I visited your store for the first time this week and was very impressed. Then I visited your web site ... wow! Yours is the most professional knitting store web site I've seen to date. Congrats! - A.P., Colchester, Vermont
At Kaleidoscope Yarns, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and knitting expertise. Your business is very important to us and we want to make sure you are happy with your order. We've developed these FAQs to help you quickly find the answer to your questions. If you cannot find the answer here, please contact us and we will do our best to help you.
1. I don't like ordering online. Can I order over the
phone?
Absolutely! Although our website employs the latest security technology and we have safely processed
thousands of orders, we understand that not everybody is comfortable placing online orders. Just give us a call at
802.288.9200 x4 between the hours of 10am-5pm EST (Tuesday through Friday) and we will happily take your order by phone. If we are busy in the shop (this is often the case!) please leave us a detailed message with your name and phone number and we will call you
back as soon as we are able.
2. Is your site secure for placing orders?
Kaleidoscope Yarns has invested a lot of money on the latest technology to ensure the security of our
customer's information.
We use one of the most powerful encryption algorithms used today (SSL 128-bit) at every stage of each credit card
payment transaction. This protects your data by encrypting it into an illegible code. This can be seen when our web
address changes in your navigation bar during the checkout process from "http://www.kyarns.com/" to
"https://www.kyarns.com". The "s" stands for "secure" meaning that all data you enter is encrypted. This may also be
seen as a locked padlock in the lower right of some browsers.
We are also a PCI Compliant retailer, meaning we adhere to the security requirements developed by the Payment Card
Industry (Credit Card Industry). This standard is the highest level of security available and means our e-commerce
platform is among the most secure in the world.
Additionally, our website is tested to ensure that it has no vulnerabilities by a third party verification firm named
Control Scan. You can check the most current status by clicking on the Control Scan icon in the left navigation
bar.
All credit cards are processed by TransFirst, a leader in secure electronic payments working with over 175,000
merchant customers.
We take the protection of your personal information very seriously in order to ensure a secure online experience for
you.
4. Can you store my information so it's easier for me to check out each
time?
Yes! We can store your information so that your checkout process is faster. When you become a member of
our site, we store your address so that all you have to do is enter your credit card information (by law we are not
allowed to store credit card info.) This makes your checkout process quick and easy. There are other benefits of
becoming a member... read on!
5. Do I have to become a member of your site in order to buy from
you?
You are not required to become a member of our site. If you do not want to become a member, simply
checkout as a "guest." We do still need you to enter your e-mail address and a phone number in the event we need to
contact you about your order. While it is not necessary to become a member, there are some great reasons to do so! All members' address information is stored so that the checkout process is quick and easy. You
can even save multiple ship-to addresses, such as home, work, winter home, etc. Members can log on to view their order
history (after May 15, 2009). Members can also create wishlists... and then send them out to friends and family. All
member information is stored by your email address and password, and is completely secure.
6. Will I have to pay sales tax on my order?
If you live anywhere outside of the state of Vermont, you will NOT be charged any sales tax. If you
live in Vermont, you will be charged 6% sales tax on your order. Sales tax will also be calculated on any shipping
fees for orders shipped within the state of Vermont.
7. Where can I find promo codes or discounts for your site?
We advertise in several major knitting publications, and occasionally we put a promotional code in our
advertisement. Our e-newsletters also notify you of special discounts that we are offering on the site. Some of these discounts are unadvertised specials, so be sure you are signed up for these e-newsletters! SIGN UP HERE. You will also sometimes find discount codes on our Facebook page, in our Ravelry group, and on our blog.
8. When does my credit card get charged?
When you place your order, we "pre-authorize" the charge on your credit card. This means that we check
to see that (a) your card is valid, and (b) you have adequate funds for the purchase. If your card is not valid, or if
you do NOT have adequate funds, you will be asked immediately for another credit card number, before your order is
accepted by our system. This "pre-authorization" on your card does not actually remove the funds from your acount, it
simply reserves them for when we are ready to charge your order. Once your order is packaged and ready to ship, your
card will be charged.
If your card is not accepted by our system and you THINK you have entered everything correctly, you will need to contact your bank. The authorization process goes through a series of safety checks, and when a card is declined it has nothing to do with our site. It's usually something very simple, like your bank has a different street number or zip code in their system as your billing address (even though your statements have the correct info!). This can always be cleared up by a quick call to your bank.
9. Can I pay by personal check or money order?
Sorry, but we do not accept personal checks or money orders for online, phone or mail order. We do
accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover, and our shopping cart is secure.
10. I already submitted my order but I need to make a change. Is this
possible?
We do make every effort to make changes or additions to orders if needed. But we ship our orders
quickly! If you need to make a change, please e-mail us AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after you have
placed your order, and we will do our best to accommodate you. If your order has already been shipped, you will need
to place a separate order for the additional items you want, or return the unwanted items once your original order
arrives.
12. I need something you do not carry. Will you special order it for
me?
We are happy to special order yarns for our customers, however some of these yarns are sold in
specific quantities and that means that you would have to purchase them in those quantities. Most yarns are sold in
bags of 10 per color, and some are sold in bags of 3-5 per color. If we special order a yarn for you (that we do not
stock) you must purchase the entire bag, whatever the quantity. Some of our vendors do not have these minimums (such
as Brown Sheep and Tilli Tomas) and we can order by the skein from these suppliers.
13. I was on your site last week and there are still items in my shopping
cart. Why is this?
Many of our customers browse our site off and on several times before they place their orders. As a
convenience, your items will stay in your shopping cart for a period of two weeks. This does only apply to one computer, however. If you place items in your shopping cart at work, and then come home and pull up our site on your home computer, the items will not be there.
1. What are your shipping rates?
Our shipping rates are highly competitive! We recommend using our Standard Flat Rate shipping if you are in the United States, since it's so reasonable! But if you want to upgrade to a faster method, you can... you'll just pay the actual shipping rate for your package. At this time all international orders will be charged the actual shipping rate.
Domestic Shipping Rates
Order Total $
Flat Rate
3 Day
2 Day
NEXT Day
Under $75
$4.95
actual rate
actual rate
actual rate
$75 and above
FREE
actual rate
actual rate
actual rate
International Shipping Rates
Order Total $
1st Class International
Priority Mail International
Any amount
actual rate
actual rate
2. How can I see the shipping costs before I check out?
It's easy to see exactly what your shipping cost will be, right in the shopping cart. At any time, simply click on "Show Details."
Enter a little bit of information for us, and hit "Calculate Shipping." Your shipping rate and any applicable taxes will show up immediately. You can change shipping methods there as well, to view all of your options.
3. When will my order ship?
We're quick with shipping! We've been told that we ship faster than most of the other larger online
yarn retailers. We download orders several times each day we are open (Tuesday-Saturday). If your order is placed before 10am (Tuesday through Friday) and everything you ordered is in stock, it's likely that your order will ship either that afternoon (if going by UPS or Fed Ex)
or first thing the next morning (if going by USPS.) If we are out of stock on anything you have ordered, we will
e-mail you to let you know. Sometimes our customers like to substitute another color, and other times they prefer to
wait.
If you order after 12 noon on Friday, we cannot guarantee that your order will ship before Tuesday. Our shop is open on
Saturdays, but our shipping department is normally closed on Saturdays, and is always closed on Sundays and Mondays.
4. How will my order ship?
If you live in the United States, and you choose our economical Standard Flat Rate Shipping, your package will be sent in one of several ways. Because of the complexity of the shipping rates from UPS and the USPS, and our competitive shipping rate (which has not changed in years despite multiple costly price increases from our shipping vendors), we will decide how to send your package once we have calculated the most economical way to send it. We will choose between Priority Mail, UPS Ground, First Class Mail, Parcel Post, Parcel Select, and Fed Ex Smartpost.
The benefit of keeping our shipping rates competitive for you, our customer, means that you pay less for shipping, while we absorb a large part of the cost of sending your order. This means that sometimes your package may take longer to reach you. We always give you the option of selecting, and paying for, a faster shipping method.
To view your shipping options, click on "show details" next to the Calculate Shipping Costs in your shopping cart.
Enter your zip code and country, and choose the upgraded shipping method. The shipping will be calculated directly in
the cart, so you'll know exactly what you'll be paying. Shipping rates have gone up recently, and expedited shipping
can be very costly. You may end up using our Standard Flat Rate service after all!
6. Do you ship outside of the United States? If so, how much will I pay
for shipping? Will there be other fees associated with my order?
Yes we DO ship outside of the United States. We have been shipping orders outside of the United States since we started in May of 2002. We are happy to say that international shipping rates are all now calculated directly in the shopping cart, based on the total
weight of your order. (See the answer to number 2 in this section!) Just click on "show details" next to the Calculate Shipping Costs in your shopping cart. Enter your country, and your shipping will be calculated directly in the cart, so you'll know exactly what you'll be paying for shipping. The products in our online store all have weights associated with them. If you order products that have a combined weight of 48 ounces (4 pounds) or more, your package must be shipped by Priority Mail International. This is a regulation of the US Postal Service.
In terms of other fees, please read on.
7. I am ordering from overseas. How much import duty will I be charged by
customs in my country? Can you mark my order as a gift?
For shipments outside the United States, we are required by law to fill out US Customs form CN 22 or a
CN 72, otherwise known as Sender's Declarations. These forms require a detailed description of the contents of the
package, its value in US dollars, and whether it is a Gift, Merchandise or Commercial Sample. Customs officers
worldwide use these forms to determine duty charges (if any) that your country will charge you when the package is
delivered. Please note, we are unable to mark your package as a gift because if your customs office discovered the
truth, they could block us from shipping future orders to your country.
We have no information about what duty charges may be for you, as they vary by country. Before ordering from us, you
should check with your local post or customs office to figure out what these fees will be. Our international customers
tell us that any duty is worth the convenience of ordering from us and shopping the wide variety of knitting products
that we have online.
8. Do you ship to APO/FPO addresses?
We have shipped many orders to knitters in our armed services at APO addresses around the world. We
are required by law to fill out US Customs form CP 72, a Sender's Declaration. This form requires a detailed
description of the contents of the package, its value in US dollars, and whether it is a Gift, Merchandise or
Commercial Sample. It is our understanding that there should be no duty charged on APO shipments but there may be
exceptions. Shipments are made by normal methods so there is no extra charge for shipping or handling for orders sent
to APO addresses. Thanks for your service to your country!
9. You are my LYS! Can I take advantage of your online specials and pick
up the order in the store?
Of course! All local customers now have the option to select "Pickup" as a shipping option. When your order has been processed and is ready for pickup, we will send you an e-mail notification. Then, simply come in to the shop during normal business hours and ask for your order at the front counter. Pretty easy!
10. My order hasn't arrived. What should I do?
If your order is late in arriving, please track it using the links we provided in your shipping
confirmation e-mail. If there is no tracking information, please contact us so we can initiate the claim process.
Please note, we cannot be held responsible for packages delivered to the address, but not received (sometimes they get
stolen if left at a front door while no one is home.)
11. My order arrived but it is damaged. What should I do?
If your order arrived but is damaged, please notify us immediately so we can initiate the claim
process. Do not discard any packing materials! The carrier will need to inspect them as a part of completing our
claim. The process can take a few weeks but generally we have found the shippers to admit fault if the damage happened
during transit.
Return Answers
1. Do you accept returns?
We do accept returns on certain items. If you have ordered something from us that CAN be returned (see the next
answer!) you need to call us or e-mail us and get a return authorization number.
2. Can all items be returned?
Not all items can be returned. Books, patterns, magazines, knitting needles, sale yarns and yarns that
have been wound can NOT be returned. Yarns that have picked up odors of any sort (specifically cigarette or cigar
smoke, incense, perfume or cooking smells) also can NOT be returned. Yarns covered in dirt, dust or pet hair are not
returnable.
Any yarns being returned must be accompanied by the original sales receipt or packing list, and
must be in EXACTLY the same condition they were in when they were shipped to you. Please package the items carefully
to ensure they arrive to us in the same condition.
To get a return authorization, you can e-mail us. Please tell us what you
are returning and why, and give us your original order number. We will send a return authorization number promptly.
When you package up your return, simply write the RA# on the outside of the box. That helps it get to the right place
once it reaches us. We appreciate your compliance with this.
5. How will I be credited for my return?
Once we have received your return and verified that it is in the proper condition, we will credit the
original method of payment for the price you paid for the yarn. We do not credit any shipping fees.
Because people abuse our free shipping policy, there may be shipping chargebacks to your credit card ($4.95) if you return or exchange items from an order that originally qualified for free shipping.
1. I'd like to work at Kaleidoscope Yarns. How do I know if you are
hiring?
We are always looking for new talent at Vermont's leading yarn shop. We have a tight team of very hard
working people that are super passionate about knitting. People often think that we hang out and knit but unfortunately that is not the case!
Between shipping orders, working with local customers in the shop, continually updating the website, teaching knitting
classes, re-merchandising the store, receiving new inventory, or hosting book signings, things are never dull and are
very fast paced. But, they are also super fun! If you are a team player who is passionate about knitting, great at
multi-tasking, friendly and helpful with customers, super savvy with computers, experienced with online shopping and
would like to be a part of our growing and busy team, please contact us with your cover letter
and resume.
3. My group or club is looking for donations of yarn or needles. Can you
donate something?
Since our early days in 2002, we have donated many things to different groups. We cannot donate to
everybody, and we do like to focus on organizations and groups that are local to us here in Vermont. If you would like
a donation of some sort, please DO NOT call us at the shop. You may contact us via e-mail.
Please include your complete contact information, and all of the details about the group or event. We will get back to
you as soon as possible.
4. Do you have an affiliate program?
Do you have a website or blog that is visited by passionate knitters? How would you like to be paid if
when they leave your site, they come to our site? We will soon be establishing a program that will enable
you to display a Kaleidoscope Yarns ad on your site. If one of your visitors clicks through to our site and places an
order, you get a percentage of that order value. We are working on setting up this system (commonly referred to as an
affiliate program) and will have information posted here soon about how to join.
6. How do I contact you?
You can e-mail us or call us at 802-288-9200x4. Our address is Kaleidoscope
Yarns, 15 Pearl Street, Essex Junction, VT, 05452.
7. I want to link to your site. How do I do it?
If you would like to link to Kaleidoscope Yarns, we would be thrilled. We believe we have created a
top online yarn store and are eager for more knitters to learn about us. Please e-mail us if
you would like us to consider exchanging links, and see linking information here
8. How do you use my personal information?
We are completely dedicated to protecting the privacy of visitors to our site who voluntarily provide
us with information about themselves. We do not exchange, sell, or loan personal information, such as e-mail or
standard mailing addresses, phone numbers, etc., to any other company or organization under any circumstances.
Your Kaleidoscope Yarns order is kept completely confidential. We will not disclose any information to anyone about
any order you have placed with us, or any information you have given us.
Kaleidoscope Yarns features a full spectrum of products for knitters! We offer for sale online only the highest quality knitting needles and yarns available from yarn manufacturers. Our yarn inventory includes only the finest wool yarn, cotton yarn, synthetic, novelty and sock yarn - suitable for all the knitting patterns and kits we offer.
