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Shipping & Claims Policy

All orders will include FREE SHIPPING within the contiguous United States. FREE SHIPPING does not apply to Commercial Package Units larger than 6.0 Tons. Please be advised that certain products may incur a freight surcharge based on the delivery distance from our distribution centers.

WE DO NOT SHIP TO HAWAII OR ALASKA.

While most orders ship out within 48 business hours, it can take up to 5 business days to prepare orders for shipment. Orders placed after 6 p.m. EST on Friday and throughout the weekend are processed the following Monday. We ask that you allow at least 7 - 10 days for the shipment to arrive (in most cases it will arrive much sooner). In the event of high sales volume and during peak season, shipments may be delayed up to 2-3 business days. If an item in your order is on backorder we may advise you as to compatible substitutes for the model(s) in question. Any changes must be approved by the customer.

Equipment orders are shipped on pallets via third-party freight carriers or specialty local couriers.  All of our equipment orders are assumed to be shipping to a residence which will include curbside liftgate service for free. We ask that if your order is being shipped to a commercial location, check the box above the Shipping Details Section and specify if a liftgate is not required. You may also receive liftgate service at a commercial location if needed, again be sure to specify in the Additional Information Section of the checkout process. IMPORTANT NOTE: LIFTGATE SERVICE IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMMERCIAL PACKAGE UNITS OVER 6 TONS. CUSTOMERS MUST PROVIDE THE MEANS TO OFFLOAD UNITS LARGER THAN 6 TONS VIA DOCK, FORKLIFT, CRANE OR OTHER MEANS.

We ONLY provide curbside service. No other service is provided (i.e. inside delivery, special requests, stairs, elevators, etc.). Any additional services required for delivery are the responsibility of the customer. Freight does not move on weekends or holidays, so please be advised of this when ordering or requesting ETAs for your order.  The carriers we use are paid to notify our customers before delivery to set up a delivery appointment. It is important to not that some carriers may not call in advance. Please notify us immediately if this occurs.  Please also note that freight carriers and local couriers are on strict schedules: If you schedule an appointment and are unable to make that appointment, the carrier/courier will not wait more than 10-15 minutes before leaving. Customers that miss these appointments may be subject to additional redelivery fees.

All Special Orders can take anywhere from 2 - 29+ weeks depending on the manufacturer in question. DO NOT schedule the installation of your equipment until you have received it and inspected it for any potential damages in transit. The AC Outlet can not be held responsible for any costs associated with prescheduled appointments missed due to shipping delays.

Accessory orders are considered small packages which are shipped via FedEx Home Delivery or FedEx Ground.

Please inspect the item(s) carefully for any shipping damages. It is possible that small dents or dings to the housings can occur in transit. Minor flaws are cosmetic and DO NOT affect the integrity, operation or warranty of the system. Please note the flaws on the trucking bill and accept the shipment. In the event that major damage is found, BE SURE to note the damage on the trucking bill, along with the drivers' signature and call us immediately. If our clear shrink wrap is torn in any way or has been replaced with any other, be SURE to mark the receipt "Shrink Wrap Torn".

"No Signature Required" Freight Deliveries: Please be advised that, while all residential shipments include customer notification and appointment-setting services whenever available, some freight carriers we utilize operate under a “no signature required” delivery policy. In certain cases, this is the only service these carriers offer.

Prior to delivery, you will typically receive a text message notification advising when your shipment is scheduled to arrive. If you are unavailable at that time, the carrier may proceed with delivery and leave the shipment without a signature.

If you did not specifically request a no-signature delivery, this does not waive your right to report damages. However, it is critical that any damage be reported within 24 hours of delivery. The delivery notification text will include a link where you must submit any damage claims directly within this timeframe. Failure to report damages within 24 hours may result in the claim being denied by the carrier.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If the CUSTOMER requests and authorizes a "No Signature Required" delivery, they forfeit any right to file a claim for damage or shortage. While we will do our best to assist you in filing a claim directly, The AC Outlet will no longer be liable for any damage or loss that occurred during transit.

In the event that a freight carrier cannot deliver to your address due to limited access, it will be your responsibility to pick-up your shipment within 48 hours after its delivery to the freight carrier's terminal center. If you are unavailable to pick-up your shipment within two days after the shipment arrives at the service center, the carrier will assess charges of a storage fee. If you would like to change the address your shipment is delivered to, after your order has shipped, the carrier will bill you a re-consignment fee. We must authorize any changes to the final delivery address.

Address Changes & Order Modifications

Orders Already Shipped: Once an order has left our warehouse and is in the hands of the carrier, it is no longer eligible for an address change. Please ensure all shipping information is 100% accurate at the time of checkout.

Orders Not Yet Shipped: If your order has not yet shipped and you require an address change, please contact us immediately. Please note that all address change requests are subject to a security review by our fraud protection software. This may result in additional processing time prior to shipment.

ETA / Order Update Request Form

Do you still need the latest information on your order? You are in the right place. Please fill out the form below and someone will get back to you as soon as possible with additional information.

Upon Arrival Of Your Freight Shipment

Items that are visibly damaged should be refused at the time of delivery.

Upon receipt of your shipment, please inspect each carton and piece of equipment on the pallet:

  1. Count the number of pallets. Make sure that your count matches the count on the delivery receipt.
  2. Look for any damage to the packaging. Damage to the packaging includes:
  • Broken Pallet
  • Shrink wrap that is falling off, missing, slightly torn, dirty or has holes.
  • CardBoard with tiny crinkles, dents or tears.
  1. Inspect underneath any packaging with damage, no matter how slight the damage.
  2. When in doubt, sign the delivery receipt noting damage.

YOU ARE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO THE PACKAGING OR PRODUCTS NOT NOTED AT THE TIME OF DELIVERY. DO NOT SIGN THE DELIVERY RECEIPT CLEAR UNTIL YOU HAVE DETERMINED THAT YOUR SHIPMENT IS COMPLETE AND FREE OF SHIPPING DAMAGE. YOU MAY REFUSE PRODUCTS THAT ARE NOT IN ADVERTISED CONDITION. IN THE EVENT THAT OUR CLAIMS POLICY IS NOT ADHERED TO BY THE CUSTOMER, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE REPLACEMENT OF THE ORDER.

YOU ONLY HAVE 48 HOURS IN WHICH TO REPORT DAMAGE OR SHORTAGES (MISSING ITEMS) SO PLEASE UNBOX AND INSPECT YOUR EQUIPMENT IMMEDIATELY AFTER RECEIPT!


FOR "NO SIGNATURE" DELIVERIES CLAIMS MUST BE REPORTED WITHIN 24 HOURS OF DELIVERY USING THE LINK PROVIDED IN THE CARRIER’S TEXT MESSAGE NOTIFICATION. NO SIGNATURE REQUIRED DELIVERIES MAY BE USED BY SOME FREIGHT CARRIERS, AND YOU MAY RECEIVE A TEXT MESSAGE PRIOR TO DELIVERY WITH DETAILS ON DELIVERY TIMING. IF YOU ARE UNAVAILABLE, THE CARRIER MAY LEAVE THE SHIPMENT WITHOUT A SIGNATURE. FAILURE TO REPORT DAMAGES WITHIN THIS 24-HOUR WINDOW MAY RESULT IN THE CLAIM BEING DENIED.

IMPORTANT NOTE: UPON UNPACKING YOUR EQUIPMENT, YOU MAY FIND THAT SOME OF THE COIL FINS ARE SLIGHTLY BENT. BENT FINS ON YOUR EVAPORATOR OR CONDENSER COIL ARE COMPLETELY NORMAL AND HAPPENS DURING THE MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLY PROCESS. BENT FINS WILL NOT IMPEDE THE FUNCTIONALITY OF YOUR EQUIPMENT AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE EQUIPMENT “DAMAGE”. CLAIMS CANNOT BE FILED FOR BENT FINS. UNLESS THERE IS VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE EXTERNAL PACKAGING AND/OR PANELS OF THE UNIT, THESE CLAIMS CANNOT BE ACKNOWLEDGED.

The AC Outlet
The AC Outlet

Options When Signing The Delivery Receipt

Clear:

  • Pallet (Skid) Count is correct.
  • Packaging in excellent condition.
  • Products in excellent condition

Shortage:

  • Pallet (skid) or package (box) count is not correct.

If the number of pallets and/or packages you receive does not match the number on the delivery receipt, mark shortage on the delivery receipt with the description of what is missing. You will find your packing slip attached to the freight shipment for reference.
Theft-prevention shrink wrap shows signs of being torn, replaced or is missing.

Damage:

  • The packaging is not in excellent condition (include description).
  • Product(s) not in excellent condition (include description).

Damaged:
The shrink wrap shows signs of wear, is torn or has been replaced during transit.

Contact Our Customer Service Dept. For Quick Resolution To Shipping Problems

Contact us by phone (888) 474-9966 or email claims@theacoutlet.com if you have any trouble with your shipment.

  1. If you sign the delivery receipt damaged and take delivery of the products, you may do one of the following:

a) Retain the equipment and receive a cash settlement or replacement parts.

OR

b) Exchange the equipment. We will reship a new item once the damaged item is en route back to us.

  1. If you refuse the product that is damaged, noting that you are refusing due to damage and take delivery on the undamaged products, we will reship a replacement product once the damaged unit is confirmed to be en route back to our Distribution Center.
  2. If you sign that there is a shortage, we will work with the Freight Company to track the missing portion of your shipment. Please allow up to 10 business days for the Freight Company to locate any missing pieces of your shipment. If the Freight Company is unable to locate the missing pieces of your shipment, the item(s) will be shipped to you at no charge.
  3. If you sign the delivery receipt clear, but determine after 48 hours that your equipment has been damaged, the settlement outcome is between you and the freight company. You must report concealed damage within 48 hours of the delivery. You must establish that the damage occurred prior to you receiving it by sending us photos of both the packaging AND the equipment. If you require assistance in filing a claim with the freight carrier, we are here to help. Please note, should you refuse to file a claim, the Company cannot be held liable for damages. You can return the damaged equipment back to our facilities for a refund. We may reserve the right to refuse replacement of the order once the refund is issued.
  4. If you sign the delivery receipt clear, but later determine that you received fewer pieces than the delivery receipt indicated, there is no recourse, although the carrier can perform a search of their docks. Unfortunately, the carrier will automatically deny these types of claims.

Shipping Claim Form

Please provide us with the following information in order to process your claim request. This form must be completed in full in order
to expedite your claim.

Once your email is received, we will process it and respond accordingly. We value your business and will attend to your claim as quickly as possible. Please note, follow-up phone calls and emails will not speed up the response time.

We appreciate your patience in advance and look forward to resolving your concerns.

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