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FAQ's

FAQ's

 

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 [email protected]. 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?

You can easily create an account by clicking the "Register" link from the “Sign In / Register” section at the upper right corner of the homepage.

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 "My Account" button.

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.

 

Ordering and Tracking

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.

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.

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.  If you still experience tech problems, please feel free to contact us via toll-free number of email.  Our customer service representative will be happy to assist you.

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.

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 "Go 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.

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 your school or organization is federal tax exempted, we must have your current tax exempt certificate on file before the order is shipped.

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.

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 before it is being processed. We cannot make any changes to an order once it has been shipped.

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 responsible for any fees that your bank may charge.

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 [email protected] for fast response. Please make sure to include your order number (WS-#####).

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.

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, you may make upto 24 monthly installment payments to pay off remaining balances.  Schools with limited budgets will be able to purchase complete Montessori materials right away. (Certain restrictions may apply. Subject to final credit approval. Ask for details.)

 

Shipping

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.

How long will it usually take to receive my order?

The normal in-house processing time is 3-5 business days, plus FedEx delivery which takes 3-7 business days depends on the shipping destination within the continental 48 states. Orders to Alaska and Hawaii will arrive within 2-3 weeks. Peak season (June - September) order processing and delivery time may take upto 3 weeks. 

What if the shipping address I entered is incorrect and 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 advised that once your order is shipped, FedEx will charge $15 for any address modification.

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.

What are your shipping charges?

Please visit our Shipping Guide page for complete details on how to calculate the shipping fee.

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.

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.

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.

Do you offer free shipping?

Yes, we frequently have Free Shipping promotions to US domestic customers. 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.

 

Returns and Exchange

What's your return and exchange policy?

Customers can return or exchange items if they are not satisfied within first 30 days. 15% restocking fee may apply if its due to customer preference. 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 on our website.

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.

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.

 

Other Questions

Why are your prices so low?

We are able to offer our customers at least 60% 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!

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 manufacturer in Shanghai. The imported raw materials include beechwood from Germany, Baltic birch plywood from Russia, and etc. All of our materials are brand new and have never been used. They are safe and durable.

Are your materials safe?

All Montessori Outlet premium materials are tested by German TUV Rheinland Laboratory and have passed all tests based on European EN-71 and United States ASTM-F963 Toy Safety Standards. Our manufacturer maybe 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 EU, for kids' safety, all wooden toy manufacturers should stop using traditional oil-based finish and use water-based finish instead.