Hello. You have reached this page because:
a) you wish to make a return or, b) you have asked about the return policy.I know the temptation is to not read this, just skip it. Shove it in a box and cross your fingers and hope, but that really will not work, you will pay for shipping that UPS will reject or may not even pick up. So please have a coffee wait for a quiet moment and take your time 🙂
We have put a blog post together to help as much possible. It is a little lengthy and not all parts may apply to your particular return. The most important two points are in this section and then we will move into more detail below. We understand you want to turn the product you cannot use back into cash, and we are here to help you with any concerns that you may have. Here are the main points:
- No returns of exchanges from 30 days of purchase.
- You are responsible for all return shipping costs.
- How the product was shipped to you is the safest way to send it back. Tiles like 5″ Hexagon if you are returning what we shipped to you freight, it is because they ship best freight. It will break ground. Please ship back the way it was shipped to you.
- Minimum 10SF or 10 pieces (un-opened).
- Shrink wrap still in tact on mosaic boxes. why? It shows they have not been tampered with and makes the box significantly more sturdy.
- SAMPLES CANNOT BE RETURNED.
- Field tiles must be returned freight on a pallet and ship via motor freight (the term is LTL). Every field tile return 3×6″ for example arrives broken, chipped and smashed. We ship every field tile order freight for this very reason the wooden pallet is needed to support the tile. It cannot survive a ground journey. (Unfortunately UPS or FedEx see “Fragile handle with care” as a suggestion). If it is not shipped freight it will be refused.
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- There is a 30% restocking fee on Free ship items, and 20% on all other items. Why a restocking fee? This blog post explains it best: http://thebuilderdepot.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/why-a-restocking-fee/
- You have to ship it back to us at your cost.
Please take the time to read through carefully. (many people just skip the steps and do whatever they want – we cannot process their return and the shipment is rejected) There are a few key points on the return below (but the full return policy is on the website: http://www.thebuilderdepot.com/return-policy.html) Here are the main points:
- Write on the outside of the box (not on the product box – else you have damaged the box) the letters ‘RA#’ followed by the last 4 digits of your order number. No number and the shipment will be rejected!
- Please complete the form at the bottom of this page so we can get it entered as a potential return.
- The product must be a minimum of 10SF or 10 pieces – shipments returned less than 10SF or 10 pieces will not be refunded, so please do not just send and hope! (we receive a lot of shipments of samples and tile – no note, name or order number – you would be amazed)
- Samples cannot be refunded.
- Exchanges and refunds have to be made within 30 days (why? Several people move on and we sell through particular lots, your lot will be long gone by 30 days and we will be stuck with a product that no longer perfectly matches what we have in stock. In order for the new marble you ordered to exactly match your older marble, we would have to hope in order to completely re-sell this that someone places the exact same order as you, not very likely). We would then have to throw away the product. This increases the costs in the business which gets added to the product we sell which is against everything we stand for.
- Outbound shipping is not refunded.
- There is a 30% restocking fee on Free ship items, and 20% on all other items. Why a restocking fee? This blog post explains it best: http://thebuilderdepot.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/why-a-restocking-fee/
- You have to ship it back to us at your cost.
- Product MUST BE in original packaging in “Bianco,” still sealed in the plastic wrap. Essentially, we want it in a condition that you would want it in when a new delivery is shipped to your front door. Similarly to the saying, “Treat others how you would like to be treated,” philosophy.
- TAKE A PICTURE OF THE SHIPMENT YOUR END WHEN SHIPPER PICKS UP. (Why? Shippers are not careful and what you want to show is, look how well it was packed your end, then when we receive a pile of broken tiles our end it is an easy claim to file for you or us, a picture is worth a thousand words “here is it how it left in perfect condition/this is what was received the other end” shipper write that check out to me, thank you). This post is a good example.
- Small Shipments: If it is a small mosaic shipment of 20SF or 20 pencils then UPS ground will be the most cost effective method. The product must be well wrapped. Assume UPS accidentally breaks the product. Make sure to not just put it loosely in a box, but rather carefully wrap it without gaps in the shipping box. TIP: The Chink Test. It you shake the box that the marble is in and you here it “Chink” together then it will not make it to us in one piece. If the tile can knock together then it will break. We definitely suggest that you 100% of the time wrap each piece of marble individually – we advise bubble wrap and peanuts to pack. If it arrives damaged we will take a picture; however, we cannot refund you for the damages and you will have to file a claim with UPS. Keep in mind that they may deny the claim if the packaging was not suitable.
- Large Shipments on a Pallet or Field/Loose Tile: If it was shipped on a pallet to you it will need to be shipped back on a pallet to us. (If 3×6″ or 6×12″ or any tile is returned shipped back in a box UPS ground it will be rejected as there will be chipping and damage on the tiles.) The wooden pallet/crate does many things:
- Supports the product
- It assures (unlike UPS) it cannot be thrown. UPS ground boxes are thrown, by staff and dropped by the conveyor belt at their sorting depots. While mosaics are flexible tiles are not. So shipping back field tiles on a pallet is essential.
- Which shipper to use? Without an account a 3rd party is needed these guys offer some of the best rates: http://www.freightquote.com
Please read through the return policy and take care to get it back to us safely. We take great care on every outbound shipment. Assuming you have the min amount you ship back with the RA# on the outside of the box to (your RA# is the last 4 to 5 digits of your order number, for example RA# 10934):
Returns Dept. The Builder Depot C/O Adverto Industries Suite 111 5910 Shiloh Road East Alpharetta, GA 30005 800-308-9359Any questions please let us know returns@thebuilderdepot.com. Any thoughts or comments, any improvements on grammar or anything we should add or take away. We are trying to create a smooth return process that does not involve lots of cost. We are always striving to keeps costs low. This allows us to keep our product prices low and product quality at its highest. Complete PDF: Return Form Or we also have attached it as a JPEG:
BEFORE YOU RETURN CONSIDER THIS……… YOU are the only person in the world with the exact matching lot of the marble you have just had installed. Many customers return product. Electrical work is done, plumbing issues occur, nail polish spills. Things happen, with millions of square feet sold we have heard it all. It is REALLY, REALLY sad when this happens to the person that returned product that matched and now, it is 2 years later and there is no match. Marble blocks, lots (whatever you wish to call them) are like snowflakes, no two are the same. So when you send this back you are returning the only matching lot in the WORLD.
PLEASE do NOT call up angry in 4 years when we cannot match it and you have to replace your bathroom or backsplash. You made the choice to return (I know this world has no personal responsibility anymore, perhaps it will again one day, it is always someone else’s fault, even though it states “no diving”). We hope our customers are like us, accountable for our own actions. I know many are not. I have spoken to them. They say: “but it was not clear” and “I did not read it” and “you should have done a better job of explaining it”. I think this is pretty direct 🙂
Secondly: This is a return, it works because we can sell it onto someone else. Do not send back torn boxes, ripped open, covered with grout handprints. You would not want us to ship this to you. Treat others as you would expect to be treated (I love this the world would be so much better if everyone could just do this one thing). Send back as you would expect to receive.
Then you may want to read through if it does come down to the product showing up at our warehouse completely destroyed why FedEx, UPS, USPS would deny the claim, the all have a very similar policy, again pictures are the best defense. You show it was well packed – what can they say? See the UPS page for advice on packing ground and why claims maybe rejected.
I know we are candid and straight forwards. We are aware this is not done very delicately. If anyone would like to have a go at making it fluffier, we would love to read it. Please let us know makeitbetter@thebuilderdepot.com
