Iron Art Glass Designs Frequently Asked Questions

Product FAQs:

Where are your products produced?
The majority of our products are produced in Europe.  We have been doing business now in several European countries for many years and hold exclusive rights of sale on all our products in North America.  Most products are designed by us and transferred to our production team overseas.  This allows us to receive both high quality craftsmanship, steel and German glass color, which is superior in quality to any other suppliers in the world.  Our family shops in Europe have been established for a long time, some for generations, and have experience in forged iron, blown glass, painting, and other skilled trades.

Will my product look like the one pictured?
All our products are produced in series, however, they are all hand made so they may have slight variances in color, size, design or other changes.  If we noticed a product to be drastically different from the one pictured we will take a new picture and swap the two products.

What if I am interested in a product that is currently out of stock?
Most items will be restocked if they are out of stock currently.  If you noticed an item you liked that is currently no longer listed on the website it may have been discontinued or may be out of stock till our next shipment arrives.  Please contact us and we can inform you on the details of the product.

Can you do custom pieces for our organization or company?
Yes, we have done custom work in the past for several organizations.  We do require a certain minimum to be produced if we do not have the item in stock.  All samples are to be paid for before they will be supplied.  All samples, production materials and products produced are the designs and intellectual property of Iron Elegance and it's subsidiaries.

Purchasing FAQs:

What type of payments do you accept?
We accept all four major credit cards (American Express, Discover, Mastercard & Visa).  We also are willing to accept money orders if shipping arrangements are made.  More details about the cost of shipping is covered below.  Corporate clients are welcome to pay by check with prior approval, shipment will take place on arrival of payment.

I've seen your products elsewhere, how come?
If you haven't noticed by now, we offer wholesale opportunities to over 500 retailers, crafters and resellers throughout the U.S. and Canada.  All products on our websites are our designs or are direct from the manufacturer.  We encourage customers to buy from local retailers if they find a product they desire.

Shipping FAQs:

How much will my shipping cost?
Unfortunately, we will not know the cost of shipping until your order is packed and queued for shipment.  All our products can pack out differently, thus we must wait until time of shipment to figure out the cost.  Rest assure though, we will inform you if your shipping costs are substantial. 

How long does it normally take to dispatch an order that has been placed?
We usually ship all orders within 1-2 days using FedEx Ground or FedEx Home Delivery.  Certain circumstances may arise that will postpone shipment of your order.  However, we always make sure to ship orders in time for holidays if it is possible and we do provide expedited services using FedEx Express based on cost.

I want to place an international order, what can I expect?
We normally use United States Postal Service, Air Mail for all international shipments.  All duties are to be paid by the receiving customer.  Normal transit time for Air Mail service is between four days and two weeks.  Wholesale orders to Canada will most likely be shipped via FedEx International Ground.  Any bills received by us for duties owed will be charged to that customer's credit card.  In the past, we have shipped to Canada, the United Kingdom, Bermuda, Bahamas, Japan and other countries with little incidents.  Suspicious orders will be canceled with no communication, this includes orders from Africa.

How long will it take to receive my order?
Normally, we dispatch orders within 1-2 days after they are submitted.  FedEx has available a transit map showing the expected transit time of their Ground and Home Delivery services.  You can view the estimated transit times in the map below.  FedEx Ground delivers Monday thru Friday and FedEx Home Delivery delivers Tuesday thru Saturday.  All orders will receive a FedEx tracking number once their order has shipped.

How can I save on freight costs?
The easiest way to save on freight is shipping to a commercial location.  All parcel services charge a surcharge on residential deliveries.  This surcharge is anywhere from $1.95 to $4.05 per package.  Another way to save on freight is to order similar products together.  It is easier for us to pack Kugels™ and other glassware together than it is for us to pack glass with iron.  We normally have to pack these items in two separate boxes to avoid breakage.

How come you charge for packing materials?
Due to the increasing price of materials for packing, we are forced to charge an additional 4% of the order value to cover the cost of rising packing materials.  In some circumstances it can cost us 10% of your order value to package an order correctly.  We have decided to add this additional charge so that we can continue to provide our great products and great customer support.  This is a standard practice for shipping glass and fragile items with parcel carriers.

How come no shipping costs are given on my order?
We do not provide shipping estimates for wholesale orders because the cost of shipping can vary greatly depending on the circumstance.  While some product may be well below 7% to ship to your location, other product could be around 35 to 40% of the cost.  Some companies can charge a flat rate, but since Iron Art Glass Designs carries such a wide mix of products we can not.  We assure you that are wholesale prices take into account the additional freight costs when assuming a fair markup value for retail pricing.

Resale FAQs:

I'm interested in becoming a reseller of your products, how do I set up an account?
If you wish to set up an account with us, we ask that you fill out this simple form located here.  All potential resellers must have a valid state tax identification number, unless their state does not collect sales tax.  Once your information has been submitted we will verify your information and reply via e-mail with a login to our password protected wholesale website.

What terms do you provide your resale customers?
All terms are payment is due on shipment.  Payment must be made by either a major credit card or money order/company check.  Returned checks will result in a $35 returned check fee and suspension of your wholesale account.  Clients who provide credit card information that is declined on a regular basis will have their resale account suspended.  Please keep track of the amount that is being spent on your credit cards.

What is your minimum order?
We have a minimum order of $200 on all wholesale orders.  This does not include the cost of shipping.  Any orders that fail to meet the $200 minimum will be placed in limbo until the difference is made up.  If you wish to add to your order, please do so immediately because we often ship within 1-2 days.

What kind of specials do you have for bulk purchases?
Throughout our wholesale site, you will find quantity discounts on certain items if you order more than a certain amount.  We also offer 5% off on orders over $1500.  Additional discounts can apply towards bulk purchases depending on the descretion of the company.  Must specials take place during e-mail campaigns.  Join our e-mailing list to find out about current specials.  We often run a special one to two times a month of certain items.

I'm interested in carrying your kugels or witch balls, can you tell me more about them?
Our glass Kugels™ are often considered friendship balls in the United States.  However, the original idea comes from the traditional Christmas ornament in Europe.  Traditional Christmas ornaments in Europe are hang inside and outside the house instead on Christmas trees, because of this they are heavier than modern Christmas ornaments.  To find out more information about our kugels, check out kugel page.

Witchballs, or sometimes called spirit balls, are similar in essence to dream catchers.  The idea of a witch ball is to catch evil spirits inside the glass and trap them within the strands of the witch ball.  They also have a large history that can be viewed here.

Kugels™ and Witch balls are by far our most popular ideas, consisting of 50% of our sales.  We sell over 20,000 glass balls a year.  We have over 250 designs in stock currently and have the largest selection and best prices available.  That isn't to say we are a large company, we are family owned and operated and you'll most likely communicate with one of the family members.  We also don't want to forget that our quality is great as well.

Can I use your pictures on my website if I sell your products?
We require that all resellers that want to use our photos on their website or catalog ask before hand.  Individuals or companies that use our photos and do not sell our products are denied use of our photos.  All products and images are copyright of Iron Elegance and it's subsidiaries.

Can I visit your warehouse so that I can load up my vehicle and hand select your products?
We normally like to have a relationship with our customers before we offer access to our warehouse.  We are welcome to having visitors as long as an appointment has been made prior to your visitation.

More FAQs coming soon!