Frequently Asked Questions

Your Account with R.W. Smith & Co. will have an Account number associated with it. This number can also be called your Customer ID number.  

When placing an order as (1) a Guest or (2) as a Customer with online registration (limited to web-based buying privileges), a generic customer number is issued. Customers with a registered R.W. Smith & Co. Account processed through our office are assigned a five digit Account Number. The Account Number appears on invoices in the upper left-hand corner under the R.W. Smith & Co. logo. To register for an Account, establish credit terms with us or to be assigned a Sales Consultant, please contact Customer Service.

The Login/Register link is located at the right corner of the red menu bar, found at the top of every page. When logging in to your Account, you will need your username and password. Your email address serves as your username. To log out of your Account, click Sign Out in the right corner of the top red menu bar.                                                                           

For your security, an online session will automatically end after thirty (30) minutes of inactivity.

Your username is the email address entered when the Account or User was created. If you forget your password, click Login/Register located in the top red menu bar, then go to the link located just above Sign In Securely.  You will be prompted to enter your email address. We will then send you an email with a system-generated new password. The new password is encrypted, secure and unique to you. You will then be able to sign in to your account using your new password.

To edit or update your Account online, login and click My Account located in the red menu bar, found at the top of every page. Under Account Management, click Update and Edit Profile. Only the Primary Administrator is permitted to edit or update the Account. For assistance with editing or updating your Account profile, please contact Customer Service.

The Primary Administrator for the Account has the authority to add or delete Users.

First, login and click My Account located in the red menu, found at the top of every page . Under Account Management, click Manage Users.

To add a User, click the plus sign . Next, fill out the required fields and assign User Privileges.

To delete a User, press Delete to the right of his or her name. A confirmation screen will appear to confirm deletion of the User. 

Only the Primary Administrator and assigned Users may access an Account. To ensure your information is secure, we encourage you to regularly update your password and promptly delete a User who is no longer authorized to access the Account.

To save items in your Shopping Cart, click Save this Cart. You will input a unique name in the field provided and click the Save this Cart button. To access a saved cart, go to My Account, View Saved Cart. You can view, print or email a saved cart at any time. When you are ready to resume the checkout process for a saved cart, click Open Cart and proceed with your purchase. Opening the saved cart will replace the current shopping cart. Saved carts remain active for ninety (90) days and then are deleted from the Account.

Existing R.W. Smith & Co. Customers will see their prices after logging in to their Account. For New Customers who would like to review pricing and discount opportunities, please contact Customer Service to speak with one of our expert Business Development Managers.

Copies of invoices will be available in the View/Print Invoices section of My Account once the order has been shipped. For further assistance, please contact Customer Service.

For an order not yet processed and shipped, contact Customer Service to make a request for cancellation. Special orders, large volume orders and custom orders may not be cancelled.

To save items in your Shopping Cart, click Save this Cart. You will input a unique name in the field provided and click the Save this Cart button. To access a saved cart, go to My Account, View Saved Cart. You can view, print or email a saved cart at any time. When you are ready to resume the checkout process for a saved cart, click Open Cart and proceed with your purchase. Opening the saved cart will replace the current shopping cart. Saved carts remain active for ninety (90) days and then are deleted from the Account.

To view your order history and past shipments, login and click My Account, then go to view order history.

To view your Wish List, login and click My Account, then go to manage wish list.  You can add items to the Wish List from the product pages (the "Add to Wish List" link is located in the gray product information box). Items added to the Shopping Cart from a Wish List will be deleted from the Wish List.

To view your Shopping List, login and click My Account, then go to manage shopping list. You can add items to the Shopping List from the product pages (the "Add to Shopping List" link is located in the gray product information box). Items added to the Shopping Cart from a Shopping List will remain in the Shopping List until manually deleted.

In-stock products are warehoused in one of R.W. Smith & Co.'s facilities. Factory Direct product is ordered directly from the Manufacturer at the time of purchase. 

Items can be added to your purchase if the order has not yet been processed in the warehouse. Please contact Customer Service to find out if your order has shipped or if it remains open for new items to be added.

A backorder is purchased product not immediately available for your order.  A backorder will remain open in our system until the item(s) are on hand and then shipped. You may contact Customer Service to request cancellation of a backorder item, up to the point when the shipment is processed.  Some backorder items are not eligible for cancellation.

Please note that Special Order items will appear on back order on your order summary. Special and custom orders cannot be canceled.

Handling fees do not typically apply. However, some Manufacturers will charge fees for purchase quantities that do not meet their product line minimum, or for broken cases. When applicable, a Manufacturer's minimum order amount and fees are shown on the product page and are included in the total order charge in your Shopping Cart.

Will Call orders are available only at our warehouse facility locations in San Diego, CA and Dallas, TX. To request Will Call for pick-up of your order in San Diego or Dallas, please contact Customer Service immediately after processing your online order. There is a $25 fee for Will Call orders.

Your Order Number will be on the order confirmation page at the end of your order as well as in the order confirmation email that is sent after you have completed an online purchase. You may also locate your Order Number in My Account by clicking on View Order History. Your Order Number will be displayed on the Invoice along with other key order information.

You may enter a Purchase Order Number for your order on the Payment page in the Shopping Cart. 

We offer R.W. Smith & Co. Customers exclusive discounts and special promotions, which are valid for a specified period of time and have certain rules and restrictions for online use. Once you have put items in the Shopping Cart and would like to utilize an active promotional code, log in and go to View Cart to enter the code in the field provided. Click the Apply button and your discount will appear below the subtotal. If the code is invalid or expired, no discount amount will appear.

We don't want you to miss out! Please contact Customer Service for help with an invalid or expired code.

R.W. Smith & Co. charges sales tax in accordance with local and state laws. We will calculate and add the appropriate sales tax to your order total at checkout.

To apply for a line of credit with R.W. Smith & Co., please fill out and submit the Application for Credit form. Once the form is received and reviewed, your Account will be set up with an approved line of credit and credit terms. The approximate turnaround time to process your request is 48 business hours.

After you submit a credit application, please allow 48 business hours for turnaround. Once your Account is activated and ready for use, you will be notified via email. 

You may pay for your online order using your credit card, Paypal, or open terms on an active R.W. Smith & Co. account.  For your convenience, we accept American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. 

For order cancellations, or for charges related to order cancellations, please contact Customer Service. We will be happy to resolve any issue for you.

No, R.W. Smith & Co. does not ship orders C. O. D. 

If you have questions regarding shipment of your order or if you need to make changes to the method of shipping selected during checkout, please contact Customer Service.

Some Manufacturers provide a limited warranty on select products. Please refer to the warranty information enclosed with a product, which details terms and conditions. If you cannot locate warranty information in a shipment, or if you have questions regarding a product's warranty, please contact Customer Service.

R.W. Smith & Co. Customers with a registered account may be eligible for exclusive discounts on items they regularly order. For these Customers, after logging in, online prices will reflect the pricing specific to the Account. Prices for online products are competitively set and available to the public.

We want you to be 100% satisfied with your order. Should you have any concern with an item that you have purchased from us, please contact Customer Service for assistance. To request a return, please review our Return Policy.

Our delivery drivers cannot take responsibility for product returns unless Customer Service has issued a Return Authorization Number and the driver is instructed to pick up the item from your place of business.

We take great care to have delivered goods counted and checked prior to shipping them.Upon delivery of any package, do a careful examination for damaged or shorted items and make a notation on the Carrier's receipt. Please note that by giving the Carrier a signed receipt accepting the goods without notation of damage or shortage, you assume responsibility for the condition of the packaged items. Damages and shortages must be noted along with your signature. In order to receive a refund or exchange for damaged or shorted items, you must contact Customer Service within 48 hours of receipt. For more information, review our Return Policy.

When delivering to a non-residential address, someone must be present to accept delivery of a shipment and sign the Bill of Lading. Before signing, please inspect all boxes/cartons and note all damages and discrepancies on the Bill of Lading and/or with the driver at time of delivery. All reports of damage and a request for return should be received no later than thirty (30) days after receipt of shipment. To return goods, please review our Return Policy and contact Customer Service.

Your estimated arrival date is determined by the date of shipment from the distribution center and the shipping method you select at the time of checkout. Most In-Stock orders are shipped within 1 to 2 business days of receiving an order. Products listed as "Factory Direct" will be shipped at the earliest possible date.

Shipments travel on normal business days. Please take into account federal holidays and possible inclement weather when placing your order. We will make every effort to deliver your order on the requested date.

In-Stock items coming from our San Diego warehouse have the following lead times: 1-3 days for California destinations; 7-10 days for Midwest destinations; and 10-14 days for East Coast destinations.

All items not stocked in our warehouse have a 10-14 day lead time from the Manufacturer's point of origin. Custom product and special orders require longer lead time, commonly 2- 5 weeks.  For more shipping and delivery information, please contact Customer Service.

Once your order has been submitted, a confirmation email will be sent to you, which will include shipping and delivery lead time estimates. These estimates will also appear under "My Account". 

Expedited shipping is available, including 2-Day and Next Day (with the addition of Saturday Air under certain circumstances). Orders must be submitted prior to 11:00am Pacific Standard Time in order to receive expedited delivery in the timeframe specified. Expedited orders placed after 11:00am Pacific Standard Time or on Saturday/Sunday normally ship the next business day. Some orders may be subject to verification of billing/shipping information and may therefore be delayed.

R.W. Smith & Co. works tirelessly to have shipments arrive within the specified timeframe. During times of heavy order volume, expedited shipments may take longer to process. Therefore, we recommend you plan accordingly. To ensure delivery timeframes, order early during peak times and holidays, such as Easter, Mother's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, as well as when schools resume in late-August and mid-January.

When placing an order, standard shipping rates are automatically calculated. You may choose from several methods of shipment that best fits your needs. Please contact Customer Service for shipping options available in your area.

R.W. Smith & Co. currently ships to any public street address in the 48 continental states. Orders cannot be delivered to PO Boxes.

In rare cases where the delivery company is not able to complete a delivery due to accessibility, we will attempt to notify you and help arrange for you to pick up the order at the carrier's nearest terminal. Orders may be held for reasons including, but not limited to, inaccessible destination address, incorrect contact information or an insufficient address. You will be responsible for any storage costs, redelivery charges or other fees that may result from holding the order at the terminal.

Each order may only have one "ship to" address. If you require multiple "ship to" addresses, please order separately for each address. Minimum order and freight policies will apply to each order, and orders may not be combined.

R.W. Smith & Co. ships orders to both commercial and residential addresses. Commercial addresses are defined as business addresses situated on commercially zoned real estate, as determined by the freight carrier. Businesses operated from a house, apartment or other dwelling are not considered commercial addresses and will be charged any applicable residential delivery fees. 

Orders of free freight eligible products that subtotal under $250 that are shipping to the same address will be assessed freight and handling charges, unless otherwise indicated. When ordering factory direct items not stocked in our warehouse, a freight charge may be assessed in accordance with the freight chart. After you finish adding items to the Shopping Cart, you will receive Standard Ground shipping. You may choose from several methods of shipment that best fits your needs. Please contact Customer Service for shipping options available in your area. Though not standard, inside delivery is available for an additional fee.

The In-Stock Free Shipping Eligible Program is for purchases over $250 of qualifying In-Stock products. Your In-Stock items added to the shopping cart must total over $250 and be designated as eligible for the program. Eligible items will feature this image on the product page: 

The applicable eligible purchase amount does not include discounts, handling fees and tax. Free Shipping will automatically display during checkout. If needed, you will have the option to choose expedited shipping for your order at the rates provided in the shopping cart.

Delivery time for In-Stock orders is usually 2-5 business days from date of order and depends upon availability. Standard Ground Shipping is available in the continental U.S. only.

This program cannot be combined with the Factory Direct Free Shipping Eligible Program or other shipping offers.

The Factory Direct Free Shipping Eligible Program is for purchases over $250 of qualifying products from a single Manufacturer.  Participating Manufacturers include:

Anchor Hocking

Cambro

Cardinal

Carlisle

Edwards Industries

Global Amici

Libbey

Oneida

Rubbermaid

Service Ideas

Steelite

The Wheel

Vollrath

West Curve

Your items from a participating Manufacturer added to the shopping cart must total over $250 and be designated as eligible for the program. Eligible items will feature this image on the product page: 

The applicable eligible purchase amount does not include discounts, handling fees and tax. Free Shipping will automatically display during checkout. If needed, you will have the option to choose expedited shipping for your order at the rates provided in the shopping cart. 

Delivery time for Factory Direct purchases is usually 10-14 business days from date of order and depends upon availability. Standard Ground Shipping is available in the continental U.S. only. 

This program cannot be combined with the In-Stock Free Shipping Eligible Program or other shipping offers.

Whether an order has split shipments depends on the items ordered and whether the product is stocked in our warehouse. In-Stock items ship from our warehouse within 48 business hours after the order is placed in the system. Factory Direct items ship from the Manufacturer and generally have a 10-14 day lead time.

LTL Common Carrier delivery requires an adult signature at the time of delivery. It is that adult's responsibility to inspect the merchandise being delivered for damage or shortage. By signing for a shipment without notice of damage or shortage, you are accepting the product in good condition. Once the driver leaves with your signature, your ability to claim damage or shortage against the carrier is significantly reduced. Most claims against a carrier are denied if they have a free and clear delivery signature.

It is also the responsibility of the Customer to have adequate help and any necessary equipment to receive product at the back of the delivery vehicle.

Please be advised that R.W. Smith & Co. does not ship orders C. O. D. 

R.W. Smith & Co. operates a fleet of delivery trucks. These trucks operate out of our warehouses in San Diego, CA and Dallas, TX.

Generally, orders placed to deliver on a route need to be submitted 48 business hours prior to a route's expected delivery day. For example, if a route is scheduled to deliver on Friday, all orders expecting to go on that truck need to be placed no later than 11:00 am Wednesday in each respective time zone (PST or CST). During times of heavy order volume, such as major holidays and back-to-school, deliveries made on route trucks may be delayed until the following scheduled delivery day. Please plan accordingly and order early.

At this time, we are unable to ship online orders internationally. If you have a freight forwarder, we can assist you with shipping to that address. Please contact Customer Service to check availability for these arrangements.

• Customer Service: 1-800-942-1101
• National Accounts: 1-800-752-3639
• Fax: 1-858-530-0529
• Email: info@rwsmithco.com
• Click Live Chat

We welcome applicants who do their best work, and then strive to do even better. Join us and be an employee-owner of a company with a superior reputation, unwavering values, rich history and a powerful connection to its customers. If this sounds like a good fit for your future, visit our Career Center to view current job openings. Our online application process is easy to follow.

To subscribe, look for the "Sign Up & Save" panel on our Home page, or go to the "Stay Connected" section on our footer. When you sign up for our email newsletters, you'll receive exclusive offers, sale alerts, expert advice and important tips. You will also receive special discounts towards your next online purchase.

We value and protect your privacy. R.W. Smith & Co. does not sell or distribute customer information to third parties. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy.

Catalogs can be included with your order or mailed at your request. Please contact Customer Service to request a catalog, or go to our Request a Catalog page and fill out the submission form.

Your experience with our products is important and we welcome your feedback through product ratings and reviews. To submit a product rating or review, login to your Account and locate the product for review. Once you find the product, rate it by clicking the appropriate number of stars and review it by clicking Rate &Write a Review.

Star ratings: 1 Star = Poor, 2 Stars = Below Average, 3 Stars = Average, 4 Stars = Good, 5 Stars = Excellent

Note: Reviews that meet our guidelines are usually posted within 72 hours. By submitting your review, you acknowledge and agree all review comments become the property of R.W. Smith & Co. and may be used to promote products in our catalog or on our website; and you further agree that you will not be compensated in any monetary or other fashion for your submission. For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions.

If you would like to be contacted or visited by a local R.W. Smith & Co. Business Development Manager, please go to our Contact Us page and fill out the inquiry form. A Business Development Manager will contact you, usually within 48 business hours of your request. 

R.W. Smith & Co. works with highly experienced equipment installers. We can provide you with a referral or help arrange a consultation with an installer. Please contact Customer Service for more information.