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Frequently
Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q.
Do my balloons ship the same day that I place my order? Processing,
invoicing and pulling the orders usually takes only 24-hours. Orders received
by 9PM (Central Time) are processed and shipped on the following business
day, orders received after 9PM (Central Time) will be processed and shipped
within two business days. In rare instances, to avoid a shortage on your
order, your order may be held for an expected shipment of balloons. You
will be notified if there is any other long delay in shipping your order.
Q.
Do I have to place my order online...I'm concerned about internet fraud?
We welcome phone orders at 210-829-4444 Monday through Friday from
9AM to 1PM Central Time. However, you are ineligible for web-only specials,
such as Free UPS Ground Shipping or Special Web Pricing. The good news
is -- We're concerned about internet fraud, too. We pride ourselves on
being Fraud Smart -- by having strict standards regarding credit card
address verification (AVS) and requiring a credit card verification (CCV)
number on every order. No exceptions -- don't be surprised if your charge
isn't accepted due to a mistyped address or CCV number! Of course, all
consumer payment information is fully encrypted using 128 bit SSL encryption.
Additionally, we will not offer your e-mail address or contact information
to anyone.
Q.
OK, that sounds great, but I'm still concerned about the internet...and
don't like putting my credit card information "out there". What
can you do for me? Again, we want to service you and make you comfortable.
If putting your credit card number online concerns you, please select
one of our other payment options that do not require a credit card number
online. You can order using "Pay by credit card and fax, phone or
mail your credit card number", or pay by personal check, business
check, cashiers check or money order. Or, use PayPal. There are lots of
ways to pay for your balloons, please review the list when you're ready
to "Check Out", and use the one that makes you feel the most
comfortable.
Q.
If you're out-of-stock on an item, will you make a substitution? We
do not make a substitution unless you indicate for us to at check out
on the shopping cart. When we make substitutions, we try to match the
balloon style, theme and message as much as possible. We will not, for
example, ship you a Mickey Mouse Happy Birthday Balloon if we are sold
out of a Get Well balloon covered in flowers. If a similar substitute
is not available, no substitution will be made. Unfortuantely, we do not
carry backorders, you will need to re-order the style the next time you
order.
Q.
If the web says you have an item in stock, is it really in stock??
We'd like to say "YES", however the website does not
reflect an up-to-the-second on hand inventory. If you order 30 of a style,
and we have 28...you will not be charged for the shortage (and a substitution
will be made only if you requested substitutes). We update the website
throughout the day as balloons are sold, and as they are received.
Q.
Are your balloons blown up when I receive them? All balloons (both
latex and mylar foil) are shipped flat due to shipping requirements. If
the balloons were inflated, they would not be able to be delivered in
non-pressurized cargo cabins of airplanes. This would add unneccessary
delays in you receiveing your order.
Q.
OK, So they're not blown up...where do I get them inflated? This
one's up to you, but we have found most florists, craft stores and chain
stores will inflate your balloons for a nominal charge. Be sure to call
around and get the best price for inflating the balloons...we aim to save
you as much money as possible.
Q.
Do I have to order 10 or 12 of a style...is there a minimum order?
That's the great thing! There is no minimum order -- either in dollar
amount or quantity per style. Although our site "recommends"
a $10 order (otherwise, it's just silly to pay $7 or 8 in shipping for
$5 worth of balloons!), there is actually no minimum required. Plus, you
can order as few (or as many) of as many (or as few) styles as you'd like.
We're used to pulling one of each style -- don't feel silly, we're used
to one-sies and two-sies per style!
Q.
How long does it take to receive my balloon order? This depends
on your location in relation to ours. For expedited services, it's easy...
Place your order by 9PM (Central Time), order via Next Day Air and your
order will ship the following business day with arrival at your location
on the next business day, 2nd Day Air takes 2 business days (after your
order is processed), 3-Day Select will take 3 business days (after your
order is processed). If it's after 9PM (Central Time) when you place your
order, remember that your order will not be processed until 48 hours later
-- if you order before 9PM, your order will be processed on the following
business day. The UPS Ground Time in Transit Map is shown on our Shipping
Info page. If you need more assistance, try using the UPS Time-in-Transit
Calculator (our Postal Code is 78233). A safe "rule" is to always
allow one business day for order processing, invoicing, pulling and packaging...so
a Next Day Air order will generally take 2 business days from the date
of order to arrive.
Q.
It says "Sold Out" under a balloon style that I want, what does
this mean? Well, in general, it means we're sold out of this style...but
more units are on the way. However, on seasonal items (Valentine's Balloons,
Mother's Day, etc.) the balloon shown as "Sold Out" may not
be available the following season. They usually change some styles each
year, and as soon as the new styles are released to us, we'll add the
new ones to the website (and take off the ones that won't be available).
Q.
How much does shipping cost? This one's up to you, as shipping
charges are based on the package weight, the distance to delivery in relation
to our location, and the shipping option selected. The best way to calculate
shipping charges? Use our online shopping cart -- it calculates shipping
charges automatically based on your location, the package weight and the
shipping option. If you're satisfied with the cost displayed, click on
"Submit Order" when you're through shopping online. This will
send your order to us for processing -- othewise, select another shipping
option (click on Change Shipping Option to the right of your displayed
total). We do not receive your order until you click on "Submit Order",
so feel free to experiment. It takes about 24 mylar foil balloons to make
a pound -- so ordering 1 balloon will cost the same to ship as 23 balloons!
Q.
More Questions?
We'd be happy to help you out!
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