Terms of service

TERMS OF SERVICE

Last Updated: May 15, 2026

Welcome to Ch’ien. Please read these Terms of Service carefully before accessing, browsing, using, or purchasing from our website.

By visiting this website, using any part of the website, contacting Ch’ien, placing an order, creating an account, submitting payment information, or purchasing any item from Ch’ien, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service, our Return Policy, Shipping Policy, Privacy Policy, Legal Disclaimer & Terms of Sale, and any other policies posted on this website.

If you do not agree to these Terms of Service, you should not use this website or purchase from Ch’ien.

For questions, contact:
chien@becomethecreative.com

1. OVERVIEW

Ch’ien is a curated retail shop built around clothing, home, lifestyle, personal taste, writing, and ongoing curation. Ch’ien may offer clothing, accessories, home goods, lifestyle pieces, vintage goods, pre-owned items, personally curated pieces, personally worn items, limited inventory, one-of-one items, and other sourced products.

Many items sold by Ch’ien are vintage, pre-owned, sourced, limited quantity, personally curated, personally worn, previously handled, or otherwise difficult or impossible to replace. By shopping with Ch’ien, you understand that our inventory may differ from traditional mass retail inventory and that each item should be reviewed carefully before purchase.

2. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS

By using this website or placing an order, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms of Service and all other policies posted by Ch’ien.

These Terms apply to all customers, visitors, browsers, vendors, suppliers, merchants, and others who access or use the website.

Ch’ien reserves the right to update, change, replace, or modify any part of these Terms of Service at any time by posting updates to the website. It is your responsibility to review these Terms before purchasing. Continued use of the website after updates are posted means you accept the updated Terms.

3. ONLINE STORE TERMS

By agreeing to these Terms of Service, you represent that you are at least the age of majority in your state, province, or place of residence, or that you have permission from a parent or legal guardian to use this website and make purchases.

You may not use this website, Ch’ien’s products, Ch’ien’s content, or Ch’ien’s services for any unlawful, fraudulent, abusive, deceptive, or unauthorized purpose.

You agree not to interfere with the website, attempt to compromise website security, misuse checkout, submit false information, use stolen payment information, engage in fraudulent activity, or violate any applicable laws or regulations.

4. GENERAL CONDITIONS

Ch’ien reserves the right to refuse service, cancel orders, limit purchases, restrict access, or decline transactions for any lawful reason, including but not limited to suspected fraud, payment risk, abusive communication, chargeback history, inaccurate information, inventory issues, pricing errors, condition concerns, shipping concerns, or violation of these Terms.

You agree not to reproduce, copy, sell, resell, duplicate, exploit, or misuse any portion of the website, product listings, photography, written copy, branding, graphics, layout, or services without written permission from Ch’ien.

5. PRODUCTS, SOURCING, AND INVENTORY

Ch’ien sources from a variety of channels, including but not limited to independent suppliers, personal collections, vintage markets, pre-owned markets, private sellers, wholesale sources, sourced inventory opportunities, and other third-party channels.

Because our inventory may be one-of-one, limited quantity, vintage, pre-owned, personally curated, personally worn, or otherwise not replaceable, product availability is not guaranteed until an order is accepted, processed, and fulfilled.

Ch’ien may limit quantities, discontinue items, remove listings, revise listings, cancel orders, or refuse sales at any time where necessary due to inventory issues, condition issues, pricing errors, suspected fraud, operational concerns, or other lawful reasons.

6. ITEMS SOLD AS PHOTOGRAPHED, SHOWN, AND DESCRIBED

All items are sold as photographed, shown, and described in the product listing at the time of purchase. Customers are responsible for reviewing all photos, videos, descriptions, measurements, sizing details, condition notes, materials, flaws, signs of wear, and any other information provided before purchasing.

Photos are intended to represent items as clearly and accurately as reasonably possible. However, lighting, camera settings, shadows, angles, screen brightness, monitor calibration, editing compression, and device displays may affect how color, texture, shape, scale, wear, and condition appear.

Minor differences in color, tone, fit, texture, scale, or appearance are not considered material misrepresentation.

7. VINTAGE, PRE-OWNED, SOURCED, AND PERSONALLY CURATED ITEMS

Many Ch’ien items may be vintage, pre-owned, secondhand, deadstock, sourced, personally curated, personally worn, previously handled, previously stored, or otherwise not brand new.

These items may show natural signs of age, use, storage, handling, prior ownership, fading, marks, stains, loose threads, distressing, repairs, alterations, odor, creasing, stretching, pilling, scuffs, scratches, tarnishing, missing tags, replaced components, or other imperfections.

These characteristics are part of the nature of vintage, pre-owned, sourced, personally curated, personally worn, or previously handled goods and are not considered defects when shown in photos, described in the listing, reasonably visible, or reasonably expected based on the type of item sold.

Customers should not expect vintage, pre-owned, sourced, or personally curated items to be in brand-new retail condition unless the listing specifically states that the item is new.

8. PERSONAL WEAR, CURATION, AND CONDITION CHANGES

Part of the essence of Ch’ien is that some pieces may be personally worn, styled, handled, tested, photographed, steamed, cleaned, stored, transported, curated, or lived with before being listed or sold.

Ch’ien is built around a curated world of clothing, home, lifestyle, writing, personal taste, and realignment. Certain items may come from personal use, personal collections, styled shoots, prior ownership, or ongoing curation.

Because of this, an item’s condition may naturally change over time, especially if it is worn, handled, stored, transported, photographed, steamed, cleaned, styled, or otherwise used before purchase. Ch’ien will make reasonable, good-faith efforts to update product listings, photos, descriptions, and condition notes to reflect any known material change in condition before the item is sold.

If an item is purchased and Ch’ien discovers before shipment that the item has been materially damaged, materially altered, materially changed in condition, lost, unavailable, or is no longer consistent with the listing, Ch’ien will contact the customer before fulfillment. In that situation, Ch’ien may offer the customer a refund, cancellation, revised price, store credit, alternate item, or another mutually agreed resolution.

Ch’ien will not knowingly ship an item that has been materially damaged or materially changed from the listing without first making a reasonable effort to contact the customer and resolve the matter in good faith.

9. MEASUREMENTS, SIZING, AND FIT

Sizing may vary significantly between brands, countries, eras, garment types, vintage pieces, prior alterations, and prior wear. Tagged size is provided when available but should not be relied on as the only sizing reference.

Measurements are approximate and may vary slightly depending on how the item is laid flat, measured, constructed, or shaped. Customers are responsible for comparing measurements to an item they already own before purchasing.

Ch’ien does not guarantee that an item will fit, feel, drape, or appear a certain way on every customer. Fit is subjective and depends on body type, proportions, personal preference, garment construction, alterations, layering, and measurement interpretation.

Fit issues, sizing expectations, and personal preference do not qualify as material misrepresentation.

10. AUTHENTICITY, BRANDING, AND THIRD-PARTY MARKS

Ch’ien makes reasonable, good-faith efforts to present items accurately based on the information available to us.

Unless a listing expressly states that an item has been professionally authenticated, verified by the original brand, or accompanied by original proof of purchase, Ch’ien does not represent that third-party authentication has been performed.

Brand names, logos, trademarks, and designer names, when used, are used only to identify, describe, or reference the item being sold.

Ch’ien is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or officially connected to any third-party brand, designer, manufacturer, or trademark owner unless explicitly stated. All trademarks, brand names, and logos remain the property of their respective owners.

If a customer has a question about authenticity, origin, tags, labels, construction, source, or any related matter, they must contact Ch’ien before purchasing. Purchasing without asking questions means the customer accepts the item based on the photos, description, and information provided at the time of sale.

11. PRICES, PRODUCT INFORMATION, AND ERRORS

Ch’ien makes reasonable efforts to ensure product listings, prices, descriptions, photos, measurements, availability, shipping details, and other website information are accurate. However, typographical errors, pricing errors, inventory errors, description errors, photo errors, condition update delays, or other mistakes may occur.

Ch’ien reserves the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions at any time, including after an order has been placed.

Ch’ien reserves the right to cancel, refuse, or modify any order affected by an error, suspected fraud, inventory issue, payment issue, condition issue, or other operational concern.

If an order is canceled by Ch’ien before shipment, the customer will be refunded according to the original payment method where applicable.

12. ORDER ACCEPTANCE

Placing an order does not guarantee acceptance of the order. Ch’ien may accept, decline, cancel, hold, or review an order for lawful reasons, including suspected fraud, payment risk, inventory issues, pricing errors, condition issues, shipping issues, incomplete information, customer verification, or violation of these Terms.

An order may be considered accepted once it has been processed and fulfilled. Ch’ien reserves the right to contact the customer for additional information before fulfillment.

13. PAYMENTS

Customers agree to provide current, complete, and accurate payment and billing information when placing an order.

By submitting payment information, you represent that you are authorized to use the payment method provided and authorize Ch’ien or its payment processor to charge the full order amount, including item price, shipping, taxes, and any applicable fees shown at checkout.

Ch’ien is not responsible for payment processor errors, bank delays, declined payments, authorization holds, card issuer decisions, or third-party payment issues.

14. FRAUD PREVENTION AND VERIFICATION

Ch’ien reserves the right to review, hold, cancel, or refuse any order suspected of fraud, payment risk, chargeback risk, unauthorized activity, resale abuse, abusive communication, or violation of these Terms.

Ch’ien may request additional information to verify an order. Failure to provide requested verification may result in cancellation. Ch’ien is not responsible for delays caused by payment review, fraud prevention, customer verification, or final condition review.

15. CHARGEBACKS AND PAYMENT DISPUTES

Customers agree to contact Ch’ien directly with any order issue before initiating a chargeback or payment dispute.

If a customer files a chargeback or payment dispute, Ch’ien reserves the right to provide the payment processor, bank, or card issuer with order records, tracking information, product photos, listing descriptions, checkout records, communications, policy acknowledgments, delivery confirmation, and any other relevant evidence.

Filing a payment dispute does not override these Terms, the Return Policy, the Shipping Policy, the final sale policy, or the customer’s responsibility to review the listing before purchase.

16. RETURNS, REFUNDS, EXCHANGES, AND CANCELLATIONS

Due to the nature of Ch’ien’s inventory, all sales are final.

Ch’ien does not accept returns, exchanges, cancellations, or refunds once an order has been placed, except where required by law or where an item is materially misrepresented.

A material misrepresentation means the item received is substantially and objectively different from what was photographed or described in the listing at the time of purchase.

The following do not qualify as material misrepresentation:

Buyer’s remorse
Fit issues
Personal preference
Sizing expectations
Minor color differences caused by lighting, photography, editing, or screen settings
Normal signs of vintage, pre-owned, sourced, or personally worn condition
Personally curated or personally worn condition that was shown, described, or reasonably expected
Minor measurement variation
Failure to review all photos, measurements, descriptions, condition notes, and sizing details before purchasing
Natural aging, wear, odor, fading, distressing, or imperfections consistent with sourced, vintage, pre-owned, personally worn, or previously handled goods

Customers should review Ch’ien’s Return Policy before purchasing.

17. SHIPPING AND DELIVERY

Customers should review Ch’ien’s Shipping Policy before purchasing.

Shipping times are estimates and are not guaranteed unless expressly stated in writing. Processing time is separate from carrier transit time.

Ch’ien will make reasonable efforts to ship orders within the timeframe stated on the website, product listing, checkout page, or Shipping Policy.

Delays may occur due to order volume, payment review, final condition review, address issues, carrier delays, weather, holidays, customs, local delivery disruptions, incorrect shipping information, or other events outside Ch’ien’s control.

If Ch’ien determines that an order cannot be shipped within the stated timeframe, Ch’ien may contact the customer with an update, revised shipping date, cancellation option, refund option, store credit option, or another mutually agreed resolution, as required or appropriate under applicable law.

18. ADDRESS ACCURACY

Customers are responsible for entering a complete, accurate, and deliverable shipping address at checkout.

Ch’ien is not responsible for orders shipped to an incorrect, incomplete, outdated, or undeliverable address provided by the customer.

If a customer notices an address error after placing an order, they should contact Ch’ien immediately. Ch’ien will make a reasonable effort to update the address before shipment, but address changes are not guaranteed once an order has been placed, processed, packed, labeled, fulfilled, or transferred to the carrier.

19. LOST, STOLEN, DAMAGED, OR DELAYED PACKAGES

Once an order is transferred to the shipping carrier, delivery timing, carrier scans, tracking updates, transit routes, and final delivery are handled by the carrier.

Ch’ien is not responsible for packages that are lost, stolen, delayed, misdelivered, damaged in transit, or marked as delivered by the carrier after transfer to the carrier, except where required by law or where shipping protection, insurance, or another written agreement applies.

If a package arrives damaged, the customer must keep the packaging, shipping label, item, and all included materials and contact Ch’ien promptly with clear photos.

20. INTERNATIONAL ORDERS, CUSTOMS, DUTIES, AND TAXES

If international shipping is offered, customers are responsible for any customs duties, import taxes, VAT, brokerage fees, carrier fees, tariffs, clearance charges, or other charges required by the destination country.

These charges are not controlled by Ch’ien and may not be included in the item price or shipping cost unless expressly stated at checkout.

Ch’ien is not responsible for customs delays, import restrictions, refused customs fees, abandoned international packages, seizure by customs, or delays caused by international carriers or government agencies.

Customers are responsible for making sure an item can legally be imported into their country before purchasing.

21. CARE, CLEANING, STORAGE, AND USE AFTER DELIVERY

Ch’ien is not responsible for damage, fading, shrinking, bleeding, stretching, tearing, staining, odor, hardware failure, material breakdown, or other issues that occur after delivery due to wear, washing, drying, cleaning, tailoring, storage, misuse, weather exposure, fragrance, smoke, pets, improper care, or normal aging of the item.

Customers are responsible for determining the appropriate cleaning, laundering, storage, and care method for each item.

Vintage and pre-owned items may require special handling. Unless expressly stated, Ch’ien does not guarantee that an item is machine washable, dry-clean safe, waterproof, stain-proof, or suitable for a specific use.

22. ALLERGENS, ODORS, AND PRIOR ENVIRONMENTS

Because many items are sourced from third parties or may come from personal collections, Ch’ien cannot guarantee that any item has never been exposed to pets, smoke, fragrance, storage facilities, cleaning agents, dust, moisture, allergens, or other environmental factors prior to acquisition.

Customers with sensitivities, allergies, or strict condition requirements should contact Ch’ien before purchasing.

23. WEBSITE CONTENT

All website content, including product descriptions, photos, styling language, blog content, editorial content, brand statements, visuals, captions, and written materials, is provided for general informational and commercial purposes only.

Nothing on this website should be interpreted as professional advice, legal advice, financial advice, medical advice, or a guarantee of any specific result.

Ch’ien reserves the right to update, remove, revise, or correct website content at any time without prior notice.

24. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All original Ch’ien branding, logos, photography, product descriptions, written copy, graphics, styling, website layout, editorial language, and creative materials are owned by or licensed to Ch’ien unless otherwise stated.

Customers and visitors may not copy, reproduce, distribute, modify, sell, exploit, or use Ch’ien content for commercial purposes without written permission.

Third-party brand names, logos, and trademarks appearing in product listings remain the property of their respective owners and are used only for identification and description of the item being sold.

25. CUSTOMER CONTENT, REVIEWS, AND SUBMISSIONS

If customers submit reviews, photos, messages, testimonials, tags, comments, feedback, or other content to Ch’ien, they agree that the content is truthful, based on their real experience, and does not violate the rights of any third party.

By submitting content to Ch’ien, customers grant Ch’ien permission to review, display, share, repost, or use that content for business, marketing, website, or social media purposes where permitted by law and platform rules.

Ch’ien does not knowingly publish fake, misleading, or deceptive reviews.

26. THIRD-PARTY TOOLS, LINKS, AND SERVICES

This website may include links, apps, payment processors, shipping tools, embedded features, social media links, analytics tools, or other third-party services.

Ch’ien is not responsible for third-party websites, third-party platforms, third-party policies, third-party service interruptions, third-party errors, or third-party content.

Customers should review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party service they choose to use.

27. PRIVACY

Customer information is handled according to Ch’ien’s Privacy Policy.

By using this website or placing an order, you acknowledge that certain information may be collected, processed, or shared as necessary to operate the website, process orders, collect payment, fulfill shipping, prevent fraud, provide customer service, comply with legal obligations, and conduct normal business operations.

28. PROHIBITED USES

You may not use this website or Ch’ien’s services:

For any unlawful purpose
To solicit others to perform unlawful acts
To violate any laws, rules, or regulations
To infringe upon intellectual property rights
To harass, abuse, insult, harm, defame, slander, intimidate, or discriminate
To submit false or misleading information
To upload or transmit malicious code
To collect or track personal information of others
To spam, phish, pharm, pretext, crawl, scrape, or use automated systems without permission
To interfere with website security or functionality
To commit fraud, payment abuse, chargeback abuse, or unauthorized transactions

Ch’ien reserves the right to terminate access, refuse service, cancel orders, or take appropriate action for prohibited use.

29. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Ch’ien provides this website, its content, and its products on an “as is” and “as available” basis.

Ch’ien does not guarantee that the website will be uninterrupted, secure, timely, error-free, or free from technical issues.

Ch’ien does not guarantee that any product will meet every customer expectation, fit preference, styling preference, personal standard, or subjective condition expectation.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to waive rights that cannot legally be waived.

30. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Ch’ien, its owner, operators, employees, contractors, affiliates, suppliers, and representatives shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, punitive, or exemplary damages arising out of or relating to website use, product purchase, inability to use an item, shipping delay, lost package, incorrect sizing, customer expectations, third-party carrier issue, payment dispute, product availability issue, condition change, or any other matter connected to normal business operations.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Ch’ien’s total liability for any claim shall not exceed the amount paid by the customer for the specific item giving rise to the claim.

Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations of liability, so some limitations may not apply where prohibited by law.

31. INDEMNIFICATION

To the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Ch’ien, its owner, operators, employees, contractors, affiliates, suppliers, and representatives from any claim, demand, loss, liability, expense, or damage, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of your breach of these Terms, misuse of the website, violation of law, fraudulent activity, payment dispute, false information, or violation of any rights of a third party.

32. FORCE MAJEURE / EVENTS OUTSIDE OUR CONTROL

Ch’ien is not responsible for delays, failure to perform, or inability to fulfill obligations caused by events outside our reasonable control, including but not limited to weather, natural disasters, fire, flood, theft, carrier disruptions, customs delays, labor disruptions, supply issues, internet outages, platform outages, payment processor issues, government action, civil unrest, acts of war, pandemics, or other unexpected events.

33. SEVERABILITY

If any part of these Terms is found to be unlawful, invalid, void, or unenforceable, that portion will be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law, and the remaining portions will remain valid and enforceable.

34. NO WAIVER

Failure by Ch’ien to enforce any right or provision of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

35. GOVERNING LAW

To the fullest extent permitted by law, these Terms of Service and any dispute arising from website use, product purchase, order fulfillment, or any transaction with Ch’ien shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without regard to conflict of law principles.

36. CONTACT INFORMATION

Questions about these Terms of Service should be sent to:

chien@becomethecreative.com

By using this website or placing an order with Ch’ien, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms of Service, the Return Policy, the Shipping Policy, the Privacy Policy, the Legal Disclaimer & Terms of Sale, and all product photos, measurements, condition notes, sizing details, and descriptions provided before purchase.