|
|
General Policies and Procedures
My name is Lauren, and I am the Logistics Director at South Cypress. Below are explanations of all of our shipping policies in question/answer style. If you still have a question, please let us know.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to earn your business!
When will my order arrive?
Most orders arrive 1-4 weeks after the date of purchase, but if your project has specific time needs, please inform a sales representative.
How do you ship my order?
The majority of our orders are shipped on a pallet by a freight company such as UPS Freight. Sometimes we are able to ship very small orders by ground service like UPS, FedEx or DHL.
What should I expect when a delivery arrives at my home?
All of our freight shipments are curbside deliveries, and someone must be present to inspect the shipment and sign for it with the driver.
A few things to remember when accepting a delivery:
- Never refuse a delivery. Why?
- Inspect your shipment, and notate any damage on the receipt. What happens next?
- All shipments are curbside deliveries, so prepare accordingly.
You may be asking yourself, "Why can't they just bring it into my home?" That is good question, but delivery drivers are only equipped with a hand powered pallet jack. For liablity reasons, carriers are not
allowed to drive onto your property.
How much does shipping cost?
Shipping charges are presented online during the checkout process and are determined by your delivery location and how much it weighs. When ordering online, there are rare circumstances where additional charges are
necessary. However, we try hard to not "nickel and dime you." In these rare instances, a member of our sales team will contact you to discuss the additional charges before proceeding with an order.
In case you were wondering, the most common additional charges are when ordering from multiple manufacturers, shipping to locations outside of the contiguous US like Alaska or Hawaii, or locations that are deemed "metropolitan"
by our carriers.
Please read our full list of additional
charges, and contact a sales representative when ordering from multiple manufacturers.
What is a curbside delivery?
Carriers are not allowed to drive onto your property, so they will unload the shipment on the street near your curb. Please prepare to be responsible for moving your shipment from the curb into your home.
How should I inspect my shipment?
Here is an inspection checklist:
- Make sure pallet is intact.
- Cut shrink wrapping to visually inspect cartons.
- Inspect cartons, and make sure you have received corect material and quantity.
- If damage is found, do not dispose of damaged material until instructed.
- Please note in detail any damage, missing material or incorrect quantities on the receipt with the driver.
Can I pickup from a local terminal to save money?
Absolutely! Since we have such a variety of terminals to choose from, we encourage you to work with one of our sales representatives so that we can find the most convenient terminal. Plus, we can provide a discount
if you are able to pick up from a terminal.
We use UPS Freight as one of our carriers, so click here to see if there is pickup terminal option near you.
Can I ship to a business location?
Yes. We only ask that you make sure and include the business name when checking out online so that we can schedule delivery during normal business hours.
What should I do if the carrier does not deliver on time?
At this time we do not have a legal right to file a claim with a carrier for a late or missed delivery, as carriers have a "reasonable dispatch window" amount of time to delivery goods. However, we approach each
circumstance individually and do everything within our power to help mediate loss. It is also within your rights to file a claim directly with the carrier for losses.
How long do I have to pick up an order from a terminal?
Once an order arrives at the nearby terminal, you have 3-5 business days to pick up your order before on-dock holding charges are applied.
Do you expedite shipping?
We have a $25 same day processing fee which can help speed up the arrival of your material, as well as a $125 expediting fee. The $125 expediting fee guarantees your material will leave our location within 2 business days.
Not all products are eligible for our 2 business day expediting service, so please contact one of our sales representatives if you are interested in this service.
Are there any additional charges?
Below are a list of instances when additional fees may apply. If additional charges are necessary, we will always contact you after placing an order and review the charges with you before moving forward.
- When ordering from multiple manufacturers we sometimes have either consolidation or multiple shipment charges.
- If a shipment is refused, it can cause redelivery fees.
- Shipments outside of the contiguous United States carry additional costs.
- Shipments delivering into a large metropolitan area can sometimes be subject to metro fees.
- If the incorrect shipping address is given when ordering online, (even a little mistake can have big ramifications), then additional costs ensue.
- Terminal pickups that are not picked up in accordance with the terminal's definition of a "timely manner" (typically 3-5 business days) are subject to additional costs.
- If you cannot be reachd by a carrier to schedule a delivery in a "timely manner", which is typically 3-5 business days, then your order can be held liable to additional charges.
If we are shipping to a business and the delivery location encompasses any of the following, please place your order with one our sales representatives:
- Residential area with limited access or in a no-freight zone
- Construction site
- Nursing home
- Funeral home
- Church
- Prison
- Firehouse
- Farm
- Dental, medical, or veterinary office
- School
- Convent
- Parsonage
- Apartment building
- Fairgrounds
- Hospital
- Tradeshow or convention center
Do I have to be present for a delivery?
Yes. Someone must be present for all freight shipments in order to inspect the shipment and mark receipt with the delivery driver.
Will I have to sign for a delivery?
Yes. Someone must be present to sign for all freight shipments.
Do you ship internationally?
No. We currently only ship within the continental US. Shipments to Alaska and Hawaii may be subject to additional charges.
Can you send samples to a P.O. Box?
No. Samples must be sent to an address that is not a P.O. Box.
How do I track my order?
After your order has been processed (typically 1-2 business days), you will receive an email with the estimated day that your order should be picked up by a carrier. We receive a tracking number the
morning after your shipment gets picked up. At this time, our logistics department will send you an email containing the carrier, tracking number, customer service number and an estimated arrival date.
We try hard to keep you informed of the status of your order, but if at any time you have questions, please contact us.
How will I know when my order is going to deliver?
For residential freight shipments, an appointment clerk will contact you when your order arrives at the local terminal to schedule a convenient delivery time. However, we encourage you to be proactive and contact the carrier
once you receive your tracking confirmation email from us.
For ground shipments, you are not required to be present to accept the package. It will be left at your doorstep. If leaving a package on your doorstep is going to be a problem, we recommend contacting the
delivery company directly to make alternate arrangements.
Will I always receive tracking for sample orders?
No. We work with a variety of companies across the country to source and ship the samples you order. Some of these departments are better at providing tracking than others. We are working hard to perfect this process,
but at this time we cannot always provide sample order tracking in a timely manner.
Rest assure though, that we take your sample order very serious and work hard to get them to you as quickly as possible.
Can you overnight sample orders?
No. At this time, the companies that we work with across the country to help provide you samples do not offer overnight services. We are working to improve our sample program and hope to be able
to offer a wider selection of shipping options in the near future.
When should I schedule my installer?
After you receive your material.
We realize this is easier said that done, but you should always wait to schedule an installer or contractor until you have received your material. Thoroughly inspect your shipment to make sure there is
no damage and you have received the right product(s) in the correct quantities. This principle goes for anyone purchasing flooring from any online or local retailer.
My name is Grace, and I am the Claim Specialist at South Cypress. If you have any damage, I will be working with you to resolve the problem. If you have a question, please
let me know.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to earn your business!
What should I do if my material comes damaged?
We have continued to improve our shipping program, and we are happy to say that less than 1% of our shipments experienced any type of damage. In nearly all of these cases, it has been clearly noted, and we have provided
replacement material or refunds when requested.
Here are the steps to take in the rare case you do find damage:
- Never ever ever refuse the delivery. Why?
- Notate the damage on the receipt with the driver. How should I notate?
- Accept the delivery, and do not dispose of any damaged product. Why?
- Notify us witin 7 business days of the damage. (The sooner the better!)
Here is an example of how things would transpire if your shipment had damage. Say you had 40 cartons being delivered and found that 3 cartons looked damaged:
- You first would accept the delivery.
- On the receipt with the driver, you would note "3 cartons damaged" or simply "damaged shipment."
- Call our claim specialist.
- Our specialist will send you a claim form email.
- We will put through a second order for 3 cartons at no charge to you.
- We give top priority to claim orders in purchasing.
- 3 more cartons are delivered to you free of charge.
Why should I not refuse the delivery?
If damage is found, we replace the damaged material, not the entire order. So your acceptance of the delivery is vital to our ability to reship new material at no charge to you.
When a shipment is refused and is sent back to a terminal, one of two things happen. The material is either all shipped back to our warehouse, or it is redelivered to you. Either one of those
creates additional charges that can be avoided by accepting the original shipment.
How should I notate the delivery receipt?
Please mark "Damage" on the delivery receipt.
What should I do with damaged material?
We ask that you do not dispose of the damaged material. By law, a carrier has the right to inspect material involved in a claim for up to 120 days (even thought this rarely occurs),
How long do I have to wait for replacement material?
Replacement material will typically arrive quicker than your original order.
What should I do if my ground shipment is damaged?
We have to be notified within 5 business days of your package arriving, so please inspect immediately. Handle the items as little as possible, and leave material in their original boxes.
Contact our claim specialist, and be ready to have a photo of the damage ready. We will them work with you to provide replacement material or a refund if requested.
Can I return my order?
Our return policy below is for products in good condition without defects. If you believe there is a defect with your material, please read our defect policy questions.
Here are the details of our return policy:
- We do not accept partial order returns. Our recommendation
- Returns are not allowed on material that has been installed.
- All returns are subject to restocking fees of 20% to 25%. Why?
- We must issue you a return authorization number before you ship anything back.
- You are responsible for return shipping costs.
- No returns are allowed after 30 days after your order has been delivered.
- Returns are not allowed for trim pieces, adhesives, underlayment, moldings, cleaning supplies, special order or non-stocking items. How can I find out?
After initial contact, please allow us at least 1 business day in order to prepare your return request.
Why am I being charged a restocking fee?
The restocking fees are industry standard and are passed on to us by our distributors when material is returned. We do not profit from this activity but, merely pass along the fee associated with restocking the material.
Please note, this fee is only charged on non-defective returns.
What condition must my order be in to return?
Material must be their original, unopened boxes. If you have opened one or two boxes to inspect the material, we ask that you simply repackage the material the best you can and use
clear packing tape to close the boxes.
What should I do if I have left over material?
Since we do not accept partial returns, we highly recommend keeping left over material in case of future breaks or renovation. It can be expensive to return a small number of cartons, and your savings are generally
negated. Storing a few extra cartons of each sku is a great investment!
How can I know if an item is special order or non-stocking?
Since stocking items can change frequently, we recommend you contact one of our sales representatives to confirm or
contact us online, and we will be happy to check for you.
How do I return defective products?
If you believe the material you received has a manufacturer defect, please call and speak with our claim specialist. We handle defect inquiries very seriously and deal with each issue on a case by case basis.
Our first step is to have you provide photos outlining the defect(s). Our internal specialists then work with the manufacturer to find a solution to your problem. Our goal is to
resolve defect issues as quickly as possible, but it can take 1-3 business days in order to fully resolve.
Can I cancel my order?
If you wish to cancel a pending order, please contact us immediately. For stocking items, we can cancel an order without penalty as long as your order has not shipped from our location. For special order products, you may cancel
your order without penalty as long as we have not purchased your order and the material is on a truck headed to our location. We typically finalize order purchasing within 1-2 business days, so the sooner you can
contact us regarding cancellation the better.
If you wish to cancel an order for special order material prior to shipping, but after we have purchased the material, then you will most likely be charged a restocking fee of 20% to 25% in order to cancel.
Please contact us if you have any additional questions regarding our cancellation policy.
We are the South Cypress sales team. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to earn your business!
Do we sell seconds?
No. All products we sell are first quality products, without exception.
Are the products we sell under manufacturer warranty?
Yes. We are a showroom dealer, and all products we sell carry a full manufacturers warranty.
Do you price match?
Yes. We do price match to the best of our ability. Please contact one of our sales representatives.
Can I check stock?
Yes. From any product page simply click the Check Stock button and fill out the inquiry form. We should have information back to you within 1 business day and typically we are able to have stock levels back to
you within a few hours.
Do you have an order minimum
No. You may order as little or as much as you like.
Can I order a sample?
Yes. Samples are available for most of our products. Check the product page to see if a sample is available.
Can I check the status of my order?
Yes. We update you via email each stage of your order, but feel free to contact our support team to get a status update of your order.
What method of payments do you accept?
We accept Visa and MasterCard credit card payments, as well as check, cashiers check and wire transfer.
Do you charge sales tax?
Yes. However, we only charge sales tax within the state of Alabama and local taxes in our physical store location.
What do I do if I am tax exempt?
If you are in the state of Alabama and are buying for resale, or are tax exampt for other reasons, you must fax a tax exempt for with each order to provde tax exempt status. You may contact one of our sales representatives for
more information.
Is my credit card information secure?
Absolutely. We use a software application that has a 13 year proven track record of maintaining the security of our customers' records. All data is transmitted with 128-bit SSL encryption
along with top of the line data center security and robut password management policies. Your data security is one of our top priorities.
Are you going to spam my email?
No. We do not sell, trade or rent customer information to anyone. Your email is strictly utilized for order correspondence and customer service.
Controlling Provisions
No terms and conditions other than the terms and conditions contained herein shall be binding upon Seller unless accepted by it in writing signed by the Seller's president. All terms and conditions contained in any prior oral or written communication, including without limitation Buyer's purchase order, which are different from or in addition to the terms and conditions herein, are hereby rejected and shall not be binding.
Terms
Payment is due at time of purchase, unless Buyer is extended an open account of credit pursuant to agreement with Seller. If Buyer is extended an open account of credit, Buyer must pay Seller current amount due, in full, every month credit is extended. All past due amounts are subject to service charges at the maximum contract rate permitted by law, and Buyer agrees to pay for the products according to the Seller's payment terms. If an order is placed by telephone, Buyer has twenty-four (24) hours from the time of any confirmation email to review the telephone order and cancel the telephone order.
Remedies Of Seller
Upon default by Buyer, Buyer agrees to reimburse Seller all attorney fees and court costs incurred by Seller in connection therewith. Buyer agrees that any of the following shall constitute an event of default which shall enable seller, at its option, to cancel any unexecuted portion of this order or to exercise any right or remedy which it may have by law: (a) the failure of Buyer to perform any term or condition contained herein; (b) any failure of Buyer to give required notice; (c) the insolvency of Buyer or its failure to pay debts as they mature, an assignment by Buyer for benefit of its creditors, the appointment of a receiver by Buyer or for the materials covered by this order or the filing of any petition to adjudicate Buyer bankrupt, (d) the death, incompetence, dissolution or termination of existence of Buyer; (e) a failure by Buyer to provide adequate assurance of performance within ten (10) days after a justified demand by Seller or (f) if Seller in good faith believes that Buyer's prospect of performance under this Agreement is impaired. All rights and remedies of Seller herein are in additional to, and shall not exclude, any rights or remedies that Seller may have by law. In the event it becomes necessary to incur any expense for collection of any overdue account, reasonable collection charges, including reasonable attorney's fees will be added to the balance due and Buyer shall pay all such charges.
Warranty
THE BUYER'S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE WARRANTY, IF ANY, IS THAT PROVIDED BY THE PRODUCT'S MANUFACTURER. SELLER MAKES NO EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES. SELLER HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, WHETHER IMPLIED BY OPERATION OF LAW OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, AND IN NO EVENT, WILL SELLER BE LIABLE FOR PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER LOSS, DAMAGE, COST OR REPAIRS OF INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER BASED UPON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, NEGLIGENCE OR ANY OTHER CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH THE DESIGN, MANUFACTURE, SALE, TRANSPORTATION, INSTALLATION, USE OR REPAIR OF THE PRODUCTS SOLD BY SELLER. BUYER HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, AND IN NO EVENT, SHALL SELLER'S LIABILITY, IF ANY EXCEED THE NET SALES PRICE OF THE DEFECTIVE PRODUCT(S); NO ADDITIONAL ALLOWANCE SHALL BE MADE FOR THE LABOR OR EXPENSE OF REPAIRING OR REPLACING DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS OR WORKMANSHIP OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THE SAME. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS PARAGRAPH, ALL PRODUCTS AND/OR SERVICES PROVIDED BY SELLER AND ITS EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS", "WHERE IS" AND "WITH ALL FAULTS."
Indemnification
The Buyer shall at its own expense apply for and obtain any permits and inspections required for installation and/or use of the products. Seller makes no promise or representation that the products or services will conform to any federal, state or local laws, ordinances, regulations, codes or standards, except as particularly specified and agreed upon in writing by Seller. The Seller's products are not for use in or with any nuclear facility unless specifically so stated by Seller in writing. Seller shall not be responsible for any losses or damages sustained by the Buyer or any other person as a result of improper installation or misapplication of the products. Buyer shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Seller and its agents and employees against any loss, damage, claim, suit, liability, judgement or expense (including without limitation, attorney's fees) arising out of or in connection with any injury, disease or death of persons (including, without limitation, Buyer's employees and agents) or damage to or loss of any property or the environment, or violation of any applicable laws or regulations resulting from or in connection with the sale, transportation, installation, use or repair of the products by Buyer or of the information, designs, services, or other work supplied to Buyer, whether caused by the concurrent and/or contributory negligence of Buyer, Seller, or any of their agents, employees, or suppliers. The obligations, indemnities and covenants contained in this paragraph shall survive the consummation or termination of this transaction.
Delivery
Seller will make a good faith effort to complete delivery of the products as indicated by Seller in writing, but Seller assumes no responsibility or liability and will accept no backcharge for loss or damage due to delay or inability to deliver, whether or not such loss or damage was made known to Seller. Seller shall have no liability for Seller's non-performance caused by acts of God, war, labor difficulties, accidents, inability to obtain materials, delays of carriers, contractors or suppliers or any other causes of any kind whatever beyond the control of Seller. Under no circumstances shall Seller be liable for any special or consequential damages or loss, damage, or expense (whether or not based upon negligence) arising directly or indirectly from delays or failure to give notice of delay.
Shipments
All products are shipped and title passes F.O.B. Shipping Point. Risk of Loss shall transfer to Buyer upon delivery of goods to common carrier, Buyer or Buyer's representative. The cost of any special packing or special handling caused by Buyer's requirements or request shall be added to the amount of the order. If Buyer causes or requests a shipment delay, or if Seller ships or delivers the products erroneously as a result of inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information supplied by Buyer or its agents or employees, storage and all other additional costs shall be borne solely by Buyer. No claim for shortages or shipping errors will be allowed unless made in writing within seven (7) days of receipt of a shipment. Claims for products damaged or lost in transit should be made by Buyer to the carrier, as Seller's responsibility ceases upon delivery to the carrier.
Inspection And Acceptance
Buyer must immediately describe on Bill of Lading any damage to any and all products upon delivery. Otherwise, Buyer shall be deemed to have irrevocably accepted any and all products. Only if damage is noted on Bill of Lading, Buyer shall have seven days from the date Buyer receives any products to notify Seller, in writing, of any defects, nonconformance or rejection of such products. After such seven-day period, Buyer shall be deemed to have irrevocably accepted the products, even if damaged and even if not previously accepted. Buyer hereby agrees that such seven-day period is a reasonable amount of time for such notification. After acceptance, Buyer shall have no right to reject the products for any reason or to revoke acceptance.
Governing Law
This transaction shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of Alabama (excluding choice of law provisions) and all actions commenced shall be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction residing in Birmingham, Alabama.
Taxes
The amount of any sales, excise or other taxes, if any, applicable to the products shall be added to the purchase price and shall be paid by Buyer unless Buyer provides Seller with an exemption certificate acceptable to the taxing authorities. Any taxes which Seller may be required to pay or collect under any existing or future law, upon or with respect to the sale, purchase, delivery, storage, processing, use or consumption of any of the products, including taxes upon or measured by the receipts from the sale thereof, shall be for the account of the Buyer, who shall promptly pay the amount thereof to Seller upon demand. Buyer is subject to, and responsible for paying consumer use taxes in all states except Alabama.
Severability
If any provision hereof is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable under any present or future laws, such provision shall be fully severable and the terms and conditions herein shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision had never been made a part hereof. The remaining provisions herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be affected by such illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions or by their severance wherefrom.
Set-Off And Non-Waiver
Buyer shall not be entitled to set-off any amounts due Buyer against any amount due Seller in connection with this transaction. Seller's failure to insist upon the strict performance of any term or condition herein shall not be deemed a waiver of any of Seller's rights or remedies hereunder, nor of its right to insist upon the strict performance of the same or any other term herein in the future. No waiver of any term or condition hereunder shall be valid unless in writing and signed by Seller's president.
Returned Goods Policy
Seller cannot accept return of any goods unless prior written permission has been given. Credit memorandums issued for authorized returns shall be subject to the following deductions and conditions: (a) Stock items-merchandise must be stock material consisting of the original parts, unaltered, of reasonable quantity and in resalable condition as determined by a Seller's representative; (b) all merchandise must be accompanied by documentation providing Seller with the following information: invoice number and date, quantity of items being returned and reason for return. In addition, if proper documentation as outlined in (b) above is not provided then an additional handling charge may be charged to cover our additional expenses incurred in researching proof of purchase. Non-stock/special order items must have factory approval before returning and are subject to any manufacturer charges, special handling fees and any freight before any credit, if any, can be issued. Therefore, Seller cannot authorize these products to be returned to Seller until such returns have been approved by the manufacturer or its representatives in writing to Seller. All returns are to be authorized by the issuing of a "Return Material Authorization." Note: all cash sales are final.
Entire Agreement
This document constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and contains all the agreements and conditions of sale; no course of dealing or usage of the trade shall be applicable unless expressly incorporated herein. EXPRESSLY INCORPORATED INTO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ARE SELLER'S POLICIES PERTAINING TO THE FOLLOWING: SHIPPING DETAILS, RETURN POLICY, ORDER POLICY, SALES TAX POLICY, and PRIVACY POLICY. The terms and conditions contained herein may not be added to, modified, superseded or otherwise altered except by a written modification signed by the Seller's president. All transactions shall be governed solely by the terms and conditions contained herein.
|
|
|
|
Policy Question?