Frequently Asked Questions

Our goal is to offer you the convenience of the Internet and the personal service of a family-owned business. Please feel free to e-mail us with any questions you might have regarding our Lemax products.

Order $350 worth of merchandise, and your shipping is free . . . via UPS Ground within the continental United States!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the condition of the merchandise you sell.

A: Everything we sell is factory-new, still in the box, and never removed from the box. The only exception is, if we have a lot of defective items returned for a given item number, we may test all remaining items for that SKU. For instance, we had six copies of Monsters’ Ball (item #54302) returned last year, so we tested all the remaining copies in stock to insure they work properly. If a box rattles or clunks, thereby indicating it may be broken, we may open the box and inspect the item. Sometimes a rattle is normal.

Q: Do you test every item you ship to insure it works?

A: No, we don’t. The exceptions are SKUs with a high defective rate and boxes that rattle.

Q: What do you do to avoid breakage during shipment?

A: Most big Lemax pieces (houses, buildings, and animated items) are packed well from the factory. Each of these big pieces is packed in molded Styrofoam that prevents movement during shipping. They’re packed well enough to withstand some jolting. Then, when we pack your order, we strive to cushion the individual items so they can withstand more jolting. We follow the best practices that FedEx and UPS recommend for packing. All this doesn’t eliminate breakage, but it minimizes damage during shipment.

Q: What do I do if an item arrives broken?

A: Just let us know within ten days of arrival. We’ll work with you to have the item picked up and replaced at no charge to you. Please don’t ship the broken item back to us before we send you instructions. UPS is persnickety, so we have to follow their rules precisely. If it’s obvious that UPS damaged the item, they will reimburse us for the shipping costs in both directions. At your option, we’ll either replace your broken item, or we’ll refund your money.

Q: What do I do if an Item is defective when it arrives?

A: Just let us know within ten days of arrival. Please don’t ship the defective item back to us before we send you instructions. At your option, we’ll either replace your defective item, or we’ll refund your money. If you live within the continental United States, we’ll send you a return label for use with UPS.

Q: Are the Lemax items edible?

A: All Lemax items are made from plastic, poly-resin, ceramic, or other materials. No Lemax item is edible. While we’re on the subject the Lemax trees aren’t real either, so don’t plant them.

Q: I live outside the United States. Will Lemax products work in my country?

A: Yes, but you may need an adapter. Please consult with an electrician in your country. All Lemax items we sell are made for the U.S. and Candian markets. The cords and adapters work with 120-volt input only.

Q: Do you sell adapters that work in countries outside the United States and Canada?

A: No, we can only obtain adapters that work in the United States and Canada.

Q: My animated piece is a little noisy. Is that normal?

A: Yes, the motors that Lemax uses are sometimes a little noisy. Sometimes you can reduce the noise level by adjusting the volume control.

Q: How do I qualify for free items?

A: Whenever you order at least $350 of merchandise, you will receive five free accessories and/or figurines of our choice that are collectively valued at $22.50 to $30. We call this a lagniappe, which means “a little something extra.”

Q: I live outside the United States and just placed an order for $350 worth of merchandise. Do I still qualify for the free items even though I don’t qualify for free shipping?

A: Yes, all orders over $350 qualify for the lagniappe.

Q: Why can’t I choose the free items?

A: Because we obtained large quantities of these items exclusively to give away as freebies.

Q: Why don’t you have sales?

A: We offer what we believe to be the largest selection of Lemax merchandise in the known universe. At the beginning of the 2010 season, you can choose from almost 2,000 different SKUs (unique items) in our warehouse. We have dozens or hundreds of each SKU. You can choose from more than 500 retired Lemax items in stock ready for shipment. We try to differentiate ourselves based on selection and service, not price.

Payment Options

Q: What forms of payment do you accept?

A: We accept Paypal, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, money order, cashier’s check, and personal check for buyers in the United States.

Q: Why do you require Paypal addresses to be confirmed?

A: Paypal requires that sellers ship only to buyers with confirmed addresses, or they will not stand behind the transaction.  Confirmed addresses help protect buyers from identity theft.

Q: How does the form of payment affect shipping time?

A: We ship your order as soon as your payment clears. Naturally, credit cards and Paypal clear immediately, so your order ships sooner. If you pay via check or money order, your payment has to arrive through the mail. Orders paid for with money orders and cashier’s checks ship immediately. Personal checks can take up to ten business days to clear our bank.

Q: Why do personal checks take so long to clear?

A: In this age of electronic clearinghouses, our financial institution still processes checks the old-fashioned way. So, it still takes ten days. And when they say ten days, they mean ten days. They’re about as slow as the boat that brings our Lemax merchandise from the factory to our loading dock.

Q: I live outside the United States. What forms of payment do you accept from international locales?

A: International customers: Please send your payment via Paypal or postal money order. Our credit card merchant account doesn’t allow for international credit card payments.

Shipping Questions

Q: What companies do you use for shipping?

A: We use UPS for domestic shipping within the 48 contiguous states. Within the U.S. shipping via UPS Ground is the lowest cost and safest method of shipping. If you prefer to use the United States Postal Service, just let us know. We use the United States Postal Service for shipping packages outside the Continental United.

Q: Is insurance included in the shipping charges?

A: Insurance is included in the UPS shipping cost. Insurance is available at extra cost via the United States Postal Service. If you opt not to pay for insurance, we cannot assume responsibility for the package once it leaves our possession.

Q: Do you combine purchases to save on shipping costs?

A: Yes. In fact, we strongly encourage it. The first pound (the first ounce, really) costs the most to ship, so advocate combining purchases whenever possible.

Q: Why do you require that I include my telephone number? It’s unlisted, and I’d prefer not to give it out.

A: We understand your right to privacy. We request your telephone number because it’s required for UPS and international postal shipments. It’s very useful if problems or questions arise during shipment. If you don’t include your phone number, your package could be lost in transit. Rest assured, we will not divulge your telephone number to anyone, and we will not contact you unless something arises that requires timely resolution. If you can provide an office or cellular phone number, that will suffice.

Q: Why do you charge so much to ship internationally?

A: For international shipments your best option is generally the U.S. Postal Service, but the recent rate increases and size restrictions have resulted in higher shipping costs than ever before. The USPS has eliminated the economy (surface) class of service altogether, so there's no more "cheap" shipping. Priority Mail has now replaced Air Parcel Post as well as the old Global Priority. Priority Mail costs more than Air Parcel Post, and for some countries the size limitation on each package is 79 inches, length plus girth (twice the height plus twice the depth). Four standard-sized Christmas houses will fit into boxes this size. If you order more than four houses, that will require a second box. There's a higher cost shipping option that allows larger sized boxes (up to 108 inches), but it costs about as much as a round-trip ticket to the United States. There are no low-cost options like in the good old days. Packages of less than four pounds and less than 36 inches in length + height + depth are fairly "reasonable" in cost. For complete information on all the new changes, please visit the USPS web site. Please don't blame us for these increases. Vent your anger and frustration on the USPS. They need to hear from you!

Please understand that international shipping costs can amount to more than you paid for your merchandise. Also, regardless of the shipping method you select, please allow 3 or 4 weeks for your packages to reach you. The postal services of your country and ours, plus the customs process, can be very slow. Please be patient.

Q: How do I qualify for free shipping?

A: If you order $350 worth of merchandise, and you live within the Continental United States, we will ship your order free via UPS Ground. The free shipping does not extend to shipments outside the 48 contiguous states, nor does it pertain to any shipments requested via the United States Postal Service.

Q: Shipping costs are getting higher all the time. I live within the Continental United States. How can I minimize my shipping costs?

A: You can minimize your shipping costs in several ways. First you can eliminate them altogether, as long as you live in the Continental United States, by buying $350 worth of merchandise at a time. Orders over $350 are shipped free via UPS Ground within the Continental United States.

In general, you can save shipping costs by placing a few large orders as opposed to many small orders. The first pound of any shipment is the most expensive. If you combine purchases into one purchase, you only pay for that “first pound” one time.

Q: After I place an order, how long does it take you to ship it?

A: We pack your order as soon as your payment clears. During our peak season, which runs from September through December, we ship daily via UPS and the United States Postal Service. If you place an order on our web site and pay with Paypal or credit cards, then the order is generally packed and shipped within three business days, if not sooner.

During the off-peak season sometimes we ship twice a week for UPS and as needed for United States Postal Service. The off-peak season is when we travel to market and attend trade shows, so either one or both of us may be on the road. As soon as we return, we process the paperwork, pack your order, and ship it out. Even while traveling we try to monitor our e-mail messages as closely as possible.

Q: Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink. I live outside the United States and have to pay duties on the items I buy from you. Can you just mark the customs form as “Gift,” rather than “Merchandise,” so I can save all those tariffs? I won’t tell a soul!

A: Sorry, we can’t do that because it’s illegal. We love you and we want your business, but we won’t go to jail for you. Then, our other customers would lose their favorite, reliable, low-cost source for great Lemax merchandise.

General Questions

Q: Do I owe sales tax?

A: For those of you living in the cultural center of the universe (that's how Hoyt Axton referred to Oklahoma), your sales tax will be calculated during the checkout process.

Q: How long have you been in business?

A: We’ve been in business overall off and on since 1966. We’ve been selling on eBay since 1998, using the eBay handles “schielc” and “schielm.” We’ve operated as Schiel’s Deals since 2000. We’ve been selling Lemax products since 2001 under the name Lemax Village Collectibles, or Lemax Villages, for short.

Q: How do I contact you?

A: You can send your e-mail messages to lemaxvillages@att.net, or you can call us at 405-741-1614 seven days a week from 10am - 6pm central time. We will return your call or respond to your e-mail message promptly.

Q: How do I know you’re trustworthy?

A: You can check our feedback ratings on eBay. Look for “schielc” and “schielm.”

We value your business and your trust! Thank you for reading these questions and answers.

Sincerely,

Martin & Carol Schiel,

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