Customer Portal & Policies

1. Shipping Options & Combined Logistics

Welcome to Himalayan Merchants! We provide reliable international and domestic logistics options to ensure our natural healing crystals and precision-cut gemstones reach your location safely and affordably.

• Global & Domestic Carrier Networks: We partner with premium delivery networks to offer safe shipping solutions, including DHL, FedEx, UPS, Aramex, TNT, Blue Dart, and India Post, along with sea freight channels for bulk wholesale cargo.
• Shipping Modes: Customers can choose between Express Shipping and Economy Shipping based on their delivery timeline.
• Transit Timelines: Carrier transit averages between 2–5 days, 5–7 days, 7–10 days, or 15–30 days depending on the selected destination country and carrier tier.
• Customs Clearance Notice: Please note that carrier transit estimations dictate only the time the package spends traveling with the courier. These timelines strictly do not include customs clearance windows, which vary from country to country based on local import regulations, total weight, and specific mineral classifications.
• Dispatch Schedules: Shipping transit times do not include order processing or manual manufacturing windows. We do not dispatch orders on Saturdays, Sundays, or public festival holidays.
• Combined Weight-Based Savings: Multiple items can be combined freely within a single order. Our checkout system uses weight-based shipping calculations: as your total package weight increases, the per-kilogram shipping charge drops, passing logistics savings directly to you.
• One-Way Fulfillment Protocol: We operate strictly on a one-way shipping contract. Himalayan Merchants dispatches and delivers directly to the shipping address provided at checkout. Reverse pickup options are not available, and we cannot collect parcels directly from a customer's location.
• Real-Time Tracking: Exact shipping choices and real-time shipping fees are displayed dynamically on our checkout page. A unique tracking number will be emailed to you instantly upon package hand-off and will also be displayed under the "My Account" dashboard on our website.

2. Order Processing & Crystal Production Timelines

• In-Stock Inventory Processing: For in-stock items, our fulfillment team takes up to 72 working hours to pull, quality-inspect, pack, and tender your package to the carrier.
• Lapidary Fabrication Out-of-Stock Timelines: If a specific gemstone or specialized custom shape is out of stock, we require 5 to 7 working days for production and processing in our lapidary workshop. An automated email clarifying exact fulfillment updates will be sent immediately upon order verification.
• Our Operating Hours: Our team operates strictly Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Indian Standard Time (IST). Our logistics and workshop teams are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and major festival holidays.

3. Guaranteed 100% Secured Payment Infrastructure

We provide a fully encrypted, secure checkout ecosystem. Our framework relies exclusively on payment aggregators and settlement networks authorized by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In complete alignment with domestic and international trade rules, customer selections dynamically adjust based on order volumes and geographic destination, supporting seamless settlement across dominant global currencies:

• Cards & Tokenized Instruments: We accept major Credit Cards, Debit Cards, and corporate procurement cards cleared via secure EMVCo networks. All domestic transactions process strictly through RBI-mandated Card-on-File Tokenization (CoFT) workflows and secure Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA) to keep your actual card identifiers completely unexposed.
• Digital Banking & Instant Transfer Portals: Secure checkout integrations accommodate India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Online Net Banking via authorized Indian scheduled commercial banks, safe E-Wallet systems, and institutional Electronic Funds Transfers (NEFT, RTGS, and IMPS).
• Cross-Border Trade Settlements: International orders are fulfilled strictly via RBI-registered Online Payment Gateway Service Providers (OPGSPs) and authorized dealer (AD Category-1) bank wire systems. Cross-border trade flows route transparently to ensure compliance with the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), utilizing institutional tools including international card networks, institutional wire transfers, and SWIFT partner channels.

4. Comprehensive Returns & Exchange Framework

• Pristine Return Standard: All returned items must be received back at our processing center in their original condition or within unopened protective packaging (essential for tumbled mixes, gemstone sets, or polished batches).
• Damaged Arrival & Video Transparency: If an item is damaged in transit, please contact us immediately. For total transparency and rapid claims resolution, we strongly encourage buyers to create a seamless unboxing video when opening the security parcel for the first time.
• Exchanges: Direct item exchanges are supported exclusively for matching items (same product line and layout specifications) in verified instances of structural transit damage.
• High-Value Specimens & Final Sale Items: Premium individual mineral specimens priced at $ 200.00 or more may be returned within 30 days from the date of purchase and will incur a 10% restocking fee to cover precision handling and re-archiving costs. Items marked under clearance sales or flash discount collections are considered Final Sale and are strictly non-returnable.
• Discount Packages: Partial returns of items bought within custom sets or quantity-discounted pricing are not accepted for standalone partial refunds. The bundle must be returned together in its entirety.

Step-by-Step Return Instructions

If you need to return an authorized item, please complete these three direct steps:

Return Deadlines & Reimbursements: For items received back within 30 days or less, a refund will be issued to your original method of payment. Initial shipping fees collected at checkout are non-refundable, and return freight costs paid by the buyer will be reimbursed via an online store credit voucher.

5. Retail Operational Policies

Satisfaction Guarantee & Returns

Himalayan Merchants offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee for our authentic natural crystals and precision-cut gemstones. You can return any order within our standardized return window for a full refund or direct exchange.

Return Window & Authorization Requirements

Please contact our customer support desk within 5 days of delivery if your package exhibits an issue. Requests can be submitted via the contact portals on our e-commerce site. Please explicitly include your order number to guarantee swift processing support.

Once you receive explicit return authorization from our staff, the items must be securely dispatched back to our processing facility within 30 days from your original delivery date. We strongly mandate purchasing trackable shipping services for your return package to guarantee proof of delivery.

Packaging & Return Condition Standards

When returning an item or order, all pieces must be housed securely within their original protective packaging (or comparable standard), including all shock-absorbing bubble wrap, interior boxes, and mineral padding structures. The parcel must be returned alongside a copy of the original invoice so our verification team can identify you as the client.

The returned order must arrive at our facility in the exact pristine condition you received it. If the returned items arrive broken due to careless re-packaging, or if you return an order without obtaining prior official confirmation from us, the items will not be eligible for return credit.

Broken or Damaged Items in Transit

If any mineral specimen or faceted stone arrives broken due to carrier handling, you must contact us immediately and supply clear photographs of the damaged item. If the exterior shipping package features visible damage, please include a photograph of the external box. We require all transit damage photographs within 3 days of delivery. Depending on the evaluation, we will issue a return label or provide detailed instructions for your refund or exchange.

While Himalayan Merchants is not legally liable for packages lost or stolen in transit by third-party carriers, we will aggressively work alongside the contracted couriers from our side to help you track down and locate your package.

Weekly Return Processing Routines

We process and reconcile physical returns on Thursdays of every week. Any corresponding product exchanges or financial refunds are handled on Thursdays and Fridays as processing completes.

• Product Exchanges: Approved matching exchanges will ship out with active tracking parameters on Thursday or Friday.
• Financial Refunds: Please allow 3–5 business days for bank processing. Reimbursement funds are automatically allocated back to the original form of payment used for purchase. We refund the full item cost; original courier transit shipping fees are non-refundable as they are fully paid to the shipping company contracted at checkout.

Payment Options & Cancellations

We accept secure checkout payments via major international/domestic Credit Cards, Debit Cards, Net Banking, and recognized global digital payment gateways. Applicable regional state or local taxes are calculated and collected dynamically at checkout. If you need to cancel an unfulfilled order, please submit a request within 24 hours of purchase, as orders are compiled rapidly for same-day or next-day courier hand-off.

Loyalty Points & Rewards Framework

Our customer loyalty club offers dynamic points generation and redemption tiers based on lifetime account activity. Current offers, terms, and redemption points values can be verified directly via the 'Rewards' dashboard on our storefront.

Only one reward or promotional coupon may be applied per individual transaction. Offers cannot be stacked or combined with active sitewide promotional clearout events. We host dedicated 'Rewards Weeks' once per month, which are announced in advance via the storefront banner, newsletter drops, and SMS client updates.

6. Master Terms of Service

This e-commerce platform is operated by Himalayan Merchants. Throughout the site, the terms “we”, “us” and “our” refer directly to Himalayan Merchants. We offer this website, including all information, tools and services available from this site to you, the user, conditioned upon your acceptance of all terms, conditions, policies and notices stated here. By visiting our site and/or purchasing something from us, you engage in our “Service” and agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions.

Section 1 - Online Store Terms

By agreeing to these Terms of Service, you represent that you are at least the age of majority in your state, province, or country of residence, or that you have given us your explicit consent to allow any of your minor dependents to utilize this site. You may not use our products for any illegal or unauthorized purpose nor may you, in the use of the Service, violate any laws in your jurisdiction. You must not transmit any worms or viruses or any code of a destructive nature. A breach or violation of any of the Terms will result in an immediate termination of your Services.

Section 2 - General Conditions

We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason at any time. You understand that your content (not including credit card information), may be transferred unencrypted and involve transmissions over various networks. Credit card information is always encrypted during transfer over networks. You agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell or exploit any portion of the Service without express written permission by us.

Section 3 - Accuracy & Timeliness of Information

We are not responsible if information made available on this site is not accurate, complete or current. The material on this site is provided for general information only and should not be relied upon or used as the sole basis for making decisions without consulting primary, more accurate, more complete or more timely sources of information. Any reliance on the material on this site is at your own risk.

Section 4 - Modifications to the Service and Prices

Prices for our products are subject to change without notice. We reserve the right at any time to modify or discontinue the Service (or any part or content thereof) without notice at any time. We shall not be liable to you or to any third-party for any modification, price change, suspension or discontinuance of the Service.

Section 5 - Products or Services

Certain products or services may be available exclusively online through the website. These products or services may have limited quantities and are subject to return or exchange only according to our Return Policy. We reserve the right to limit the sales of our products or Services to any person, geographic region or jurisdiction.

Section 6 - Accuracy of Billing and Account Information

We reserve the right to refuse any order you place with us. We may, in our sole discretion, limit or cancel quantities purchased per person, per household or per order. You agree to provide current, complete and accurate purchase and account information for all purchases made at our store.

Section 7 - Prohibited Uses

In addition to other prohibitions as set forth in the Terms of Service, you are prohibited from using the site or its content: (a) for any unlawful purpose; (b) to solicit others to perform or participate in any unlawful acts; (c) to violate any international, federal, provincial or state regulations, rules, laws, or local ordinances; (d) to infringe upon or violate our intellectual property rights or the intellectual property rights of others; (e) to harass, abuse, insult, harm, defame, slander, disparage, intimidate, or discriminate; (f) to submit false or misleading information; (g) to upload or transmit viruses or malicious code; (h) to collect or track the personal information of others; (i) to spam, phish, pharm, pretext, spider, crawl, or scrape; (j) for any obscene or immoral purpose; or (k) to interfere with security features. We reserve the right to terminate your use of the Service for violating any of the prohibited uses.

Section 8 - Disclaimer of Warranties; Limitation of Liability

We do not guarantee, represent or warrant that your use of our service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure or error-free. You expressly agree that your use of, or inability to use, the service is at your sole risk. In no case shall Himalayan Merchants, our owners, directors, officers, employees, or affiliates be liable for any injury, loss, claim, or any direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, special, or consequential damages of any kind.

Section 9 - Governing Law & Compliance

These Terms of Service and any separate agreements whereby we provide you Services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India, with jurisdiction firmly assigned to the courts of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Section 10 - Corporate Contact Information

Questions regarding our master Terms of Service or structural operational boundaries should be formally routed to our administrative team at:

7. Privacy Policy & Disclosure Statement

Welcome to Himalayan Merchants. We value the trust you place in us when sharing your personal information. This Privacy Policy details how we collect, use, protect, and handle your data when you visit or make a purchase from our e-commerce platform.

Section 1 - Collection of Personal Information

Purchase Data: When you purchase a gemstone, crystal, or custom lapidary piece from the Himalayan Merchants website, we collect the personal identification markers you explicitly provide to us as part of the buying and selling process. This includes your full name, billing and shipping addresses, email address, and contact telephone number.

Device and Browser Logistics: When you browse our online store, we automatically receive your computer’s Internet Protocol (IP) address. This log data helps us learn about your active browser version, device framework, and operating system to continuously optimize our platform's layout and security.

Email & Digital Marketing: With your explicit permission, we may occasionally distribute marketing emails regarding our latest crystal drops, specialized gemstone catalogs, promotional tier discounts, and general company updates. You may choose to opt out of these updates at any point.

Section 2 - Consent & Accordance

How We Obtain Your Consent: When you submit personal data to finalize an e-commerce transaction, verify a payment method, place a formal order, coordinate an international or domestic delivery, or process a return, we imply that you consent to our team collecting and utilizing that specific data for that reason only.

If we request your data for secondary business logic—such as general marketing newsletters or customer feedback—we will either ask you directly for your expressed, active consent or supply you with an immediate path to decline the request.

How to Withdraw Your Consent: If you change your mind after opting in, you may fully withdraw your consent for us to contact you, or for our continued collection, utilization, or disclosure of your identity markers. To do so, please contact our Privacy Compliance Officer via:

• Secured Corporate Email: Contact@Himalayanmerchants.com
• Postal Mail Address: Himalayan Merchants, Attn: Privacy Compliance Division, 73 F, Azad Vihar Colony, Kanpur Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, Pincode: 226401

Section 3 - Legal Disclosure Parameters

We reserve the right to disclose your personal identification parameters if we are explicitly mandated by law or court order to do so, or if your actions directly violate our structural corporate Terms of Service.

Section 4 - E-Commerce Hub Storage & Secure Processing

Our e-commerce storefront database is managed via secure local server architectures integrated with standard WordPress and premium hosting environments. Your underlying retail transaction files, inventory logs, and customer records are safely stored behind advanced firewalls and robust digital security blocks.

Payment Processing Guidelines: When finalizing checkout requests through our third-party Indian or international payment gateway APIs (such as credit card routing networks, net banking systems, or digital wallets), your data is handled strictly under the rules of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS).

• Encryption: All payment interfaces leverage high-tier encryption protocols.
• Retention: Purchase transaction records are only retained as long as necessary to clear your payment. Once the settlement completes, your payment account transaction log parameters are completely scrubbed from active gateway buffers.
• PCI Compliance: These rules are managed by the PCI Security Standards Council (a joint initiative of brands like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover) to guarantee secure processing parameters throughout our shop.

Section 5 - Third-Party Data Handling

Generally, the third-party providers we utilize will only collect, use, and share your operational data to the exact extent needed to let them execute their specified service models for us (such as international courier drops or bulk shipping software logs).

However, specialized third-party processors—most notably localized banking systems and automated payment gateways—maintain independent privacy policies regarding the checkout transaction variables we must provide to clear your orders. We highly recommend checking their specific policies to understand how your data changes hands.

Cross-Border Legal Jurisdictions: Because Himalayan Merchants serves global collectors and trade houses, remember that certain third-party logistics or banking providers may maintain centers or operations inside alternate international jurisdictions. If you choose to execute a cross-border transaction, your transactional information may fall under the legislative frameworks of the countries where those fulfillment centers reside.

External Website Links: When navigating our storefront, certain links may redirect you away from our main domain. Himalayan Merchants holds no liability for the standalone privacy protocols of separate websites, and we urge you to read their independent data statements.

Section 6 - System Security Protocols

To secure your personal markers, we follow industry best practices and enforce strict preventative steps to verify your data is not improperly lost, extracted, misused, accessed, leaked, modified, or destroyed.

When you provide financial payment parameters, all data transmissions are locked using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology and archived using strong AES-256 encryption keys. While no electronic internet medium is 100% immune to vulnerabilities, our checkouts systematically enforce standard PCI-DSS specifications along with generally approved digital safety measures.

Section 7 - Cookie Management Policy

• Functional Cookies: Active session identifiers that hold items inside your shopping cart for your return visits.
• Analytical Cookies: Anonymous data blocks used by our hosting performance monitors to calculate raw visitor counts and regional traffic maps.
• Control: You can choose to accept, limit, or cleanly opt out of cookie installations via your personal internet browser settings at any point.

Section 8 - Age of Consent

By browsing and utilizing this e-commerce site, you certify that you are at least the legal age of majority in your active state, province, or country of residence, or that you are the legal age of majority and have granted us explicit consent to let your minor dependents access this storefront.

Section 9 - Privacy Policy Revisions

We reserve full structural rights to adjust or rewrite this Privacy Policy framework at any point. All amendments, rewrites, and updates take immediate legal effect the moment they are published live on this URL. If we make fundamental transformations to how we process customer details, we will explicitly post updates here so you stay fully aware of the data we collect and how we utilize it.