Terms of service

Welcome to The Black Thorn & Ember. By accessing or using our website, browsing our products, or placing an order, you agree to these Terms of Service. Please read them carefully before using our website or making a purchase.

General Information

The Black Thorn & Ember is an independent bookstore and retail shop offering curated books, literary merchandise, reading accessories, memberships, and related products.

We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms of Service from time to time. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised effective date, where appropriate. Changes will apply as permitted by applicable law.

Products & Availability

We make reasonable efforts to display product descriptions, images, prices, and other details accurately. However, product images may vary slightly from the actual item, and errors or inaccuracies may occasionally occur.

Many of our products are curated, limited in quantity, or available for a limited time. All products are subject to availability.

We reserve the right to correct listing or pricing errors, update product information, limit quantities, or discontinue products. If an error affects an order that has already been placed, we may contact you to discuss the available options or cancel the affected order and issue an applicable refund.

Orders & Payment

By placing an order, you confirm that the information you provide is accurate and complete and that you are authorized to use the payment method submitted.

An order confirmation acknowledges that we have received your order; it does not guarantee acceptance or fulfillment. We reserve the right to refuse, limit, or cancel an order when reasonably necessary, including when we suspect fraud, unauthorized payment activity, a pricing or listing error, or an inventory issue.

If an order is canceled after payment has been collected, any applicable refund will be processed to the original payment method, subject to applicable law and payment-provider procedures.

You are responsible for reviewing your order details, including product selections, quantities, shipping address, and applicable charges, before completing checkout.

Pricing & Taxes

Prices are displayed in the currency indicated at checkout and may change without notice. The price charged for an order will generally be the price displayed at checkout when the order is submitted, subject to correction of errors and applicable law.

Applicable taxes and shipping charges will be displayed at checkout where required.

Shipping & Delivery

Orders are typically processed within the time stated in our Shipping Policy or on the applicable product listing. Processing and delivery estimates are not guarantees, and timing may vary because of holidays, preorder availability, weather, carrier delays, or other circumstances.

Once a package has been transferred to the shipping carrier, delivery is handled by that carrier. Although we cannot control carrier operations, we will make reasonable efforts to assist customers with shipping concerns.

Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address. Additional shipping charges may apply if a returned package needs to be shipped again.

Please review our Shipping Policy for additional information about processing times, shipping rates, tracking, and undeliverable packages.

Nothing in these Terms limits any rights or remedies you may have under applicable law.

Returns & Refunds

Our return, exchange, and refund procedures are described in our separate Return & Refund Policy, which forms part of these Terms of Service.

Please review that policy before placing an order. Nothing in our policies excludes rights or remedies that cannot legally be excluded.

Memberships & Subscriptions

Certain products or memberships may be offered on a recurring or subscription basis. Applicable billing frequency, membership benefits, renewal terms, eligibility requirements, and cancellation procedures will be described in the relevant product listing or membership terms.

By purchasing a recurring membership or subscription, you authorize the applicable recurring charges in accordance with the terms disclosed at checkout. Please review the applicable membership terms for information about renewals, cancellations, benefits, and any eligibility requirements.

Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise indicated, the content created for and displayed on this website—including our original branding, logos, graphics, photography, written content, and designs—is owned by or used with permission by The Black Thorn & Ember.

You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, modify, or commercially use our original content without prior written permission, except where permitted by law.

Third-party trademarks, book covers, author names, and other copyrighted materials remain the property of their respective owners.

Website Use

You agree not to misuse our website, interfere with its operation, attempt unauthorized access, submit false information, or use the site for unlawful or fraudulent purposes.

We reserve the right to restrict or suspend access when reasonably necessary to protect our website, business, customers, or systems.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, The Black Thorn & Ember will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from the use of our website or products purchased through it.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability or consumer rights that cannot legally be excluded or limited.

Third-Party Services & Links

Our website may use or link to third-party services, including payment processors, shipping providers, and other external websites. These services may be subject to their own terms and privacy policies.

We are not responsible for the content or policies of external websites that we do not control.

Governing Law

These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the State of Rhode Island, without regard to conflict-of-law principles, except where applicable law requires otherwise.

Any dispute will be subject to the jurisdiction and venue permitted by applicable law.

Changes to These Terms

We may revise these Terms of Service as our business, products, or legal obligations change. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised effective date, where appropriate.