information about ordering

PAYMENT

You may pay for your merchandise by money order, cashier's check, personal check, or major credit card. Money order or cashier's check: Please make payable to "Meredith Laskow". Personal Check: Please make payable to "Meredith Laskow". Due to potential problems with stolen checks and check fraud, orders will be mailed only to the name and address imprinted on the check. Credit cards: American Express, Visa, and Mastercard. I need the following information: a. your name as shown on the card; b. the complete # on the card; c. expiration date; and d. the 3 or 4-digit cvv# on the back of the card. You may submit your credit card # in one of three ways: 1. via email. My email is web-based and not on my hard drive (thus not subject to being hacked into and stolen.) Still, I open email almost every day, copy all your information and then immediately delete; 2. via snail mail. You may send the rest of the order via e- or snail, whichever is more convenient; or 3. telephone 714-524-5913, call screening and answering machine is on 24/7. About 50% of the time, machine cuts off after 45 seconds, so please say name-card-#-expiration, loudly and clearly. If you get cut off, make sure I have your phone # in email and I'll call back. Please keep in mind that this is a home phone, and if at all possible call between 10am and 11pm California Time (PDT or PST), otherwise you'll wake us. 4. I accept PayPal. My email is the account address.

Please address all paper correspondence to:

...and please send an email telling me when you do this, so I'll know to look in the box.

714-524-5913. 24/7 call screening and answering machine. If at all possible, please call between 10am and 11pm, California Time (PST or PDT) as this is a home # and we occasionally sleep. Sometimes the machine cuts people off, so speak loudly and clearly. State your name, phone #, and the words, "Meredith, this is a Web customer. Please pick up the phone", or something to that effect. If I'm available, I'll answer. If it's important to speak to me personally (i.e., custom orders, etc.) we can set up a mutually agreeable phone appointment time through email.

In no way shape or form will any of your information be shared with a third party. I have absolutely no idea how to put cookies on your computer, and even if I could, I wouldn't.

SHIPPING TIME:

An email confirmation will be sent as soon as I receive your payment, and merchandise will be mailed within one week of this email unless I specify otherwise. Personal checks need to clear my bank first, usually 7-10 days. If I need to order supplies, this adds one to two weeks onto the shipping date, and I'll email to tell you.

MAILING OPTIONS AND RATES

Packages are sent via U.S. Mail (USPS), unless you specify UPS. UPS Ground is $10.45 per package, which includes insurance, plus $1 handling. C.O.D. is never an option, period.

Your total shipping cost consists of three components: 1. actual postage cost: USPS rates within the U.S. are usually between $1.50 and $4, depending on weight. Priority mail is now $4.95 to US addresses. For overseas packages, prices vary depending on several factors. Email me for rates and see www.usps.com if you need further information. If you're sending Paypal or paper payment, write first to ask how much shipping will be.

2. handling fee: $1 per package, probably the lowest in the business. This is for the time it takes me to pack your order and take it to the Post Office. The cost includes packing materials, like bubble-wrap envelopes.

3. insurance: Here's the chart from USPS:

$0.01 to $50 -- $1.75

$50.01 to 100 -- 2.25

$100.01 to 200 -- 2.75

$200.01 to 300 -- 4.70

$300.01 to 400 -- 5.70

$400.01 to 500 -- 6.70

$500.01 to 600 -- 7.70

$600.01 to 5,000 -- $7.30 plus $0.90 for each $100 or fraction over $600 in declared value (maximum liability is $5,000).

4. Do not ask me for discounts on postage rates. Until the Post Office gives me a discount, I can't offer one to you. I do not make a profit on postage. If you change your order, the shipping may change to reflect that. Basically, it's weight. Weight, weight, and weight -- no matter how much I like you.

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