Purchase Policies at Hardwoods USA (LLC)

​We ship pre-paid orders only.

PRICES are subject to change without notice throughout the year, unless you have contacted us about a specific order in which case the estimate indicated to you will hold good for 14 days from the date that it is provided.

AVAILABILITY is subject to prior sale and subject to change without notice throughout the year. 

"DISCOUNT PRICING": Our prices are competitively priced by comparison to the rest of the market. We are able to do that through our particular business model as "wholesale retailer" and a web-store (no massive overheads), and by having a direct relationship with the manufacturer. Further volume discounts may be available for flooring orders over 2,000 sq ft and lumber orders over 2,000 bd ft (scroll down to "Volume/ Wholesale Discount Orders") with the exception of published Specials for which there is no additional discount below the specials price.

WE TAKE CARD SECURITY SERIOUSLY. Scroll down for details of payment cards accepted and card security.

BUY BY INVOICE:

1. Phone or Email your order and an invoice will be emailed to you.
2. Invoices are issued only after your confirmed intent to order has been received.
3. After the invoice is paid, your order is processed.

• Payment options
• By check - details will be provided in the invoice. Checks must clear before your order is shipped.
• Wire transfer or direct deposit - routing and account details will be provided in the invoice
• Electronic invoice payable online through our Square or Pay Pal online payment processor. Please specify at the time of your order if you prefer the electronic invoice option. A clickable link in the invoice will take you to the online payment processing services. Transaction limits apply. You don't need a Square or PayPal account to process your card payment. (For some transactions, card processing fees may apply. If so, these will be displayed at checkout.)
• Over the phone via your credit card or debit card. Secure payment system is used, see "card security" below. Transaction limits apply. (For some transactions, card processing fees may apply. If so, these will be displayed at checkout.) Wholesale orders are excluded from card and personal/ company check processing - please see below.
• Amounts over $10,000.00 might need to be a cashier's check or wire transfer. In some instances, a company check for amounts between $8,000 - $15,000 may be accepted.
• Volume orders are excluded from online or phone payments - please see below.
• Additional discounting of products that are already listed as specials is not available for volume orders.

BUY ONLINE - WHEN OFFERED: (NOTE: Products available for online purchase change throughout the year without notice.)

1. Use your credit card or debit card for online purchase items available for online purchase on this site. Please read the shipping and taxes policies on this page. (For some transactions, card processing fees may apply. If so, these will be displayed at checkout.)
2. Your purchases will display on our separate, secure Square or Pay Pal payment page where you can review or change your total purchases any time. Transactions are processed through our Square or Pay Pal verified accounts. (For some transactions, card processing fees may apply. If so, these will be displayed at checkout.)
3. Each time you click "Add To Cart" the item is added at our separate payment page.
4. You don't need a Square or Pay Pal account to buy.
5. Make sure you provide us your (1) exact billing address, (2) exact delivery address and (3) complete contact information including phone number/s and email address. Freight companies will not pick up an order for shipping without the exact delivery address AND a phone number to co-ordinate with you for delivery of your order.

PURCHASING PRIVACY ONLINE
Square and PayPal both use your email address to provide you an electronic auto-receipt of your purchase. Square also retains your email address to provide you with receipts from other vendors. We have no control over Square's or PayPal's methods. If you do not wish Square to retain your email address, use the "unsubscribe" link in their auto-receipt that you receive after your purchase. 

CARDS ACCEPTED FOR ONLINE INVOICED RETAIL PURCHASES (up to $10,000):

1. Visa
2. Mastercard
3. Discover card
4. Debit card

Payments over $8,000.00 may need to be paid by check, wire transfer or cashier's cheque. Cheques must clear prior to the order being packed and shipped. Allow time for that process.

• NOTE REGARDING AMERICAN EXPRESS: Purchases made through our Square or PayPal online invoices or online from this website may be paid by American Express. HOWEVER, due to the high cost to us of American Express merchant fees, we do ask you to consider an alternative method of payment. ("...if a particular merchant finds that the cost of Amex fees outweighs the benefit it gains by accepting Amex cards, then the merchant can choose to not accept Amex cards". Cited from judgement in lawsuit brought by 17 U.S. states and other card providers against Amex; Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 26 September, 2016.)

CARD SECURITY - PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL US YOUR CARD INFORMATION. For your security, it and all details associated with it, will be auto-deleted.

1. One of the reasons that we use Square and PayPal payment processing is that they are vigilant about card security.
2. We process any phone payments by credit card over an https connection to the Square (or occasionally PayPal) payment processing facilities.
3. All your card information is processed Square, PayPal or Authorize.net and by your own card issuing financial institution.
4. None of your payment information is ever recorded in our own computer systems and none is held for print-out within our office.

PAYMENT METHOD SPEED:

• Quickest: (i) Electronic invoice payable online or (ii) Wire transfer (direct deposit).
• Slower: Your check or cashier's check. Check must be received and cleared before your order will be prepared for shipping.

ORDER MINIMUMS:
Please refer to each flooring width page. 

• Flooring: 400 sq ft. Lumber: 300 bd ft.
• Also, at times we may accept orders of 200 - 399 sq ft of pre-finished French Oak flooring to assist customers who are trying to match their floors with existing flooring from other suppliers who have stopped stocking the product that you originally bought from them. HOWEVER, we do charge premium pricing to accommodate that type of order. We do NOT accept orders for less than 200 sq ft - ever.

VOLUME/ WHOLESALE VOLUME PRICING ORDERS:

1. Flooring orders over 2,000 sq ft.
2. Wholesale orders require a customer Purchase Order. Wholesale orders of other products are accepted at our discretion and also require a Purchase Order.
3. A Purchase Order does not imply guarantee of supply until our policies and terms have been accepted by the customer, after which an invoice is then issued. Terms are re-stated on the invoice.
4. Please ensure that your purchase order includes your and your company's full name, billing address, shipping address, complete contact information for you/ your company including phone numbers and email address.
5. If the proposed order is to be received by a third party, please also provide a phone number for a representative of that third party so that the shipping company can call them direct to arrange a delivery day and time.
6. Payment of invoice must be in advance by wire transfer or direct deposit only. In some circumstances, purchasers within the USA may pay by cashier's check.
7. Shipping cost for wholesale orders is in addition to the product price and must be pre-paid. Any on-site delivery over-time must be paid by customer.
8. Wholesale orders of our other products may be determined at our discretion and all of our policies, terms and guidelines apply, including these for wholesale orders.
9. Published specials cannot be further discounted for volume orders.

TRANSACTIONS PROCESSORS:
~ Payments through Square are via Hardwoods USA’s account at Square.
~ Payments processed through PayPal are via Ranna® Arts Incorporated LLC for Hardwoods USA LLC which is the owner of FrenchOak.biz .
~ Payments by check are processed through Hardwoods USA LLC.

TAXES:

• We are required by law  to charge all Virginia purchases the mandatory 5.3% sales and use tax on all wood products. Freight charges are exempt from this.
• Purchases outside Virginia are currently exempt from sale tax.

ORDER QUANTITY ERRORS:

1. Please review your online purchase or invoice very carefully to be sure that order quantities are correct.
2. All responsibility for errors in quantities ordered by the customer rests with the customer.
3. FrenchOak.biz of Hardwoods USA (LLC) disclaims any and all liability for incorrect calculations by customers of quantities they ordered.
4. When an incorrect calculation by a customer results in that customer needing to purchase additional flooring to complete their project, that additional purchase is subject to all the terms and conditions of FrenchOak.biz of Hardwoods USA (LLC).
5. When an incorrect calculation by a customer results in an excess of product ordered by the customer, all our terms and conditions including our Returns Policy are fully applicable.

ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS:

1. Payment constitutes the customer's confirmation of the species, product and quantity ordered and to be delivered, and constitutes customer’s acceptance of our terms, policies and guidelines.
2. Wholesale orders: Pre-acceptance of our terms and policies is generally required for wholesale orders for over 3,000 sq ft of flooring, and for wholesale orders of any of our other products. In the absence of pre-acceptance, the customer's confirmation of the species, product and quantity ordered and to be delivered, and constitutes customer’s acceptance of our terms, policies and guidelines.
3. Our terms, policies and guidelines are not negotiable.

OUR SHIPPING PROCESS:

• We ship pre-paid orders only. Your order is prepared and shipping arranged as soon as payment has been received and cleared.
• Types of shipping available:
  (i) by liftgate to kerb side of an address at which the customer knows they can take delivery of their order (this option is NOT available for some parts of California);
  (ii) to a business with a loading dock and/or forklift;
  (iii) to a carrier terminal in your area for you to pick up there;
  (iv) FOB origin - customer arranges a commercial carrier to pick up at a location we specify. Our warehouse is solely for order processing and distribution, including large freight carrier pick-up and delivery. *** Individual customer/ private pick-up is NOT possible. ***
• All our orders leave the warehouse in factory-new condition, properly packaged for the type of transit that they will go through on their way to you.
• A photograph of your packed order will be emailed to you upon completion of prepping it for shipping, for comparative reference upon delivery of your order.
• Another email will be sent to you when your order has been shipped, providing you with the freight company name and tracking number.
• Sometimes these steps co-incide, in which case you will be provided the photo of your order and the freight info in one email.
• Within the continental USA, we aim for delivery within 5 - 7 days of an order being shipped, depending on when during the week an order is placed. However, because delivery days and times are under the sole control of the freight companies no guarantee as to delivery day and time is given or implied by FrenchOak.biz of Hardwoods USA (LLC). Also, shipping to some locations can take longer (e.g. central USA, mountain states, east coast to west coast).
• Do not schedule installation until your order has been delivered. All responsibility for missed installation dates rests with the customer.
• Adequate time must be allowed for acclimation of flooring, so do not rush your procurement and installation schedule.

DAMAGE IN-TRANSIT - 
When your order arrives - IF THERE IS MAJOR IN-TRANSIT DAMAGE TO THE WOOD IN YOUR ORDER... rare but we can't say "never": to be able to assist you by processing a claim on your behalf, we have to have evidence that any in-transit damage involves significant damage to the WOOD in your order. HERE IS WHY: As you read the following numbered steps, bear in mind that in past rare instances of in-transit damage to an order we have very quickly done the right thing by our customers by sending replacement product totally at our own expense both for product and shipping, only to find that the customer had not documented in-transit damage sufficiently - or at all, leaving us unable to recover any cost against the freight company. We have also had the experience of a customer demanding replacement product almost 2 years after their floor was installed and despite never providing evidence that there had been in-transit damage. (Do you think such customers' conduct was reasonable?) 

IMPORTANT: FOLLOW THESE STEPS:

1. Don't panic and don't reject the damaged cartons: Scuffs and tears to packaging generally don't mean significant damage to the wood inside.
2. Is the damage to the wood in your order significant? Even if there appears to be damage to the ends or sides of a few boards, this has minimal effect on all the contents of a specific carton or bundle and will not hinder completion of your project.
3. Make a reasoned judgement as to whether the amount of damage is likely to affect completion of your project - our recommendation to purchase sufficient for 10% waste includes culling for appearance, off-cuts, lay-out, color/grain/length preferences, AND for minor damage to some boards, whether in-transit or by contractor during installation.
4. If the damage is sufficient to prevent completion of your project, then obviously we will assist you as best we can, provided the steps outlined here have been taken.
5. Document it so that a claim can be filed on your behalf within 30 days: If that time limit passes, no claim can be filed. SPECIFICALLY: Whomever takes receipt of and signs for the delivery must make notes of any SIGNIFICANT in-transit shipping damage directly on the Freight Company's DRIVER'S delivery paperwork page and keep a copy of those notes. If no copy is provided to you by the freight company, run a photocopy or take photos of the relevant page with your cell phone. (If you are picking up at the freight terminal, make these notes on the service reps / clerk's paperwork when you sign for your order.)
   You Must Also Do the Following:
6. Set aside any un-useable boards, and tally and photograph these.
7. Don't dispose of damaged boards. The carrier's insurance adjustors may wish to inspect the damaged product. NOTE: If the boards are not tallied and set aside for inspection, the claim will be voided by the carrier.
8. If you/ your contractor chooses to trim and use damaged boards, these are EXCLUDED from the tally of damaged boards (a.k.a. "you nail it, you own it".)
9. If the amount of damage at time of delivery is significant enough to prevent completion of your project and a claim needs to be made with the shipping company on your behalf, you will need to forward all that documentation to us. We cannot process any claim on your behalf regarding damage to delivered goods without that proof of documentation.
10. Note in particular, store credit requested by you as a result of in-transit damage will not be provided without proof of documentation noted on the Freight Company's delivery paperwork and a documented tally of un-useable boards in sufficient quantities to prevent completion of your project.
11. Do contact us to let us know. Provided that the notations have been made on the delivery paperwork and damaged boards documented at the time of delivery, a claim on your behalf can be processed if a significant proportion of the wood in your order is damaged.
12. NO store credit at our expense will be provided for damage that occurs during installation, and will also not be provided after installation of a floor has been completed.

Summary of dealing with "significant in-transit damage to the wood in your order": If yours is one of the rare cases where in-transit damage to the wood in your order has occurred, it is usually during fork-lift transfer from one truck to another at the freight company's terminal(s) on the way to the final destination. When you sign for your delivery and before you leave the pick-up terminal or the delivery driver leaves your delivery address: Make sure that you have inspected for any major damage to the wood in your order and if there is, it must be noted on the driver's / delivery person's page(s) of the delivery paperwork, and you retain a copy of that. The driver / delivery person is required to file that back at the terminal office. Without notes on his / her paperwork, the freight company can deny any knowledge of and liability for damage, and a claim cannot be made on your behalf if there is significant damage. We cannot emphasize strongly enough that you must keep a copy of any notes made on the driver's page of delivery paperwork. Freight companies will not accept anything made after the time of delivery - e.g. notes made after the fact on the "customer copy" or customers' photos made after the time of delivery. Your copy of notes on the driver's / terminal operator's page could ultimately be the only way of verifying to the freight company that there was substantial damage.

WARRANTY & RETURNS:

1. All orders are non-refundable.
2. The limited residential warranty is solely for
   (i) the finish on pre-finished solid flooring
   (ii) the structural integrity and the finish on pre-finished engineered flooring
   (iii) the structural integrity of stair treads.
3. Limited residential warranty matters are resolved through our supplying manufacturer.
4. Installation must comply with the guidelines of the National Wood Flooring Association.
5. Returns of UNOPENED cartons/ bundles must be notified to us within 30 days of shipping date, with a 20% restocking fee and customer pays freight or delivery back to warehouse. SEE FULL DETAILS IN NEXT SECTION.
6. Installed wood products are deemed accepted by the customer.

CANCELLATION & RETURNS OF PAID ORDERS:

1. Prior to shipping: Cancellations received (i) prior to handling, packing and shipping preparation incur a $200.00 administrative fee, plus credit charges if the order was paid by credit card, will be deducted from your refund. Cancellations received (ii) after an order has been packed but before shipping, and less than 5 days after payment of invoice, will incur a re-stocking fee of 15%, plus credit charges if the payment has been processed by credit card and any cancellation charges levied by the booked freight carrier. Cancellations received (iii) after an order has been packed and has been stored by us at customer's request for 5 or more days after the payment of invoice will incur a 20% re-stocking fee, plus credit charges if the payment was by credit card, any cancellation charges levied by the booked freight carrier, and storage fees at our facility.
2. After an order has shipped: If you cancel your order after it has been shipped, partial refunds are provided minus deduction of  (i) 20% restocking fee, (i) payment fees, (iii) samples refunds (samples refunds are only provided for orders that proceed), and (iv) shipping charges to return the order to our warehouse. (v) Returned orders must be received by us UNopened and must arrive in UNdamaged condition. (vi) Carrier charges to return your order to us may be different from those originally charged to you because carriers rates vary daily at their discretion and they charge re-consignment fees and other administrative charges of their own. Partial refunds are only paid if the order is returned to us subject to the terms outlined here. NOTE: There are no refunds of shipping charges for orders dispatched to you. Reason: The freight company is pre-paid for delivery of your order and since they do not refund shipping for outbound and return trips we cannot refund you payments already made to the freight company. 
3. Cancellations of custom milled and made-to-order items like e.g. such as stair parts and made-to-order moldings etc. will not be accepted.

DISCLAIMERS:

1. IMPORTANT: If an order request or unusual shipping situation is beyond the scope of our Guidelines, we reserve the right to negotiate it with you or to decline the proposed order.
2. If you have already purchased your order online, and we determine that the order or its shipping is beyond the scope of our guidelines, we will discuss the situation with you and/ or a refund will be arranged.
3. Photographs on this site are representative of Australian Cypress. However, please note that color display on computer monitors can vary considerably and the color of delivered products may vary to some degree from colors in photographs on this site.

YOUR PRIVACY - SUMMARY: 

• (CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL PRIVACY POLICY)

Information necessary to processing your order:

1. Your information is not shared, harvested for mailing lists, or sold to anyone by Hardwoods USA (LLC), the owner of FrenchOak.biz, or our payment processing providers.
2. Your information is for the sole purpose of processing your order.
3. Essential details to complete preparation and shipping of your order will necessarily be provided to our mill supplier, warehouse, and relevant shipping company transporting your order. If you do not wish that to occur, please do not proceed with your order.

Electronic information and online safety:

1. We do not harvest your email for marketing by us and we do not "game" the electronic information inherent to any site visitor's connection to our site. No matter how often you visit this site, we don't know who you are or where you are.
2. All browsers and sites use "cookies" to electronically process information during a site visit. Read more.
3. While every effort is made to ensure that the computer on which this site is built is clean, and we trust that the service hosting this site takes all industry standard precautions, Hardwoods USA LLC, the owner operator of FrenchOak.biz, does not accept any liability for unknown third party electronic eavesdropping or electronic intrusion or infection that may occur while you visit this site. If this is a concern to you, it is your responsibility to please use a secure internet connection and to please ensure that your computer is running up to date virus and malware protection.

PROTECTION OF THIS SITE:

1. This site is fully owned and operated by Hardwoods USA (LLC).
2. This site and all its content is © copyright, all rights reserved.
3. No copying, reverse engineering, scraping or unauthorized use of this site and its content is permitted... Not ever. ​

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