FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Please read the questions and answers here, before submitting an e-mail. The most frequently asked questions are answered here, and can save you the time of composing an e-mail and waiting for a reply.
A: We accept American Express, Discover, Visa, and MasterCard credit and debit cards. Apple Pay, Google Pay, Stripe Payments You may also purchase by pre-paying with a check, money order, or wire transfer (a $25.00 fee is added to wire transfer orders.) Government and educational organizations may purchase up to $2500 on Credit card after that a ACH or wire is required. Businesses which have submitted a credit application and have been approved, may also purchase on up to $2500 on Credit card and ACH or wire after that.
All of these forms of payment are accepted right here on the website. You do not need to contact us to perform a wire transfer, pay by check, or submit a purchase order. When checking out, our order form will allow you to select any of these payment options.
If this is your first order with us, and your credit / debit card billing address, or your shipping address are not within the United States, you will be required to supply front and back images of your credit / debit card by secure upload or e-mail. We will not process your order without these images. Complete instructions are provided on the order entry page, and will also be e-mailed to you, after placing your order.
We currently do not accept credit / debit cards or checks for orders associated with Indonesia, Singapore, Nigeria, and all former Soviet Union countries. We only accept payments by wire, for shipments involving those countries.
A: If your card is declined, we will notify you by e-mail and via your order’s status online, and allow you two business days to reply with instructions and / or to supply a different card or payment method. We will hold any inventory on your order during that time period. If you do not reply within two business days, any inventory will be removed from your order, and either moved to the next waiting customer, or if none are waiting, back to warehouse inventory, and your order will be cancelled.
A: We charge your credit / debit card only when your order is Verified by our security team and credit card merchants provider. If your order isn’t in stock or your order is on back order, we will charge your card .
A: There are several similar ways to view an item’s availability. Primarily, you can see availability on an item’s detail page. Specifically, every item in our catalog has its own page, which can contain images, details, specifications, and availability. This information is displayed in a tabbed format for desktop browsers, and in a collapsed accordian menu format for mobile browsers. In a desktop browser, you can view the availability by simply scrolling to the middle of the page and clicking on the Availability tab. In a mobile browser, simply expand the Availability section by tapping it. Click here for an example.
If you aren’t viewing an item’s detail page, then you may be viewing a catalog listing page, search results page, or your shopping cart, where several items may be listed at once . If so, click the product’s Item Number, to check real time inventory. In a desktop browser, the Item Number is the six or seven character number in the leftmost column. In a mobile browser, the Item Number is in a blue bar above the item’s details. A window will pop-up displaying inventory for the item. Also, clicking an item’s description will bring you to the item’s detail page, as described above.
These options display identical information. Additionally, if a table of warehouses is displayed, please carefully read the information beneath the table for additional stock information. If you don’t understand what a particular column in the table means, click the title of the column for an explanation. The stock information shown is REAL-TIME and accurate. It is based upon the same system we use internally, and what you see is exactly what we see.
Lastly, there may be no table of warehouses listed for an item. This is the case for items which ship directly from a manufacturer to you, items that are delivered via e-mail, or items which are ordered or made on demand. The standard lead time for items like this is 15 business days, but the information shown will be more specific for that particular item. We don’t have or display live inventory information for manufacturer direct ship items.
A: We charge your credit / debit card only when your order is ready . Sometimes, it may appear that we have charged your card twice, or charged your card before the item is in stock, especially if you check your statement online frequently. Rest assured, that only one charge will be processed through for your purchase. Any initial authorization amounts will disappear from your statement, usually within 3 to 5 days, depending upon your bank.
A: We collect US sales tax for all product except if you have a valid Tax Exempt document. We do not collect tax for any other states at this time. Your shopping cart will show you the total tax for your order after you’ve submitted your shipping information, prior to submitting your order. we will not ship products international and do not declare merchandise as “gifts”, “replacements”, or at reduced values as this violates US export law.
A: There are several similar ways to view an item’s availability. Primarily, you can see availability on an item’s detail page. Specifically, every item in our catalog has its own page, which can contain images, details, specifications, and availability. This information is displayed in a tabbed format for desktop browsers, and in a collapsed accordian menu format for mobile browsers. In a desktop browser, you can view the availability by simply scrolling to the middle of the page and clicking on the Availability tab. In a mobile browser, simply expand the Availability section by tapping it. Click here for an example.
If you aren’t viewing an item’s detail page, then you may be viewing a catalog listing page, search results page, or your shopping cart, where several items may be listed at once . If so, click the product’s Item Number, to check real time inventory. In a desktop browser, the Item Number is the six or seven character number in the leftmost column. In a mobile browser, the Item Number is in a blue bar above the item’s details. A window will pop-up displaying inventory for the item. Also, clicking an item’s description will bring you to the item’s detail page, as described above.
These options display identical information. Additionally, if a table of warehouses is displayed, please carefully read the information beneath the table for additional stock information. If you don’t understand what a particular column in the table means, click the title of the column for an explanation. The stock information shown is REAL-TIME and accurate. It is based upon the same system we use internally, and what you see is exactly what we see.
Lastly, there may be no table of warehouses listed for an item. This is the case for items which ship directly from a manufacturer to you, items that are delivered via e-mail, or items which are ordered or made on demand. The standard lead time for items like this is 15 business days, but the information shown will be more specific for that particular item. We don’t have or display live inventory information for manufacturer direct ship items.
A: ETAs are not guaranteed arrival dates. ETA stands for “Estimated Time of Arrival”. These are estimates provided to us by the various manufacturers and suppliers we purchase from on when they expect to have product to us. They are subject to change at any time, but they are the only information we have for items currently not in stock. We cannot tell you how accurate or inaccurate an ETA is.
A: ETAs displayed on your order’s status are specific to your order. ETAs shown on the availability sections are for people who will be placing an order today. If your ETA is missed, you will be provided with an update, when available. Please remember that ETAs are not guaranteed arrival dates. ETA stands for “Estimated Time of Arrival”. These are estimates provided to us by the various manufacturers and suppliers we purchase from on when they expect to have product to us. They are subject to change at any time, but they are the only information we have for items currently not in stock. We cannot tell you how accurate or inaccurate an ETA is.
A: One business day after you’ve submitted your order, you can check its status online via our Order Status function. Also, be sure you read your e-mail at least once a day. That’s how we’ll keep in touch with you regarding your order.
- Here’s what happens to your order after you’ve placed it:
If you are using an international credit / debit card or shipping to an international location, an e-mail is sent notifying you of the stock status of the items on the order, and reiterating that you must supply images of your credit / debit card, before your order is processed any further.
If your credit / debit card and shipment are domestic, or you’ve supplied the credit / debit card images for your international order, then the card is checked for sufficient funds to cover the order.
If the card is declined, you are notified that the order has been temporarily cancelled, and you must contact us with another credit / debit card, clear sufficient funds on the original card, or place the order again online with a different credit / debit card.
If the card is approved, you are sent an e-mail, notifying you of the stock status of the items on your order. Items that are in stock, are listed with an estimated ship date from our warehouse to you. Items that are not in stock, are listed with an “ETA”, which is an Estimated Time of Arrival from the manufacturer, into our warehouses.
- If your order is qualified for free ground shipping:
We process and ship the in-stock portion of your order immediately, and e-mail you a confirmation. If some items are out of stock, we’ll include an ETA for those items in your confirmation. Be sure to check your order’s status online for updated ETAs. There are no additional shipping charges when the back ordered items ship.
- If your order is not qualified for free ground shipping:
If everything is in stock, we process and ship your order immediately. If some items are not in stock, we will ask you in the e-mail, whether we should split up your order, shipping in stock items now, or hold the order until all items are in stock. You order is then halted, until we receive a reply. If we don’t receive a reply within 7 business days, we e-mail you again. If you don’t reply within 48 hours, we cancel your order.
Within three business days of shipping, a receipt is e-mailed containing tracking numbers, tracking links, and totals.
A: Due to the volume of back orders and time necessary to answer this question, we cannot look up each individual order to state placement in the queue. Your initial place in line for an out of stock item is one more than the total number of back orders shown in availability, when you placed your order. Rest assured that your order will be processed in the sequence placed. We apologize for any inconvenience.
A: In stock orders and all factory direct shipments:
Due to the speed of our service, orders for in-stock items and factory direct shipments cannot be cancelled. Please do not ask us to do so as it is impossible. If you decide after ordering, that you do not want the item(s) ordered, you can refuse delivery and will receive a refund minus freight and handling charges, and a 5% restocking fee. Internationally shipping orders and orders shipping via US Mail cannot be cancelled once the items have left the warehouse for the freight forwarder, without incurring freight charges and a 25% restocking fee. If we have already charged your credit / debit card and you dispute the charge without allowing us at least 45 days to perform a refused shipment refund, a $100.00 chargeback rebuttal fee will be deducted from your refund (or charged to your card.)
Out of stock orders:
You are free to cancel your order after one business day without penalty, assuming stock has not arrived. If stock has arrived, then your order cannot be cancelled as noted above. To cancel an out of stock order, simply click the “Cancel Order” button displayed on your order’s status page. If the button is grayed out or doesn’t appear, that means one business day hasn’t elapsed, or the order has either shipped or is shipping and can no longer be cancelled, as noted above.
A: You may not add items or increase quantities of any items on a back order. A new order is required if you wish to purchase additional quantities / items. You may decrease quantities and remove items from your back order, by contacting us. Removing items / decreasing quantities does not affect your position in line.
A: Unfortunately, we don’t have any information on which products might be upcoming for sale. Just keep checking the site, and the item you’re looking for may show up!
A: You may change your order’s details by contacting us. Updating your information does not affect your place in line. To save time, if contacting us by e-mail or via our contact form, please include any changes in your request, instead of asking us if you can change details, waiting for us to reply, then supplying the changes in another reply. Thank you.
A: You must request a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number to return or replace your merchandise. Please read our Return Policy for complete details. Never send your product back to the warehouse address listed on the shipping label. Returns are not accepted at our shipping warehouses. Doing so will result in a very lengthy delay in processing a refund, or possibly no refund at all. After you’ve requested an RMA number, we will provide you with the proper return address and all the necessary information you need to return or replace your product.
- A: The first step is to find what you want. You most likely arrived at our site from a search engine like Google or Yahoo. From that point, you were directed to a page in our Online Catalog containing the item you were looking to purchase. If that didn’t happen, then try our Search feature, where you can search our complete database of products. If a match is found in the search, click the item description, and you’ll be brought to the page where the item is listed in our Online Catalog.
Each item in the catalog has its own page, showing availability (if possible) and any specifications. You purchase the item by specifying the quantity you want, and clicking the “purchase” button. You’ll then be brought to a page displaying everything in your Shopping Cart. From there, you can change quantities, check out, or continue shopping. Your Shopping Cart will retain its contents for up to seven days, if you leave the site. You can view your Shopping Cart contents from any page on our site by clicking the “View Cart” link at the top of the page.
Assuming you are satisfied with your selections, and you’re ready to finalize your purchase, you must either press “Check Out” or “Secure Check Out”. If your browser does not support Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption (though most every browser does these days), then you’ll have to press the “Check Out” button, otherwise just press “Secure Check Out;”
Next, you will be presented with our Terms of Sale & Return Policy. After reading this document, go to the bottom of the page, where one of two options must be selected – “I agree, proceed to secure check out.” or “I agree, proceed to check out.”. If you don’t agree with our policy, then you cannot order from us. If you do agree, then select the secure option or normal option, depending on your browser.
The next page is where you will enter your shipping and billing information. It is self-explanatory, and your data will be checked for errors after you press the “Submit” button. If there are any errors, you will be told at the top of the page, and allowed to make any necessary corrections before actually placing the order. After you’ve successfully entered your information, you’ll be shown your Shopping Cart contents again, this time with any applicable taxes, shipping, handling, and the order total. (Click here for more info on shipping charges and estimates.)
To place the order, click the “PLACE ORDER” button. The next, and final screen, will be a copy of the order you just placed, which you can print out, if desired. A copy will also be e-mailed to you. Your order will be handled by the next available representative, and a confirmation will be e-mailed to you. What happens next?
A: Absolutely. Visit the FAX Order page, to print out an order form, which you can FAX to us. If you would rather place your order by voice, you can reach us at the telephone numbers displayed on our Contact page. We’ll treat your order with the same diligence as any other order.
A: Some manufacturers do not allow us to sell their items in an online transaction for our low price. This is called different things but we will refer to it as an Internet Minimum Price (IMP) policy. If we advertise and sell online at any price lower than dictated by the manufacturer, we may be prevented from selling any of their items. You are not required to purchase any item we sell solely through our website at an IMP price. We have a sales staff available to take your order over the phone at the number(s) listed on our contact page. Telephone orders are not subjected to any minimum pricing policies, and our staff will be happy to discuss our pricing with you on any IMP priced items.
A: There are two reasons for this. The first is that the product may require some special authorization, licensing, configuration, etc., and we need to discuss this with you first. The second, and most common reason, is that we need to manually quote you a price due to the cost of the product. Chances are that we can supply you with a better price on these large ticket items than what the website would generate, and we want to provide you the absolute best price possible.
A: Some manufacturers and suppliers require us to enforce a more restrictive return policy on their items. These restrictions (if any) are noted in the product’s description and supersede our standard return policy. For example, if an item contains “(NO RETURNS OR EXCHANGES)” in the product’s description, that means you cannot return the item to us, and we cannot replace it, for any reason (other than damage during shipping). In other words, the sale of that item is final, and you must contact the manufacturer for any assistance with replacing or repairing the item.
Some items can only be returned if unopened. On others, we can only accept returns or ship replacements if defective. Some items can only be returned or replaced within a specific number of days. By carefully reading the item’s description for such notations, you will know whether anything you wish to purchase is subject to a special return restriction.
It is important to note that none of these restrictions apply to the manufacturer assisting you or replacing your item under its warranty (if one is provided by that manufacturer). In fact, most special return policies are the result of manufacturers wanting to work directly with you. Lastly, these additional restrictions if present, are not by our choice. We are simply following the rules as given to us by various manufacturers and suppliers.
- A: The first step is to find what you want. You most likely arrived at our site from a search engine like Google or Yahoo. From that point, you were directed to a page in our Online Catalog containing the item you were looking to purchase. If that didn’t happen, then try our Search feature, where you can search our complete database of products. If a match is found in the search, click the item description, and you’ll be brought to the page where the item is listed in our Online Catalog.
Each item in the catalog has its own page, showing availability (if possible) and any specifications. You purchase the item by specifying the quantity you want, and clicking the “purchase” button. You’ll then be brought to a page displaying everything in your Shopping Cart. From there, you can change quantities, check out, or continue shopping. Your Shopping Cart will retain its contents for up to seven days, if you leave the site. You can view your Shopping Cart contents from any page on our site by clicking the “View Cart” link at the top of the page.
Assuming you are satisfied with your selections, and you’re ready to finalize your purchase, you must either press “Check Out” or “Secure Check Out”. If your browser does not support Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption (though most every browser does these days), then you’ll have to press the “Check Out” button, otherwise just press “Secure Check Out;”
Next, you will be presented with our Terms of Sale & Return Policy. After reading this document, go to the bottom of the page, where one of two options must be selected – “I agree, proceed to secure check out.” or “I agree, proceed to check out.”. If you don’t agree with our policy, then you cannot order from us. If you do agree, then select the secure option or normal option, depending on your browser.
The next page is where you will enter your shipping and billing information. It is self-explanatory, and your data will be checked for errors after you press the “Submit” button. If there are any errors, you will be told at the top of the page, and allowed to make any necessary corrections before actually placing the order. After you’ve successfully entered your information, you’ll be shown your Shopping Cart contents again, this time with any applicable taxes, shipping, handling, and the order total. (Click here for more info on shipping charges and estimates.)
To place the order, click the “PLACE ORDER” button. The next, and final screen, will be a copy of the order you just placed, which you can print out, if desired. A copy will also be e-mailed to you. Your order will be handled by the next available representative, and a confirmation will be e-mailed to you. What happens next?
A: Some manufacturers do not allow us to advertise our low price on their items. If we do not comply, then we may be prevented from selling their items. Generally, we are allowed to sell their items at whatever price we wish, but we cannot advertise that price. To purchase such an item at our true selling price, simply add it to your shopping cart. Shopping carts are not subject to these restrictions as they are not an advertisement, and our shopping cart will show you unadvertised item prices before you check out.
A: Some manufacturers do not allow us to sell their items in an online transaction for our low price. This is called different things but we will refer to it as an Internet Minimum Price (IMP) policy. If we advertise and sell online at any price lower than dictated by the manufacturer, we may be prevented from selling any of their items. You are not required to purchase any item we sell solely through our website at an IMP price. We have a sales staff available to take your order over the phone at the number(s) listed on our contact page. Telephone orders are not subjected to any minimum pricing policies, and our staff will be happy to discuss our pricing with you on any IMP priced items.
A: There are two reasons for this. The first is that the product may require some special authorization, licensing, configuration, etc., and we need to discuss this with you first. The second, and most common reason, is that we need to manually quote you a price due to the cost of the product. Chances are that we can supply you with a better price on these large ticket items than what the website would generate, and we want to provide you the absolute best price possible.
A: Absolutely. Drop us an e-mail with the Item number(s), and the quantity you’re looking for, and we’ll get a quote right out to you.
A: Before we answer that question, we have some for you, because you need to know the facts to make an intelligent decision. Are they really selling it for that price? Did you take into account their shipping and handling charges? What about their “processing” charges? What if you don’t like what you bought? Are you ready to pay their 15% restocking charge, and only get back 85 cents out of each dollar you spent? That’s assuming you can ever really talk to a human being and have your problem taken care of.
You really need to consider all of these factors, before you purchase from any merchant. We don’t make our money from advertising. We aren’t in business to lose money. This company is customer service orientated from the ground up. We don’t have one telephone number for sales, and one for problems where you wait on hold for an eternity. We have one telephone number to answer questions, place orders, and get support. And, if every representative is busy helping out another customer, you don’t wait on hold — you leave a message, and the next rep calls you back. Our re-stocking fee is 5% (that’s five percent), and it is only for non-defective returns, and refused shipments.
So, are you ready to buy from a company that cares, and makes its profits from you? The US government, many well known educational institutions, Fortune 100 companies, and countless everyday people have made the right decision. Some of them have tried “XYZ, Inc.”, and learned the hard way. Instead of asking us about their price, you should really be asking XYZ, Inc., “Bottom Line Telecommunications sells this for $XXX, which is a little more than you, but they really care about my business and satisfaction. Do you?”
So, do we price match, or not? We never price match on single quantities of any item. We may price match, if you want to buy more than one of something. But, before you even ask us to match someone else, please be absolutely sure you have their real price, which includes every possible charge they will tack on to their selling price. Once you’ve got that dollar amount, e-mail us, and we’ll see what we can do. Please be prepared to supply the URL or source of your pricing. We must be able to duplicate the price you want matched, to even consider matching it. Again, we may match it, we may not. It depends, but we’ll give it our best shot.
A: For security purposes, we prefer an e-mail address associated with your ISP or company to help us mitigate fraud.
Shipping Questions
We generally Ship via USPS ground service.
You can choose any tier or tier two carries for your products to be shipped.
We do not ship international unless you have a had account with us for a long time.
A: Our shopping cart system will estimate shipping charges for most shipping methods. Add items to your cart for shipping estimates. Shipping and handling charges differ depending upon your location, as follows:
- Shipping in the US:
We ship domestically in the contiguous 48 states using UPS and Federal Express. We also offer US Postal Service methods to AK, AS, FM, GU, HI, MH, MP, PR, PW, and VI only. We use only US Postal Service methods to ship to US military addresses in AA, AE, and AP. We pay for ground shipping in the contiguous 48 United States on all orders. You can also use your own FedEx account number, if you wish FedEx to bill you shipping directly. We reserve the right to change your shipping method to an equivalent or faster method, at no additional charge to you. A $2.00 handling charge applies to most orders under $1,000.00.
- International and Overseas US Military Shipping:
We DO NOT ship internationally but we allow you to pick up the US Postal Service and Federal Express or your freight forwarder . you can visit the US Postal Service’s website to perform an estimate.
Shipping costs for FedEx international methods are not estimated as they are dependent upon the destination, weight, and dimensions of the order. Therefore, if you want an estimated cost of shipping by FedEx internationally, in advance, you can visit the FedEx website to perform an estimate. The shopping cart displays the estimated weight of each item, before you check out, which will assist you in estimating the shipping costs. We recommend that you use at least a minimum weight of 4 lbs, dimensions of 12 x 9 x 5, and an origin zip code of 06447, when estimating FedEx International rates. Additionally, we provide a 10% discount off the Federal Express published international rates, so you may include that in your calculation. You may use your own FedEx account number, if you wish FedEx to bill you shipping directly.
Lastly, most international destinations impose duties and tariffs, over which our company has no control, and cannot estimate for you, and we will not declare merchandise as “gifts” as this violates US export law.
- Please note that we’re not in business to make our money on shipping charges.
Many other companies sell their products at cost, then grossly overcharge on shipping to make their profit, or have incremented rates ($5.00 minimum, $10.00 if it weighs x amount, $15.00 if it weighs this much, etc.) We think this is unfair and misleading, and have no such scheme. Rest assured, we will do our very best to keep shipping costs to a minimum.
Shipping in the US, excluding US Mail methods:We ship from many different warehouses across the country, which allows us to pick the warehouse closest to you, to get your product to you as quickly as possible. More information is available here.International and all orders shipping by US Mail:Orders are shipped by ground to a freight forwarder. This usually takes one to five business days. The forwarder then prepares the necessary paperwork, repackages your items in the fewest number of shipping cartons possible, and ships the order to you using the shipping method you selected when you ordered. More information is available here.Primary Warehouse Locations:
- Carol Stream, IL 60188
- Millington, TN 38053
- Fort Worth, TX 76155
- Mira Loma, CA 91752
- Jonestown, PA 17038
- Marlborough, CT 06447
If you wish to pick up your purchase at a warehouse:Warehouses are opened from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, their time zone. Orders submitted after 2:00 PM eastern will not be available for pick up until the next business day. We will provide you with the relevant warehouse address after you submit your order. You must allow 3 business hours to elapse after receiving the warehouse address before you arrive there. A photo ID matching the name on the order is required to pick up your purchase.We strongly discourge selecting this option for orders with out of stock items, as it limits your order to fulfillment out of only one specific warehouse (the one closest to you), while another warehouse may receive inventory sooner.
A: Warehouse location is irrelevant for back orders. Back orders are filled in the sequence received regardless of warehouse location. This means that back orders are filled from the first warehouse that receives inventory. We will put your back order in the closest warehouse to your location, preliminarily, then move it to whichever warehouse receives inventory first.
A: That is dependent upon the type of shipping method you select, where you are, and where we have the item. If the item is in stock, we can have it there the same day (in the contiguous 48 United States), and usually within 3 days to other parts of the world. Of course, these are the most costly shipping options. Ground shipment in the contiguous 48 United States is usually within 5 business days, and is usually free of charge for orders of $10.00 or more. Mail methods for international shipments can range from 5 to 30 days.
A: Absolutely. We’ve made many new international friends throughout the world, and would be happy to call you “friend” too! We also ship to all APO type addresses for the US military. More information is available <link>. Also, please be sure to read our Return Policy for information on return freight charges.
Refund Questions:
Returns Questions:
We are easy with Returns.
30-Days return on all products DOA or workmanship errors.