This Shipping and Delivery Policy explains how buyers and sellers arrange the shipment, delivery, insurance, and receipt of items purchased through the KOTLYARS international marketplace and auction platform.
KOTLYARS provides a marketplace where buyers and sellers arrange delivery directly. Unless expressly stated otherwise, KOTLYARS is not the seller, carrier, freight forwarder, insurer, or a party to the shipping contract.
This Policy supplements the Terms and Conditions, Buyer Terms, Seller Terms, Auction Rules, Returns and Refunds Policy, and other applicable KOTLYARS policies. Mandatory legal requirements always prevail where applicable.
- Application of This Policy. This Policy applies to fixed-price transactions, online auctions, and all other deliveries arranged through the KOTLYARS platform. Where mandatory law or more favourable contractual terms apply, those provisions prevail.
- Role of KOTLYARS. KOTLYARS provides a digital marketplace that enables buyers and sellers to arrange delivery directly. Unless expressly agreed otherwise, KOTLYARS does not transport goods, provide freight services, insure shipments, or receive payment for either items or delivery services.
- Responsible Parties. Sellers are responsible for accurately describing items, preparing shipments, packaging goods appropriately, providing required documentation, and delivering parcels to the agreed carrier on time. Buyers are responsible for supplying accurate delivery information, remaining available to receive shipments, providing any required import documentation, and collecting deliveries where applicable.
- Availability and Restrictions. Before concluding a transaction, sellers should clearly identify the countries and regions to which delivery is available together with any shipping restrictions, estimated delivery times, or carrier limitations. Delivery may be restricted by applicable law, sanctions, insurance limitations, security requirements, or carrier policies.
- Delivery Costs. Buyers and sellers should agree before shipment upon all delivery-related costs, including shipping, packaging, insurance, handling, customs charges where applicable, and any optional services. Traders selling to Consumers should clearly disclose the total cost together with any optional charges requiring separate consent.
- Agreeing the Delivery Method. Before dispatch, the parties should agree upon the carrier, shipping service, delivery address, estimated delivery date, insurance coverage, declared value, signature requirements, and any additional delivery conditions. No contractual arrangement may limit mandatory consumer rights.
- Dispatch Time. Sellers should dispatch items within the period specified in the listing or otherwise agreed with the buyer. Where no dispatch period has been agreed and mandatory consumer legislation applies, delivery should occur within the legally required timeframe. Sellers should promptly notify buyers of any circumstances that may delay shipment.
- Packaging. Items must be packaged appropriately according to their value, weight, fragility, destination, shipping route, and the requirements of the selected carrier or insurer. Packaging should protect against impact, moisture, tampering, and internal movement while avoiding unnecessary external markings that reveal valuable contents.
- Valuable and Unique Items. Gemstones, jewellery, watches, artwork, collectibles, and other high-value items should be shipped using professional carriers offering tracking, declared value, insurance, and secure chain-of-custody procedures. Sellers should document serial numbers, condition, weight, included accessories, seals, certificates, and supporting documentation before shipment.
- Carrier and Insurance. The party arranging shipment should ensure that the selected carrier accepts the relevant item category and that insurance adequately covers the declared value throughout the intended transport route. Any carrier liability limitations or insurance exclusions should be communicated before dispatch.
- Tracking and Proof of Delivery. After dispatch, sellers should provide buyers with the tracking number, shipping date, carrier details, and estimated delivery date where available. For valuable items, signature-on-delivery, recipient identity verification, and secure hand-to-hand delivery are strongly recommended.
- Address and Rerouting. Buyers should carefully verify recipient names, addresses, postal codes, contact numbers, and delivery instructions before shipment. Requests to change the delivery address after dispatch should only be accepted following appropriate verification by both the responsible party and the carrier. Sellers should not redirect valuable shipments based solely upon unverified communications.
- Delivery Time and Delay. Carrier transit times are estimates unless an express delivery guarantee has been agreed. Buyers and sellers should cooperate reasonably when delays occur. Where mandatory consumer legislation applies, Consumers may exercise the remedies available under applicable law if delivery is not completed within the required timeframe.
- Passing of Risk. The transfer of risk for loss or damage depends upon the applicable sales agreement and mandatory legislation. Where Traders sell to Consumers, risk generally transfers when the buyer or an authorised recipient takes physical possession of the item. Different rules may apply where buyers independently select a carrier or where commercial transactions are involved.
- Receipt and Inspection. Upon delivery, buyers should inspect packages for visible damage, tampering, shortages, or irregularities whenever reasonably possible. Any concerns should be documented immediately with photographs or video and reported promptly to the seller. Acceptance of a shipment does not remove mandatory legal rights concerning hidden defects or lack of conformity.
- Damage, Loss or Shortage. Where goods are damaged, lost, or incomplete during shipment, buyers should retain all packaging materials, shipping labels, photographs, videos, and supporting evidence. Both parties should cooperate with any carrier investigation or insurance claim. Where applicable law places responsibility upon the seller, that responsibility cannot be avoided solely by referring buyers to the carrier.
- International Delivery and Customs. Sellers remain responsible for preparing accurate customs declarations, commodity descriptions, values, origin information, export documentation, permits, and any other legally required documents. Buyers remain responsible for import duties, taxes, customs charges, brokerage fees, and compliance with destination-country import requirements unless otherwise agreed.
- Prohibited and Regulated Shipments. Items prohibited by applicable law, sanctions, carrier policies, or the KOTLYARS Prohibited Items Policy must not be shipped. Precious metals, gemstones, cultural property, antiques, protected species materials, and other regulated goods may require export licences, import permits, customs declarations, certificates, or other supporting documentation before shipment.
- Failed Delivery and Return to Sender. Where delivery fails because of an incorrect address, recipient unavailability, failure to complete customs formalities, or failure to collect a shipment, additional costs should be allocated according to the agreement between the parties and applicable law. Sellers should notify buyers promptly when shipments are returned and should not redispatch goods or retain funds without a transparent and lawful basis.
- Records, Claims and Contact. Buyers and sellers should retain transaction records, invoices, shipping receipts, tracking information, insurance documentation, customs records, packing photographs, proof of delivery, and related correspondence. Parties should first attempt to resolve delivery disputes directly. KOTLYARS may facilitate communication or review compliance with marketplace rules but is not required to issue legally binding determinations. Questions and reports may be submitted through the Contact page.
Core Delivery Principle. Before any shipment is dispatched, buyers and sellers should clearly agree upon the delivery method, shipping costs, insurance coverage, responsibility for customs charges, and expected delivery timeframe. Sellers remain responsible for appropriate packaging and proper handover to the selected carrier, while mandatory consumer rights continue to apply regardless of the carrier's contractual terms.
By completing transactions through the KOTLYARS platform, buyers and sellers acknowledge that shipping arrangements are made directly between the contracting parties and agree to comply with this Shipping and Delivery Policy together with all other applicable KOTLYARS marketplace policies.