Why is the shop called Swampgas?
In 1966, dozens of people across Michigan reported glowing objects hovering over a marsh. The official explanation was that marsh gas had spontaneously ignited. Nobody believed it, and the phrase has been shorthand ever since for an answer that arrives too fast and explains too little.
It seemed like the right name for a shop that takes the design seriously and the mythology lightly.
How long does delivery actually take?
14–25 working days, plus 1–3 working days to process the order. So three to five weeks, realistically.
We know that's longer than you're used to. Our stock ships direct from our fulfilment partners rather than sitting in a warehouse down the road, and that's what keeps a levitating saucer lamp at £69.99 instead of £180. We could quote you a cheerful "7–14 days" like everyone else. We'd rather you weren't disappointed on day fifteen.
Some items ship from a UK or EU warehouse and arrive in 3–7 working days. Where that's true, the product page says so.
My tracking hasn't updated in a week. Is it lost?
Almost certainly not. International tracking goes quiet for long stretches, particularly in the first week and again while a parcel clears customs. Silence followed by sudden movement is the normal pattern.
If you're more than 5 working days past the top of your estimated window, email us. We'll chase it, replace it, or refund it. You won't be left arguing with a courier on our behalf.
Will I get charged customs or import fees?
You shouldn't be. If a courier ever asks you for a charge on an order from us, don't pay it — contact us first and we'll deal with it. You should never pay twice for the same parcel.
Can I return something?
Yes. You have 14 days from the day after your parcel arrives to cancel for any reason, or no reason — that's your statutory right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 — and a further 14 days to send it back. We refund the item and the standard delivery cost.
You cover return postage unless the item is faulty, damaged or not what you ordered.
Something arrived broken.
Email us with your order number and a photograph. Don't post it back yet.
For most items under £30, return shipping costs more than the item does — so more often than not we'll just send a replacement and tell you to keep the original. A photo gets that sorted in one email instead of four.
Are these suitable for children?
No. Everything we sell is a decorative item for adults, not a toy, and not intended for under-14s. Several products contain strong magnets, small parts, a laser light source, or involve an open flame. Please read the safety note on each product page.
Do you sell anything from the films?
No, and that's deliberate.
Every alien on this site is a generic grey, a saucer, a beam or a cryptid. Nothing here is a character from a film or a television series, because that merchandise is made without permission and sold until the rights holder notices. We'd rather build something we own than get shut down selling something we don't.
Is any of this real?
The lamps are real. The stories are for fun.
Nothing in this shop was recovered from anywhere, nothing is classified, and no part of our supply chain has ever been near a desert. We take the design seriously and the mythology lightly — and we'd rather say so plainly than have you wonder.
How do I get in touch?
hello@swampgas.co.uk. We answer everything, usually within a day.