Normal order contacts will consist of:

• Online and emailed acknowledgment of receipt of your order and online payment (automatic email response).
• Emailed acknowledgment of receipt of your completed 'lye release' online form, if needed (automatic email response).
  
• Emailed acknowledgment of receipt of your payment if not paid at time of order entry (ie: mailed payment).
  
• Email from UPS Quantum View with tracking information when UPS shipping label is generated (automatic email).
  
• Email from us when your package is out for shipment pickup.
  
• Emailed "exception" update from UPS Quantum View if your package is rescheduled, etc while in transit (automatic email).
  

We feel that these communications are quite adequate for normally processed orders. Therefore, to ensure adequate time for timely order packing and shipping of all orders, we may not be able to answer early order status inquiry emails received after order payment date. Please note that if you send an early status inquiry and it goes unanswered, it is not due to lack of concern on our part, but is instead a matter of reserving proper attention for all orders in process, including yours. Please note also that UPS shipment will add 2 to 5 business days' transit time* before delivery to you, depending on your location.
*excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays

Other Order Information, etc:

Fully Accepted Payment Methods:
Our checkout system will accept payment from all major credit cards, PayPal balance funds and PayPal e-check payments. A PayPal account is not required to pay for your order. Please note that payments are processed immediately upon acceptance of your credit card in our checkout. (This is an online industry standard and is the case for all checkouts using the PayPal Pro payment gateway system - the most-used payment system online) Payment made by e-check, however, will delay shipment at least three to seven business days until the transaction clears both banks to complete payment and therefore often causes some frustration for e-check users. For this reason, we suggest using another type of immediate online payment instead of e-checks to ensure faster shipping of your order.

Mailed-Payments Policies:
We accept order payments by USA domestic money order or by USA bank-certified or "teller" checks. Such orders are considered "paid" upon receipt. Orders paid with personal checks, however, may be delayed for fifteen days to allow such payments to clear both banks and will be considered "paid" then. Payment by bank "counter checks" (new accounts) or with non-USA foreign funds will not be accepted. Checks returned unpaid as "NSF" or for any other reason will incur an added charge of $20.00 (the fee charged to us by our bank) and must be redeemed in the original amount plus $20.00 by payment with money order or with bank certified or "teller" check.

Shipping Costs, etc:
We recognize that shipping charges are an increasingly significant portion of any order's final total cost. By and large, soapmaking supplies are rather heavy for their prices and sizes, with resulting proportionally high ship costs for small orders. We have settled on a minimum allowed order purchase prices total amount of $15.00. We urge, however, that customers consider ordering larger amounts as this can greatly reduce the per-item shipping costs.

NO SHIP COSTS WILL BE CHARGED FOR ORDERS PLACED
AT OUR WEBSITE WITH COMBINED PURCHASE PRICES
TOTALING $100.00 OR MORE (before coupons).

We generally ship our products by UPS Ground service at wholesale rates. Except where noted in a few item descriptions, our checkout system no longer offers shipping by US Postal methods. This is because some items (hydroxides) must be shipped via UPS Ground, only. Ship charges for multiple item orders are calculated based on the summed total of all items' individual packed shipping weights. Applicable shipping charges will be automatically calculated in our checkout process via its UPS data link. Note: Should the UPS function be 'down' at time of order, orders will show "unknown" as the shipping charge and proper ship cost will be billed later via PayPal emailed invoice to complete payment. We reserve the option to instead ship via USPS Priority Mail if this will result in a significant savings in ship cost. In this event, we will refund the net ship cost savings to the buyer. (We do not profit from shipping charges !)

Handling Charges:
We charge no handling or otherwise added shipping charges with the following exception: 80¢ will be added to the ship cost for each jar of any caustic hydroxide containing product (sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide) within any shipped order. This is to fairly reflect the extra secure packaging and handling attention required for safe shipment of these materials.

No "Hazmat" Charges:
We do not charge any "hazardous materials" surcharges for shipment of caustic alkali chemicals. This is because we properly and legally pack, label and ship these materials as "ORM-D Consumer Goods", exempting them from most "hazmat" restrictions. Note that our necessary concern with properly following all shipping regulations for these materials makes it impossible for us to ship caustic alkalis in any way other than we have presented herein. Do not ask us to make any other types of arrangements.

"Lye Release" Online Form:
Purchases including hydroxide chemicals require completion of our online "lye release" form before shipping. Items containing caustic alkalis (sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide) are available to customers in the 48 contiguous states only (no air transport).

You are responsible for your own ability to receive emails:
We will not participate in "gateway" systems that require action and information from us before passing emails to the recipient. We are also not responsible for "spam" filters intercepting our emails. If these are anticipated factors for your personal email system, we suggest that you add addresses containing "summerbeemeadow.com" to your "allowed addresses" lists before placing an order with us to ensure that you will receive proper email notices from us as your order is processed.

Order Cancellations, Returns and Refunds:
Orders placed through our website may be canceled by buyers via emailed request if not yet packaged and out for shipment (shipping label generated). Products properly shipped as per order specifications cannot be returned for full credit or refund except with the prior approval of the seller (SBM). Note that if a buyer unilaterally refuses or returns a properly packed shipment, Summer Bee Meadow will not be responsible for any original shipping or added return-shipping charges. Unless prior approved by SBM, any shipment charges are the responsibility of the buyer. If SBM agrees to and authorizes a return shipment, SBM reserves the right to charge any 'intercept' fees and/or return shipment fees as might be charged by our shipping agent to the buyer. In this event, a 'net refund' will be issued to the buyer upon receipt of the returned goods. All refunds will be made through the PayPal Pro payments processing system. Please note that although banks charge one's account immediately for purchases, refunds typically take longer. Delays of 2 to 10 days for refunds to show on one's bank account are quite possible.

Offensive Emails, etc. Policy:
Receipt of offensive emails will result in refusal (deletion) of further contacts and refusal of any future orders and cancellation of present order at our discretion. We reserve the right to restrict future access to our website, its features and ordering system for any persons who behave unacceptably. Such persons will instead see an "Error 404" web page with explanation. This determination will be at Summer Bee Meadow's discretion only, and is not subject to debate.

Some background information regarding
Sodium Hydroxide & Potassium Hydroxide availability:
Please note that the high gas prices of late 2008 resulted in high and widespread interest among "hydroxy" automotive enthusiasts (folks who generate fuel gases from water to help run their cars). As part of their process needs, thay began to order potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide from us. LOTS of it! Similarly, in 2006 the final removal of Red Devil Lye from availability nationwide produced a HUGE increase in demand for our hydroxide chemical products at that time. In both cases the demand for hydroxide chemicals became so high that it totally swamped us, with well over ten times our usual number of orders in process at the peak of each rush. During these periods, all other aspects of our business were completely overwhelmed . (Steve's chronic endocrine illness also intensified, seriously affecting his health each time) This extreme demand for hydroxide chemicals also attracted more than a few 'less than desirable' persons, the likes of whom we will not tolerate. For these reasons (and others), we have taken measures to reduce the number of small hydroxide chemical orders relative to our other offerings. With an adjustment (as of December, 2008) of our site-wide minimum order amount to $15.00, it is no longer possible to order only a single-pack of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. This will eliminate the majority of hydroxide-only very small purchases that have periodically overwhelmed us. Buyers wll have to order larger quantities or order another item of soapmaking supplies, at least. Good customers will continue to receive coupons offering considerable price discounts on subsequent purchases. 'Less than good' customers may be blocked from further contact with us via email and at our website so as to prevent future distractions and disruptions. We will continue to offer sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, professionally packed and properly shipped. Be aware, however, that such periods of extreme demand can combine with limited availability to result in 'back-ordered' situations for sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide purchases.


If you have any questions, please e-mail us using the below link button: