The Story of the Green Top

Mountain View Hearth Products places a special order for parts that are less common or out of stock. Certain manufacturers can ship the parts directly to the customer, but others will only ship parts as freight to the authorized dealer. These special orders take several weeks to come in on a big stock order before we can fulfill the individual orders. The following true story of the green top illustrates some key concepts for what to expect when placing a special order and why they take so long to arrive. 

The story begins when a customer called in to order a forest green top for a Vermont Castings wood stove. As the order was placed the customer service agent estimated the processing time would take about 2-4 weeks. (This was perhaps an optimistic, yet still reasonable estimation based on the average turn-around time for special orders with Vermont Castings.)

As the 4th week of processing time approached the customer called in again for a status update. We learned that the custom enamel shop at Vermont Castings was running behind due to a high volume of orders. Unfortunately, the special order ended up being delayed an extra 6 weeks more.

The understandably frustrated customer called back to cancel their order on the very day our warehouse was preparing his order to ship. We tried to explain that the green top had just arrived in our warehouse the previous evening and was so close to shipping that we were not even sure it could be cancelled. However, he was not satisfied with this explanation and wished to cancel the order immediately. We were able to coordinate with the warehouse team to stop the order and refunded the customer in full. To this day that same green top sits HERE on our shelf.

Thankfully, most special orders go much smoother than the unfortunate green top order. Here are 5 things to expect when placing a special order:

1. Special Orders Require Patience & Flexibility

The estimated processing time is a minimum expectation since the items are not kept in stock in our warehouse. In general, special orders will arrive within the average processing period, however, we are completely dependent on the manufacturer sending the item to us. Occasionally, special orders may take longer than the quoted time-frame depending on the part availability. Unfortunately, there is no way to rush the factory’s logistical process of fulfilling the special order.

2. Less Common Items Take More Time

When a product is not available on hand at the default warehouse with the manufacturer it may delay the fulfillment. Items that require fabrication, assembly, or customization (like specialty enamel) may increase the processing time. We try our best to accurately estimate the processing time including these factors. However, delays with the manufacturer are beyond our control.

3. Arrival Times Are Estimated

We try to accurately estimate those processing and shipping times. However, in the busy season when orders are at a higher volume and severe weather delays shipments, we cannot guarantee arrival by a certain date. Certain manufacturers communicate better than others to help us know which parts are on the way and when to expect them to arrive. We completely understand how frustrating this can be, especially when the stove or fireplace is your primary source of heat. That’s why we recommend placing special orders over the summer when order volumes are lower and the need for the replacement part is less urgent. We strive to keep you updated on the status, but we do not have a magic crystal ball. We are always willing to follow-up with the manufacturer for an updated status.

4. Payment Upon Order Placement

Some customers are surprised that we collect payment when the special order is placed rather than when it ships. This is because the manufacturer charges us when we place the special order with the factory. The payment serves as a deposit and allows us to facilitate the special order.

5. Cancellations and Returns May Not Always Be Accepted

Many manufacturers do not allow us to cancel a special order, so we may not be able to cancel or accept a return for uncommon or customized items. In these cases, we point this out at the time the order is placed. We gladly issue a full refund when a special order is placed for a product has been discontinued and is no longer available. However, a cancellation fee may apply in the case of a cancellation at the customer’s request for a less common part that was special ordered.

The warmer months of Spring and Summer are the perfect time to place special orders because order volume with the manufacture is lower and the need to receive the parts is less urgent than in the dead of winter. As a small company, we sincerely value each of our customers and strive to offer a smooth experience from placing the order until it is delivered.