Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to buy items online?
Yes. The Ellis Music online store is a secure site. Sensitive data (such as your credit card information) is encrypted to prevent other people from viewing that information while you are placing orders.

What payment methods do you accept?
To purchase items online from our web store, you will need either a MasterCard or a VISA credit card.

Do I have to pay tax?
Individuals ordering from the state of Vermont or shipping to a location within the state of Vermont will pay the appropriate sales tax. State sales tax is currently 6%. As of October 1, 2008, eight Vermont towns (Burlington, Killington, Manchester, Middlebury, South Burlington, Stratton, Williston, and Dover) require an additional 1% local options tax to be collected, for a total tax of 7%. Tax is charged on merchandise and shipping charges, as required by law. Individuals outside the state of Vermont will not be charged sales tax. Some states may require consumers to pay tax on internet purchases when income taxes are filed; consult a tax professional for guidance in this matter.

What is the cost of shipping?
There is a flat rate of $5.00 added to your order for shipping and handling. A surcharge may be added to certain heavy or bulky items. Any surcharge amounts will be included in the shipping charge shown on your invoice when you check out.

When will my order be shipped?
We do our best to ship all orders within 2 business days of receipt of your order. In the event that an item is backordered you will be notified by email. Special order merchandise must be ordered from the manufacturer and often takes 2 to 4 weeks to arrive at our store in Bethel, at which point we will do our best to ship within 2 business days.

How will my order be shipped?
Most books and other small items will be sent via USPS First Class or Priority Mail (depending on weight). Large or heavy shipments are typically sent via UPS. When ordering, please provide a physical address in case your order needs to be shipped via UPS, since UPS cannot deliver to post office boxes.

Can items be delivered to my child’s school?
Yes, as long as the following criteria are met.
1. Your child attends a school in Vermont or New Hampshire that is serviced by Ellis Music Company.
2. School is in session. (School delivery is available September through mid-June only.)
3. You select that option during the checkout process.
Items delivered to schools may take up to 14 days to arrive because of school vacations and closings and other circumstances. Your order will typically be delivered during the next regularly scheduled trip to the school.

Will I receive a receipt for my purchase?
You can print the detailed receipt that appears on your screen once you have completed the three-step checkout process. (The top of the page says “order complete”.) Shortly after your order is placed, you will receive a confirmation e-mail directly from Authorize.net, which processes credit card transactions for the Ellis Music web site. This confirmation will show the total amount charged to your card but will not list the items you ordered. When you receive your order, a detailed receipt will be enclosed.

What happens when items are backordered?
Occasionally we experience delays in getting orders filled by manufacturers because an item is temporarily unavailable. If an item you order is unavailable (either not in stock or backordered from the manufacturer), we will notify you via e-mail. If you ordered other items, we will ship the in-stock items immediately. Other items will be sent when available. You will not be charged for shipping backordered or out-of-stock items.

Does providing my e-mail address mean I will receive promotional e-mails from Ellis Music?
At this time, your e-mail address is used solely for communicating with you regarding your order (and, if you are renting an instrument from us, your rental account). Your e-mail address is required when placing an order so we can send you confirmation that your order was received. If items are temporarily unavailable, we may send an e-mail message to notify you. Your e-mail address will not be shared with any third parties. If you receive any promotional e-mail messages from us, the text will include instructions for opting out of any future messages.

Why do I have to give you my telephone number?
We may need to contact you with regard to processing your order or to verify information (for security purposes). E-mail is not a secure form of communication, and in some cases, a more immediate response is required. Your telephone number will not be shared with any third parties, nor will we use it for promotional purposes. The number you give us need not be your home number but must be a valid daytime contact number.

I can’t find the item I need in the online store. Can I place a special order?
Ellis Music can special-order most musical items. If you call our store, a customer service representative can help you to determine what options are available. E-mail inquiries can be sent to info[at]ellismusiccompany.com (replace [at] with @ symbol).

Can I contact Ellis Music via e-mail about my order?
Yes. Send your e-mail message to info[at]ellismusiccompany.com (replace [at] with @ symbol). When sending a message about an order you have already placed, please type “My Online Order” in the subject line. Alternately, customer service representatives can be reached by phone during business hours -- 8:00-5:30 pm Monday through Friday year-round, and 9:00-1:00 on Saturdays during the academic year -- by dialing 802-234-6400.

Can Vermont and New Hampshire music teachers charge items to their Ellis Music accounts?
Presently, the only way for teachers to order items online is to charge the purchase to a credit card and complete the checkout process as any other web customer would do. Vermont and New Hampshire music educators are welcome to order items via our toll-free teacher line, via e-mail (please use the special e-mail address for educator orders), or from their Ellis Music representative during regularly scheduled school service visits.

What if I need to return an item that was purchased?
Items that are unopened and unused may be returned within 30 days of the date purchased. An Ellis Music store invoice or a printed online order confirmation will serve as proof of purchase.

When a qualifying item is returned, we will refund the cost of the item plus sales tax. Unopened and unused items may be exchanged for a similar item of the same cost. Any item that is not returned in the condition it was received or has obvious signs of use may be eligible for only a partial refund. Ellis Music will pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (for example, you received an incorrect item). Any discrepancies between what you ordered and what you received must be reported within 30 days of shipment. We cannot honor any claims made after that time. If an item appears to have been damaged during shipment, please retain all packing materials, as the carrier may need to inspect them.

Ellis Music does not accept returns of the following items (unless defective):

Oboe and bassoon reeds
Opened boxes of clarinet or saxophone reeds
Kazoos
Gift certificates
Books that have been written in
Clearance or reduced price sale items
Special order merchandise

When returning merchandise, please follow these guidelines:
1. Ship the returned item(s) via UPS or U.S. Postal Service INSURED. Return in original packing material.
2. Enclose the packing slip that came with your order. It will help us process your return credit efficiently.
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the shipper; however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. Refunds for credit card purchases must be applied to the same card that was used to make the purchase. If you used a gift certificate to pay for all or part of an item you want to return, that part of your refund will be credited to your account for use on a future purchase.

Does Ellis Music have a privacy policy?
At Ellis Music Company, we are committed to protecting your privacy. We use the information we collect about you to process orders and to provide a more personalized shopping experience. When you order, we need to know your name, mailing address, phone number, credit card information, and e-mail address. This allows us to process and fulfill your orders and to notify you of your order status. You may voluntarily sign up to be informed about certain offers. For this service we need only an e-mail address, which we use to send the information you requested. If you enter a contest or other promotional feature, we may ask for your name, address and e-mail address, so we can administer the contest and notify winners.

We monitor customer traffic patterns and site usage to help us develop the design and layout of the store. We may also use the information we collect to occasionally notify you about important changes to the web site or special promotions at Ellis Music. If you would rather not receive this information, please notify us.

Ellis Music does not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to others. Ellis Music may provide aggregate statistics about our customers, sales, traffic patterns, and related site information to reputable third-party vendors, but these statistics will include no personally identifying information.

By using our Web site, you consent to the collection and use of this information by Ellis Music. If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes on this page, so you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances we disclose it. Ellis Music welcomes your questions and comments about privacy.