The 14-day return window
Every purchase on Art Collective comes with a 14-day return window that starts the moment you confirm delivery. That confirmation is the step at the end of the order flow where you tell us the piece arrived and is what you ordered — your 14 days begin from that point, not from when the artist ships.
Tying the window to your confirmation (rather than to a carrier's tracking event) is deliberate. It means you're never counting down the clock while a piece is still with a courier, and it gives you time to live with the work before deciding whether to keep it.
How to start a return
From your order page, click Start a return. You'll be asked to pick a reason and, if relevant, to upload a photo — particularly for anything that arrived damaged or doesn't match the listing. The artist is notified as soon as the return is opened.
Who pays for return shipping
For a change-of-mind return — you love the piece, it just isn't right for the room — you pay return shipping. Packaging the work the way the artist packaged it is part of a safe return; if you're not sure how, get in touch before you ship and we'll help.
If a piece arrived damaged, was materially not as described, or was delivered to the wrong address, we cover the return. Open the return, include photos, and we'll coordinate the carrier with you and the artist.
When the refund appears
Once the artist confirms the piece has arrived back safely, the refund is processed through Stripe. Funds usually land back on your original card within 3–5 business days — sometimes faster, depending on your bank. Shipping paid at checkout is refunded on change-of-mind returns when the reason is non-fault-related; on damage or not-as-described returns, shipping is refunded in full.
If a piece arrives damaged
Photograph the packaging before you open it if the outer box looks knocked about, and photograph the work itself once you see the damage. Then contact support. We'll open a claim with the artist and with Stripe, hold the artist payout until the claim resolves, and coordinate a full refund or replacement.
Never had to return something online before? You're not alone. Email [email protected] and we'll walk you through it.