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FAQ
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Who is the Pigeon?The Pigeon resides in a little village in Wiltshire in the glorious Cotswolds. The Pigeon loves rummaging in secondhand book shops, vintage shops and flea markets for interesting books and tit-bits. The Pigeon has a passion for books and history, and enjoys curating a unique reading experience for people. The Pigeon is happiest when curling up with a good book and a cup of tea.
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What genres does Pigeon Post stock?The Pigeon selects books from an eclectic range of genres, predominantly from twentieth-century fiction. Genres might include classic, crime, horror, children's, historical, suspense, supernatural, thriller, science fiction, drama, adventure, comedy. Occasionally non-fiction paperback books may also be stocked.
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What sort of surprise treats will I receive with my book?Each 'Fledgling' and 'Bird in the Hand' Pigeon Post is unique and is curated with a vintage paperback, intriguing curios, ephemera, or beautiful stationery. These surprise treats are thoughtfully selected and have a connection with the book, time period or author. Each Pigeon Post will therefore vary - both from the examples shown on the website and from parcels you may have received previously.
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What condition will the books and other treats be in?All the paperback books are vintage and the majority of them will have been pre-owned and pre-loved, which is part of their charm. The Pigeon only selects books which are in good reading condition, and which she would be personally happy to read and grace her own bookshelf. Given their age the spine may show signs of creasing, and the cover and corners may have signs of wear. All the pages and the cover will be intact. You may discover a previous owner has written their name or details on the inside, or there may be an inscription from a previous gift-giver. But this connection with the past often brings a smile to the Pigeon's face. The Pigeon likes to imagine who has previously owned the book and what sort of journey it has been on.
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What language will the book be in?All the books are in English.
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How will my Pigeon Post be packaged?Part of the pleasure in receiving a Pigeon Post is opening your package to discover a uniquely curated set of gift-wrapped items. The outer packaging is a either a sturdy cardboard or padded envelope. The contents may be wrapped in vintage paper or fabric; paper featuring a theme or colour relating to the book; or perhaps iconic brown paper, tied up with string! This makes a wonderful treat for you, or you can confidently send a Pigeon Post directly to a gift recipient with the knowledge that they will receive a beautifully wrapped present. In keeping with the ethos of Pigeon Post, I hope you can recycle or creatively make use of the packaging you receive.
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How to you define vintage?For a book to be considered 'vintage', it will be at least twenty years old.
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Which payment methods do you accept?Payment can be made using any of these methods: a) debit card b) credit card c) offline via cheque or cash If you are paying in person by cheque or cash, please note that the item will be dispatched upon receipt of cash or upon the cheque successfully clearing. For monthly subscriptions you will be charged on the day you sign up. Anyone involved with the processing, transmission, or storage of card data must comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). Pigeon Post uses Stripe as our Payment Provider for online purchases. Stripe has been audited by an independent PCI Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) and is certified as a PCI Level 1 Service Provider. Pigeon Post will never see (or have access to) your card data.
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When will I receive my Pigeon Post?We aim to dispatch Pigeon Posts within 3 working days after payment is received. Pigeon Post orders are dispatched by Royal Mail 2nd class. For UK recipients, please allow 2-3 working days for delivery after dispatch. Pigeon Post international orders are dispatched by Royal Mail International Standard delivery (formerly 'Airmail'). For Europe, please allow 5 working days. For the rest of the world, please allow 7 working days after dispatch. The Pigeon aims to dispatch monthly subscriptions on the first working day of each month.
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Is Pigeon Post letterbox-friendly?In the UK, unless you have a non-standard (or hobbit-sized!) letterbox, it is most likely that your Pigeon Post will fit through your letterbox and land satisfyingly on your doormat. If for some reason it doesn't fit through your letterbox, and you are not at home, then your friendly postie will take it to your local Royal Mail depot. They will leave a card explaining when and from where it can be collected, or how to rearrange delivery.
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How much is postage?Each Pigeon Post is sent out by standard second-class mail. For UK orders a standard fee of £2.50 is added which covers gift-wrapping, postage and packaging. If you live elsewhere in the world, as a rough guide postage generally costs between £6-£15, depending on the destination country. Please note you may also be required to pay an import tax or duty depending on the import rules of your country.
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Which countries does the Pigeon ship to?The Pigeon likes to fly and is happy to ship internationally. If your destination country is not available at check-out, please contact the Pigeon.
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Can I return or exchange a book?Unless a book is damaged in transit (as set out in the Terms and Conditions) then unfortunately it is not possible to return or exchange a book. The nature of Pigeon Post subscriptions is that you receive a surprise book handpicked by the Pigeon. Even if it is a book that you might not have chosen for yourself, I hope that reading it will prove a pleasure, especially when combined with the vintage treats that are connected with the book.
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What if I already own or have read the book I receive?Well, in that case, you could say the Pigeon has actually made an insightful selection for you! It might be time for a re-read of an old favourite...perhaps you borrowed a modern edition from the library...this vintage edition may have different illustrations or a more interesting cover...or perhaps you can share the love and 'pay it forward' by gifting the book to someone else. Either way, the Pigeon hopes that reading this particular vintage edition will prove a pleasure, especially when combined with the vintage treats that are connected with the book.
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What if I don't like the book I receive?One of the joys of reading is discovering new authors, titles and genres. Not everyone enjoys reading the same book (anyone who has joined a book club can vouch for that!). So the Pigeon can't guarantee that the book will make your list of all-time favourites, although she really hopes it will! Above all, the Pigeon hopes the recipient to enjoy the experience of reading a book curated with unique vintage treats.
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Can I request a specific book if it is not listed on the website?If you are after a particular book and cannot see it listed on the website, then please contact the Pigeon in case she has one in stock. If not, for a small additional fee, the Pigeon will do her utmost to source the book for you.
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Can Pigeon Post include a gift note?Yes! If you are buying Pigeon Post as a gift we will gladly include your personal message handwritten on a card. For gift subscriptions, we can also send a complimentary card to the recipient advising them of their forthcoming gift. Please include details in the 'Seller Note' section at the checkout, or feel free to contact the Pigeon directly with any special requests.
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