null

FAQ

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Why should I create an account?

It is recommended that you create an account so that you can take advantage of such features as wish list, tracking your order, viewing past orders, obtaining invoices from past orders, being categorized as tax exempt if needed, and more. However, you are not required to create an account if you don't want to. You can check out as a guest. If later you require a copy of your invoice and you do not have an account, please be advised that the process might take longer as we research your order history.

How do you handle Purchase Orders?

We accept purchase orders only from public and charter schools. PO's need to be signed by the treasurer or the principal of the school and certify that the funds do exist and are set aside for the specific purchases. Private schools that do not have an established record with us, or who have failed to qualify due to credit worthiness must prepay for all purchases using one of the available payment methods.

My School is tax exempt. Why am I being charged tax?

The fact that your school is tax exempt doesn't necessarily quality you as tax exempt in our system. The process of being categorized as tax exempt is a 4-step process. 

  1. First, you must create an account on our online store
  2. Second, send your tax-exempt certificate to the attention of accounts@edutc.com
  3. Our accounting department will need a day or two to research your school or company and verify its tax-exempt status.
  4. Once you have been verified, our accounting department will categorize you as a tax-exempt in our system and you will be able to proceed with purchases that will not contain tax.

Please note, it is advisable that you use a central email for your account so that any teacher who uses this account for ordering can take advantage of the no tax feature. If a teacher that is part of your school uses their own email address it will not necessarily default to the tax-exempt account, you have created. Therefore, they will be charged tax and they will need to go through the above-mentioned process to get qualified as a tax-exempt account.

How do I obtain a quote?

Obtaining a quote is easy. It is very similar to entering items in your shopping cart. However, instead of your cart you simply press the gold button titled "ADD TO QUOTE". You can add as many items as you like to your quote. When you are ready you can press or tap the gold button at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen titled "VIEW YOUR QUOTE". This will open your quote so you may see what you have placed in your quote cart. If everything looks right, enter your personal information, and submit the quote. 

Once your quote has been submitted, it will be reviewed and within minutes you will have an official quote from our company that contains an official signature. Your quote is valid for 30 from the date listed on it. 

If you need to make changes to your quote, please contact our customer service department at 877-409-2929 and speak with a team member who will gladly make your required changes and then resubmit your quote. 

All quotes are emailed to you in a PDF format so that you can share them with your purchasing department or buyer. 

What happens once I place my order, and will I be notified when it ships?

All orders placed online go through a process. First your order is submitted to our accounting department. Once it has been verified that your payment is correct, and there are no issues with your credit card or your method of payment, it is approved for production, and it is transmitted to our order production department in our warehouse. Your order then goes into the queue to be picked, packed, and boxed. The last step is for your shipment to enter the shipping area. Once there, we determine the best method for shipping and a shipping label is generated. Pick-ups take place usually during the end of a workday. Once a label has been generated our system automatically sends you an email with tracking information. However, that doesn't mean that your package has been picked up and that the carrier has scanned the shipment. Therefore, it is possible if you attempt to track your package before it has been picked up, to receive a message stating that your package cannot be tracked. Please be patient and try tracking your shipment after 6:00 pm.

What if I discovered that my order was shorted?

You are asked to report all shortages within 5 days. Any claims following this period will not be honored and you will be required to purchase any items claimed as missing. 

What is your return policy?

If we have accepted liability for the defect or failure, we shall at our option either repair the goods or in exchange of the goods delivered supply new ones. Orthographic or editorial mistakes do not entitle you to request new or updated materials. Such mistakes and updates will become available in the new editions. You may report errata by using our editorial department submission form. ETC Montessori will not be responsible for providing customers with updated, or corrected materials for any editorial mistakes or changes. Laminating our timelines and charts will void all replacement policies. Our timelines and charts are made from recycled plastic. Laminating them will cause them to melt. Should you choose to laminate these items, you will be responsible for replacing them at your cost. 

You may return new, unopened items within 14 days of delivery for a full refund minus 25% for restocking and shipping recovery fees. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). If you are returning item(s) for any reason other than a defect or mistake on our part, you the buyer will be responsible for all shipping and insurance costs. 

Returned items without first having contacted us to receive authorization (RMA #), will not be accepted. Consumable items such as PLP are non-returnable. Items that are printed, cut and ready for display on your shelves are non-returnable if they have been opened. Because we are dealing with intellectual property, items that are opened, not packaged correctly, we are not able to resell, or are being returned after the 14-day return period, will not be accepted for return.

Shipping costs are non-refundable.

Our guarantee does not cover defects caused by acts of violence, careless treatment, use of maintenance, repair by third parties without our foreknowledge and approval or other circumstances outside our control. 

You, the purchaser, is not allowed to suspend your payment because of guarantee claims.

Fulfillment of our guarantee shall constitute our sole and complete indemnification. Any other claim for damages is excluded unless caused by gross negligence on our side. If we, despite this, are liable for damages our liability shall not exceed the invoice price of the defective part of the delivery that caused the damage.

You shall hold us, and our employees, secure from any claims by any third party towards damages for which we have excluded our liability in these general conditions in our relationship with the purchaser. 

When returning items, the following steps must be taken to ensure proper credit:

  1. Enclose proof of purchase from ETC Montessori
  2. State the reason for the return or exchange
  3. Send all materials by an insured traceable carrier such as FedEx or UPS to:

     ETC Montessori Returns
     220 Ibis St.
     Webster, TX 77598

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, please Contact us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.

What if something arrives damaged?

We use a variety of carriers to expeditiously deliver your packages. Mistakes, however, do happen and occasionally, carriers will deliver a package that is damaged. If that happens, notify us immediately. Do not throw away the packaging or the box that your materials arrived in. The carrier might need to inspect it. If an inspection is called for and you are unable to provide the necessary items, your claim might be denied. 

We will begin the process and will file a claim on your behalf. Once we have filed the claim, we will continue by trying to replace the damaged item(s) immediately. We will do everything possible to keep you in the loop on the progress of your replacement pieces. 

Where do I find answer keys and teacher's notes?

We make every effort to include the key and/or teachers' notes with the printed material. It is usually found at the bottom section of the packaged items. However, if we happen to omit it or you lose it, you may always access these resources through our online store. Simply locate the item in our store and click or tap the item itself so that you can view more information. Scroll down to the title "RESOURCES" and there you will find links to the answer keys/teachers' notes. These may be downloaded and printed for your convenience.

Where can I get suggestions for what containers to use?

Containerizing your materials is an important aspect of preparing your classroom and making the work readily available for the students. Containers for our materials may be purchased separately, and we strive to offer the best suggestions available. You can find them by locating the item in our store. Click or tap the item itself so that you can view more information. Scroll down to the title "SUGGESTED CONTAINERS" and there you will find links to the containers that we think work best. However please feel free to view other options by visiting our container section in our online store.