Now that you are registered and know how to use your rewards, you will probably want to buy some hardware. Picking out drapery hardware for that custom-fit home is a breeze for those who deal with draperies on a regular basis. However, those designers who are brand new or don’t generally work with custom window treatments will often find themselves a bit lost when faced with our numerous products and options. To help alleviate this, we will be producing a series of blogs with terminology and a step-by-step ordering process for specific products. This blog will start with the basics and go over the general process used for all of our online ordering.
The Shopping Process
STEP 1
Once you are logged in, click on ‘Shop’ in the header bar or, if you are on a tablet or phone, click on the and click on ‘Shop’ in the dropdown. This will bring you to our product line page.
Here is a basic break down of what the lines offer:
- HBNow: A limited selection of quick-ship hardware.
- Artéfice: Solid Steel, hand-forged hardware.
- Artigiani: Our main line of iron hardware.
- Catalina: Outdoor hardware.
- French Poles: Curved and Mitered French Pole assemblies.
- Isabella: Wood hardware.
- Jackie Von Tobel: Designer finials and accents.
- Metro: Plated contemporary hardware.
- Roman Blind Systems (RBS): RBS assemblies and components.
- Traverse Rods: Decorative traverse assemblies and components.
- Traverse Tracks & Motorization: Simple track assemblies, as well as motorized tracks and rods.
- Sales Tools & Samples: Handsamples, finish decks, and other sales kits
- Finishes: A visual reference list of our finishes.
Pick your line and move on to step 2
STEP 2
Each line, aside from French Poles, has subcategories for the different types of hardware within the line. Choose a subcategory to view the available products.
Our French Pole line is strictly the assemblies, so there are no subcategories. Instead, you can use products (such as rings, support brackets, and wands) from Artigiani to supplement the assembly.
STEP 3
Once on the subcategory page, you will be able to choose from the basic types or styles of our products.
Some products will have multiple options and variations to narrow down your search. In most cases, the product’s title will give you a good clue as to what kind of options are available.
Example: The title of the product shown here tells us that it:
- Has a Strap, or a flat and rectangular, base.
- Has an adjustable clearance.
- Can be used for rod diameters from ⅞” to 2”.
STEP 4
When you open the product page, you will be greeted with an image of the product next to a tabbed window. The three tabs you will see when logged in are ‘Description’, ‘Reviews’, and ‘Purchase Product’.
Description: Provides information such a product features, dimensions, and requirements.
Reviews: Customer reviews of that product. This is a fairly new option so you may not find many reviews. Feel free to leave one if you have used the product and would like to provide helpful feedback!
Purchase Product: Here is where you will choose from the product options to find the best fit for your needs. Make sure you select from each option unless it is marked as Optional, as you will not be able to put the product in your cart for purchase if any of the required options are left blank.
Once you have chosen your desired options, a product number and a price will populate right above the ‘QTY’ and ‘Add to Cart’ Button.
If there isn’t a variation that works with your selections or a required option was not selected, this area will be blank. You won’t be able to add the product to your cart in this situation.
STEP 5
Once you have put your product in the cart, you can either continue shopping or check out.
If you want to add more products, you can return to the specific line page by selecting it from one of the grey buttons along the top of the product page. Alternatively, you can repeat the shopping process starting at Step 2.
NOTE: We do not recommend you use the back button as it can occasionally cause you to get logged out mid purchase or other cache related issues.
If you want to check out, hovering over the ‘cart’ button will provide you with two options: ‘View Cart’ and ‘Check Out’.
View Cart: Choosing this option will take you to a page where your products are listed. This gives you an itemized list to review before purchasing. It also has areas to apply your HB Bucks, Save your cart, or save items for later.
NOTE: Please be aware that the Save Cart and Save for Later functions are currently in Beta. They may have glitches due to recent updates to the site and we are working on smoothing these out. Please bear with us!
Checkout: Choosing this option will bypass the cart page and take you directly to the checkout page.
The Checkout Process
Once you are ready to order, click ‘Checkout‘ either from the cart drop-down or at the bottom of the cart page.
While most online check out processes are the same, there are some notable differences with ours that need to be discussed.
At the start of the checkout page, after you have opted to use any of your HB Bucks (Check out our blog on HB Bucks for more information), you will see two columns.
Billing Address: The left column will have the billing address that you entered into your account. If you have not filled out your account information, you will need to fill it in and it must match the on file information.
Sidemark: The sidemark field will be at the bottom of the left column and is required for a variety of reasons, the biggest being that it will be the main method we use to differentiate your orders. So make sure that they are relevant to your order and are not reused. Alternatively, PO numbers can be used in lieu of a sidemark.
Shipping Address: In the right column, you have the option to ‘Ship to a Different Address’. This is used when the company’s shipping address is different from the billing address or you wish to blind ship/drop ship to a client. This will open up a secondary address field to be filled out.
Order Notes: This little box can be a lifesaver on difficult or custom orders. Anything put in the notes will show up at the top of the order when our specialists receive it.
In general, good uses include:
- Requesting different shipping options.
- Requesting the order be made into a Quote.
- Requesting Blind Shipping (This must be indicated in the notes to avoid regular drop shipping).
- Requesting Customizations not available in the product pages.
- Noting if you are a WCAA member (including your member number).
- Noting if this is a display sample or a personal use purchase.
- Questions or concerns about the ordering process.
File Upload: This is just an optional area for those who have forms, pictures, sketches, etc that is related to the order. Anything that will help our specialists ensure your order is perfect before putting it into production is helpful.
Shipping Methods: You will then be able to review your order and select your shipping method. Currently, we have 2 options online: FedEx Ground and Local Pick Up.
NOTE: We do offer other shipping methods but at this time, we cannot offer them accurately online. If you wish to use a different shipping method than the two listed above, please notate so in the order notes.
Acknowledgments: There are 3 sections that require you to check off that you have read and acknowledged their contents. Right below the shipping selection is our Shipping and Upcharge acknowledgments. At the bottom, right above the submit button, is our Terms and Conditions acknowledgment. It is advised you actually read these to avoid surprise charges or confusion.
Payment Options
The way we do payments online can be confusing for new customers. Currently, we do not take payments online. This is because our specialists need to review your order before they can charge you, to avoid inconvenient upcharges or chargebacks.
Instead of entering your credit card, you will be presented with two options:
I Have Terms with Helser Brothers: ‘Terms’ refer to those who have a credit account with us. They will have a set number of days from the start of production to pay for their order via the method agreed upon in their credit application.
Contact Me for Payment Information: This option is for those who do not have terms with us. These clients will need to pay for their order before it is put into production.
Since we are not processing payments online, our specialists will contact you once the order has been reviewed. At this time they will either request the card information or will confirm the card we have on file (if one exists).
Once we have received a card number from you, you will have the chance to keep the card on file for future purchases and dictate whether we need to contact you for approval.
When you have done all of this, simply press . You will then receive an order confirmation with ordering details to your account email.
Final Steps
Once you have submitted your order, you can relax. In general, our specialists will contact you within 24 to 48 hours if there are any issues with the order or to procure your payment information. Keep in mind that weekends and holidays will delay this contact, so plan accordingly.
Lead Time: Our Lead Time is 10 business days after the order has been received, excluding weekends and holidays. Lead time for orders done after hours, during the weekend, or on holidays will not start until the next working day. Heavily customized orders may require an extended lead time, especially when templates are involved, and you will be informed when this is the case.
We offer expedited lead times of 3 and 6 days. They require an upcharge of 30% and 15% respectively.
NOTE: We do not factor shipping into our lead time. If you need something ASAP, you will not only need to request a 3 or 6 day rush from us but also request and pay for expedited shipping. In general, FedEx ground shipping will be from 1 – 5 business days depending on the delivery locations distance from Arizona. This also excludes weekends and holidays.
Order Tracking: At this time, we do not have a way to track orders online.
If you need to find out where your order is in production, or if you want to change or cancel your order, you will need to contact us via phone or email. Please bear in mind that changing or canceling an order that has been put into production may result in change order/cancellation/restocking fees.
Once your order has been shipped, you will be contacted and provided with a tracking number if applicable (Courier and Freight orders do not have online tracking).
We hope this walkthrough has been useful and that it will help alleviate the stress of navigating our site.