Frequently Asked Questions

1.       How do I change the contents or quantity of my shopping basket?

Scroll to the top of the page you are on. In the blue banner, just left of center, you will see a link in yellow text called , “Change Basket Contents”  Click there and you can remove items and change the quantity of anything in your basket.

2.       I never received my email order confirmation after placing an order.

Your confirmation/receipt is generated automatically and emailed instantly to you upon completion of your order. The single most common reason for non-receipt is due to the use of an unwanted email blocker, (also known as a SPAM blocker) This can be in use by you OR your internet service provider on your behalf. This common feature simply blocks our email from getting to you. The second reason is you may have entered your email address incorrectly when filling out the order form. Now don’t get us wrong, because we dislike pointing the finger at our customers, but let’s face it, many email addresses are difficult to type.

3.       My credit card will not process even though nothing I entered appears wrong. What can I do?

The most common reason for refusal is if your billing information does not match your credit card. This usually happens to customers who have moved recently. If so, you might try your old address. It can take credit card companies up to six months to update addresses.

The credit card verification part of the check-out process is handled by the credit card processing company. We do not determine the validity of a card, nor do we ever see your credit card data when an internet order is processed. That may seem a bit odd, but it is actually quite common on the internet. It certainly helps protect your privacy and your information. Even if we contact the card processor, they never tell us why a particular card will not process. Again, they do this to protect your security. If that occurs, you are always welcome to try placing your with us by telephone. We cannot guarantee it will go through, but sometimes we have more success by doing it manually. The reason why is one of the great mysteries of the credit card world. A mystery they still do not share with us.

4.        Common Umbrella and Parallel-Umbrella Clothes Dryer questions.

Steel vs. aluminum: Steel umbrella dryers weigh about six pounds more than their aluminum counterparts; however steel is a bit stronger. If you intend to remove, fold it up and store it frequently, we recommend aluminum, primarily because aluminum is easier to handle. If you intend to leave it up most of the time, steel may be a better choice. It is important to note that both are more than strong enough for everyday use.

A few other common things to consider regarding umbrella clothes are; They all come pre-strung. They can all be removed from the ground and folded for storage. You should never use a plastic umbrella stand/base from your patio set to hold your clothesline. It will likely tip over and crack the umbrella stand. The significant differences between an umbrella dryer and a parallel umbrella dryer are the parallel styles typically have more line and they all the same height.

5.       Why are your shipping times and methods different for some products?

Many of the items on our website are shipped directly from wholesalers and manufacturers. We do this to hold down shipping costs, thereby making the overall price lower for you. For example; it is not logical to have a company in Kansas, ship a clothesline to us in Maine, only so we can ship it to a customer in California. Having said that, it is also important to note there are two minor drawbacks to using this method. 1. Most of these large companies are only willing to ship via one carrier like FedEx, UPS etc. 2. They also have differing time schedules regarding the amount of acceptable time to ship a product. Many get orders out the door within hours, while some take a few business days. Please review the “Product Description” for each item to see times and shipping methods.

6.       How is my order being shipped and when can I expect it?

Please look at the “Product Description” for each item to see how it is shipped and the typical amount of time it will take before it is shipped Also, please see question 5 above.

7.       Why do Alaska and Hawaii residents have to pay more in shipping then the other states for some items?

      If the item is shipped via the postal service, then no additional shipping fee applies. If the item is shipped via a private carrier such as FedEx, UPS or other carrier, additional shipping does apply. Unfortunately these companies charge significantly more to deliver items to Alaska and Hawaii and we are unable absorb that kind of cost.

8.       How can I tell if an item is in stock?

We remove an item from the site if it is not in stock.  If we expect to have the item back in stock within a few days, we will add them back on to the site, but will make note of it at the beginning of the, “Product Description: for you. We only do so if we have an accurate projected delivery date by the carrier.

9.       I live outside the USA. Can I place an order?

Yes, however additional shipping may occur. Please send us an email which includes the name of your country, the city, postal code, or anything else that is generally required to calculate shipping. Unfortunately, our website is not designed to take orders outside the USA. Sorry, but we are just not that sophisticated. Once we have quoted a shipping fee, it will be necessary to call us to place an order. You may also be responsible for an import/duty fee from your countries customs officials.

10.    What is your return policy?

 You can review it by clicking on the link at the bottom of each page on our website.

11.       How much is the shipping?

 The shipping is included in the price for every item on our website.

12.      How much will the tax be?

 Tax is only applicable if you live in the state of Maine. If you order is placed in Maine, the tax rate is 5%.

13.      Why are so many of your products made overseas? 

Unfortunately we need to buy quality products where we can find them. Take clothespins for example. The last two clothespin manufacturers left in the US a few years ago and are no longer making them here. In truth, we would love to find other small companies like ours who manufacture laundry goods at fair prices in the US. We do make our own heavy duty T-Posts right here in Maine. The most likely reason they are not being copied overseas yet is because they are so heavy to ship verses the price. The bottom line is that our customers want a variety of styles to choose from and we feel obligated to find that selection for them. We are always interested in US manufacturers. If you know of one making laundry related products, please let us know.

14.    Do you have a retail store in Maine or elsewhere?

We sure get asked this question frequently, primarily from New Englanders. We considered opening a brick and mortar store front, but we do not feel that a store featuring just laundry products would get much foot traffic, especially out here in the country. It would likely only serve to raise our overhead. We are not willing to do anything on such a scale because we are not willing to pass those costs along to our customers.

15.    Why is your website so simple looking?

Well, the short answer has to do with making the shopping experience easier for our customers. In fact, we are a bit surprised at the number of compliments we get from customers about it's ease of use. Like most people, we enjoy surfing the net, but we too get frustrated when trying to view a site that has too many fancy features and things to click on. We feel that if you are looking for specific products, it is not productive to toss other links that have little or nothing to do with that effort onto the page in front of you. It is amazing how often customers call us thinking we are another company entirely, all because they clicked on some link at another website, while believing that it belonged to the same site. We try to keep such distractions to a minimum.

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