Since
we do not plan our sales discounts and promotions far in advance it is
impossible to determine if or when a particular item price might change. Many
times the price of an individual item changes due to the cost we pay to our
supplier for that item. Again we have no way of knowing when our suppliers are
going to change prices.
In conclusion, we want every customer to get the best deal,
but the price you pay for a Ben's Spot item is always subject to change.
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Q: Do you match prices of other web retailers?
A: No we don't. As you know the Internet has created a great
opportunity for buyers and sellers of goods to come together. However, many
Internet retailers use sales discounts and promotions to gain new business. Of
course this is part of our business model too. Lack of financial planning by
some of these companies has created an environment where they sell products
below their cost.
This may encourage bargain hunters and spur sales at these
sites. But it has closed many web retailers, because it violates a basic
business tenet : You can't stay in business if you lose money on every sale.
Our philosophy is simple... we discount prices of every
item we sell every day! We shop around to buy high quality toys at the best prices we
can and pass the savings on to the customer. We often have sales incentives
like free shipping and coupon codes for purchases above a certain dollar
amount. We do offer big savings everyday, but we don't sell below our cost.
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Q: Do you sell wholesale or give quantity discounts?
A: We are not equipped to sell merchandise to other retailers,
because of the tremendous overhead. We will be happy to accommodate you and
sell in bulk if we have the inventory on hand. Quantity discounts vary by
item. In general, you need to purchase at least 10 pieces of an item to
receive a quantity discount. Again, our merchandise is already marked down, so
further discounting for small purchases is not available.
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Q: Is there a minimum order?
A: No.
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Q: How is my shipping charge
calculated?
A: Our shopping cart uses a built in table of actual UPS and
USPS (post office) charges. Since all packages over 1 pound are now subject to
zone based shipping fees, you need to include your destination shipping zip or
country code to calculate the exact charge to ship your order. In other words,
the cost of shipping is dependent on the distance that it travels from our
office. Our office is located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
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Q: How long will it take for me to get my order?
A: All orders of merchandise that are in stock are processed
within 1 business day. Due to the high volume of orders, the order may take
1-2 days more to ship. In most cases, orders are shipped the next business day
after receipt of payment. The actual shipping time until your order arrives
varies based on the shipping method you select. Orders sent by UPS
ground for example will be delivered in 5 business days or less anywhere in
the contiguous 48 states.
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Q: Do you ship anywhere in the world?
A: We ship worldwide, but there are some countries where we
can't get insurance to ship packages. Therefore we don't ship to those
countries. These countries are:
Afganistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin,
Bolivia, Burkina Faso/Upper Volta, Bulgaria, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape
Verdi, Central African Republic, Chad, Columbia, Congo, Cuba, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia,
Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Poland, Russia, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Solomon Island, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda,
Yemen, Zaire, Zambia.
Q: Are there any special requirements
for International buyers?
A: Although it pains us to say this...there are many people
who don't understand their responsibilities in regard to shipping a package
from the United States to a foreign country. First and foremost, it is your
responsibility to know the ancillary or additional charges for
shipping a package to your country. In other words, besides the actual cost of
postage (shipping and handling), there may be customs fees, duties, excise
taxes, local taxes, etc. that you may incur. We ship packages to dozens of
countries around the world, but we have no idea what fees are incurred within
each country.
When our shopping cart or shipping quote (for an auction
item) estimates your shipping charge it only calculates the cost of
shipping and handling. Any other fees charged by the shipping carrier,
government, or any third party is in addition to the shipping and handling fee
that we charge. We do not collect any fees other than shipping and handling.
We do not get paid by the shipping carrier, governments or any third party ANY
COMPENSATION OF ANY KIND. Unfortunately, some people don't understand this.
When confronted by a customs official, some people think
they do not owe customs or that we have somehow magically collected the money.
We don't mean to belabor the point, but you need to understand that fees
like customs duties go to a government - they don't go to Ben's Spot. If you
decline to pay customs fees and your package is returned to us you will need
to pay for shipping again to get your item(s).
To summarize this section, if you don't know what fees are
involved in sending packages to your country you had better find out before
you buy merchandise. We have a zero tolerance policy in this regard. You must
understand these fees (if there are any) and must agree to pay them.
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Q: How can I find out the status of my order?
A: We are evaluating order processing software that we hope to
integrate into our business next year. Until then, please feel free to
e-mail or call us at 856-795-8183.
Once your order ships you will receive a shipping notification with the
tracking number if you select any UPS shipping method. Some orders sent by
USPS mail have tracking information (such as priority mail or express mail).
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Q: I'd like my order sent by Fedex and billed to my
account. I don't see that option available on your shopping cart.
A: We will be happy to send your order by whatever means you
prefer. However, be aware that orders sent by Fedex or any other carrier
entail additional labor and time to fill. Therefore, the carrier you select
must offer pick-up service at our office. In addition there is a $5 surcharge
that we pass on to fill these non-standard orders.
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Q: I need my order sent as fast as possible or delivered by
a certain day. How can I arrange that?
A: Please call us at 856-795-8183 to arrange a rush order.
Again we handle a high volume of orders and there is no way to know that your
order is a rush until we look at it. Any urgent information regarding your
order should be communicated by phone. Based on the specifications of your
order we can explain your options and get your order moving as fast as
possible.
Q: I live outside the US. Your shipping calculator (in the
shopping cart) determined a very high price to ship my order. Are there any
alternatives?
A: Due to a design feature of the shopping cart all packages
sent overseas are rated as large packages. There is a lower rate for small
packages, but the higher rate is always set so there is not a shortage of
postage. If we determine that your package can be shipped for less money we
will automatically adjust your shipping rate. This is one reason we state that
the shipping cost is estimated.
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Q: I saw information on your web store that shipping is
free above a certain amount. My order exceeded the stated amount but the
shipping charge stayed in the cart. Why?
A: There are 2 explanations. One is that we continually rotate
promotions and specials. You may have placed an order after the promotional
shipping rate was changed. The second possibility is that the free shipping
threshold was not adjusted in our shopping cart. If this occurs, we will
adjust the shipping charge to reflect the free shipping.
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Q: Do you have a preferred shipping carrier?
A: Yes. UPS is our preferred carrier for a variety of reasons.
One of the most important reasons as it relates to our customers is all UPS
services give a day definite guarantee when a package will be delivered. No
other carrier provides this guarantee for all services. In other words, if you
choose UPS ground as your shipping method, UPS can tell you how many days it
will take for your package to arrive. This transit time for UPS ground is
guaranteed , so if the package does not arrive on the day they specified, your
shipping cost will be refunded. Note: UPS ground does not guarantee ground
deliveries the 2 weeks before Christmas.
Services such as priority mail from the post office are not
day definite and are not guaranteed. Although the post office has a large
operation and can be cost effective, without definite transit times for
deliveries this service is not advisable for our orders. Also, the USPS
charges additional fees for tracking and insurance. These features are built
into the UPS cost (insurance is included for the first $100 of any package).
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Q: I have a large order or special requirements for my
order. Will it take longer to fill?
A: Obviously large or complex orders may take additional time
to fill. Again the reality is even large or complex orders ship in 1 business
day as long as we have all the info we need to fill the order. For example, if
you are paying by check for your order..we need to wait 10 days for the funds
to clear.
Q: I live close by to your office. Can I pick up my order?
Yes, please call us at 856-795-8183 to arrange an
appointment.
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Q: What payment methods do you
accept.
A: We offer a wide range of payment options:
Note: We only accept payment in US dollars.
Payment in any
other currency will be cancelled.
ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS - VISA, MASTER CARD, DISCOVER AND
AMERICAN EXPRESS
PAYPAL
BIDPAY
YAHOO! PAYDIRECT
C2IT
PERSONAL OR BUSINESS CHECK (CHECKS ARE HELD FOR 7 BUSINESS
DAYS UNTIL CLEARED)
MONEY ORDER/ CASHIERS CHECK
We can also arrange for wire transfers for our
international customers at a $15 surcharge. This is the fee our bank charges
to accept a wire transfer.
There is a $20 service charge for all returned checks.
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Q: I don't want to place an order through your shopping
cart, is there any other way to send in my order?
A: Yes. You can call us at 856-795-8183 for a phone or fax
order, e-mail us at debbie@bensspot.com
, or send your order to our office:
Ben's Spot
1600 Berlin Rd.
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
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Q: What services do you provide?
A: We are experimenting with a number of different services
such as gift wrapping and a quarterly bulletin/newsletter. We are always
looking for ways to enhance our customers' shopping experience.
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Q: I'm not happy with my purchase, can I return or exchange it?
A: All sales are final. We are a web based store . We need
to be able to resell returned merchandise. Under very specific conditions you
can return brand new merchandise. If your item was broken or you received the
wrong item please see the questions below.
You can only return a product in it's original, brand
new condition including the original box and all parts, materials, documents
etc. You must return the product within 30 days of receipt. Before you
return an item, you must follow our return policy. First off, the item
must be returned in brand new condition in it's original packaging as stated
above. For example, if you buy a bike, assemble it and decide it's too small
for your child -- THAT BIKE CAN'T BE RETURNED!!
This is an unfortunate circumstance, but we can't resell or
return this product to the manufacturer for credit. Think of it like browsing
in a glass collectible shop. If you break a piece of china - you bought it! In
our case, if you buy it and use it - you bought it.
If you have an item that is brand new in the original
packaging that you want to return, be aware
that you are responsible for sending the item back to us in it's original
condition AND paying the cost of shipping. Before you return the item
contact us by phone at 856-795-8183. WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE AND CONSENT TO
HAVE THE ITEM RETURNED. If you wish another item in
exchange just let us know. A full refund for the cost of the item or exchange will be
issued immediately upon receipt of the returned item.
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Q: My item was broken on delivery or
a part was missing. How can I get it replaced?
A: Contact us first at 856-795-8183. Depending on how the item was shipped
there are various methods used to replace the item. Please realize we are a
retailer who deals with dozens of vendors and manufacturers. We do not
stock spare parts or repair any items that we sell. However, we can assist
you in contacting the appropriate person from every manufacturer we represent.
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Q: I received the wrong item. How can I get it replaced?
A: Simply notify us at 856-795-8183 and ship the item back to us. A
replacement item will be sent as soon as we receive the original item. You
will be reimbursed the cost of shipping the item back to us only if you
utilize the shipping method we authorize. Under no circumstances will you
you be reimbursed for shipping an item back using any Next Day, Second Day, or
3 Day shipping service. Any customer who knowingly sends merchandise to us by
one of these methods will be charged for the cost of shipping PLUS A $15
SERVICE CHARGE. Any unauthorized use of Ben's Spot information or anyone
claiming to represent us to send packages WILL BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULLEST
EXTENT OF THE LAW.
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Q: How do I know my purchase is safe
and my credit card information is being sent securely?
Our web store uses a secure web page for any shopping cart
transaction. The Secure ID for the shopping cart is issued by Verisign -- the
leader in E-commerce security. Your credit card information is stored securely
on our shopping cart's database. Your purchase information is kept on file in
this secure database only to expedite future orders that you may place with
us. Your credit card info is never transmitted to us by e-mail or any other
means.
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Q: Will my personal information be
sold or used for any other purpose other than to fill my order.
The short answer to this question is no -- your personal
information will never be used by anyone other than our company. We may
periodically issue a sale announcement or newsletter which you must opt
in to receive (subscribe). You will never receive any unsolicited e-mail
(spam).
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Q: Who is Ben's Spot and how long have you been in
business.
A: Ben's Spot is privately held company owned by Debbie
Silver. The office is located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey (roughly 10 miles
from Philadelphia). Debbie is a former Special Education teacher and respite
worker. She graduated from Trenton State College with a BA in Early Childhood
Development. In her extensive dealings with thousands of children, she has
developed a real passion for kids. Of course, most kids passions are toys.
What a great fit for a toy company owner? Besides her hectic business schedule... Debbie still manages to find
time to tend to her own kids. The business is named for her oldest son --
Benjamin.
Debbie's husband Mike is the head go-for of the operation.
Mike has a B.S from Drexel university and works as a network administrator and
PC consultant. Mike is certified as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE),
Novell Certified Network Administrator (CNA) and CompTIA Network +. He is the
webmaster for the Ben's Spot site. Please feel free to send any comments about
the site to
mike@bensspot.com
Ben's Spot was started in Jan. 2001 courtesy of the Poo-chi.
The Poo-chi is a robotic dog that was a popular toy way back when. After a
successful bout selling Poo-chis on E-bay, Ben's Spot quickly branched out to
dozens of specialty toys. Ben's Spot now deals with about 30 manufacturers and
distributors and carries hundreds of different items. More items are being
added all the time!
Ben's Spot sells its products on E-bay, Amazon and Yahoo
auction sites besides its web store.
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