Shipping, Returns and Other Policies
DISCOUNT SHIPPING PROMOTION
SMSDistributors.com is pleased to offer Discount Flat Rate Shipping on most orders* within the lower 48 United States as well as premium UPS and FedEx shipping services.
Choose the best flat rate discount option or premium UPS or FedEx service that suits your needs at checkout:
- $5 Flat Rate Discount Shipping on most orders over $50+
- $10 Flat Rate Discount Shipping on most orders between $15 to $49.99
- $12 Flat Rate Discount Shipping on most orders between $0.01 to $14.99
- $30 Flat Rate Discount Shipping for most oversized and overweight items (excludes paint and HAZMAT)
- Premium UPS and FedEx Shipping - pricing is based on service selected, destination zip code, weight and dimension of package(s)
Please make sure to provide an accurate USPS physical street address and PO Box if applicable at checkout.
Customers that pay for a premium UPS or FedEx service will be moved to the top of the queue and given priority. Orders placed using a flat rate discount shipping option typically ship within 1-2 business days.
Orders placed with a Discount Flat Rate Shipping option will be shipped via UPS, FedEx or USPS at our discretion. Lightweight packages will most likely ship USPS or UPS SurePost.
Certain restrictions do apply; not valid on orders to HI, AA, PR, US territories or outside the US, heavy weight, oversize, pallet freight shipments, certain special orders and HAZMAT products.
Attention Canadian Customers: All taxes, duties and brokerage fees are NOT included at time of checkout and will be assessed upon delivery! International shipping rates calculated with FedEx® and UPS® online calculator cover only the actual shipping portion of the delivery; You will be responsible for any and all additional taxes, duties and brokerage fees assessed upon delivery which may exceed 50% of the purchase price. It is not possible for us to determine what these charges will be in advance as this information is not privy to us and out of our control.
SMS SHIPPING POLICIES
COVID-19 Update: Please see our latest Covid-19 Virus update here on how shipments may be affected.
Discounted Shipping: Shipments that qualify for any discounted shipping promotions will be shipped via a carrier of SMS Distributors discretion.
Estimated Shipping Times: Orders for in-stock items received before 1 pm EST typically ship within 24 hours and in most cases ship the same day (not including weekends and holidays). Most orders will be received within 1 to 5 business days (not including weekends and holidays). See map below for estimated delivery times.
Orders containing HAZMAT paint items may require an additional 1-2 days to process.
FedEx Ground, FedEx Home and UPS services delivery dates displayed are estimates and do not include weekends or holidays or additional time required to safely package items (e.g. HAZMAT, paints, etc.). Purchasing these premium services does not guarantee same day shipping or delivery date; however, your order will receive priority handling and placed to the head of the order queue. No refunds for premium shipping will be given for delays by shipping carrier as these circumstances are out of our control.
Occasionally items may become ordered and not reflected as out of stock; back orders are typically fulfilled within 3 business days.
If an item must arrive within a specific time frame please contact us BEFORE ordering to confirm product availability.
Canadian Shipments: Our Canadian friends should contact us BEFORE placing an order so we can get you an accurate shipping quote. International shipping rates calculated with FedEx® and UPS® online calculator may be different than actual shipping charges; All taxes, duties and brokerage fees are not included in the shipping charge, only the ground shipping portion is assessed at checkout; you will be responsible for any and all additional taxes, duties and brokerage fees upon delivery. Please contact us at Sales@SMSDistributors.com and include your shipping address, phone number, product(s) and quantity of interest.
Shipping Confirmation: Confirmation and/or tracking numbers are normally sent via email within 1 day from shipment. Please note, it may take up to 24 hours for tracking information to appear in carriers system. If you use AOL email service or use spam filter, please check your spam folder for shipping confirmations. For questions regarding shipments, please contact us at Sales@SMSDistributors.com.
Signature Service: For your protection, purchases over $200 require an Adult Signature for delivery; there is no additional charge for this service. Customers may decline Adult Signature service by adding a note upon checkout but SMS will not be responsible for missing packages for which signature service was declined. Customers may request Adult Signature service for orders under $200 but a $2 fee will be assessed. SMS will not be responsible under any circumstances for missing packages delivered by carrier in which adult signature service was not authorized; for missing packages, these matters must be handled by customers directly with the appropriate carrier.
Air Shipments: If you must have an item within a given time frame, please contact us BEFORE ordering to confirm product availability.
All expedited air shipments must be placed by 11 am EST in order to be shipped same day (excluding weekends and holidays). Customer requesting expedited air shipments will be notified promptly if any ordered item is out of stock and be given the opportunity to change or cancel the order.
HAZMAT items will not ship air under any circumstances. HAZMAT items include paints, aerosols, pesticides, etc. If ordering HAZMAT items, please select only a ground or discount shipping option only.
Once items have shipped, SMS will not refund expedited shipping charges for delays in shipment due to carrier error/issues (e.g. inclement weather).
HAZMAT: We will only ship HAZMAT products (e.g. paints, aerosols, solvents) via ground shipping. We will not ship HAZMAT items via air under any circumstances. Upon checkout, several shipping options will be offered but our system does not differentiate between non-HAZMAT and HAZMAT items but a note is listed for HAZMAT items at the top of the product page; please do not choose an expedited air shipping option for HAZMAT type products as they will ultimately ship UPS or FedEx ground. Customers outside the continental US wishing to purchase HAZMAT products should contact us at Sales@SMSDistributors.com in order to make arrangements with a freight forwarder. If you have questions about what is considered HAZMAT, please contact us at Sales@SMSDistributors.com.
Order Modifications: Under rare circumstances where a product is on extended backorder and unavailable, SMS may modify the order with equivalent item(s) to complete the order. Example would be a gallon of Paint X is on factory backorder, 4 quarts of same Paint X may be substituted to complete the order; in these situations the lower price will be honored.
Fraud Protection: We take credit card fraud seriously. Often times, customers are not aware that their credit cards have been flagged for fraud review by their financial institution. Transactions that appear suspicious or under fraud review by a credit card company may require verification from customer before order is shipped; in these instances, customers may be notified by an SMS customer service representative for verification of the order. Failure to provide a contact phone number during checkout may result in additional shipping delays.
Holidays: SMS and our carriers are closed and do not ship Federal and Massachusetts holidays and offer limited service during the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years holidays.
Questions: For questions about product availability, shipping times or other inquiries, please contact us at Sales@SMSDistributors.com.
CARRIERS & SHIPPING RATES
SMSDistributors uses UPS®, FedEx® and USPS to ship most orders. SMS Distributors reserves the right to use US Postal Service (USPS) Priority Mail to ship small packages if found to be faster than UPS® and FedEx® delivery times. Upon checkout, you will have the option to select the level of service to suit your needs. If you prefer another carrier such as USPS, we may be able to accommodate you; please contact an SMS representative to place your order and make alternative shipping arrangements at Sales@SMSDistributors.com. If it is critical to use a particular carrier for your packages, please make a note of this during checkout.
All shipping rates are based on weight, distance and type of freight service selected. Certain overweight, large, bulky or hazardous goods may require special shipping arrangements and/or incur additional charges; in these instances you will be contacted.
Any discount or free shipping promotions are only good for the lower contiguous 48 United States, items with promotional shipping will be shipped by the discretion of SMSDistributors and may exclude certain overweight, large, bulky or hazardous goods.
For all inquiries other shipping related inquires (e.g. tracking, freight quote), please contact us at Sales@SMSDistributors.com.
BACK ORDERS
SMSDistributors only advertises stocked items. Inventories are updated frequently but there may be times when we sell out of a particular product during the day resulting in a back order. Back orders are typically filled in three to seven (3-7) business days. In the event of a split shipment order, you will only be charged once for shipping (standard ground orders only).
CANCELLATIONS
Any cancellation must be approved by SMSDistributors and may be subject to a fifteen (15) percent restocking fee. If shipment has already been picked up by freight carrier, shipping charges both ways will be deducted from any refund given. To cancel a shipment en route, please contact us at Sales@SMSDistributors.com.
UN-DELIVERABLE SHIPPING ADDRESS
Please make sure you provide us with a correct shipping address and contact information. If an item is returned due to an address being deemed un-deliverable by freight carrier, the total shipping charges incurred both ways plus a twenty-five (25) percent restocking fee will be deducted from any refund given.
MISSING PACKAGES:
In the unlikely event that your package is lost in transit, please contact us right away so we can contact the carrier to resolve the issue and replace and reship if necessary. Packages lost in transit are usually a result of damage by the carrier.
If your package is shown as being delivered but has not arrived, you must contact the carrier to report the issue. Once a package has been shown by the carrier as being delivered and signed for by recipient at the address or the carrier, we cannot do anything until you contact the carrier to report the issue and open up a missing package case file. Often times, the carrier mistakenly delivers the package to a neighbors location and can quickly be located and redelivered the following day.
If a package cannot be located and once you have logged a missing package report with the carrier, we can then work to replace the package and file a missing package claim with the carrier.
You can contact UPS customer service 800-742-5877 and FedEx customer service 1-800-GOFEDEX (463-3339). You will need to reference the tracking number provided for your shipment.
RETURNS
To return an item, an RMA (Returned Merchandise Authorization) number is required before shipping item(s). You may contact us at Sales@SMSDistributors.com for an RMA number. No refund will be given without an RMA number included with returned item(s).
An RMA number must be requested within fourteen (14) days of receipt and returns must be received at our warehouse within twenty-one (21) days of receipt. No returns will be accepted or refunded after thirty (30 days) from receipt.
Refunds will be issued in the same manner that payment was received within fourteen (14 days) of receiving at our warehouse.
If the wrong item is sent, an exchange will be made promptly and there will be no restocking fee or additional shipping charges.
Customer is responsible for shipping returned items in a safe manner and all related shipping costs. All returned items must be in new, unopened, salable condition in original packaging. SMSDistributors reserves the right to refuse a refund for any item deemed unsaleable upon inspection of goods.
Shipping and freight charges are not refundable for returned items. For returns that were shipped using a Discount Shipping option, the actual full cost for shipping the package will be deducted from any refund given.
For items damaged in transit, SMSDistributors must be contacted within twenty-four (24) hours of delivery at Sales@SMSDistributors.com. SMSDistributors will process damage claim with the applicable freight company; pictures of damaged packaging and contents will be required; total contents and packaging may be required for the freight company to inspect.
Restrictions and restocking fees may apply to returned items. Please read below for details based on type of merchandise:
General Merchandise: All consumable items are subject to a fifteen (15) percent restocking fee and freight charges will not be refunded.
HAZMAT: All hazardous material items including but not limited to paints, coatings, varnish, primers and epoxies are subject to a twenty-five (25) percent restocking fee and freight charges will not be refunded, no exceptions; customer is responsible for finding a certified HAZMAT shipper to safely ship materials to be returned; SMSDistributors.com cannot generate return shipping labels for these items under any circumstances. Do not return paints, coatings, varnish, primers, etc. via U.S. Mail. All paint must be shipped by a HAZMAT approved shipper and the sole responsibility of the customer.
Personal Protective Equipment: All personal protective equipment (PPE) items including but not limited to particulate masks, respirator masks, cartridges, filters and safety suits are final sale and NOT RETURNABLE under any circumstances. If you are unsure which PPE items to order, do not order them.
Special Items: Special orders, custom tinted paints and certain discounted products labeled "Scratch & Dent", "Open Box", and "Returned Items" are sold "as is" and are not returnable, no exceptions.
Tools: Tools deemed defective are the sole responsibility of the respective manufacturer and are not returnable; customer must contact manufacturer for repair or replacement.
EXCHANGES
If the wrong item is sent, an exchange will be made promptly and there will be no restocking fee or additional shipping charges.
If you need to exchange an item for a different item, shipping charges cannot be refunded but restocking fees may be waived. Please contact us at Sales@SMSDistributors.com to request an exchange.
CHARGEBACKS
Chargebacks are designed to keep customers feeling secure and keep merchants like SMS focused on providing great customer service. If a customer is not happy with a product, the customer is "required" to request a traditional return/refund or discuss ways to resolve the issue with SMS first at Sales@SMSDistributors.com.
A chargeback should only be filed in extreme situations, otherwise, it is taking something for free, the very definition of stealing. Any chargeback that is successfully filed by a customer with their bank for products and services that were delivered and not returned to SMS will still be responsible for making payment in full plus chargeback fees (ranging up to $50). SMS reserves the right to collect full payment and fees from customers in default for products that were successfully delivered and not returned in saleable condition. If payment is not made, customers owed debts will be handed off to a collection agency.
WARRANTIES
Warranties are solely the responsibility of the manufacturer and the final determination of warranty adjustments rests with the manufacturer of the product. We will do all we can to expedite warranty adjustments but cannot assume responsibility which is that of the manufacturer. Tools and Equipment deemed defective are the sole responsibility of the respective manufacturer and are not returnable; customer must contact manufacturer for tool inspection for repair and/or replacement.
EXPORTS
OVERVIEW: SMSDistributors may accommodate shipments for export outside the US with the freight forwarder of your choice. Please contact an SMS representative directly at Sales@SMSDistributors.com to place international order and make appropriate shipping arrangements. International shipping rates calculated with FedEx and UPS online calculator may be different than actual shipping charges and taxes and brokerage fees are not included; if international orders are placed online and shipping rate discrepancy exists, customer will be contacted to reconcile and pay any shipping price differences before items ship. Purchaser is responsible for paying all custom duties, taxes and brokerage fees; these costs will not be included in estimated shipping charges.
PAYMENT: All payments must clear with our bank before shipments leave our warehouse. SMSDistributors accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, check, money order and wire transfer.
ORDER ACCEPTANCE: Purchaser acknowledges that no international order shall be deemed accepted unless and until it is verified and accepted by SMSDistributors staff. Purchaser further consents that submission of its order shall subject Purchaser to the jurisdiction of the courts of the United States and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
PRODUCT SUITABILITY: Many countries and localities have codes and regulations governing sales, construction, installation, and/or use of products for certain purposes, which may vary from location to location. While SMSDistributors attempts to assure that its products comply with such codes, it cannot guarantee compliance, and cannot be responsible for how the product is installed or used. Before purchase and use of a product, Purchaser should review the product application and applicable codes and regulations to be sure that the product, installation, and use will comply with them.
COUNTRY OF IMPORTATION. Purchaser represents that it is purchasing products from the United States and importing them to the country specified in Purchaser's and SMSDistributors documentation. Purchaser agrees that the products will be shipped to the specified destination in compliance with the laws of such destination and the United States, and that there will be no re-export or diversion from such specified destination. If requested by SMSDistributors, Purchaser shall provide documentation satisfactory to SMSDistributors verifying delivery at the designated country. Purchaser agrees to inform SMSDistributors at the time of order of any NAFTA or other certificates of origin or other special documentation, packaging or product marking or labeling and SMSDistributors shall not be responsible for providing any such documentation, packaging, marking or labeling unless SMSDistributors expressly agrees.
OTHER TERMS
DELIVERY SIGNATURE SERVICE: If you would like signature service for deliveries (signing in person to receive package), you must request so at checkout in the Special Instructions box or request this service before placing your order at Sales@SMSDistributors.com. SMSDistributors shall not be held liable for any package(s) that are misplaced, stolen, damaged by inclement weather, etc. after being delivered by carrier.
For your protection, purchases over $200 require an Adult Signature for delivery; there is no additional charge for this service. Customers may decline Signature Service by adding a note upon checkout but SMS will not be responsible for missing packages for which signature service was declined.
FORCE MAJEURE: SMSDistributors shall not be liable for any delay in or impairment of performance resulting in whole or in part from Acts of God, labor disruptions, shortages, inability to procure product, supplies or raw materials, severe weather conditions, or any other circumstances or cause beyond the control of SMSDistributors in the conduct of its business.
PRODUCT SUITABILITY: Many states and localities have codes and regulations governing sales, construction, installation, and/or use of products for certain purposes, which may vary from those in neighboring areas. While SMSDistributors attempts to assure that its products comply with such codes, it cannot guarantee compliance, and cannot be responsible for how the product is installed or used. Before purchase and use of a product, please review the product application, and national and local codes and regulations, to be sure that the product, installation, and use will comply with them.