Product & Order-Related Information
Product Information & Disclaimer:
- Porcelain ceramic tile is subject to standard variances resulting from the manufacturing process. Products are within the industry standard variance levels. Colors in print will not appear exact, photos may not be up not to scale. Products will meet the testing requirements published in literature and they conform to any specific physical properties published in literature. They are free from manufactures defects for a period of one year from date of purchase.
- Glass tiles, due to the nature of their production, have slight variations in color, texture, and size. Although we aim for uniformity, differences may occur between batches. The colors shown in digital or printed formats might not be completely accurate, and images may not reflect the true scale. We guarantee that our glass tiles adhere to industry standards and are free from manufacturing defects for one year from the purchase date. For best results, it’s important to follow the recommended installation practices specific to glass tiles.
- Performance flooring products in their original manufactured condition, will be free from any manufacturing defects caused by improper milling. Such as grading, dimension or coating.
New or replacement flooring may not always match samples, printed color photography (including websites and catalogs), existing flooring or other wood products (such as cabinets, stair railings, trim and moldings) due to, among other things, natural variations that occur in species, age, growing conditions, exposure to UV/sunlight and other factors. Consequently, these variations should be expected. Shade variations are an inherent trait If you see any board with defects, DO NOT install it. This includes visible manufacturing, natural or other defects. Any right to claim for any flooring defects once the floor was installed. This warranty becomes invalid once any flooring panels with visible defects have been installed!
As far as hardwood flooring, it being a product of nature, it will continue to expand and contract through normal heating and non-heating seasons. Properly installed hardwood floors may consequently experience slight separation between boards at different times during the year. If such normal expansion and contraction occurs, it is not covered by this manufacturer warranty. Hardwood flooring is manufactured using a product with naturally occurring variations, including but not limited to, character, grain, color, mineral streaks, splintering and knots which are not considered manufacturing defects.
For all performance flooring products, intricate patterns, installations on walls or ceilings, exterior use, and usages for purposes other than flooring (like furniture or countertops) void this warranty. They are also not warranted over radiant heat.
- Please keep in mind that our products have the highest quality in terms of material grade, surface processing and finish. Rest assured that you will not be getting any rejected or defective items.(Beware that in most of the listings online, commercial grade, defective or rejected materials are traded). Please make your comparisons keeping all these in mind and place your orders accordingly for your own benefit. Do not forget that you are making a long-term investment, which should last for a long period of time.
Samples & Sampling Procedures:
- We very highly recommend that you get a sample of a product before committing to a large order. Natural stone products have quite a bit of variation in terms of colors, shading, finish, texture, etc.; regardless of which product you choose or where you get the items from. Therefore, it is always the best for you to personally get a sample and approve it before placing an actual order.
- Buyers can make use of the ORDER SAMPLE button in the item listing to obtain and pay for their samples.
- ALL SAMPLES are NON-RETURNABLE. We only charge a small fee for our samples to cover our shipping expenses on these samples. In fact, these fees would not even fully cover the shipping expenses we incur to ship the items to you. Therefore, unfortunately, we're not being able to accept any returns on these sample items.
- Only 1 sample of each item per household / address is allowed. multiple sample orders of the same item placed by the same buyer / household will not be shipped without our prior permission / approval. If you need multiple samples of a particular item, please reach us directly to get more information about this option.
- Please remember, samples are offered to help our customers make better decisions by seeing the item(s) in person for approval. These orders are not considered as actual orders. In almost all cases, our samples are sent out / arranged in such a way to show the overall characteristics of the actual item. Therefore, a single sample of a particular item should be more than sufficient to get an idea about how that particular product looks & feels in real life. We do our very best to send samples that represent the overall characteristics of the item and it's entire lot.
Order Quantity Recommendations, Continuations & Add-ons:
- No matter how hard you try and what you do, estimating the exact amount of material you'll be needing is almost always impossible. Depending on several different factors (e.g. the layout of the installation area, desired tile patterning, the skillfulness of the installers, required cuts, etc.) it is always the best to get some additional materials to complete your project without running short on materials. Usually, getting 5-10% extra material would be sufficient in most cases but, please accurate estimates from your professional tile setter /installer to come up with a better idea about how much material you'll be needing in your project.
- Before placing your order, please make sure to carefully check how an item is sold and in what form it is being offered (e.g. full sheets, lots, sets, etc.) Also, be aware of the physical characteristics of the particular material you are working with. Some natural stone products (e.g. onyx and dolomite materials) will have more breakage during installation and accordingly, it's always the best to keep this in mind and place your orders accordingly.
- We work with several different factories / manufacturers from around the world (including Italy, Spain, Turkey, China and Mexico) and no matter how hard we try, there'll always be some differences between the products coming from different manufacturers (even if they are the same type of products). Therefore, expect to have some variance between products coming from different regions of the world as the characteristics of the raw materials and the manufacturing processes that the items go through may be hugely different from each other.
- Also, even from the same manufacturers, same products that come in different shipments / lots may vary quite a bit in terms of shading and coloring. Even though we work with highly reliable manufacturers with large and consistent manufacturing capabilities, due to the nature of these products, variations are inherent and cannot be avoided. Therefore, when placing an order, please be very careful and try to order the correct quantity needed for the project as we cannot guarantee the same colors / shades on all your orders, placed at different times. Please try to combine all your orders together and do your best to precisely anticipate the quantity requirements of your projects. This would help you avoid future supply and " product matching" problems.
Minimum Order Quantity Requirements:
- Most of our items come only as samples, full boxes or complete lots. And to maintain efficiency and provide the best pricing on our items, we might only be forced to sell these items in these box or lot quantities. Please see the specific order quantity requirements / restrictions on each item listing page to check this yourself on every single item you consider purchasing. (Especially larger field tiles for floors and walls might have minimum purchase quantity requirements due to the complexity and difficulty of their shipping / logistics processes).
Distribution Centers & Locations:
- We're mainly located on the West Coast with a central distribution center in Southern CA. Most orders will be shipped out of this location (unless otherwise directly stated). However, we have a large network of distribution centers spread throughout the continental US and may ship out of different locations around the country to expedite the shipping and increase efficiency. (We have access to more than 5K different items from various manufacturers and distributors, immediately available for super fast delivery.)
Lead Time:
- Except the custom / hand-made items (and unless otherwise stated on a particular item listing page), all our advertised items are in stock at all times, immediately available for shipping. Depending on the size and the contents of your order, most orders will be shipped in 1-2 business days. And depending on your location, you can receive your orders in 1-5 business days, in most cases. (Please refer to the specific item page and listing details for more information on a certain item and exceptions / exclusions). For specific questions and expedited shipping, please directly reach us to get more information.
Shipping & Shipment-Related Information
Shipping Information & Details:
- Ground shipping is FREE on all free shipping offered orders.
- Various expedited shipping methods are offered as an option on most of the products.
- Samples can be shipped to P.O. Box addresses.
- Actual larger orders can only be shipped to regular, street addresses. These orders cannot be shipped to P.O. Box addresses. Please make sure to provide correct / proper information during checkout.
- Local Pickup (Orange County, CA) is available. Please reach us for further details.
- On all your purchases, please make sure to provide your correct shipping information at the time of checking out.
- We have special programs and contracts with many different carriers. However, smaller-sized orders (orders under 50 sq. ft. / 250 lbs.) will mostly be shipped with FedEx Ground Insured Shipping Service.
- Larger sized orders will be sent out with highly reliable, bonded freight companies (e.g. UPS Freight, FedEx Freight, etc.)
- In the case of residential address freight deliveries, lift-gated CURB-SIDE delivery services will be provided. We do not provide inside delivery services and so, you would need to make arrangements on your own to move the products inside your property.
- Generally, in the case of freight deliveries, carrier(s) will be contacting you at the phone number(s) that you provide to make delivery arrangements with you. (You'll be given a certain date and a delivery time window. And accordingly, you can make arrangements on your end to accept the delivery on the specified date and time). It's very important for you to do the receiving on the agreed date and time since carriers will be charging re-delivery fees (for which you would be responsible) if they cannot do the delivery to your property on the pre-determined date and delivery time window.
- For commercial/business address freight deliveries, a loading/unloading dock will be needed at the receiving end and the materials will need to be offloaded with the help of unloading equipment (e.g. a forklift or a pallet jack)
- Items can be delivered to both RESIDENTIAL and COMMERCIAL addresses. - Larger orders can also be sent to a trucking terminal in the buyer's area from where the buyer can pick up the materials.
- For your larger orders or orders to AK or HI, please get a shipping quote from us.
Damages, Coverage & Claims Procedures
- All our items get shipped out in their flawless condition without any damages in any way. For smaller items, we use special, expanding foam machines to pack our orders very carefully. Our packaging materials are of the highest quality and we continuously improve our packaging methods while utilizing the best practices known in the industry. Therefore, you should not be concerned about the safety of our products in transit. (For larger items, once again, we use very sturdy packaging materials while securing the items onto strong crates / skids / pallets for the utmost safety in transit).
- However, in the rare and unfortunate cases of damages, you still should not be worried. All our items are fully insured and covered completely by the carriers. Especially for larger-sized freight shipments, we purchase additional insurance in advance for your peace of mind. In these rare occasions, we either send you replacement items or reimburse you for the damaged goods / merchandise.
- For all your orders, a tracking number will be provided once the items get shipped to you. Please make use of the tracking number(s) to anticipate the estimated delivery date of your order. That way you can be proactively prepared for the delivery of your order and check the items as soon as they get delivered.
- Please immediately inspect the shipment(s), especially on the outside and see if you are noticing any visible damages. (If you happen to be at the delivery address at the time of the delivery and the delivery crew is still with you, please notify them about the visible damages and have them make notes on the delivery paperwork. This would make the overall claims process with the carrier much less complicated).
- We constantly improve packaging as new technologies become available, nonetheless damages may still occur. Therefore, we require that all packages be inspected by purchaser and note any damage/ shortage on delivery receipt (driver’s copy) and report to us immediately.
- If damages or shortages occur on your orders / shipments, in order for us to replace item(s) at no additional cost to you, we ask you to please do your part prior to signing any delivery receipt. (We require detailed photos of the damaged merchandise and it's packaging for claims purposes. Please obtain photos as soon as possible and contact us in the earliest possible time).
- Delivery receipt is a binding contract. By signing the receipt without any notation of problem is saying that item(s) are in 100% good condition inside and out and will void out shipping insurance. All claims will be declined and no refund or replacement can be made after this point.
- If other defects different than shipping damages are observed at the point of delivery, please contact us immediately.
- Please be as specific as possible when noting any shortage, rips, crushed sides/corners and any dents to packaging. Also, note on receipt if item was not delivered shrink wrapped and strapped down to a pallet and lowered to the ground with a lift-gate.
- You need to check the contents of your order right away and notify us of any damages, problems or discrepancies as soon as possible. You'll have 3 days to report any possible damages, problems or discrepancies, after receiving your order. (We'll not accept any claims after that period as it becomes almost impossible to support your case with the carriers, especially in the case of damages, as they require timely evidence and communication).
Return Policy & Procedures, Exchanges & Refunds
- Unless otherwise stated (and except for the items listed below), all our items are returnable. To return an item, please contact us with your order details (e.g. customer name, order number etc.) and get return authorization.
- To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase.
- You may return new and undamaged items within their original box / packaging within 30 days of delivery for a full refund (LESS SHIPPING & HANDLING). We will pay for the return shipping charges if the return is a result of our error (e.g. you received an incorrect item or wrong quantity). We are being forced to keep our return period relatively short since these are natural stone items and they can only be sold altogether with their corresponding original lots that they belong to. The short return period helps us make sure that the returned items can still be combined with their original lots and can be sold together.
- You should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
- Once your return is received and inspected that it usually takes us 3-5 business days to process returns after they arrive at our location. We will notify you via e-mail of your refund once we have it processed., We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund. If you are approved, then your refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment, within a certain amount of days.
- Unless the return is being originated because of an error on our end (e.g. due to the wrong product(s) being shipped), buyer will be responsible for ALL SHIPPING CHARGES, including the initial shipping charges that we originally incur to ship the products, as well as the return shipping charges that would be incurred to ship the product back to us. A RESTOCKING FEE of up to 25% will be charged on ALL returnable merchandise unless the return is a result of our error (e.g. you received an incorrect item or wrong quantity). We provide FREE SHIPPING on all our products and the prices offered are "delivered" prices (unless otherwise stated), as long as the buyer keeps the product. In cases where a buyer wants to return / exchange a product because of any other reason other than the cases when a wrong item is shipped by us, the buyer will be responsible for all the shipping (and the other related) charges, as explained above. Therefore, please make sure that the products that you are ordering are exactly what you desire and want to use in your project. Otherwise, unfortunately, the return processes on our items are a complicated, expensive and tiring process for all the related parties. Once again, we highly encourage getting samples beforehand to check out the item(s) yourself in person.
- Only COMPLETE RETURNS are allowed. WE DO NOT ACCEPT ANY PARTIAL RETURNS, under any circumstances. We enforce this policy to avoid hand-picking, sorting and choosing of our products. In natural stone, variations are an inherent and natural part of the product; and buyers need to be aware of these variations before placing their orders. That's why we strongly encourage getting samples and seeing the variations in the product, in the best way you can, in terms of colors, shading and texture. Some customers are not aware of these facts and would like to choose the colors / shades that they like the most and return the possibly undesired parts of their orders. Unfortunately, this is not possible as our materials are sold altogether, with all the colors being mixed naturally together, as they are observed in the nature. (This does not mean that you would get unusable, low-quality items in your order. This restriction is mostly about the colors and shading of the products. Other than that, our products are of the best quality available in today's market).
- Late or missing refunds: If you haven’t received a refund yet, first check your bank account again. Then contact your credit card company, it may take some time before your refund is officially posted. Next contact your bank. There is often some processing time before a refund is posted.
If you’ve done all of this and you still have not received your refund yet, please contact us at sales@americantiledepot.com .
Non-Returnable / Restricted Items:
- All SAMPLES
- Custom / Hand-made Products
- All STANDARD QUALITY items offered with special pricing
- Special / custom orders (including non-stock items)
- Special ON-SALE / CLOSE-OUT items (as specified on the item listing pages)
- Product must be inspected prior to installation. Installation of the product means its acceptance.Product once installed cannot be returned. Damages occurring in installation are not considered defects and are not subject to return or refund.