Is online ordering safe & private?

Is online ordering really safe? What about those stories I've heard where credit card information was stolen?
Those stories began with a Web site that didn't have adequate security. Ours does. Yes. In conjunction with Verisign (www.verisign.com), ChristmasLightsEtc.com uses 128-bit encryption to protect information entered -- some of the most powerful encryption available today.

Basically, encryption encodes your information. To steal your information from the Internet, someone must first find your encrypted information packet (which is flying across the Internet at light speed) - then crack the code. Nobody has ever claimed that this has been done. Indeed, if it were possible, the most sensitive information in the world would be available to them - not just your credit card number.

Look at it this way: you probably already transmit your credit card number electronically every day. When you swipe your credit card at the local store, your card information is encrypted and transmitted over a phone network. Using your card on a secure online Web site is very similar - your information is encrypted and then transmitted over a high-speed network line.

How private is my personal information?
We use any information you provide to us only to serve you better. We do not trade or sell your personal information to anyone.

How do I find a product?
You can find products quickly by browsing through our product category links. You can also search for any product you'd like more information about. Just type in the name of the product in the "Search" window located on the top left navigation panel and select the category you wish to search

What if I can't find what I am looking for?
If you don't see a product you're looking for, let us know (if by email, CustomerService@ChristmasLightsEtc.com). We may have it under a different industry name, and if not, we will do our best to track it down for you. If there is a service you'd like to see on our Web site, we'd like to hear about that, too. The more we know, the more we can do for you.

How do I place an order?
ChristmasLightsEtc.com's purchase process is secure and simple. Just follow these easy steps:

1.Click on the product you want to buy.

• Choose the quantity that you would like to order
• Click on the "Add to Cart!" link or "Buy" button.

2. You'll proceed to the Cart Summary screen that shows you what's in your Cart. Here, you can:

• Remove items by clicking on "Remove" link.
• Go back and do more shopping by using the category links or product search.
• Make your purchase by clicking on "CheckOut" button.
• Update the quantity you'd like to buy.
• Estimate shipping

3. When you're finished shopping and have clicked on "Proceed to CheckOut" button:

• You'll be prompted to Checkout as Guest or log-in as an existing ChristmasLightsEtc.com Member.
• This is a secure site where you will enter shipping, billing and payment information.*
• Update the Billing, Shipping, and Payment information by clicking on "Continue"

4. You'll proceed to the Order Summary screen that shows you a summary of your order. Here, you can:

• Enter applicable coupon codes
• Select ship method
• Go back to the cart to modify your order by clicking on "Edit Cart" button.
• Modify your Billing and Shipping information by clicking on the appropriate link.
• If you're ready to make your purchase, click on "Complete Checkout" button and you're done.

5. You'll proceed to the Order Thank you page. Here, you can:

• View your order and the Order Confirmation Number it was given.
• Review Shipping and Billing information.
• Go to a Print Friendly version of the Order Summary, by selecting the appropriate link.
• Email Customer Service if you have any concerns, by selecting the appropriate link.
• Continue to shop.

*For added security, credit cards are encrypted within our system and screened thoroughly during the ordering process.

• The "Bill To" address information must be on file with the issuing bank. If the Billing information does not match what the bank has on file, the order may be held for review.

Please contact us if you have any concerns regarding the safe use of your credit card online.

Can I order over the phone?
Absolutely! ChristmasLightsEtc.com's online ordering system is one of the safest, most efficient methods of order entry possible. However, we understand that often customers want to speak with a trained professional who can provide expert advice on product solutions for their needs.

To provide the best possible service to our customers, ChristmasLightsEtc.com has assembled a team of fully trained sales professionals whose mission is to provide you with the best product solutions and customer care available!

Please call us at 1-866-962-7382 Monday - Friday between the hours of 9am - 5pm Eastern Standard Time.

What method of payment can I use?

• Visa
• MasterCard
• American Express
• Discover
• PayPal

ChristmasLightsEtc.com cannot be held responsible for any payment mechanism made other than through our secure server.

We cannot accept:

• Checks and Postal Money Orders (Allowed on Phone Orders Only)
• CODs
• Credit cards registered outside the United States and Canada

Will I be taxed on my purchases?

• The tax that is charged on your order is based on your "ship to address".
• All USA orders shipped outside of Georgia are tax-free. Orders shipped to Georgia are charged sales tax.
• If you have specific questions, please contact your State taxation office.

When will my order be processed? ChristmasLightsEtc.com has built an extremely efficient processing system.

• Your order will be processed almost immediately once your credit card has been verified.
• Please review your order for accuracy before placing it.

  PLEASE NOTE: EACH CREDIT CARD WILL PASS THROUGH A SECURITY VERIFICATION.
  We require that the correct "Bill To" address for each order be on file with the issuing bank of the credit card selected for the order.

Can I change an order that has already been submitted?
Due to the speed at which orders are processed, it is very unlikely that we will be able to change any aspect of your order once it has been electronically transmitted to the warehouse. We can only ensure a cancellation or change if the item/s are on backorder.

• An order in process MAY POSSIBLY be stopped if you contact us (if by email, at CustomerService@ChristmasLightsEtc.com) within 5 minutes of placing your order. We will make every effort to stop the order, but can't guarantee that we will be successful.
• If we are unable to cancel an order, you have two options: you can refuse delivery, or you can return the item under our "Satisfaction Guaranteed" policy. The return policies section of this site contains details about these options.

  To cancel a backorder, please contact us.

When will my credit card be charged for an order?
The full charge will be processed when your order has shipped.

What is your satisfaction guarantee?

Our satisfaction guarantee is to offer the best solution for your situation.

• Products can be returned within 30 days for any reason.
  • There is a restock fee of 10% that is waived if an additional order is placed.
• If a product is defective, you must contact us within 30 days of receiving your order.
• We will not accept returns after Christmas, even if it is within the 30 day period.
• Our team of customer service professionals will work with you to satisfy your business needs. Please note that credits may take up to two weeks to process once product has been received in.

Important: Accepting returns are subject to the following:

• Do not write or mark the packaging, contents or registration warranty cards.
• Keep all original packaging as you received it for at least 30 days.
• Returns are subject to a 10% re-stocking fee.
• You are responsible for shipping costs both ways.
• Keep all products in new condition.
• Do not remove UPC codes. (We can not accept boxes without UPC codes)
• Products, whether defective or not, must be returned in the manufacturer's original packaging in "like-new condition" and the carton must include all components and other items originally packaged with the product.
• Linked promotional items must also be included

If I'm not satisfied with a product, how do I return it?
We will not accept returns after Christmas, even if it is within the 30 day period. Otherwise, there are two simple options.

1. Save the need to call - Print the return authorization form straight from your account
   • Login to your account by clicking on "My Account" on the top right of ChristmasLightsEtc.com
   • Select "Returns"
   • Print the RMA form, which includes Easy Return Instructions
   • Include the printed form inside the return box
   • You will be responsible for paying the shipping costs to return a non-defective product.
   • Save any tracking information
2. Within 30 days of receiving your order, contact us and provide us with the following information:
   • Your order number
   • A very brief description of why you wish to return the product
   • How you would like to proceed - for example, would you like credit, or a different product?
   • A service professional will email you a return authorization form, and specific instructions to follow.
   • You will be responsible for paying the shipping costs to return a non-defective product.
   • Save any tracking information

Products must be returned in the manufacturer's original packaging in "like new condition", and the carton must include all components and other items originally packaged with the product. Shipping charges and a 10% re-stocking fee will apply.

What if the product is defective?
All products sold by ChristmasLightsEtc.com are under the full manufacturer's warranty. Our goal is to correct the situation as quickly as possible. In rare instances, some manufacturers require direct contact to arrange returns or exchanges. In this event, we will provide any necessary contact and order information.

• If you notify us of any defect within the first 30 days of receiving your order, we will gladly exchange your defective product for the same product title, provided there is still stock.
• Keep all original packaging as you received it.
• Products must be returned in the manufacturer's original packaging in "like new condition", and the carton must include all components and other items originally packaged with the product.

What if there is a discrepancy with the order? If you find any discrepancies with your order, please contact us right away .

Can I just send it back without contacting you?
No. We are here to help, but we can not correct a situation we know nothing about. Please contact us and one of our service professionals will contact you to work out a solution. We will reject products returned to us without authorization.

What else do I need to know about returning items?
After you receive a return authorization number, please be sure to do the following:

• Ensure that the authorization number is clearly marked on the shipping box.
• Products, whether defective or not, must be returned in the manufacturer's original packaging and the carton must include all components and other items originally packaged with the product. Linked promotional items must also be included.
• There is a 10% re-stocking fee. Credits can take up to two weeks to process.
• You are also responsible for shipping charges both ways.
• Do not write or mark the packaging, contents or registration warranty cards.
• We will return incomplete shipments to you. If you forgot to include a part, please notify us immediately.
• For your protection, we recommend that you fully insure your return shipment in case it is lost or damaged, and use a carrier that can provide you with proof of delivery.

At Christmas Lights, Etc., the privacy and protection of your personal and financial information is very important to us. That's why we've created this privacy statement which fully describes our information gathering and dissemination practices. It's the best way we can demonstrate our firm commitment to your privacy.

Christmas Lights, Etc. uses your personal information for the following purposes:

• Building your ChristmasLightsEtc.com account
  
• Facilitating the ordering process
  
• Personalizing delivery of the content contained within our website
  
• Those who communicate with Christmas Lights Etc and supply us with contact information may receive future communications by email, direct mail, or telephone. If you do not wish to receive correspondence from Christmas Lights Etc, you can contact us with a request to be removed from our mailing list.

Use of Your Information

When you register with our site, we ask for your name and e-mail address. Then we ask you to create a password to allow you secure access. We use this to:

• Process and track your orders
• Send order and shipping confirmation emails

If you choose to receive emails about special offers, we will also:

• Send catalogs you have requested and mailings that may be of interest to you, provided you have not requested otherwise
• Send exclusive email offers of new product announcements and special promotions, provided you have not opted out of receiving these notifications

We may also use information from your account based on your site visits to generate statistics and aggregate reports for internal use, which may be shown to affiliates, subsidiaries, licensees, successors, and partners. These statistics and aggregate reports will not contain any personally identifiable information and your identity will be kept anonymous. Certain confidential information--such as passwords and credit card numbers-- is not disclosed in any of these reports.

If you purchase a product or service from Christmas Lights, Etc., the information you give--such as your credit card number, purchase information, and contact information--is provided to the banking merchant. Details regarding the purchase are supplied to the distributor or vendor partner. This is necessary to complete the transaction.

We will not disclose your personal information to third parties, except to the extent necessary to provide you with a requested service, under circumstances required by law, or--in limited cases--to our business partners as outlined in this policy.

You will not be contacted directly by any third party as a result of your relationship with Christmas Lights, Etc. unless you have given us permission to do so. Any business partners with whom we share your information will be subject to confidentiality restrictions preventing them from sharing your personal information with others.

Security Precautions

Our site has stringent security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information under our control.

When you transmit credit card information to complete a purchase or verify data, we always transmit that credit card number in an encrypted format. We use the industry standard 128-bit SSL (secure socket layer) encryption.

In addition to our encryption standards, your ChristmasLightsEtc.com account information is password-protected so that you and only you have access to this personal information. Please do not disclose your password to anyone. Always remember to sign out of your ChristmasLightsEtc.com account and close your browser window when your transactions are complete. This helps keep your account safe.

While we strive to protect your personal information, no data transmission over the Internet is guaranteed to be 100% secure. Thus, ChristmasLightsEtc.com cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information during transmission to or from our site, and you submit information to us at your own risk. However, we do our best to ensure the highest level of security on our systems.

Cookies

We are committed to providing personalized products and services to you. In order to do so, ChristmasLightsEtc.com uses cookies to store a unique identifier. A cookie is defined as a small amount of text that is sent to your browser from a Web server and stored on your computer's hard drive. If your browser is configured to enable cookies, then your browser adds the text sent to the appropriate file.

ChristmasLightsEtc.com uses cookies to tell us that you have visited our site before, to automatically display information you have requested, and to keep track of the items in your cart (shopping cart). They are used to help us simplify and enhance your shopping experience. A cookie may also be used to tailor ad content both on the site you are visiting as well as other sites within that network that you may visit in the future.

Third party vendors, including Google, show our ads on sites on the Internet. Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to our website. Users may opt out of Google's use of cookies by visiting http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html or third party vendor's use of cookies by visiting http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp.

Disclaimer

Ultimately, you are held responsible for maintaining the secrecy of your passwords and/or any account information. Always be careful and responsible whenever you're online.

Christmas Lights, Etc. SHALL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE OR LOSS OF ANY KIND DUE TO ANY PRODUCTS OR SERVICES PURCHASED AT Christmas Lights, Etc. OUR MAXIMUM LIABILITY TO YOU IS THE AMOUNT YOU PAID FOR THE PRODUCT. WE DO NOT NECESSARILY ENDORSE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MENTIONED AT Christmas, Lights Etc. NEITHER DO WE MAKE ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE), ABOUT THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN OUR STORE OR THE ACCURACY OF OUR PRODUCT AND SERVICES LISTINGS. Christmas Lights, Etc. DISCLAIMS ALL RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES CAUSED BY VIRUSES CONTAINED AT OR WITHIN Christmas Lights, Etc. SITES OR WITHIN ANY ELECTRONIC FILES SENT FROM Christmas Lights, Etc. SITES.

This site contains links to other sites. Christmas Lights, Etc. is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of these other Web sites.

Trademarks and Copyrights

Christmas Lights, Etc., ChristmasLightsEtc.com and the Christmas Lights, Etc. logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Christmas Lights, Etc. Everything on this Web site is Copyrighted, 2000-2010, Christmas Lights, Etc., unless otherwise specified. All Rights Reserved. All other product names and company logos are the trademarks of their respective owners.

Pricing

Prices listed or quoted from Christmas Lights, Etc. are subject to change without notice and are subject to availability.

Errors and Omissions

Christmas Lights, Etc. works hard to ensure the accuracy of the product information in our store. However, we are not responsible for typographical errors or technical inaccuracies.

Privacy Policy Changes

If we make changes to our privacy policy, we will post those changes on our Web site for you to review.

FAQ questions

How private is my personal information?

We may share member information in order to provide you with a more integrated and customized member experience. Your information will only be shared with trusted banking merchants, distributors, and/or vendor partners in order to facilitate our services to you.

How can you opt-out, remove or modify information you have provided to us?

You may opt-out from receiving our emails by following the instructions on any commercial email you receive from us. You may also opt-out buy using our opt-out form.

Please note that we may maintain information about an individual sales transaction in order to service that transaction and for record keeping. If you have any issues, you can also contact us.

We use any information you provide us only to enhance your Web experience and enable us to better serve you.

 

Christmas Lights, Etc. SHALL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE OR LOSS OF ANY KIND DUE TO YOUR USE OF ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE PURCHASED AT Christmas Lights, Etc. OUR MAXIMUM LIABILITY TO YOU IS THE AMOUNT YOU PAID FOR THE PRODUCT. WE DO NOT NECESSARILY ENDORSE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MENTIONED AT Christmas Lights, Etc. NEITHER DO WE MAKE ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE), ABOUT THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN OUR STORE OR THE ACCURACY OF OUR PRODUCT AND SERVICES LISTINGS. Christmas Lights, Etc. DISCLAIMS ALL RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES CAUSED BY VIRUSES CONTAINED AT OR WITHIN THE Christmas Lights, Etc. SITES OR WITHIN ANY ELECTRONIC FILES SENT FROM Christmas Lights, Etc. SITES.

Our Trademarks and Copyrights.
Christmas Lights, Etc., ChristmasLightsEtc.com and the Christmas Lights, Etc. logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Christmas Lights, Etc. Everything on this Web site is Copyrighted, 2000-2010, Christmas Lights, Etc., unless otherwise specified. All Rights Reserved. All other product names and company logos are the trademarks of their respective owners.

Pricing

Prices listed or quoted from Christmas Lights, Etc. are subject to change without notice and are subject to availability.

Any Errors and Omissions.
Christmas Lights, Etc. has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the product information in our store. However, we are not responsible for typographical errors or technical inaccuracies.

How and When to Contact

To contact Christmas Lights Etc, please visit http://www.christmaslightsetc.com/ContactUs.asp