These terms govern the pre-order of the book A Decade in Decay from this website. By placing a pre-order you agree to them. Read the no-refund section carefully; it is the part people most often wish they had.
01Who is selling
The seller is Ryan Garb, an individual residing in Texas, USA ("I", "me"). This is not a company. Contact: abandonedne@gmail.com.
02What you are buying
You are pre-ordering one physical, hardcover copy of A Decade in Decay by Ryan Garb: a photography book of approximately 112 pages documenting ten years (2014–2024) of abandoned places across the United States, Canada, and Europe, in twelve chapters of photographs and first-person writing.
A pre-order is an advance purchase of a book that has not yet been printed. Final page count, paper, and binding details may vary slightly from what is described, and photographs on this site are reproductions that may differ from the printed result.
03Price and payment
The book costs $39.95 USD plus shipping. Shipping is calculated at checkout from the address you enter, using the USPS rate for that address. The total (book plus shipping) is shown before you place the order and is charged in full, once, at the time you place it. There are no later charges.
Payment is processed by Stripe. I never see or store your card number. Stripe's own terms and privacy policy apply to the payment itself.
Prices are in US dollars. No sales tax is collected at checkout; the total is the book price plus shipping. For international orders, any customs duties, import taxes, or VAT charged on arrival are your responsibility and are not included in the total.
04No refunds, no cancellations, no exchanges
All sales are final. Once you place a pre-order it cannot be cancelled, refunded, or exchanged, for any reason, including a change of mind, ordering by mistake, or delays in printing or delivery.
The one exception: if your book arrives damaged or defective, email me within 14 days of delivery with photographs and I will replace it at my discretion, subject to available stock. Replacement is the only remedy offered. You acknowledge that you accepted this policy by checking the required box at checkout.
05Production and delivery
Books will be printed October 1st and shipped when received by the shipper.
This is a target, not a guarantee. Printing, binding, and carrier timelines are outside my control. Delays at the printer or with the carrier do not entitle you to a refund or cancellation. I will post updates on this site or by email if the schedule changes materially.
06Shipping
Books ship via USPS from Connecticut, USA, in a padded mailer. A tracking number is emailed to the address on your order when your book ships.
The shipping charge is the USPS rate quoted at checkout for the address you provide. You are responsible for entering a complete and correct address. Packages returned as undeliverable because of an incorrect or incomplete address will be reshipped at your expense; if you do not pay for reshipment within 30 days of my contacting you, the order is forfeited without refund.
Risk of loss passes to you when the package is delivered to the carrier. I am not responsible for packages lost, stolen, or damaged in transit after that point, though I will help you file a claim with USPS where possible.
07International orders
International shipping is quoted at checkout at USPS international rates for your address. You are the importer of record and are responsible for any customs duties, import taxes, VAT, brokerage, or handling fees charged by your country or carrier. Refusal to pay these charges, resulting in return or destruction of the package, does not entitle you to a refund. Delivery times for international orders vary and are not guaranteed.
08Chargebacks
Initiating a chargeback or payment dispute on a valid order, rather than contacting me first, is a breach of these terms. I will contest such disputes with the order record, these terms, and your checkout acknowledgements, and reserve the right to refuse future orders. If you believe there is a genuine problem with your order, email me before contacting your bank.
09Limited run and cancellation of the campaign
This is a single, limited print run. Pre-orders close on the date shown on the site, after which the book cannot be ordered. I may cap the number of copies and close pre-orders early if that cap is reached.
If, for reasons outside my control, the book cannot be produced or delivered at all, I may cancel the pre-order campaign. In that case, and only in that case, every order will be refunded in full (book and shipping) to the original payment method. This is the sole circumstance in which a refund is issued.
10Intellectual property
All photographs, text, and design on this site and in the book are © Ryan Garb. Buying the book gives you ownership of the physical copy, not any rights to reproduce, distribute, scan, or publish its contents. You may not use the images from this site without written permission.
11Privacy
To fulfill your order I collect your name, email, shipping address, and optional phone number, plus the order details. Payment card data is collected and processed by Stripe and never touches this site. I use your information only to fulfill and support your order and to send the updates described in these terms. I do not sell it. See the Privacy page for the full statement.
12Disclaimer of warranties
The book and this site are provided "as is." To the fullest extent permitted by law, I disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, except the replacement of damaged or defective copies described above. Nothing in the book is advice or encouragement to enter any property; see the book's own disclaimer.
13Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, my total liability to you for any claim arising from your order or use of this site is limited to the amount you paid for that order. I am not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, or for delays or failures caused by events outside my reasonable control.
14Governing law and venue
These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, USA, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Any dispute that cannot be resolved by email will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Texas, and you consent to their jurisdiction. Where local consumer law grants you rights that cannot be waived, those rights are not affected.
15Changes to these terms
I may update these terms. The version in effect when you place your order is the one that applies to that order. Changes take effect when posted on this page with a new effective date.
16Entire agreement
These terms, together with your order confirmation, are the entire agreement between you and me regarding the pre-order. If any part is found unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. My not enforcing a term is not a waiver of it.
17Contact
Questions about an order or these terms: abandonedne@gmail.com. Include your order number. I answer email; there is no phone line.