Shipping Policy

1.1 This section applies to items purchased from SDS EUROPE LTD via sds.net. We ship to valid addresses within the United Kingdom. International shipping may be offered at checkout at our discretion and is subject to additional carriage fees, customs duties, and courier restrictions.

2 Outbound Orders: Carriers, Rates, and Free Shipping
2.1 UK orders are delivered using Royal Mail (Tracked 48 and Tracked 24) and DPD Express. International orders are fulfilled via DPD, Royal Mail, UPS, or direct courier services.
2.2 Shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on weight, destination, and parcel value. UK retail orders with a total purchase value of £50 or more qualify for free standard shipping options.
2.3 Estimated delivery times shown at checkout are indicative only. Delivery delays outside our control may occur due to weather disruptions, carrier operational backlogs, or customs processing.

3 Outbound Orders: Processing and Dispatch Cut-Offs
3.1 Orders placed Monday through Friday before 4:00 PM GMT/BST are guaranteed to dispatch within 1 business day, with the vast majority dispatching the same day.
3.2 Any orders placed after 4:00 PM on Friday or over the weekend will dispatch on the next available business day.
3.3 Dispatches do not occur on weekends or UK Bank Holidays. Processing times may also be extended during peak promotional periods or extreme weather events.

4 Outbound Orders: Risk, Title, and Default Insurance
4.1 Risk of loss, theft, or physical damage passes to you immediately upon successful delivery scan by the carrier at your designated address (i.e., once our carrier marks the parcel as delivered).
4.2 Legal title to the goods passes to you only upon physical delivery and receipt of cleared full payment.
4.3 Outbound parcels include standard carrier insurance cover up to £75 unless an optional higher insurance upgrade is selected and paid for at checkout.

5 Outbound Orders: Transit Damage, Delays, and Lost Parcels
5.1 If an order arrives damaged, incomplete, or missing items, you must notify SDS within 48 hours of the delivery scan via sds.net/account, providing photos of the outer carton, inner packaging, and damage.
5.2 If tracking shows no updates for 7 consecutive days, contact us so we can open a formal carrier search. Carriers require standard investigation windows (typically 10 working days for UK orders and 30 working days for international orders) before declaring a parcel lost.
5.3 If your package is lost or damaged in transit, we will work directly with you to file a claim with the carrier on your behalf. We are committed to helping you reach a fair resolution, which may include a replacement, repair, or refund once the carrier's investigation is complete.

6 Outbound Orders: Address Accuracy and Failed Deliveries
6.1 You are responsible for providing a correct and complete delivery address at checkout. SDS is not liable for lost or delayed shipments resulting from incorrect address details.
6.2 If a parcel is returned to our hub due to an incorrect address or failure to collect from a pickup point, we can reship it to a corrected address; additional shipping fees will apply.

7 Outbound Orders: Customs, Duties, and Restricted Goods
7.1 Import duties, sales taxes, clearance fees, and regional entry taxes are the sole responsibility of the buyer and are not included in the item price or shipping cost.
7.2 SDS operates strictly under international customs laws. We cannot under-declare order values or mark commercial shipments as gifts.
7.3 Products subject to air freight safety restrictions (such as standalone lithium-ion batteries or specific optical items) may be cancelled and refunded if we cannot legally ship them to your destination.

8 Inbound Trade-In Shipping (Selling to SDS)
8.1 Trade-in quotes valued at £25 or more include a free prepaid, insured collection or drop-off shipping label provided by SDS.
8.2 Trade-in quotes valued under £25 do not include a free shipping label; postage and shipping insurance to our hub are arranged and paid entirely at the seller's expense.
8.3 Equipment returned to you following a declined revised quote or failed inspection is always shipped back to your UK address free of charge by SDS. However, we reserve the right not to return any unquoted items included in your shipment, as these items have no record on our system.