If you’ve paid for an order but over the course of the lead time, you need to cancel, this is ok, as long as we have not started the project. However, the payment processor keeps the transaction fee (typically 2 to 4%) and Timmermade will keep 2%. Processing cancellations and refunds for orders on the list pulls me out of production work to do computer work. The 2% is kept to compensate us a little bit for this time so we at least aren’t losing as much.
Since we build each item, for each person, we generally do not accept returns of finished items. If there is a fit issue and we have a reasonable way to help out, we will. However, the “no questions asked” return policies are wasteful, mass market options that small businesses can’t adopt. We put so much effort into outlining a reliable sizing process and making ourselves available for questions about the process, that there really shouldn’t be much of a margin of error.
If there is a performance issue, we typically have an open discussion. If there is a manufacturing error, then that is on us, I we usually go out of our way to replace or fix the item. However, if there is a performance issue that is not related to a manufacturing error, then it’s a grey area. Part of the deal with specialized, high performance gear is that a skilled user is a required part of the process. We do everything we can to facilitate education and vet incoming consumers, to ensure that the right gear gets into the hands of the right people, but that doesn’t mean that every product is going to work for every person who gets through to us. Many people have a view that product engineering should do all the work, and the consumer should just have access to the absolute best performance without holding up their end of the deal at all. It’s like how a racing bicycle is an absolutely terrible option for an untrained amateur riding rail trails. That person is actually going to go slower and feel more uncomfortable on it, than they would on a hybrid cruiser. It takes training and skill to be able to unlock the performance of the racing bicycle. It isn’t something that just provides that performance to anyone who throws a leg over it. The same goes for some of the gear we produce. It’s on the consumer to understand what their capabilities are and what they are buying. As a cottage brand, we can’t afford to eat the cost of every unsuspecting consumer that just clicks “buy” without thinking things through. We provide a range of options, some of which carry a large buffer for the general public, and some of which treads the line of ultra-specialized high-end performance. It’s on the consumers to educate themselves on which items will best suit their needs. We’ve provided piles and piles of information on these topics, all around our site, and we’re always here to discuss your needs, free-of-charge.
Fortunately, this reality doesn’t need to result in the consumer being left out to dry. Given the limited production and excessive demand for our products, our resale value is usually around 100%. If an items ends up not working out for someone, they can often recoup all their costs. In these cases, we usually make an exception for a rebuild, or whatever is needed. For instance, if someone purchased a Serpentes Skirt Quilt and found out that they really are more suited for the buffer built into the Coati Skirt Quilt, we would likely allow that rebuild in without having to go through the whole lottery system again. It’s best to avoid this inconvenience for both parties, but mistakes happen, and we try to be accommodating when they do. We recongnize that a lot of the designs that push the boundaries, are unknown territory. Many might not know if these new levels of warmth to weight are something they can work with or not, until they try. That said, we do not make gear that doesn’t work for a majority. We make some gear that pushes the boundaries to the extent that it likely won’t work for a minority of people. Such is the reality for pushing the limit. We also make plenty of gear that includes a larger-than-normal buffer and does not tread the line.
When assessing where you fit into the user skill range, keep in mind that experience is not necessarily skill. If you’ve been using traditional mass market mummy bags since the 80s, it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily well suited to the skillset required to properly use a Serpentes. The Serpentes treads the line of durability, fill quantity, and fill density to create new levels of warmth to weight for the dedicated ULer. For many folks it is, in fact, a system that just works without any extra thought. However, to some, it might not be the best choice if you’re not up on how to create situations it can excel in. Similarly, you may have been wearing dense fill down jackets for decades, but that would prepare you poorly for using an SDUL sweater built with low density 1000fp and 7d shells. To reap the rewards of UL these items require special care and attention. If you just wear it around under a backpack while hiking, it’s going to be an exceptionally poor piece of gear. It’s the consumer’s responsibility to read and understand the design intention behind these items and follow through with proper use.