Always Essential guarantees the best customer service that is within its control. Questions will usually be answered within 24 hours of receipt; in some cases it may be slightly longer if the answer needs to be confirmed by the manufacturer/distributor. Orders are placed immediately after payment is received and cleared. Because most of our business is conducted via email, promptness is contingent upon the proper functioning of the email system. Unfortunately, on occasion, we do not receive an email or a customer does not receive our response. If you do not hear back from us in a timely fashion, please let us know and resend your original message. (Always Essential is a small, family owned and operated business; in the case of emergency situations responses will be delayed. Always Essential will do its best to post a notice on its web site if such a situation arises).

Because most products are sent from the manufacturer or a distribution company Always Essential is not responsible for inventory, shipment, or product guarantees. Although the great majority of ordered products are readily available for shipment, occasionally an item is temporarily out of stock or has been discontinued without our knowledge. Please refer to our "Backordered or Discontinued Items" policy below. Furthermore, Always Essential has no control over methods of shipment used by our distributors or delivery time of its products. Please refer to our "Delivery/Shipping Details" policy below. Finally, because most products are sent from the manufacturer or a distribution company, Always Essential is not responsible for product guarantees. Please refer to the manufacturer's warranty in the case of problems incurred after usage. If no information is available, please contact us at customer.service@alwaysessential.com and we will do our best to assist you. However, if the item is defective or damaged upon receipt we will work with the distributor to return or replace the item. Please refer to our "Returns" policy below.

Shipping Time:

Because Always Essential deals with numerous manufacturers/distributors, shipping time varies between items; most in-stock items ship within 1-3 business days while other items may take up to 1-4 weeks to ship (depending on the manufacturer/distributor, item availability, and time of year. Shipping time may be longer especially during peak shopping seasons such as Christmas). If shipment time is a concern, please email us at customer.service@alwaysessential.com prior to placing your order.

Shipping Methods:

Shipping methods are determined by the manufacturer/distributor of the purchased item. Items are shipped by ground; other shipping methods may be available upon request. If you have any special request in regards to shipping, please contact customer.service@alwaysessential.com prior to placing your order to make any necessary arrangements.

For international orders, please contact customer.service@alwaysessential.com for a price and delivery time calculation. With international orders, the customer is responsible for any customs fees, taxes, or duties related to importing the item into his/her home country. There is no way for Always Essential to determine those fees, if any. You should inquire at your own Customs service web site for information regarding this matter so that you know what to expect when your package arrives.

All in-stock items are shipped by the manufacturer/distributor as soon as possible. Out-of-stock items will be placed on backorder. All backordered items will be shipped at the time the product becomes available. Because many of our distributors do not inform us when items are backordered, we cannot notify you of such. If availability is a concern to you, please contact customer.service@alwaysessential.com prior to placing your order and request that we check the availability of the item. Backorders are shipped at prices in effect when the item was ordered.

Always Essential takes great care in removing discontinued items from its web site upon notification from its suppliers. Unfortunately, on occasion, a supplier neglects to notify us when a listed item is discontinued and no longer available. In such instances, we will immediately notify you to discuss possible alternative options.

Payment must be received and cleared before item is shipped.

Payment may be made by:        

- PayPal

- Credit Card (must be processed over the phone)

- Money Order

- Sales tax applies to New York State residents

Returns will only be granted if the merchandise has a manufacturer's defect or is damaged during shipping. Occasionally returns will be allowed if an acceptable reason is provided. No refunds will be given simply because the item color does not match the color on your PC monitor or because dimensions slightly differ than advertised (many items are handcrafted and dimensions may not measure to the exact ¼"). All returns must be approved before you can return the item. A claim must be filed via email within 5 days of the receipt of the item or the claim can be considered as not received. If you need to return an item, please contact us at customer.service@alwaysessential.com and include the reason that you need to return the item. We will then contact you about the possibility of the return and the procedure, if your return is approved. Items must be returned in the original packaging and in the condition in which they were received. You are not responsible for return shipping costs in cases where the manufacturer/supplier/delivery company is at fault. However, in all other cases, you will be responsible for the cost of shipping on the returned item, and any applicable restocking fees. (Please contact customer.service@alwaysessential.com in regards to restocking fees.)

Once an order has been shipped, we cannot cancel the order.

Feedback at Always Essential is simple and reciprocal; once Always Essential receives feedback, it leaves corresponding feedback. If positive feedback is received, positive feedback is given; if negative feedback is received, negative feedback is given; and if neutral feedback is received, neutral feedback is given. Always Essential does everything within its own power to guarantee 100% customer satisfaction. If a transaction does not run smoothly it is because of a circumstance beyond Always Essential's control and, therefore, negative feedback is not warranted.

Always Essential is only responsible for taking orders from its customers and submitting them to the supplier, answering product-related questions, and providing its customers with contact information (if necessary) for our suppliers if there is ever any issue with an item after time has lapsed and it has been used. Virtually every product on Always Essential's web site is shipped by its suppliers by the suppliers' chosen delivery method; Always Essential never sees the item our supplier ships nor does Always Essential have control over shipment time. Our suppliers are solely responsible for shipment and delivery issues and product quality. If any problems are incurred from a transaction, the supplier is responsible for returns or exchanges. Always Essential is simply responsible for assisting in communication in such cases. For the aforementioned reasons, our feedback policy is as such.

To avoid any transaction-related problems, we strongly encourage shoppers to ask any and all questions prior to placing an order. We at Always Essential want all transactions to go smoothly and we want all our customers to be completely satisfied with their purchases. We do everything possible to ensure that this happens. However, sometimes this requires questions to be asked before placing an order so we kindly ask that you do so. If no questions are asked, we cannot be blamed for your dissatisfaction. To ensure 100% customer satisfaction, if you still have any reservations about ordering an item after your questions are answered, please do not place an order.

- The winner will receive an "eBay End of Auction" email

- Click on the payment link and follow instructions      

- Once payment is received, your order will be placed

- Contact us with any questions at customer.service@alwaysessential.com