Quality and Service you can Trust

At Gentleman's Emporium, we are proud of the products we offer, and want you to be completely satisfied with our quality and service.  We understand that buying online can be unsettling, so we'll do everything we can to make it as convenient and worry-free as possible.

We guarantee you will be satisfied.  This promise is backed by our service policies, which make shopping risk and worry free

• We guarantee our product quality
• We offer 100% secure online shopping
• We protect your privacy
• We offer two shipping options to meet your needs.
• We offer convenient exchanges and returns
• We are available to answer your questions via email or telephone
• We have thousands of satisfied and repeat customers

Our policies are listed below, but please feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions.  We'd love to hear from you!

Quality Guarantee

If you're not satisfied, we're not satisfied.  We are proud of the quality of our products, and know you will be pleased.  If you are not absolutely satisfied with your Gentleman's Emporium purchase, please do not hesitate to contact us via email or telephone.  We will do our darnedest to set it right.

Product Fit

Clothes are not much use if they don’t fit, so we've developed a handy sizing chart for hats, frock coats, vests, and shirts.  The clothing we offer runs true to size, so if you wear a size 42 modern suit, you will wear a size 42 frock coat. 

One exception to this is that some of our trousers ride higher on the waist than modern pants do.  If your tummy is larger than your waist, you may want to go up one size on trousers.

Last, and most important, please be true to yourself about your size.  If you order the size you used to be, the clothes you receive will fit you like the clothes that used to fit.  Whether you've gained or lost weight, your Gentleman's Emporium clothing purchase will last you for years of wear, so buy something that will be comfortable as well.

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100% secure online shopping

Your security and privacy are our highest priorities.  Therefore, we use state-of-the-art software and other technologies to prevent unauthorized users from accessing our transactions and your private data.  Our online shopping system requires the use of a 128 bit secure browser to process online credit card orders, using SSL encryption, the industry standard for online credit card security,  If you do not have a 128-bit secure browser, you can download an upgraded browser using one of the following links

            Microsoft Internet Explorer

            Netscape

            Firefox

            AOL

What is SSL?    Secure sockets layer, known as SSL, is a technology developed by Netscape to provide secure communications on the Internet.  SSL protects your security in three ways:

1. SSL authenticates that the server you have connected to is the one it claims to be.  You can be assured that you are actually communicating with Gentleman's Emporium, and not a third party trying to intercept the transaction.
2. SSL creates a secure line of communication between your computer and our server, by encrypting all communications between your computer and our server.
3. SSL counts the number of bytes (characters) you send and the number of bytes we receive, to ensure that your information arrives in its original unmodified form.  If the message you send is not received in its entirety, SSL automatically rejects and resends the original message.

When using an SSL-enabled browser, you can be confident your personal information is safe if you see the secure link icon, a picture of a closed padlock at the bottom of your Netscape or Internet Explorer browser window.

Please note that the padlock icon will only be visible on the "secure checkout" page, where we ask for your address and credit card information.

We also use firewalls and other communications security technologies to shield our systems and proprietary networks from unauthorized access.  The purpose of a firewall is to ensure only authorized traffic is allowed to pass our systems, and all other traffic is rejected. 

One final note, please NEVER email us (or anyone else) your credit card information, as emails are not secured by 128-bit encryption.  Also, we will NEVER ask you for credit card information via email.  If you prefer to order by phone, mail or fax, please follow the instructions listed immediately below.

We want you to feel completely comfortable when you order from us. If you have any other questions about our security precautions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Mail-In or Fax Order

If, despite our online security guarantees, you would still rather not use your credit card online, we can still process your order.  Please follow the simple instructions below:

Complete your order online, except for the credit card payment section.

1. Select fax/mail order option from the dropdown box on the order form
2. Submit your order using the Submit button.  This sends us a copy of your order, so we can be sure to get the items and shipping information correct.
3. Provide for payment, in one of the following ways:

• fax us a printed copy of the order, with your credit card information written on it
• mail us a printed copy of the order, with your credit card information indicated, or
• telephone us and provide your credit card number and expiration date to one of our customer service team
• mail us a printed copy of the order, and enclose a money order made out to "Historical Emporium, Inc." for the order total. 

Please note: if you choose to order by mail or fax, we will process your order only after you provide us with your credit card information, or send a money order— we will not contact you to obtain payment.

Sorry, we do not accept personal checks, and please do not send cash.

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Privacy Policies

Our policy on your privacy is simple.  We will not provide your private information to anyone outside of Gentleman's Emporium for any reason other than processing your order.  Period.

Like many online stores, we use cookies to remember some basic information about your visit to our store.  For instance, cookies help us to keep track of the items you put in your shopping cart as you browse our store, so at checkout time we know what you want.  A "cookie" is a small text file placed on your hard drive by our web page server. Cookies are commonly used on websites and do not harm your system.

With your permission, we will occasionally (i.e. once or twice a year) send out an email regarding new products or special promotions.  Because our products are hard to find, our customers appreciate these notices.  However, if you prefer not to receive these occasional communications, you may opt out of our customer mailing list at any time by contacting us by phone or email .

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Order Processing and Shipping Questions (USA)

The following information relates to domestic US shipments. Please click here for information on international shipping.

We offer two options for shipments to US addresses, as follows:

Shipping Option	Arrives within
Standard	8 business days following your order
Expedited	5 business days following your order
Shipping times quoted in business days exclude holidays and weekends.

Important! We stock in multiple locations, and not every location ships every day, so it takes us up to 48 hours to get your order shipped out. So please don't ask for "2-day service" and expect it two days later. We'd hate for you to be disappointed!

We normally ship orders via US Postal Service (Priority or Express Mail) or UPS (Ground or 2-day Air.) If you have a PO box for US Postal Service deliveries and a street address for UPS, please provide both so we can ensure prompt service.

What does shipping cost?  Shipping costs are based on the value of your order, as follows:

From	To	Standard	Expedited
$0.00	$50.00	$6.95	$26.95
$50.01	$100.00	$9.95	$31.95
$100.01	$150.00	$11.95	$35.95
$150.01	$225.00	$13.95	$39.95
$225.01	$350.00	$16.95	$44.95
$350.01	$500.00	$16.95	$49.95
$500.01	$750.00	$16.95	$54.95
$750.01	And Up	$16.95	$59.95 or actual
Rates apply to shipments to 1 address in the lower 48 states only. Alaska, Hawaii, and military post office orders are not eligible for expedited service, and shipments to multiple addresses or heavy or bulky items may be charged additional freight. In these cases, we will contact you for authorization prior to shipment.

When can I expect my order? As noted above, your order should arrive within 8 business days via standard shipping, or 5 business days via expedited. If you order by check or money order, we will wait until your check clears before shipping.

Can't you get it to me any sooner than that? Your order may arrive a day or two sooner than the quoted commitment. However, we can't guarantee earlier delivery so please plan conservatively.

Why not offer overnight shipping? We used to offer "super expedite" service, including overnight shipping, but stopped for three main reasons:

1. It costs too much We found that overnight shipping costs were prohibitive. Sometimes the shipping would cost more than the item itself! When that kind of thing happened, it just made us feel bad, because it didn't square with our goal of providing great products at a great value.
2. Order fulfillment can't be rushed Order processing and warehouse operations take as long as they take. Trying to force the process to go faster only resulted in errors, rework, and grumpy customers.
3. It's too risky Too many times customers would wait until the last minute to order. No matter what UPS or Fedex may say about "absolutely positively overnight", overnight shipments do get delayed or mis-delivered. When this happened, there was no time left to react, and disappointment, or worse, outright disaster followed.

We didn't like disappointed customers. And we especially didn't like disasters. Neither did our customers. So we no longer offer super expedite shipping.

And we ask you. No, we beg you. Please don't wait until the last minute.

But I can order a book today and receive it in two days. Why not a complete outfit? Books are easy. One size fits all. No accessories. No color matching. Easy to pack and ship. For many reasons, pulling together a complete outfit of authentic victorian clothing just takes a little longer.

But, I'll pay for the overnight shipping on my account We can do that. If you already have a Fedex or UPS account, we can use it to ship using a faster service. However, we still must allow for 48 hours for order fulfillment, meaning the earliest you would see it is in two to three days.

You guys at Gentleman's Emporium don't seem like you're trying very hard... On the contrary! Our satisfied customers will tell you that we work very hard to make sure everything works out just right for your needs. Sizing, color choices, and period-appropriate detail - we're here to help. We are absolutely focused on meeting our commitments to you: quality, value, and on-time delivery.

Our bottom line on shipping is this: we want to be absolutely sure you'll get your package when we say it'll be there, and we're very focused on meeting our commitments. Not 90% of the time, not 95% of the time, but every time.

By clearly laying out what we can and can't guarantee, you can make an informed decision that puts you in control of when your order will arrive.

What if I need special arrangements? What if I need it to arrive no sooner than a specific date? If you need something by a particular date, please let us know by indicating in the special instructions section on the order form, or by speaking with us directly . We do all sorts of special handling of orders, and we're glad to defer shipping it until a later date if you won't be at home to receive it.

What if the item is out of stock? Occasionally, certain items in your order may be backordered or discontinued. If that happens, we'll let you know right away by email, and also tell you when we expect more in, or offer you available alternatives.

Will my order be acknowledged? Yes. After you place your order online, you will receive an email confirming your order. Phone orders will also receive an acknowledgement if you provide us your email address. If you notice any errors in your order (mailing address, items ordered, etc.) please contact us immediately so we may correct it before we process your order.

Will I be charged sales taxes? Our parent company, Historical Emporium, is a California Corporation, so any shipment to a California address will be charged California sales tax.

Can my order be shipped to an international address? Yes, in certain instances. Please see below for information on international orders.

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International Order Processing and Shipping

The following information relates to international orders and shipments. Please click here for information on domestic orders.

At present, our website is programmed to accept credit card orders shipping to the US, Canada, and parts of Europe and Australasia. The list of countries we ship to is as follows:

Australia	Austria	Belgium
Canada	Denmark	Estonia
Finland	France	Germany
Iceland	Ireland	Italy
Latvia	Lithuania	Luxembourg
Netherlands	New Zealand	Norway
Portugal	Spain	Sweden
Switzerland	United Kingdom

In certain cases, we can ship to other countries in Europe and the Pacific rim. However, our international shipping capabilities are limited, and doing so is solely at our discretion.

If you are in a country that is not listed and are interested in ordering, please email us using our contact form, describing in general which products you would like to order and what country you're writing from. We will reply with emailed instructions regarding next steps.

What does international shipping cost?  International shipping costs are based on the value of your order, as follows:

From	To	International
$0.00	$50.00	$26.95
$50.01	$100.00	$31.95
$100.01	$150.00	$35.95
$150.01	$225.00	$39.95
$225.01	$350.00	$44.95
$350.01	$500.00	$49.95
$500.01	$750.00	$54.95
$750.01	And Up	$59.95 or actual
Rates apply to a single box shipping to a single address. Multiple-box orders or heavy / bulky items may be charged additional freight. In these cases, we will contact you for authorization prior to shipment.

Canada Orders All orders shipping outside the US will be charged the international shipping rates listed above.

How will my order ship? We ship all international orders via US Postal Service Global Priority Mail, which is a reliable package service. Typically, the package will be handed off through customs and delivered locally by your nation's postal service. We will provide you with the USPS tracking number to allow you to track the package. Please be sure that your email address is correct so that we may send the order and shipping confirmations.

When can I expect my order? Canada orders should arrive within 2 - 4 weeks. For other countries, please allow 3-6 weeks. If you pay by cashier's check or money order, we will wait until your check clears before shipping. Please note: we do not accept personal checks.

When will my order ship? We stock in multiple locations in the US, but only one of our warehouses can ship internationally. This means that some international orders will experience a one-week delay as we consolidate the order in our international depot. Our 3-5 week estimate (Canada 2-4 week) includes this consolidation time.

Can't you get it to me any sooner than that? Your order may arrive sooner than the quoted commitment. Shipping times vary widely, depending on whether the order needs to be consolidated, and the speed of the customs office in your country. During holiday periods shipping times stretch out to the upper end of the ranges. To make sure your package arrives on time, please plan conservatively.

Address and Identity Verification International orders may be subject to review by our finance department to validate your identity, confirm shipping address, etc. If we are unable to confirm your shipping address by contacting your bank, we may contact you by email requesting additional information to verify your identity as the authorized account holder.

Customs, import fees, VAT, etc. Your order will likely be charged customs fees (taxes, duties, processing fees, brokerage fees, etc.) when it arrives. Unfortunately, we have no control over these fees. If you are not familiar with the customs fees in your country, please check with your local customs office for more information.

The shipping charges you pay to us DO NOT include customs fees, import taxes, brokerage fees, or duties. If you refuse to pay the customs fees when your order arrives, the shipment will be returned to us and we will be charged the customs fees plus return shipping costs. Therefore, we do not issue refunds for customs fees, shipping, or the cost of your order if you refuse to pay the customs fees.

We have no way of estimating customs fees, taxes, duties, etc. so please do not ask us to do so - we don't have this information. Please contact your local customs office if you need to know more.

It is possible that the delivery of your order could be delayed due to customs processing. If your order does not arrive in a reasonable amount of time, you should check with your local customs office to see if they are holding the package for payment of fees. Also, some customs offices will send a separate invoice for your customs fees that could arrive several weeks after you receive your shipment.

In short, please make sure you are familiar with your country's customs process and fee structure before you order - so you know what to expect.

Other questions? If you have questions that are not answered here, please contact us and we will do our best to help.