Doing Business with Stellar Scientific
Our motto is “Simplifying Your World”. We will do everything we can to make the process of ordering and returning as smooth and pain-free as possible.
If you have just fifteen seconds to read our shipping and returns policy, here is the super-short version:
RELAX! We are going to wow you with our commitment to "Stellar Service". You will be thrilled to have us as your partner. Guaranteed.
- Shipping is fast, and priced fairly.
- Get free ground shipping on all orders over $200 within the continental US
- No hassle returns if you are not thrilled with your purchase (some limitations apply, i.e. – sterile products, certain large pieces of equipment or custom orders).
- DOA replacements shipped on our dime
- Secure shopping and credit card processing – the entire website is HTTPS!
Here are our policies and procedures in greater detail.
Placing Orders:
There are four main ways you can purchase your laboratory equipment and supplies from Stellar Scientific.
Buy straight from the website:
This is best suited when not making a bulk purchase. Simply create an account, load up your cart and place the order. We accept all major credit cards and your transactions are securely processed for peace of mind. We do not store credit card information.
By the way – We never charge ground shipping for orders over $200, some exclusions apply. More about shipping in a bit.
If you have received a discount coupon code, there will be a place before finalizing your order to enter the code.
If there is a “Buy X, get Y free” promotion, the promotional item will automatically be added to your shopping cart and the price reduced to “zero”.
Bulk/Stocking up or large quantity orders:
For the best prices, please ask us for a special quote.
Look for the orange "add to quote" button to the right side of each product.
Build your list and fill in the fields.
Let us know if you are a new lab, celebrating a birthday or some other reason we can take into consideration as we review your quote.
Click send and your request will be handed to a member of our amazing sales team.
We aim to get in touch within the hour, often 10 minutes or less!
Ordering with a PO (Purchase Order):
Established customers and universities are welcome to request net terms to streamline their purchasing and improve their cash flow.
A copy of our W-9 can be obtained by clicking here:
For accurate tracking of orders we request a PDF or Word version of your PO to be emailed to cs@stellarscientific.com
Have questions about getting set up? The CS inbox above is a great place to contact us with credit application and PO related questions.
Internal ordering through your e-marketplace:
Stellar Scientific’s scientific catalog with over 2500 products can be found on the SciQuest/Jaggaer platform. Of these, nearly 1800 are specially discounted for partners who have linked our catalog to their e-marketplace.
If you participate in SciQuest/Jaggaer, look us up and purchase quickly using your in-house platform. Better yet, tell your purchasing department that excellent discounts are available and have them contact us for more information.
Versions of our catalog are also available from: Ariba (SAP), Bioprocure, Scientist, Science exchange, Unimarket, Zageno Fisher Scientifc, VWR - and many more!
We are punchout ready and happy to assist you with setting up a cXML integration.
International Orders:
Stellar Scientific serves the world. However, our website is currently only designed to process online orders from the USA and Canada.
When making a purchase in Canadian Dollars the website will show the price based on the current exchange rate.
The buyer remains obligated to pay all taxes and tariffs. Stellar Scientific only collects money for the product and any shipping fees that accrue.
To speak with someone about other international purchases, please email: info@stellarscientific.com and we will get back to you promptly during our normal working hours.
IMPORTANT: All laboratory equipment items that appear on our website are, by default 115V unless clearly specified as "dual voltage" (it will say specifically in the product description or other details tab).
If you are making a purchase to use overseas you must specify in your notes that you want 230V.
Because the price for 230V can be higher than 115V, we suggest contacting us before placing an order to be certain.
Pricing policy:
With over 7800 items in our catalog, it can be difficult to keep up with all the changes that come each year from our suppliers. Here is a simple rule we are happy to live with:
If you've made a purchase at website price of an item that we've not yet updated, our mistake is your win! We will honor the website price including any free shipping when applicable.
In the case of a special promotion (like a BOGO) that is no longer being offered by that manufacturer/supplier, we will not be able to honor the sale beyond its expiration date. You will be contacted immediately and your credit card will not be charged.
Shipping and Delivery:
Ground shipping is always free for orders over $200 within the continental US.
(Did we say that before?)
When you place an order through the website, with a PO or through a purchasing platform, unless otherwise noted, we will ship using UPS.
Free ground shipping only applies to products that normally ship via ground and within the continental USA.
Alaskan and Hawaiian customers - Even if the website awards free shipping, we will contact you once we've calculated shipping and add to the total before processing the order.
Where freight shipping is required, ground is simply not an option.
To speed up delivery times we stock over 800 of the most mission critical laboratory SKUs in our Baltimore warehouse.
This list includes our Cool Blue nitrile gloves, Teepa Tips, REEBO PCR plates/tubes, CellAh tissue culture plates, dishes and flasks among others.
If your need is urgent, we strongly suggest contacting us before placing an order to confirm an item is in stock or get the best ETA we can offer.
Call us 410-764-2225 during business hours (9-5EST) or start a live chat. We're happy to help!
For items we keep in stock: Orders placed before 12PM EST typically ship that day and can be expected to arrive as early as next day depending on your location.
Drop shipped items: These are shipped from several locations and can arrive within 48-72 hours from when you placed your order.
Purchasing rush or expedited shipping really helps get those "must have" orders shipped asap.
Not sure if an item is stocked or drop shipped? Give us a call and we'll be happy to help!
Please review your shipping information carefully so your package(s) arrive on time.
Important exceptions: Most of the chemicals we offer must be shipped via ground to a business location. Even if you operate a business from a home, a residence may not be considered a business address for this purpose.
Similarly, some lab devices, reagents and products used for sterilizing media cannot be shipped to a residence. When in doubt, please inquire first before making a purchase.
If the information you have provided us does not permit us to deliver your goods, we will make every effort to contact you promptly and give you the option of cancelling the order or make changes to your delivery
Unless otherwise instructed, all packages ship to be delivered “without a signature.”
Cold shipped items: The following products are shipped on ice (either ice pack or dry ice when needed): DNA markers, protein ladders, DNA stains and pre-cast gels.
To protect the integrity of your purchase we work with a window when your order will ship.
Orders placed early in the week usually ship within 24 hours since we can be sure the product will arrive before the weekend.
Orders made late Wednesday and beyond might be delayed till the following Monday.
This applies only where ground shipping or free shipping was selected.
You may purchase overnight shipping to rush the order and have it arrive within 48 hours of when we receive your order. Please choose that at checkout or call us with credit card payment or provide your carrier account number.
Tax:
Based on recent court rulings we are now in the process of activating tax collection for online transactions where required by law.
If you are a tax exempt entity, please email a copy of your tax-exempt status to cs@stellarscientific.com and be sure to notify us that you have done so in the notes section at check-out.
We will remove any tax charges prior to processing your order and will keep a copy of your certificate on file.
Emergencies:
If you are experiencing a laboratory emergency, contact us directly by phone (410-764-2225), using the chat box feature, or make a note with your order and we will try (we cannot promise) to take your package to a UPS site that picks up at 5:30.
We have been able to save the day on more than one occasion, but you must get us as the right time to have a shot.
Freight and Inside Delivery:
Large equipment items such as centrifuges, incubators and freezers are subject to freight charges.
Because there are many factors that determine delivery costs, there is no way for the website to make the proper calculations. This is always handled post sale.
We will not charge your card before we get your approval for the additional freight charges .
If you have a preferred carrier account, we can save you money by sending your purchase that way too.
Inside delivery (or “White-Glove) always involves an added expense. If your company or institution requires this, please let us know at the time a quote is being prepared. We have an excellent document that makes this process smooth and error free.
Returns/Mistakes/Repairs:
If we’re even having this conversation, that probably means you’ve made a purchase from us and a big thank you is due!
At Stellar Scientific, making you happy is very important to us. We want you to love your purchase and sing our praises.
Here is how we tackle problems as they come up:
- If we goofed and sent you the wrong item, then we’ll cover the return shipping fees and send you the correct item.
- If your product was DOA (dead on arrival) we will contact the supplier and have a replacement shipped out promptly. If it is not replaceable, or no replacement is available when you need it, you can choose to take a refund, store credit or consider an alternative.
- In the event that your purchase did not live up to your expectations and you would like to make a return or refund, we ask you to please notify us within thirty days of receiving it. We will set you up with a return authorization number and all the information you need to ship it back.
No hassle.
There are a few exceptions though:
- Consumables that are sterile and some glass products cannot be returned for a refund. As terrible as we feel saying no, for scientific integrity the industry standard is to not permit the return of sterile products after they leave our custody.
- Large equipment items and those things are typically customized such as centrifuges, incubators and microscopes.
- We do not accept product returns without first contacting us and applying for/receiving an RA (return authorization) number.
- If you are returning a used piece of equipment, you must first complete our decontamination protocol. No refunds will be honored for any item shipped back "dirty".
Products returned for a refund or store credit must be in excellent condition and in the original packaging.
In all cases where a store credit or refund is issued, we ask that you please allow up to 3 business days for the funds to post to your account.
Repairs:
During the warranty period, each manufacturer handles repairs differently. As a rule, large equipment is covered by a national network of service teams that perform onsite diagnostics, evaluation and repairs, while smaller equipment may require being shipped back to the manufacturer.
This being so, we strongly recommend hanging on to both the inner and external shipping box in case something needs to be returned.
When the situation warrants a repair, we reserve the right to pay for the return shipping as a value-added bonus. (Yes, you read that correctly).
We do keep a small stock of loaner items to help out when repairs are needed. Check with us if you are stuck.