DELIVERY TIME - Items that are in stock typically ship within 2 business days. Non-stock and back-ordered items can take up to two weeks or longer to ship. Your sales rep should be able to give you an estimated shipping date at the time your order is placed. If your order has not arrived in the given timeframe, please let us know. Many items ship directly from the manufacturer/distributor to you, and we may not be aware that you haven’t received some items yet. Please call or email us and we will investigate.
DROP SHIPMENTS - Drop shipments are products shipped directly from the manufacturer/distributor. Drop-ships are denoted under the “Type” column on your Sales Order. These items may arrive at different times and from a different carrier than other items on your order.
BACKORDERS – Backordered items and their lead times should have been discussed with you by your sales representative prior to finalizing your order. If you receive your order and you are missing items, call or email us immediately so we can investigate.
SMALL PARCEL SHIPMENTS - Our small parcel shipments are typically sent via USPS or UPS. Once delivered, it’s important to immediately inspect the contents of your package(s) for damaged or missing items. Please report any problems to us as soon as possible.
FREIGHT SHIPMENTS - Some orders will ship via LTL freight truck through a variety of third-party carriers. Most carriers will reach out to you 24-48 hours prior to delivery to schedule an appointment. It is CRITICAL that you or your representative be on site at the time of delivery to inspect your shipment for damage! See the Freight Truck Delivery Checklist below for information about how to inspect your shipment, and how to proceed if there is damage.
RETURNS – Item(s) are eligible for return for up to 30 days from the date of purchase. Returns will not be accepted without prior authorization. Once authorization is obtained you have 30 days to return the authorized item(s). We will happily provide a full refund if the item(s) arrive in new condition and include all original packaging and paperwork, and Backwoods determines that we can resell the item(s) as new. Shipping fees are not refunded. Special order Items are not eligible for return. These items are normally designated by the word “SPECIAL” in the item code, and “This Item is not eligible for return” in the item description.
IMPORTANT: if Backwoods determines that we cannot sell your item as new, we will only refund up to 50% of the item’s purchase price.
WARRANTIES: All warranties for products sold by Backwoods Solar are handled by the product manufacturers (other than the Backwoods Solar line of water pumps which are handled in-house). To determine if your product is eligible for a warranty, you must first contact a Backwoods Solar sales representative and complete the troubleshooting steps they provide. If the Backwoods Solar sales representative believes that your product may be eligible for warranty after completing all troubleshooting, you will be contacted by a member of the Claims Analyst team with instructions for the manufacturer's next steps. IMPORTANT: Eligibility does not guarantee a successful outcome!
Freight Truck Delivery Checklist
Prepare for home delivery. Remove snow, ice, debris and other obstacles from driveway and walkways and make sure a semi-truck and 53’ trailer can access your property. Have a camera ready. Have help ready.
Request the Delivery Receipt/Bill of Lading (BOL) from the driver when they arrive.
Inspect packaging and ALL items in the shipment immediately. It is critical that you inspect the contents of your shipment for damage before signing any paperwork! DO NOT sign the BOL/Delivery Receipt without inspecting the shipment. A damage claim will not be approved if the damage has not been noted on the BOL/Delivery Receipt, and you will be responsible for replacement costs! Note any missing pieces or damage
to packaging and/or items before signing the BOL/Delivery Receipt. This includes exterior packaging damage.
If the delivery driver will not allow you to inspect the shipment or if there's any suspicion of concealed damage, note “possible concealed damage” on the BOL/Delivery Receipt. Take pictures of the pallet with the truck in the background, especially capturing any damage (including minor scuffs or marks or tears) to packaging or product.
If you choose to send your order to a location where you will not be the one inspecting the shipment upon arrival, it is critical that the recipient understand these instructions. You are responsible for their actions! If they fail to inspect and take pictures of the shipment and your order is damaged, we will be unable to file a claim on your behalf and replacement costs will be your responsibility.
If there are ANY damages, including minor scuff marks, to either visible product OR outer wrap/cardboard protective cladding, write down the words “All Damaged” on the BOL/Delivery Receipt and check the “Damage” checkbox, THEN sign it. Take a picture of the DRIVERS COPY showing that “All Damaged” was noted and the “Damage” box was checked. If the driver doesn’t like this, tell them you are happy to do a thorough product
inspection while they stand by. This is why we say have help standing by.
WHAT TO DO IF THERE IS DAMAGE
Contact us right away if you have any damage to your shipment! We have limited time (ONE HOUR) to file initial report of damage with the carrier and get a claim started. You must inspect immediately and report immediately. Follow the steps below for reporting damage and starting a claim:
Take photos of the packaging as it was delivered, while still in the truck (or with the truck in the background of the pictures), and prior to opening. After opening packaging, take detailed images of the damaged items. Pictures of damaged product, with the delivery truck and/or driver visible in the background is best.
Email or call us immediately thereafter. Send us the photos and a copy of the signed BOL/Delivery Receipt with the damage noted. Again, a successful claim usually needs filing within an hour of delivery.
Save all packing materials and do not move the shipment from the property where it was delivered.
Once we receive your photos of both the damaged product(s) and the signed Driver’s Copy of the BOL/Delivery Receipt with the damage noted, we will start the claims process with the carrier and work on a resolution for you. If you do not follow these steps and the damage claim with the carrier is denied, we MUST charge you for replacement items.
Lastly, unless the overwhelming majority of the shipment is truly destroyed, please accept the delivery. Do not refuse the shipment for minor damage, cosmetic damage, or just one or two missing or broken parts.
Please take the time to fully inspect your shipment and note any damage on the BOL/Delivery Receipt so that our claim with the carrier on your behalf has a chance to succeed. Claims with undocumented damage on the BOL/Delivery Receipt will be denied!