Terms of business

Payment options

You can choose to pay by bank transfer, sometimes known as paying by pro-forma invoice. In this case we will send you an email containing instructions for making the payment – your goods will be reserved for up to 14 days and shipped immediately once we receive your payment. Please note that, when using this method of payment, it is important that you ensure that all associated bank charges are paid by you, since we are unable to release goods if charges are deducted from your payment, which sometimes happens on international bank transactions.

Alternatively, you can pay for your order using most credit or debit cards. In order to ensure fast and successful processing of your payment, please make sure that you provide all of the requested information. Whilst we may request authorisation for the transaction straight away, we will not actually charge your card until our security checks have been completed and the goods are being prepped for shipping. Your card will be charged in the currency that you chose when ordering, provided it is possible to do so.

Multi-currency operation

We offer multi-currency ordering in US Dollars, Euros and British Pounds. When it comes to ordering and paying for your goods, we will use your chosen currency. You will be charged the exact amount shown without any currency conversion, unless your chosen payment method prevents us from using your preferred currency, in which case your card will be charged the exact equivalent in British Pounds. You can change the currency at any time, up to the point when you confirm your order.

Quantity pricing

We offer competitive quantity pricing discounts on many product lines, and these are applied automatically to your quotations. If you require pricing for large quantities, please contact us directly to discuss your requirements.

Shipping options

We typically offer three shipping options to most destinations worldwide: Standard or Express, or the ability for you to use your own courier account, for example with FedEx or DHL, in which case we do not charge a shipping fee. Depending on the destination, Standard shipping will usually be via regular mail or airmail. Express shipping will be via courier, priority mail or express airmail, depending on the package weight and destination.

Subject to order cut-off times, we will use reasonable endeavours to ship all Express orders placed Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) on the same day, provided that no additional security checks are required and all products are in stock. The cut-off time for Express orders is 3pm UK time for deliveries to the UK, and normally 11am UK time to all other destinations. Orders received after this time will be processed and prioritised for the next day.

In no event shall we be liable for any losses incurred due to delay in delivery. We will calculate the approximate total weight of your order and will base the shipping cost on that.

Tax and duty

Value Added Sales Tax

Our business is based in the UK and as such we have to comply with UK and EU VAT requirements. Depending on the country to which we are delivering the goods, your order will be dealt with as follows:

Orders delivered to the UK

We always charge VAT at the prevailing UK rate on your total order value. We provide a VAT invoice with your goods, which you can use to reclaim the VAT if appropriate.

Orders delivered within Europe

We normally charge VAT at the prevailing UK rate on your total order value. We provide a VAT invoice with your goods, which you can use to reclaim the VAT if appropriate. Alternatively, if you contact us prior to placing an order, and can provide a verifiable EU VAT code, we may agree to ‘zero-rate’ your transaction so that you don’t need to reclaim the tax.

Orders delivered outside the European Union, including to the USA

We do not charge VAT on your order.

Customs duty

If your order is shipped outside of the EU, it will be subject to the usual international rules on customs duty, and, depending on the destination, the value, and type of products, you may have to pay import duty before being able to take delivery of your goods. Note that this is an additional cost that you must bear as an importer. In some cases the courier may pay these charges on your behalf and then pass the charges on to us. In this situation we reserve the right to charge any customs duties or local sales taxes incurred in this manner back to you. We do not charge a fee for this service. Smartcard Focus cannot offer advice on tariffs or whether you will be liable in any particular instance. However, we will always endeavour to provide all necessary documentation to accompany your package, and have many years of trouble-free experience in shipping international orders.

Returns and cancellations

If an item is incorrect, damaged, faulty or develops a fault during the warranty period provided by the manufacturer, we will, at our option, replace, repair or refund the purchase price of the item, so long as the warranty conditions are met. To return an item please inform us via email first, quoting your original order number and order date, and we will then advise you by return email what steps to take. For items correctly supplied, returned in perfect condition, there will be a 20% re-stocking fee payable.

In compliance with the UK’s Distance Selling Regulations, end user consumers have the right to cancel the contract for purchase of goods from us within 7 days of the date of delivery. This applies to all products except the non-cancellable contract items mentioned below.

We cannot accept cancellations of contracts for the purchase of bespoke goods, or for software products where the item has been opened or where serial numbers have been issued, or for the return of recordable media such as smartcards.

To cancel your contract, please first inform us via email that you intend to do so, quoting your original order number and order date. We will then advise you by return email whether we accept your cancellation, and provide you with details of how and where to return your goods. Please note that you will be responsible for the costs of returning the goods to us, unless we delivered the item to you in error or the item is faulty.