Frequently Asked Questions
For answers to some of the most frequently asked questions, please refer to the
list below. If you still can't find what you are looking for, you may e-mail
Customer Service at
info@montessorioutlet.com. To speak with a Customer Service Representative
directly, please call us at (888) 668-8538, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
PST.
Registration, E-mail and Password Help
How do I create an account?
How do I edit my account
information?
Will the information I provide, be shared?
Ordering and Tracking
Do I have to register to
place an order?
How do I place an order?
I am having trouble submitting my order. The
system will not let me proceed. What should I do?
Is the information I provide at checkout secure?
How can I get shipping and/or order quotes?
Do you charge sales tax? What if I am exempt from paying sales tax?
How will I be notified of any back-ordered items?
Can I make changes to an order I have already placed?
What payment methods do you accept?
How do I track my order status?
Will I get a tracking number?
How do I apply for a line of credit?
Shipping
What are your shipping methods?
How long will it usually take to receive my
order?
What if the shipping address I entered is
incorrect or I need to change it?
Do you accept local pickup at your company?
What are your shipping charges?
Do you ship to Canada and other international locations?
Can I place an order with express delivery?
Can I send my items to multiple addresses?
Do you offer free shipping?
Returns and Exchange
What's your return and exchange policy?
How do I return or exchange my items?
What shall I do if I receive a wrong item?
Other Questions
Why are your prices so low?
Are the products defective or used?
Are your materials safe?
How do I create an account?
You can easily create an account by clicking the "Register" link above the main
menu tabs.
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How do I edit my account
information?
You may edit your account information after login by clicking "Sign In" above
the main menu tabs and then the "Update Account" button.
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Will the information I provide, be shared?
At Montessori Outlet, Inc. we value our customers and their privacy. We do not
trade, sell or transfer your information to other parties. Any information
collected is only used for internal purposes. We do not provide information to
agencies or companies for marketing or commercial purposes.
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Do I have to register to
place an order?
It depends. If you need to place an order online, you will need to register at
our web-store. Otherwise, you may place a phone/mail/fax order without creating
an online account. However, registering at Montessori Outlet web-store is simple
and easy. And you will receive numerous benefits once you become a web-store
customer. These benefits include the wish list, multiple-shipping address book,
online order tracking, saved shopping cart, and most importantly Frequent
Buyer Reward Points for each dollar you spend with us online.
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How do I place an order?
Ordering is easy. You may choose one of the following methods to place an order
with us:
- Online Web-Store Order
You may add any items you like to the shopping cart after you login to your
account, review your order, make any changes, provide your payment information,
and submit your order.
-
Phone Order
You may place a phone order by calling (888) 668-8538, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. PST. One of our customer service representatives will be happy to
assist you.
-
Mail Order
You may click here to download our order form, fill out the form with the items you'd
like to purchase, along with your shipping and payment information, and mail it
to:
Montessori Outlet, Inc.
1926 W. Holt Ave.
Pomona, CA 91768
-
Fax Order
You may click here download our order form, fill out the form with the items you'd
like to purchase, along with your shipping and payment information, and fax it
to (800) 891-3880.
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I am having trouble submitting my order. The
system will not let me proceed. What should I do?
We conduct routine tests to make sure our online store is always running at its
best speed and capability. Make sure you have filled ALL the required sections.
It is very likely that one of the fields was not completed. Also make sure to
select the "country" on the billing and shipping part of your order before
proceeding.
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Is the information I provide at checkout secure?
The security of our customers' information is a top priority at Montessori
Outlet. To protect our customers from Internet threats, we use one of the
industry's most advanced encryption technologies. In addition, all information
given to Montessori Outlet is kept for internal use only. We do not share, sell
or release our customer information to any third parties.
We are proud to announce that MontessoriOutlet.com is now equipped with 128 bit
encrypted SSL Certificate, which will protect customers' personal information
during online shopping transactions.
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How can I get shipping and/or order quotes?
To get easy and detailed pricing and/or shipping quote or to place your order,
please follow these step by step instructions:
- First, visit our website at montessorioutlet.com
- Go to our "Products" section.
- Select the items of interest and add them to your list by clicking on the "Add
to Cart" button. (To view more information about the products, you can click on
the "details").
- When you are finished with your selection, click on the "Shopping Cart" button
(located at the top right hand side of the page).
- Once you are on the page that lists all of the selected items, review the list
to make sure that you have everything you need, as well as the correct quantity
of materials.
- At the bottom of the page select the country you will need these materials
shipped to.
- Next, click on the "Shipping Quote" button next to the country field.
To continue placing your order:
- Just click on the "Proceed to Checkout" button.
- You will need to either log-in or register to continue the check out
processes.
- Then fill in the required fields with the correct information such as;
shipping and billing address and credit card information.
- Proof read all the information you filled at the check out page, and click
"Submit" if everything is correct.
- Make sure to write down your order number (WS-#####).
- You will receive a confirmation e-mail, shortly after you have submitted
your order.
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Do you charge sales tax? What if I am exempt from paying sales tax?
By law, we are required to collect sales tax on behalf of the State of California on any orders to be shipped within
California. If your order is to be shipped to the state other than California,
or an international address, we will not charge any sales tax.
If you school or organization is federal tax exempted, we must have your current
tax exempt certificate on file before the order is shipped.
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How will I be notified of any back-ordered items?
We are trying our best to keep every item in stock. After 2 years of efforts,
we now maintain 99% of materials in-stock for fast shipping. If we do need to
backorder your merchandise, such backordered item will be disclosed on the sales
order and packing list sent together with your other items. In most cases, we
can refill our inventory within 2-4 weeks.
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Can I make changes to an order I have already placed?
Can I make changes to an order I have already placed?
At Montessori Outlet, we work hard to ship your order as quickly as possible.
Please feel free to e-mail or call us to make any changes in your order while it
is being processed. We cannot make any changes to an order once it has been
shipped.
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What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and
Discover. We also accept all personal and company checks, money orders, and
cashier checks. (All orders with check payment will be held until the check is
cleared by our bank.)
For international customers; we accept all major credit cards and also wire
transfer payments. Please keep in mind that a $15.00 bank fee will be applicable
for wire transfer payment and you are also responsible for any additional fees
that your bank may charge.
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How do I track my order status?
If you are an online web-store customer, you may check your order status by
logging in to your account and clicking the "My Account" link above the main
menu tabs. Once your order is shipped, you will receive an automatic shipping
notification from FedEx.
You may also contact our customer service department by calling (888) 668-8538,
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST. Due to high call volume everyday, we
strongly recommend you e-mail us for your order status at
info@montessorioutlet.com
for fast response. Please make sure to include your order number (WS-#####).
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Will I get a tracking number?
If you've provided us your email address when you place your order, you will
receive an email containing the FedEx tracking number(s) once your orders are
shipped. If you do not get an email, then you can check your shipping status on
our website, or contact our customer service department during our normal
business hours.
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How do I apply for a line of
credit?
Montessori Outlet offers a "line of credit" to qualified customers with good
payment histories. After making a 50% down payment, there will be no finance
charges for 30 days. After 30 days, the interest rate is only 1% per month.
Schools with limited budgets will be able to purchase complete Montessori
materials right away. For instance, a customer who places a $6,000 order can
make $3,000 down and pay off the remaining $3,000 in within the next 30 days. (*
Certain restrictions may apply. Subject to approval. Limited to $10,000 line of
credit. Ask for details.)
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What are your shipping methods?
To all U.S. customers, our standard shipping takes 3-5 business days via FedEx
Ground. Due to FedEx restrictions, we do not ship to APO/FPO/AEO addresses, as
well as P.O. Boxes. If you are a U.S. customer who needs expedited shipping
services, please contact us directly after you place the order. The cost for
expedited service can be between twice to three times the amount of the initial
domestic shipping fee. Expedited service may not be available for certain
locations and may not be available for out-of-stock items.
If you are an international customer (except Canadians) with shipping addresses outside of the
United States, your order will be shipped via FedEx International Economy which
offers the cheapest shipping fee among all carriers without creating customs
clearance problems in your country. International customers will be responsible
for the actual shipping fee, handling fee, and broker fee charged by FedEx, as
well as customs duties charged by your local Customs House. Please consult your
local Custom House or broker firm to see if "Montessori Educational Materials"
are "Duty-Free" items in your country. If so, please obtain a Duty Refund Form
from your local Customs House.
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How long will it usually take to receive my
order?
Once your order has been submitted and payment has been approved, in-house
processing usually takes 3-5 business days. Then an additional 3-5 business days
for shipping within the United States and 5-7 business days for international
shipments (depend on location).Please keep in mind that in-house processing
can take between 5-7 business days during the peak season (June - September)
because of the high volume of orders that are being processed.
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What if the shipping address I entered is incorrect or I need to change it?
Make sure to provide us with the correct shipping address: including an accurate
street number, street name spelled correctly, and especially the zip code. This
will avoid any delays in processing and additional shipping charges. Once you
have placed your order, please check your e-mail confirmation to verify all the
information you have entered is correct. If you notice that there is an error or
missing information, please contact us within 24 hours after you receive the
initial order confirmation email. A customer service representative will be more
than glad to get the issue resolved for you. Please be adviced that once your order is shipped, FedEx will charge $10 for any address modification.
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Do you accept local pickup at your company?
We only accept local pickup for any orders above $1,000 by appointment only.
You will be notified the pick update and time after we finish packing your
order. A 5% handling fee will be charged while the shipping fee will be waived.
(*Per Federal and California law, sales tax is applicable based on the local
sales tax rate at the time the order is picked up.)
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What are your shipping charges?
Please visit our Shipping Fee page under the Customer Service section for
complete details on how to calculate the shipping fee.
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Do you ship to Canada and other international locations?
If you are an international customer with shipping addresses outside of the
United States, your order will be shipped via FedEx International Economy which
offers the cheapest shipping fee among all other carriers without creating
customs clearance problems in your country. International customers will be
responsible for the actual shipping fee, handling fee, and broker fee charged by
FedEx, as well as customs duties charged by your local Customs House. Please
consult your local Custom House or broker firm to see if "Montessori Educational
Materials" are "Duty-Free" items in your country. If so, please obtain a Duty
Refund Form from your local Customs House.
If you are a Canadian customer, please visit our new Canada site by visiting
www.montessorioutlet.com and
select Canada as your location.
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Can I place an order with express delivery?
If you are a U.S. customer who needs expedited shipping services, please
contact us directly after you place the order. The cost for expedited service
can be twice to almost three times the amount of the initial domestic shipping
fee. Expedited service may not be available for certain locations and may not be
available for out-of-stock items.
At this moment, we do not offer expedited shipping services to international
customers.
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Can I send my items to multiple addresses?
Yes, but with the restriction of one shipping address per order form. You may
place separate orders for different shipping addresses.
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Do you offer free shipping?
Yes, US domestic customers with an order amount above $500 will qualify for our Free Shipping promotion. Please visit our Home Page to view the listed promotion and its details. Our Free Shipping promotion does not apply to international orders, drop shipped furniture products and cannot be combined with any other special offer and/or promotion unless otherwise stated.
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What's your return and exchange policy?
Because we are serious about meeting the needs of our customers, we offer FREE
30-day returns and exchanges with no restocking fees. Within 30 days of
delivery, customers can return or exchange items if they are not satisfied.
Please see our policy for details. However, we know from our customer
satisfaction surveys that this is rarely required.
For a complete understanding on our return and exchange policy, please simply
visit our Return and Exchange page under the Customer Service section.
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How do I return or exchange my items?
At Montessori Outlet, we offer one of the best Return and Exchange programs
among all vendors. If you are not satisfied with any of our products or receive
damaged/defective items and want to exchange, you can simply follow the
procedures on the RMA form, downloadable at our Return and Exchange page under
the Customer Service section. We will be happy to process your request as soon
as we receive your inquiry. Please review and follow the instructions from our
Return and Exchange policy page before returning any materials.
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What shall I do if I receive a wrong item?
All staff at the Montessori Outlet shipping department work hard to avoid
incorrect items being sent to our customers. If such an incident happens, please
simply follow the procedures on the RMA form, downloadable at our Return and
Exchange page under the Customer Service section. The correct item will be sent
to you once we receive your request.
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Why are your prices so low?
We are able to offer our customers at least 63% off the Nienhuis prices by doing
the following:
- Importing raw materials directly from European top mills rather than obtaining them through vendors/distributors in China or the USA.
- Producing and selling directly to our customers.
- Using the most advanced Just-In-Time System to maintain our inventories.
- Maintaining low manufacturing costs and administrative expenses.
- Making lower profit margins than our competitors.
We are pleased to pass these savings on to our customers!
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Are the products defective or used?
At Montessori Outlet all of our products are made from brand new raw materials
imported from Europe and North America to our wholly-owned manufacturer in
Shanghai. The imported raw materials include (but are not limited to) beechwood
from Germany, Baltic birch plywood from Russia, and water-based finish from
Canada. All of our materials are brand new and have never been used. They are
safe and durable.
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Are your materials safe?
All Montessori Outlet premium materials are tested by German Rheinland
Laboratory and have passed all tests based on European EN-71 and United States
ASTM-F963 Toy Safety Standards. Our manufacturer is the only one in the industry
implementing Water Based Finish technology. Water Based Finish is currently the
most advanced painting technology strongly promoted by the European Union
because it is considered as Heavy Metal chemical free (lead free, non-toxic) and
environmentally friendly. According to the EU, for kids' safety all wooden toy
manufacturers should stop using traditional oil-based finish and use water-based
finish instead.
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