GildedTail Terms and Service

Last updated: June 8, 2026

Welcome to GildedTail! These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the GildedTail website, subscription service, and any related products, merchandise, and communications (collectively, the "Service"), operated by GildedTail™ By subscribing to GildedTail, creating an account, or making a purchase, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

1. About GildedTail

GildedTail is a monthly subscription box that combines books and pets. Each box includes a hand-signed special edition book, story-inspired reader merchandise, and themed pet items designed to create an immersive reading experience for you and your pet.

We partner exclusively with indie authors and indie publishing companies. Books, merchandise, themes, and box contents are selected at our discretion and may change from month to month.

2. Eligibility

To subscribe to or purchase from GildedTail, you must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age, or the age of majority in your jurisdiction;
  • Provide accurate, current, and complete account and payment information; and
  • Have a valid shipping address within the United States (see Section 8).

You are responsible for keeping your account and contact information up to date.

3. Subscriptions and Automatic Renewal

GildedTail is a recurring monthly subscription. By subscribing, you authorize us and our payment processor to charge your selected payment method on a recurring basis until you cancel.

  • Your subscription will automatically renew each billing cycle on your scheduled renewal date.
  • Each renewal authorizes a charge for the upcoming box at the then-current price, plus any applicable shipping and taxes.
  • Billing dates and renewal information are communicated by email and, where applicable, through your customer portal.
  • Subscriptions are produced in limited quantities. Once a box or subscription tier sells out, we cannot guarantee additional inventory.

Your subscription continues until you cancel it or until we discontinue the Service.

4. Managing Your Subscription

You can manage your subscription at any time through your customer portal.

You can access the customer portal either by:

  • Using the secure link included in your subscription emails; or
  • Logging into your account on our website and visiting your subscriptions page.

From the customer portal, you may be able to:

  • Skip an upcoming payment or box before the renewal deadline;
  • Cancel your subscription, and reactivate it if you choose to return;
  • Update your shipping or billing address before the applicable deadline;
  • Update your pet preference (dog or cat) and pet size before the monthly cutoff; and
  • Update your email and contact details.

Certain changes must be made before the renewal or cutoff deadline for the relevant month. Once renewal processing has begun for a given cycle, changes to that month's box may no longer be possible.

4.1 Skipping

Skipping a payment keeps your subscription active and simply bypasses the next eligible box. Skips must be requested through your customer portal before the renewal deadline.

4.2 Cancellation

You may cancel your subscription at any time before your next billing date through your customer portal. Cancellation stops future renewals.

If your subscription has already renewed for the current cycle, that cycle's order cannot be canceled and will be fulfilled and shipped. You may reactivate a canceled subscription at any time, subject to availability.

5. Pricing, Payment, and Taxes

  • Prices, shipping fees, and any add-on charges (such as additional pet items) are displayed at checkout and may change over time. Price changes will not affect a box you have already been billed for.
  • You authorize us to charge all applicable fees, shipping costs, and taxes to your payment method on each renewal.
  • You are responsible for any sales or other applicable taxes.
  • If a payment fails, we may retry the charge, pause your subscription, or cancel a pending order. We are not responsible for boxes that cannot be fulfilled due to failed or declined payments.

6. Book and Box Contents

  • One of the core features of GildedTail is surprise. We do not reveal the featured book before shipping, though we share clues such as tropes, themes, aesthetics, and merchandise sneak peeks leading up to each box.
  • Box contents, merchandise, and featured titles are selected at our sole discretion and may vary by release.
  • Special editions may include features such as exclusive covers, foiling, sprayed or printed edges, custom endpapers, artwork, and a hand-signed tip-in page. Specific features vary by release and are not guaranteed for every item.
  • Product images and descriptions are for illustration. Actual items may vary slightly in color, finish, or detail.

7. Pet Items and Safety

  • Each subscription includes pet items for one pet. Additional pet items may be purchased at checkout for an additional fee, subject to availability.
  • For dogs, you may select a size (Small, Medium, or Large), and we will do our best to select items that fit the chosen size category. Cat items are one-size-fits-most.
  • We work with trusted vendors and select products with pet safety in mind. However, you are responsible for supervising your pet during use and for removing any item that becomes worn, damaged, or unsafe.
  • Always select the appropriate size for your pet. GildedTail is not liable for injury, illness, or damage resulting from use, misuse, or an inappropriate size selection.

8. Shipping and Delivery

  • GildedTail currently ships within the United States only. We hope to offer international shipping in the future.
  • We provide estimated shipping timelines for each monthly box. Estimated timelines are not guarantees.
  • Once your order ships, you will receive a tracking email.
  • Risk of loss passes to you upon delivery to the carrier. We are not responsible for carrier delays, or for packages lost or stolen after being marked delivered, though we will make reasonable efforts to assist.
  • You are responsible for providing an accurate shipping address. Address updates must be made before the shipping deadline; once an order is processed, we may be unable to change it.

9. Damage and Replacement Policy

We take great care in designing, packaging, and shipping every book and merchandise item. Despite our best efforts, damage can occasionally occur during production or transit. This section explains how we review damage claims and process replacements.

9.1 Reporting Damage

All damage and replacement requests must be submitted within 14 days of your package being marked as delivered by the shipping carrier. Claims submitted after this period may not be eligible for review or replacement.

To submit a claim, please provide:

  • Photographs of the damaged item;
  • Photographs of the shipping box;
  • Photographs of all packaging materials; and
  • Your order number.

Failure to provide photographs may delay or prevent claim approval.

9.2 What Qualifies as Damage

The following may qualify for a replacement review:

  • Scratches larger than 2 cm on the front cover, back cover, or spine;
  • Tears or rips larger than 2 cm on interior pages;
  • Dents or crushed corners larger than 1 cm;
  • Bent pages;
  • Water damage;
  • Foil, cover design, or printed edge misalignment that is 5 mm or more from the intended placement;
  • Missing author signature on books advertised as signed;
  • Extremely blurred printed edges;
  • Major printing imperfections, including ink blots larger than 1 cm;
  • Missing merchandise items; and
  • Merchandise that arrives broken or unusable due to shipping damage.

9.3 What Does Not Qualify as Damage

The following are generally considered normal manufacturing or handling variations and do not qualify for replacement:

  • Minor cover, spine, edge, or foil misalignment;
  • Minor imperfections on printed edges, including faint scratches, tiny white spots, or small print inconsistencies;
  • Minor corner wear;
  • Minor creases or folds on the spine;
  • Ink bleed-through;
  • Slightly blurry printed edges;
  • Wavy pages;
  • Minor interior imperfections;
  • Minor binding imperfections; and
  • Small dents, scuffs, or cosmetic imperfections that do not affect readability or display.

These lists are not exhaustive. Each claim is reviewed individually by our team.

9.4 Replacement Process

If your claim is approved, GildedTail will determine the most appropriate resolution, which may include:

  • Replacement of the damaged item;
  • Replacement of the entire book;
  • Replacement merchandise; or
  • Store credit (when replacements are unavailable).

Replacement availability is not guaranteed and is subject to inventory levels.

10. Refunds

Due to the limited-edition nature of our boxes and products, we do not offer refunds for change-of-mind purchases. If your order arrives damaged, defective, or incorrect, we will work with you to make it right in accordance with Section 9.

11. Waitlist

Joining our waitlist does not guarantee a subscription. Waitlist members may receive early access to subscription openings before the general public, along with announcements and updates. Because quantities are limited, subscriptions are filled on a first-come basis once early access begins.

12. Accounts and Acceptable Use

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity under your account. You agree not to misuse the Service, including by attempting to interfere with its operation, reselling products without authorization, or violating any applicable law.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or engage in fraudulent or abusive activity.

13. Intellectual Property

All content associated with GildedTail, including our name, logo, designs, merchandise, photography, and website content is owned by GildedTail or our partners and is protected by intellectual property laws. Books and author-created works remain the property of their respective authors and publishers. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from our content without permission.

14. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

The Service and all products are provided "as is" and "as available." To the fullest extent permitted by law, GildedTail disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, GildedTail will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Service or products. Our total liability for any claim will not exceed the amount you paid for the order giving rise to the claim.

15. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, notify you by email or through the Service. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

16. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Arizona, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising under these Terms will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Maricopa County, Arizona.

17. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms, your subscription, or a damage claim, please reach out through our Contact Us page or email us at hello@gildedtail.com. We typically respond within 1–2 business days.

🖤📚🐾 GildedTail Inspired by Stories, Created for You.