Answers to the questions we hear most, especially from customers ordering an imported, handmade item for the first time. For the full policy language, see Shipping & Returns.
Nothing sits in a warehouse waiting to be sold. When you place an order, we pass it directly to the bottega in Italy that makes that piece, and they make and ship it to you from their own workshop. That's why production and shipping take some real time, and why your item comes straight from the people who made it rather than from us.
If your order includes pieces from more than one bottega, each workshop ships its own items separately, directly from Italy. You'll get a separate shipping confirmation and tracking number for each one, and they may not arrive on the same day.
Most items ship within a few business days of your order, then take another 5 to 8 business days in transit once they're on their way. Because many pieces are made to order rather than pulled from stock, some may take longer to produce, and that will be noted on the product page if so.
Not yet. We currently ship to US addresses only. If you're elsewhere and interested in ordering, reach out through our contact form and we'll see what we can do.
If you haven't ordered something shipped directly from another country before, this is the part that tends to catch people off guard. Here's exactly what to expect and why.
Every order on Bottega Del Vecchio ships directly from Italy, and as of a 2025 US policy change, low-value imports are no longer exempt from customs duties the way they used to be. That means US customs duties or taxes can apply to your order regardless of its size, and they're collected by the delivery courier when your package arrives, not by us at checkout. This isn't something we add on. It's a separate charge from the US government, and it's the same thing that would happen with any package mailed to you from Italy, not just ours.
We can't tell you an exact number in advance. The amount depends on how the item is classified for customs purposes and where it's being delivered, and that assessment happens on the courier's end, not ours. What we can tell you is that it's calculated as a percentage of the item's value, so a $50 wallet and a $500 briefcase won't carry the same duty amount.
The courier delivering your package, not Bottega Del Vecchio. Depending on the courier, you may be asked to pay before they'll release the package, or they may bill you separately after delivery. This happens outside our checkout entirely, so we don't have visibility into the exact timing either. It's worth knowing this is coming so it doesn't catch you by surprise at the door.
Not currently. Because the exemption that used to cover low-value packages was suspended for all countries, there's no order size or item price that avoids this. It applies the same way whether you're ordering one small item or several.
Once per shipment. If your order includes pieces from more than one bottega, each one ships and clears customs separately, so each package is assessed on its own rather than as one combined total.
If a single shipment from one bottega is valued over $2,500, whether that's one high-value piece or several items from the same workshop, US Customs requires a more formal entry process than smaller packages go through. That can mean additional paperwork and time before delivery. It's uncommon, but worth knowing if you're placing a larger order.
Because each piece is individually commissioned and handcrafted specifically for you in Italy—rather than pulled from a warehouse shelf—and exported under official EU customs declarations, our artisan workshops cannot accept return shipments once items depart the European Union. Consequently, orders are final sale once crafting begins.
If you have any questions regarding dimensions, leather textures, or colorways, please reach out via our contact form prior to ordering—we are delighted to consult directly with the master artisans to ensure your selection is perfect.
You are completely protected by our 100% Transit & Authenticity Guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged during international transit, exhibits a defect in craftsmanship, or is not the item you commissioned, simply notify us within 7 days of delivery with photos of the item and packaging. We will promptly coordinate a complimentary replacement or 100% refund at zero cost to you.
Yes. Every workshop we work with makes what they sell themselves, and every product page names the bottega and the town it came from. If we can't verify who's actually making a piece, it doesn't get listed.
We speak with each one directly before listing anything from them. It's a real conversation about who they are and how they work, not a form they fill out or a document we check off. See How We Vet for more.
Yes. Checkout is processed through Square, the same payment processor used by a large share of US retailers, and we never see or store your card details ourselves.
Reach us through our contact form and we'll get back to you directly.
