO ATTEMPTS, THE FIRST BEING THE ORIGNAL INTENDED DATE OF DELIVERY.

IF THIS FIRST DELIVERY ATTEMPT CANNOT BE FACILTATED AND IS REPORTED AS ‘CLOSED/CARDED’ (I.E., THE GOODS COULDN’T BE ACCEPTED OR SIGNED FOR AT THE DELIVERY ADDRESS AT THE TIME OF DELIVERY, AND NO ‘LEAVE IN A SAFE PLACE’ INSTURCTONS WERE LEFT AT THE TIME OF ORDERING), APC COURIERS WILL THEN ORGANISE A SECOND DELIVERY ATTEMPT ON THE NEXT WORKING DAY.

UPON THIS SECOND DELIVERY ATTEMPT FAILING AND SUBSEQUENTLY ALSO BEING REPORTED AS ‘CLOSED/CARDED’, THE GOODS WILL THEN BE RETURNED TO SENDER, AND THEREFORE RETUNRED TO US HERE @ AAC. AT THIS POINT, WE AT AAC WILL THEN CONTACT YOU ACCORDINGLY TO ORGANISE RE-DELIVERY OF THE GOODS TO AN ALTERNATIVE ADDRESS OR ARRANGE COLLECTION OF THEM ON YOUR NEXT VISIT TO US. PLEASE NOTE ADDITIONAL CHARGES MAY INCUR.

Please be aware that certain product items (such as the larger DIY Net Covers and Hydra Rails), as well as larger quantities of Rock (above 20kg), may be listed as ‘Non-Conveyable Items’, and require an additional postage charge due to the specifications of APC Couriers (This is due to the size and weight of the items in question). These products are NOT included in the ‘Free Delivery on Dry Goods Over £75’ Specification, and upon purchase will be charged the ‘Non-Conveyable’ Delivery rate, even if the cost of the goods exceeds the minimum charge for Free Delivery. 

PLEASE NOTE: FREE DELIVERY ON ORDERS OVER £75 ARE FOR DRY GOODS ONLY IN THE MAINLAND UK. HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS WILL REQUIRE EXTRA CHARGES, SUBJECT TO LOCATION. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR A SHIPPING QUOTE.

DELIVERIES OUTSIDE OF THE UK MAINLAND

Please note our free shipping/delivery offer for orders over £75 only applies to orders that are to be delivered to the UK mainland.

For UK Highlands, Northern Ireland and other UK Islands (for example The Isle of Wight), extra shipping costs will be applied to the order along with an additional charge based on weight and the shipping zone. These charges will be advised once shipping weights, size and costs are calculated for your order and in some cases may require external confirmation before we confirm the shipment of your order.

If your order is not for delivery to the UK mainland, then, unfortunately, there is no free shipping. In the case of some rare specific types of orders, the courier service we will use may have different charges and prices for different UK zones.  However, we will do our very best to choose the most appropriate for your order and advise you of those costs if necessary before shipping your goods or confirming your order.

Please note that if you live outside the UK Mainland and plan to use a Freight Forwarding Service based here in the UK, we are unable to accept liability on the transportation of your delivery to the either the Freight Forwarder, or the final destination that the goods are intended to arrive to overseas. We at AAC will contact you via email to confirm that you accept these terms, and ensure that you are made aware that the liability lies with yourself should something happen during the transit of your order.

RESTRICTED SERVICE IN THESE POSTCODES

Please note that in some postcodes our courier may have limitations or restrictions to their delivery schedules and service. If you are concerned please contact us for more info.
AB10/56 – BT18/94 – DD6/11 – DG1/16 – DN21/22 – DT1/11 – FK8/21 – GY1/9 – ZE1/3 – LL35/78 – ML12 – PA20/78 – PH1/44 – HS1/9 – IM1/99 – IV1/56 – KA3/30 – KW1/17 – KY8/16 – LA8/23 – LD3/6 – PO30/41 – SY4/25 – TD1/15 – WR6/15

DRY GOODS INTERNATIONAL ORDERS ARE POSSIBLE, PLEASE CONTACT US VIA EMAIL FIRST FOR A POSTAGE QUOTE AND BEFORE PLACING AN ORDER ON THIS WEBSITE.

LIVESTOCK DELIVERY

Livestock deliveries are made by email arrangement only and may require a further time period to process. We will contact you via email to make arrangements best suited. Email communication and confirmation before we post livestock are essential, so we can agree on a suitable shipping/delivery day. Livestock orders are shipped on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, unless otherwise agreed via prior arrangement. Subsequently, deliveries for Livestock Orders should occur from Tuesday to Friday, providing all is well with the Courier.

Livestock orders are shipped using a next-day delivery service before 1pm, to ensure that your livestock arrives in tip-top condition. You will be notified of the export of your shipment via email after arrangements have been made to deliver.
If you would like to collect your livestock order, a prior arrangement, via email is necessary first, as we may have your livestock held elsewhere and not at Advanced Aquarium Consultancy Headquarters.

Livestock carries an extra delivery charge of £20.99 (Scottish Highlands may incur extra courier charges), no matter how small or large the order, and this may be sent separately to other dry goods purchased at the same time. Please also note that the date of delivery that your Live Goods Order takes place on is to be confirmed with you prior to it leaving the store.

Please understand that if bad weather conditions prevail or are predicted, we may choose to hold the order until conditions improve, likewise for any transport issues or strikes that may interfere with your live delivery.

LIVESTOCK DELIVERY & APC COURIERS

As of 1st February 2021 APC Couriers, who provide both our Live & Dry Goods Delivery services, implemented a new Live Goods/Inverts service to combat the increase in workload of Depots in certain areas. This will allow for easier tracking, rather than using a regular timed service which would otherwise not be distinguishable from regular parcels upon tracking.  

Each individual depot and driver sign up to a code of practice, put together by APC alongside OATA & the Environment Agency specifically designed to ensure the very best care is taken of your live animals during transit. This includes parcels being moved within a cage rather than loose with regular parcels and filming at entrance and exit points as part of their ‘Security’ service.   

It is also being guaranteed that should one of your parcels be missorted at the hub, a same-day driver will be used to drive it directly to you before the end of the day, avoiding any delays at the cost of APC.

We feel that it is a positive step to have a dedicated service like this available to us, even in these crazy Covid times when the majority of other couriers are unable to guarantee next-day deliveries.

We will be monitoring this service constantly and ensuring that we are using the very safest routes to get our livestock to you.  

MAKING A LIVESTOCK DELIVERY CLAIM

If, in the unfortunate event your purchase is found to be Dead On Arrival (DOA), we require the following steps to be completed:

Please report the claim via email to us at [email protected], no later than 2 hours after signing for the goods. Please include the details of your claim, alongside your Order Number and clear photographs showing the condition of the animal in the unopened bag, from a variety of angles.  

Our guarantee is only valid if you sign for the delivery on the couriers first attempt. The guarantee covers the arrival of the animal within the 2 hour limit that the package was signed for.  

Any coral skeletons, animal bodies or invert shells will need to be kept for the duration of time that your claim is being processed. We reserve the right to ask for these to be returned to us prior to a replacement/refund being authorised. For certain species, we reserve the right to refund your purchase instead of organise a replacement, as we may not be able to source more of this species at the time of the claim. 

FAILURE TO COMPLETE ALL STEPS ABOVE WILL RESULT IN THE CLAIM BEING DEEMED AS VOID

Dead on arrival claims, will not be accepted if you have missed the original delivery specified.

LIVESTOCK DELIVERY – OTHER INFORMATION

WE DO NOT ACCEPT LIVESTOCK RETURNS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. This due to disease control. If you are not happy with your purchase, please contact us within 12 hours of receiving your order to discuss this with us. It is also your responsibility to RESEARCH THE ANIMALS you purchase so that they are compatible with your existing livestock and provide any necessary quarantine or health measures required.

It is well accepted by experienced hobbyists, that many marine animals, especially corals and other invertebrates, will not arrive in the same colourful and expanded condition after travelling, as seen in the photos in the online store, or retail store, and should be allowed to settle and adapt to their new surroundings before making assumptions of ill health.

Again, please research the animals you are buying and ensure you can meet their demands prior to purchase. Contact us if you require any further advice. You should be of an experienced nature to order corals and other invertebrates from any online source, and also be able to handle and have knowledge of the correct acclimation procedures for the species purchased.

Livestock is not the responsibility of Advanced Aquarium Consultancy ltd once the coral or other invertebrate has left our custody and is in your care.

Advanced Aquarium Consultancy ltd uses hi-tech LED lighting and cannot be held accountable for purchases viewed under other sources of lighting that show differences in the colouration of corals, or other invertebrates from any photography found on this website.

Photographs will be shown with slight enhancement often under blue spectrum lighting, to show their contrasting colour pigments. Most reef aquariums run on Led lighting today, so most aquarists can replicate the same look, but if you are unsure as to how your purchase will appear under different sources of light – please contact us through the ‘Contact Us’ tab to discuss.

For further information regarding distance selling regulations and the sale of goods act please refer to the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/online-and-distance-selling-for-businesses/selling-online
Your Statutory Rights are not affected.
AAC help team.