Our Commitment to Quality
We take great pride in the quality of our 3D printed products. Every item we produce is carefully quality controlled to ensure it meets our high standards. We strive to capture any functional defects before your order leaves our workshop in Scotland. However, in the unfortunate event that a product with a genuine manufacturing failure gets past our quality control, we are committed to making things right.
1. Understanding our Manufacturing Process (Please Read Before Ordering)
3D printing is a unique manufacturing process. To ensure clear expectations, please be aware of the following characteristics which are inherent to the process and are not considered defects:
- Filament Swaps & Shade Consistency: We strive to keep our products consistent. Even when using the identical filament specification from the same manufacturer, slight variations in colour shade can occur between batches. If a filament swap is required during the printing of your item (e.g., to load a fresh spool), there is a chance the colour shade may look slightly different where the new spool begins. This is a normal variable in filament manufacturing and is outside of our control. A slight variance or “two-tone” effect due to a spool change is not considered a defect.
- Layer Lines: 3D printed items are created by laying down material layer-by-layer. While we keep our machines highly organised and tuned to ensure products are as smooth as possible, visible layer lines are inherent to 3D printing. The presence of these lines or minor surface textures is a normal characteristic of the technology and is not a fault.
2. International Shipping, Delayed, & Undelivered Parcels
We regularly ship our products globally, but occasionally, parcels run into issues with customs or local delivery networks that are completely out of our hands.
- Returned to Sender: If a parcel is returned to us because of an incorrect address provided at checkout, missed delivery attempts, or a local courier error (e.g., claims of an unrecognised name at the delivery address), we will contact you as soon as it arrives back at our workshop. You can choose to have the item reshipped (buyer covers the new shipping cost) or refunded minus the original shipping charges. Refunds for returned items will only be processed once the parcel has physically arrived back at our workshop.
- Lost in Transit: If a parcel stops tracking or is significantly delayed, we must adhere to the claim policies of our shipping providers (such as Royal Mail). For international orders, couriers typically require us to wait a minimum of 20 to 25 working days past the due date before a parcel is officially classed as “lost”. Once that time frame has passed and we can file a claim, we will immediately issue a full refund or send a replacement product.
3. Refunds & Returns for Defective Items
If you receive an item that has a functional failure, structural defect, or is not as described (excluding the aesthetic points mentioned in Section 1), please contact us.
- The Policy: If a failure has slipped past our quality control, we will offer you the choice of a full refund or an exchange for a replacement product.
- Time-frame: Please contact us within 30 days of receiving your item to report a fault.
- Custom Items: While standard return rights do not apply to custom-made goods, your statutory rights regarding faulty or defective items remain fully intact.
4. How to Start a Return
To report a defect or request a return, please email us at [email protected] with:
- Your Order Number.
- A description of the issue.
- Photographs of the item (this helps us assess if it is a manufacturing failure or a transit issue).
5. Return Shipping Costs
- Defective or Faulty Items: If the item is confirmed to be faulty by Alba Printlabs, we will cover the reasonable cost of return postage or provide a prepaid return label, making the return free for you.
- Standard Products (Non-Faulty): For standard, non-customised products where a return is permitted (within 14 days), you are responsible for the cost of returning the item to us. The standard cost for a UK return label provided by us is £6.75, which will be deducted from your final refund amount. Alternatively, you may arrange your own shipping, though we highly recommend using a tracked service.
- Exceptions: Custom-made or personalised items are non-returnable unless faulty.
Alba Printlabs is based in Scotland, UK. This policy is in accordance with the Consumer Rights Act 2015.