TERMS & CONDITIONS*
Effective July 1, 2024
NEW CUSTOMERS
Chicago Importing Company is wholesale only. Our New Customer Registration Form is available here Registration. Fill out this form completely including federal EIN or non-profit exemption # along with a copy of your actual State resale certification. Upon receipt of the completed form and State resale certificate, we will email you a Login and Password to access our website for convenient online ordering. New customers must pay by credit card or debit card when placing their first order.
PLACING AN ORDER
Shop 24/7/365 at www.chicagoimporting.com.
If you are new to ordering online with us, please call Customer Service at 800-828-7983 or email sales@chicagoimporting.com to set up online ordering access.
Our minimum order is $300 net of all discounts and promotions. Backorders are by request only with the exception of pre-orders, which are automatically backordered. All backorders are subject to freight charges. You may add Everyday items onto your seasonal order to meet the minimum, however those Everyday products will ship with your seasonal order.
All sales are final. We do not guarantee the sell-through of merchandise. Seasonal Pre-Orders may NOT be canceled. Cancellation of Everyday orders will result in a 25% re-stocking fee. You are responsible for any spoiled product and freight charges for undeliverable orders.
Special Orders are non-refundable and may require pre-payment.
PRICING
Prices printed are FOB Huntley, IL and are subject to change without notice.
PRODUCTS
Our products are sold by the case and cannot be mixed or split. Pack sizes are subject to change.
Most products ship from our warehouse with approximately six months remaining shelf life. We guarantee we will not ship product with less than 60 days remaining shelf life. Ship dates are subject to product availability.
Goods purchased are not to be sold to customers outside the United States without prior written consent from Chicago Importing Company.
Please check with the laws in your state before purchasing alcohol-filled products. It is unlawful to sell alcohol to persons under the age of 21.
PAYMENT
We accept Visa and Mastercard debit cards, and the following credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. There is a 2% surcharge, where permitted by law, on all credit card transactions to cover the cost of processing. The 2% surcharge does not apply to debit card transactions.
Net 15 terms are available for qualified customers. If Net 15 credit terms are desired, please contact Customer Service and allow 4–6 weeks processing to complete your application. New customers must pay by debit card or credit card when placing their first order.
These terms and any transaction conducted between the parties shall be governed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois. The parties agree that any dispute between the parties shall only be instituted and prosecuted in the Circuit Court of McHenry County, Illinois, and each party irrevocably waives the right to change venue therefrom.
A service charge of $30 will be collected for all NSF or failed ACH bank payments. NSF checks, credit card rejections, or ACH failures will result in a delayed shipment of subsequent orders to allow payments to clear.
Customers shall pay interest on all past due invoices at the lesser of the rate of 1.5% per month, or the highest rate permissible under applicable law, calculated daily and compounded monthly. Any past due invoices must be paid prior to shipping additional orders.
Customer shall reimburse Chicago Importing Company and be responsible for any all costs incurred in collecting any late payments, including, without limitation, attorneys' fees. In addition to all other remedies available under these Terms or at law (which Chicago Importing Company does not waive by the exercise of any rights hereunder), Chicago Importing Company shall be entitled to suspend the delivery of any Products and stop Products in transit or performance of any Services if customer fails to pay any amounts when due hereunder and such failure continues for fifteen (15) days.
Customer shall not withhold payment of any amounts due and payable by reason of any set-off of any claim or dispute with Chicago Importing Company.
SHIPPING
Order lead time is 3 business days from P.O. receipt to pick-up with no revisions. Holiday season (Sep-Dec) is subject to longer lead times due to the large volume of orders.
We do not blind ship and, as a wholesale only company, we do not sell or ship directly to consumers.
Because there are so many variables involved in calculating a shipping cost, we are unable to provide shipping estimates.
We do our best to secure freight service from reputable carriers who provide competitive pricing. For smaller parcel shipments, our vendor is FedEx Ground and your charges will be added to your invoice.
For larger shipments, we can arrange the shipment with a reputable trucking company delivering to your area. Freight charges will be added to your invoice. Or, you may choose your carrier and arrange for pick up.
Some shipments may require a refrigerated truck or other special service if your destination is remote or difficult to access.
There will be an extra charge for rush orders, accessorial fees, and additional delivery services you request or that the carrier deems necessary (lift gate, inside delivery, limited access, appointments, notifications, etc.). When shipping to or through warm weather climates, if a cooler box is needed there will be a $10 charge per box.
PREPAID SHIPPING INCENTIVE
For Sales Orders $3,500 and over, after discounts and promotions, you will qualify for our Prepaid Shipping incentive. Chicago Importing Company will pay the cost of shipping up to 7% of the invoiced amount of shipped items to a single location, excluding accessorial and special service fees (e.g.: lift gate service, inside delivery, residential service, advance notification, limited access delivery, etc.). The portion of shipping cost over 7% of the invoice value will be added to your invoice. All accessorial and special service fees will be added to your invoice, as they are not covered under the Prepaid Shipping Incentive.
PERISHABLES & WARM WEATHER SHIPPING
Perishable products, such as refrigerated and frozen fish, meat, cheese, and lefse, will require refrigerated truck delivery service. Smaller shipments (parcels) of perishable products will require expedited delivery service via FedEx or UPS at the buyer's expense, often $100 or more per parcel. Perishable products will be shipped in insulated cooler boxes with ice packs via guaranteed overnight or second day service. Refrigerated or expedited shipping cannot be declined on fish, meat, cheese, and lefse.
Chocolate products, shipped during warm weather, will require temperature-controlled truck delivery service. Smaller shipments (parcels) of chocolate products during warm weather will require expedited delivery service via FedEx or UPS at the buyer's expense, often $100 or more per parcel. Chocolate products will be shipped in insulated cooler boxes with ice packs via a guaranteed 2-day service. If such expedited service for chocolate products during warm weather is declined, buyer assumes full responsibility for any melted chocolate products.
Summer Months: Chicago Importing Company will not ship refrigerated or frozen items in any manner except by refrigerated truck between June and September. Depending on the weather, Chicago Importing Company reserves the right to delay or hold shipments for temperature-sensitive items, such as chocolate, unless you agree beforehand to accept the terms and fees of overnight or second day shipping service.
Orders which include both perishable and non-perishable items will be shipped separately and may be invoiced separately.
Items affected by this policy are denoted with F, R, or W in our price lists and are identified on our website.
RETURNS & CREDITS
We are unable to accept any returns of merchandise except for the following reasons:
- Quality – If there is something wrong with the product you purchased, please notify us immediately in order to obtain a return authorization.
- Shipping Damages – If something has happened to your shipment during delivery, notify us of the damage within 48 hours in order to obtain a credit. — Please provide us with a copy of the Bill of Lading with the damages noted and the driver’s signature. — Pictures of all items affected in the damaged shipment are required. — Damages to shipments by truck must be written on the Bill of Lading at the time of delivery or return claims will not be accepted.
Returns cannot be accepted without a return authorization and must be shipped to us or ready for pick up within 48 hours of the return approval. Any credit for damaged product will be issued on a per unit basis.
CONTACT US
Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm CT
Email: sales@chicagoimporting.com
Phone: 800-828-7983 or 847-669-2100
Fax: 847-669-2154
Mail: Chicago Importing Company, 11200 E. Main Street, Huntley, IL 60142
*Terms & Conditions differ for Distributors and other business types. Contact Customer Service for details. Terms & Conditions are also subject to change without notice. Not liable for printing errors and omissions or for packaging design changes made by the manufacturer. All catalog and website content is copyrighted by Chicago Importing Company. No images or copy may be used without permission.