FAQ (Shipping info, etc)

PHILANTHROPY:

What is the deal with the charity/philanthropic support?
The posting of Squadron Store products to our online store catalog is accompanied by donations to related charities or institutions. 

In other words, the charity gets paid before we ever sell a product.  This might seem strange, but it avoids us having to track sales of items and worry about making donations based on complex calculations later.

Why are you even making donations?  Why not just keep the money?
Squadron Store was created to support our folks in harm’s way/their families (this is our contribution as civilians to the War on Terror) and, yes, to make some money (Getz Solutions is a business, not a charity). 

There are literally thousands of vendors out there making profits from selling military designs (which they did not even create/contribute to) and keeping it for themselves.  In recognition of the fact that without those with lives on the line and their traditions and communities there would be no products to begin with (or even reasons to create the designs), it only seems right to honor them by making the donations. 

(On a personal note, as the Getz kids grow up, we want them to be aware of the people in harm’s way keeping our family safe and know that their parents appreciate them, and they should too)

How do I know you are actually making donations when posting Squadron Store products?
If you have questions about this, please use the contact page on www.SquadronStore.com and we’ll send you confirmation of the donation, minus the actual amount.

How much money is given?
The amounts given are not something we’re going to announce (it is a no-win situation, some people will think we aren’t giving enough, others will think the amount is too high and adding too much to their item purchase price).  We are willing to say it is a percentage of the purchase price of each item.  We hope the donation percentage will go up as sales and shop popularity increase.

Why do you make donations to non-US charities?
We will sometimes do this when the associated product is for a non-US group.  Our armed forces are all in this fight together.  Only charities for Allied countries will receive donations.

Are you officially endorsed by any charities or institutions?
Not at this time.  We also go to great lengths to avoid implying endorsement.

You can learn more about this by reading our “About Us” page.

SHIPPING:

What shipping service do you use?
We use US Postal Service by default, but may use UPS in specific cases.  If you would like to request a specific shipping option, please contact us.  

I am deployed.  Will you ship to my APO/FPO/DPO address?
YES!  If you have trouble entering your military post office address during checkout, put it in the ‘notes’ for the seller.  You will not have to pay international shipping because these addresses are in the US.  Once our package reaches the APO/FPO/DPO location you indicate, it enters the military post office system to reach you.  We don’t have control over how long things take to move through this system unfortunately.    

How much does shipping and handling cost?
Currently, we are trying no additional shipping cost.  What you see on the product page is all you pay.  Our shipping costs are covered in the product price. 

How quickly will my order be shipped?
We try to ship all orders within one week.  We are a small team (only 2) and sometimes holiday travel plans or family emergencies can prevent us from getting your order out within that timeframe.  If we anticipate this happening, we’ll put a notification on the front page of the shop.

How long will it take to receive the order? 
This is hard to tell exactly.  We recommend that for any order placed, you anticipate 2 or 3 weeks delivery time.  We do not offer rush delivery at this time.

Where is my package?
We consider packages lost after 30 days of non-receipt (40 days for APO/FPO/DPO addresses).  If you think your package is lost, please contact us. 

We use delivery confirmation or tracking numbers for all US shipping addresses.  If the delivery confirmation system/tracking number confirms delivery – we don’t consider the package lost.

When will you ship to my state/country?
We’re just getting this online shop started and did not want to deal with too many complexities right away.  Subscribe to our shop blog and we’ll announce then when we’re expanding our shipping options.  Until then, ship to a relative or friend in an areas we ship to now and meet up with them!

If you absolutely must have an item from this shop and are in a foreign country we don't currently ship to automatically, contact us, explain what you would like, and we can discuss available options.

Why don’t you ship to NC?
We are based in NC, and if we ship to customers inside the state, we have to pay NC sales taxes.  We want to offer products to NC residents eventually, but don’t want the extra paperwork right now while we’re figuring everything out.

MAKING A PURCHASE:

What are my payment options?
You can pay with Credit/Debit Card and PayPal.  We use PayPal to process our payments.  You don’t need an account if you wish to pay with Credit or Debit Cards through PayPal (just click the ‘continue’ button to skip the login page).

We are not accepting Checks/Money Orders at this time.

My PayPal shipping address is different from the one I want to use.  What do I do?
Don’t worry.  We ship to the address you entered in our shop’s Shopping Cart during checkout, not the PayPal address.

I want to buy from your physical store.  Where is it?
We do not have a physical store.  The web shop is the only way to purchase our products. 

However, if you are assigned to a military/law enforcement unit and would like to bulk order or vendor interested in purchasing some of our items in bulk for sale in your shop, please let us know.

Do you offer wholesale purchasing?
We offer reduced pricing for bulk orders.  You may order these as gifts for your squadron/unit mates or for resale.  Some squadron/unit-specific items will not be sold in bulk to anyone other than appropriate squadron/unit personnel.  This ensures that resale of these items is benefitting the squadron/unit and not and individual’s personal finances.

I represent a military unit’s Officers Spouses’ Club, Family Readiness Group, etc.  Can I purchase items to use as fundraisers?
You bet!  This is how Squadron Store got its start and we would be happy to support you.  Thank you for your dedication and sacrifices! 

Do take phone orders?
Not at this time, sorry.

SATISFACTION:

What is your satisfaction guarantee?
If your item is not defective, you can send it back within 3 weeks for a refund (minus shipping).

What if my item is damaged?
If your item is damaged during shipping or not of the expected quality, send a digital photo and we will issue another.  If the product is a limited edition or one-of-a-kind item we may opt to send you another item of equal value or refund your $ (including shipping). 

Depending on your location and the nature of the damage, we may require any damaged or defective item be returned before issuing a refund.

ORIGINAL ART & ONE-OF-A-KIND ITEMS:  Some of the original art sold through this site may include artist's marks, sketch remnants, stains, wrinkles, etc.  These are all features related to the creation or storage of the art.  We will make every effort to see that these show up in the description and imagery, but ask that customers don't anticipate original art or one-of-a-kind items will be pristine.

What if I received the wrong item?
Contact us and send a digital photo of the item you received.  We’ll either send out a replacement right away at no extra cost or refund your money.  In some cases, we may request the incorrect item be returned (we’ll pay shipping for that).

SPECIAL SERVICES:

Can you send me free samples?
Sorry, not at this time. 

Can you please send me the high-resolution artwork file so I can make my own products? For certain designs, this is possible if you are willing to pay to purchase the exclusive copyright on the artwork (Note: this will be expensive). 

Can you sell me an official squadron patch?
If you are not active duty, no.  If you are active duty we may be able to help with bulk order patches for your squadron/group.  Contact us through www.SquadronStore.com.  For individual patches, military folks should seek out the appropriate person in your organization.

I want a new logo/patch/poster/sticker design done.  Can you do this?
We can probably help you out.  Use the contact forms on www.GetzSolutions.com for civilian needs and www.SquadronStore.com for military/law enforcement needs.

Please be aware that Getz Solutions is a high-end design shop.  This means the work isn’t cheap (although we are more accommodating to our military/LE clients).  If you are a business looking for ‘bargain’ logo creation, etc – we may invite you to look elsewhere.

Minimums for any product orders are typically 100.  If you have special needs in this area, let us know.

For civilian customers, payment for design services is often required up-front.

I need an emblem designed for the military project/program I am working on.  Is that something you do?
Oh yeah.  Please use the contact form at www.SquadronStore.com to start a conversation about this.

I want to honor my/my family member’s/friend’s military unit and/or military service by commissioning a design for them/their squadron/unit.  Can you do this?
We have done this before for individuals who wanted to leave their old squadron with a cool piece of artwork to boost morale.  Use the contact form on www.SquadronStore.com so we can discuss your idea.

Any design we create will be ‘unofficial’ and will not replace any official emblem/artwork the group may already be using.  Please understand that Commanding Officers have final say on what people wear when on-duty.  They may require anything with your design for off-duty use only.  It’s their call.

All Getz Solutions/Squadron Store designs are ‘Command and Family Safe’ meaning certain standards of good taste and respect for the subject matter (women, religion, race, etc) are upheld.  If you have questions about what is considered ‘appropriate’ please contact us.

I want my item signed for someone special.  Can you do this?
If an item can be specially signed, then it will be indicated during the order process.  You are responsible for being sure all the text is spelled properly when you place the order.  If you want an item signed that does not have this option, it may be possible.  Please contact us and reference the item name/number BEFORE you place the order.

OTHER STUFF:

Where do the military products come from?
Most of the unit-specific military products for sale here are extras that I had produced while filling a unit order.  I order extras (or 'overruns') mostly so they can be used as replacements in case any of the military customer's products are damaged when I receive them.  These extras cost me more money so if not needed, I am happy to offer them to people who'll enjoy them.  

Being able to sell them in the shop will (I hope) make a little extra $ which can help keep costs reasonable for those in harm's way receiving the main orders. 

What about privacy?
Any physical address info we receive is not shared by Getz Solutions with anyone, except with the chosen shipping service.  Credit card/PayPal information is never shared by us.  

If you choose to accept marketing from us, we may use your e-mail address for our newsletter, which is only sent out once a month (at most).  

How can I take the best care for my patches?
By storing the embroidered patches Velcro-to-Velcro, you’ll save yourself a lot of ‘fuzziness’.  Also, remove your patches before washing your clothes.  If you get a loose thread, snip it shorter and/or run a flame past it (do this fast) to burn away any last bits.

Are your stickers really that tough?  Scratch-proof?  Fade-proof?  Really?
Honestly, we didn’t believe it at first either.  After trying to scratch the heck out of one of our stickers with the tips of some scissors, we were convinced.  We could cut through the sticker, but not scratch through the ink.  We’ve had our stickers stuck in various places around here (including car windows in the sun) and have noticed no sign of fading.  Stickers stuck onto clean, smooth surfaces are (apparently) there to stay.  If you have problems with a sticker, let us know.

Can you sell me some Ubisoft/Red Storm/Tom Clancy video games or give me info about upcoming releases?
Glad to hear about your interest in the games, but no, we don’t do this.  My day job and Getz Solutions are totally different things.  

Thanks for reading!

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