|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
We accept the major credit cards via Google Checkout We also accept Paypal |
|
| Availability / Backorders / Out-of-Stock Items How to Order International Orders Purchase Orders Return Policy How To Order Phone Orders There is a $50 minimum for phone orders. Our system is geared more toward on-line ordering (please see below). Phone number: Toll-free 877-260-6039 (USA only). We don't have a dedicated operator to take phone orders, but if you call and someone is available, we'll be glad to help you. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. On-Line Orders There is a $15 minimum for on-line orders. 1.) Simply add your items to the cart (click "Add to Cart") and then click "View Cart / Checkout" when you're ready to complete your order. 2.) Choose either Paypal or Google Checkout (either one can process credit cards). Paypal allows you to place an order without having to sign up for an account (true at time this page was written; may be subject to change). Google Checkout has its own checkout button, which you will see in the lower right-hand area of the checkout screen. 3.) Simply enter your billing / shipping info and credit card details, and choose a username and password (if you are a new customer). A good password should be a mixture of numbers and uppercase & lowercase letters. Preferably, a password should be 10 or more characters long. Keep your username and password written down in a safe place (such as with your credit card). If you are a returning customer, simply enter your username and password. That same Paypal or Google Checkout account can be used with any on-line merchant accepting that form of payment. Ordering with a Check or Money Order... Please give us a call 877-260-6039 (USA only) or email us to arrange that method of payment. We gladly accept valid checks and money orders for payment. Ordering with a Company Purchase Order... Please see the Purchase Orders section, below. |
| Availability / Backorders / Out of Stock Items Although every attempt is made to ensure timely delivery of orders, sometimes items go on backorder. We stock many of the items that we sell; however, even in this case, we sometimes sell out of an item before we get the chance to update the website to that effect. Furthermore, some items are subject to temporary shortages that are beyond our control. We therefore make no guarantees of delivery time. Though we strive to fill all orders as quickly as possible, we cannot guarantee that an order will meet your delivery deadline. In all cases, the sole remedy shall be refund of purchase price. Back to top International Orders: I. Special Note for UK Customers: Goods shipped from the USA to ENGLAND seem to be handled by a private company called ParcelForce. We have shipped goods to numerous countries all over the world, but only in England have we had such problems getting packages delivered. Parcel Force seems to make half-hearted attempts (at best) to deliver packages. They then place the burden of recovering the package completely on the customer, who then faces frustration, delays, and fuel expense. We have shipped Express Mail packages that were supposed to take 2-5 days to arrive to customers in England, but through ParcelForce they took more like 8-10 days. Repeated attempts to locate the packages only resulted in Parcel Force insisting that we call the US Postal Service, even though tracking information showed that ParcelForce were indeed the ones who had the packages. Privatization of postal services is not the "good idea" that it's marketed to be. We would prefer not to ship any packages to England if Parcel Force is going to be involved in their delivery at any stage. If you are in England and place an order with us, please be advised that you alone assume all risk of dealing with the delivery company. Why is my shipping quote to England (etc) so expensive? Please note that we will ship overseas only by Priority Mail International or by Express Mail Service. These start at around $30-$45. (Sorry, but we do not set the rates charged by the US Postal Service.) First Class International is cheaper, but we will not take the risk of shipping by this method, especially since it's already so difficult to deal with Parcel Force. FCI has no tracking number, making it easier for them to claim the package is still in the USA (etc.). A tracking number at least prevents them from "passing the buck". However, even if it weren't for privatized postal services (and the unpleasantries thereof), it's just too risky to ship packages without a tracking number. The good news is that USPS rates are still much less than UPS / FedEx Express. Overseas shipping rates on those typically start at $150. II. Restricted Countries We're sorry, but due to the high incidence of credit card fraud, we do not ship to certain countries. Because the scammers have expanded their operations, we may exclude additional countries without further notice. As of now, we cannot ship orders to any of the following places: Africa (all) China (People's Republic) Eastern Europe & Asia Minor (all) Egypt Indonesia Israel Malaysia Thailand We also do not ship to Iran, North Korea, or Syria. UPDATE: If you are an Ebay member with high positive feedback, we can ship to your address in Russia, China, or Eastern Europe, as long as the shipping address matches the one on your Paypal account. III. Customs Delays and Fees You are responsible for obtaining your package from your customs service. That includes making any necessary phone calls to the appropriate postal agencies. We cannot assist you with this. We can provide you only with the label number, but beyond that, we have no other information. The label number of a First Class International package CANNOT be used as a tracking number. It is only an aid to assist postal workers who have physical access to packages in your local post office. We cannot provide you with any help or even advice to locate such packages. If you want better tracking capability, please choose Priority Mail International. Even then, all tracking & package recovery is up to you. If you want the most reliable way to receive packages internationally, please choose Express Mail Service (EMS). It costs more but is extremely reliable (unless you're in England). We cannot reach into the workings of foreign postal services. Once a package has left the United States, you are responsible for finding out who has the package. Normally, this is a matter of making a few phone calls. We're sorry, but we cannot make these calls for you. (If you are in the UK, please call Parcel Force or use their web site). You are also responsible for any and all customs duties and fees. Please be advised that a few countries (e.g., Italy) can take as long as a couple of months to clear a package through customs. There is nothing we can do to speed this process. Please read this section again. We cannot help you locate international packages, and we do not provide refunds for items lost in the mail. If an item is valuable and important to you, please consider paying the extra money for insured UPS or FedEx international shipping. They handle all customs forwarding, making it more easy and reliable to receive your package in a timely manner. The trade-off is that it costs more to ship that way. Back to top Purchase Orders I. Does your PO come with Terms and Conditions? We cannot accept any purchase order "terms and conditions" which run contrary to our own Terms of Sale / Terms of Use. (A summary of main points: (1.) the sole remedy available shall be refund of actual purchase price of goods; (2.) although we make every effort to provide goods according to desired timetables, we make no guarantees of such; and (3.) buyer assumes total responsibility for handling, storage, and use / misuse of item(s).) Please be advised that inclusion of such contrary terms with your company's PO can delay the filling of your order. However, our filling an order shall in no way signify our acceptance of such terms, even if we fill your order without comment. All sales are governed by our Terms of Sale / Terms of Use. Your sending us a Purchase Order will be taken to mean that your company / institution accepts and agrees to these. II. Minimum Purchase Order Amount: Our minimum order for P.O.'s is currently $100 (one-hundred U.S. dollars). Please pre-pay for orders having a merchandise total of less than $100. III. Faxing a PO: UPDATE: Because the overwhelming majority of our fax correspondence is now accomplished via email, we no longer have a fax number. Please email your purchase order, or call us at 877-260-6039. Back to top Return / Exchange Policy Your satisfaction is very important to us. Most items have a 30-day money-back guarantee. Special Notes & Exceptions: 1.) No refunds or exchanges on items that have been abused or misused. 2.) Refund does not include shipping costs. 3.) LW Scientific items (MiniVid, BioVid, most microscopes & centrifuges) have a 15% restocking fee. We have no control over this. 4.) Platinum Wire - no refunds / returns / exchanges on this item. 5.) Microscope Slides & Cover Slips - no refunds / returns / exchanges on these items UNLESS the original, outer wrapping is completely intact (i.e., box must be unopened). This is a safety issue. We are unable to test them for contamination. 6.) Laboratory Glassware - We reserve the right to refuse returns on glassware. This is a safety issue. We have no practical way to test glassware for contamination. If we have a well-established business relationship with you, we'll be glad to accept returns of unused glassware. 7.) Shipping Damage: we take great care to cushion fragile items so they'll withstand shipping. Most of our packages can withstand considerable abuse while maintaining the contents intact. That's because we use professional-quality methods and materials to keep your order safe in the mail. In the unlikely event that an item arrives damaged from shipping, please notify us right away. If possible, please provide a digital photo of any breakage. This helps us determine whether there's anything in our packaging that needs improvement. Our goal is zero breakage during shipping. If your package was shipped with insurance (UPS, FedEx), please report the claim to them. Back to top Missing Part Policy Q: What recourse do I have if an item was stolen from my order? A: If you choose an insured shipping method (UPS or FedEx), you must file a claim with them to obtain reimbursement for the stolen item(s). Many of our USPS orders ship with insurance, especially if they are $100 or more. If you live or work in a place where a package is likely to get stolen from your porch, please write "SIGNATURE REQUIRED" in the comments section of your order. We will ship the order that way. You will need to have someone present to sign for it. Missing Parts Background: Fraudulent missing item / missing part claims have become a very common form of cyber-shoplifting. We have to take this into consideration when evaluating a missing part / missing item claim. Generally, we do not issue replacement parts. That's because we take extreme care to make sure every part is in the shipment at the time of packing. Our packing process involves a checklist, where each item is checked against the order as it is put into the box. The upright rod from our support stands is one of the most popular items on which to claim non-delivery. We still don't know why. We now take extra-special care to make sure there is exactly one rod per base. We even reinforce cartons inside or out, to make sure the rods cannot break through during shipping. As a security measure, we have started randomly selecting orders to photograph the packing process. Though it's a shame we should even have to do this, we will photograph a $25 order: not every single one, but some of them. If a "missing parts" claim arises from one of these orders, we may contact the police to report theft. We take cyber-shoplifting very seriously and will pursue the issue aggressively whenever possible. We apologize for the inconvenience to honest customers, who represent the majority. Back to top Main Page |