Shopping for crib bedding sets and accessories on the internet can be convenient and fun. Many internet retailers offer hundreds of nursery bedding collections from many of the most popular manufacturers. The selection you will find at any of these online stores can be far greater than you would find at any local store; and their prices are often better than you will find anywhere. However, take care that you fully understand each site’s shopping policies in order to protect yourself.

Most internet retailers sell their crib bedding only on a “Special Order” basis. Often this is “special” for them, not for you. “Special Order” means they do not have your item in stock and ready for delivery to you. They only place an order with the manufacturer after receiving your order, forcing you to wait weeks or months for delivery of your merchandise. In itself, this is not unusual; but beware of internet retailers with very restrictive policies on “Special Order” bedding. Be wary especially of internet retailers who do not clearly state on each product page the expected shipping time for that product and their collection, cancellation, and return policies – be suspicious if they are trying to hide these policies from

Most often, these retailers charge your credit card at the time you place your order, even though they will not ship your order for weeks. Their policies may say that they “must” do this in the case of “Special Orders.” Don’t believe them. They do not have to do this – they are simply choosing to. Protect yourself from future disputes by purchasing “Special Order” bedding only from internet retailers that clearly state that your credit card will not be charged until your merchandise ships.

Many of these retailers also charge “restocking fees” for returned merchandise. This means that they will not refund your full purchase price if you wish to return it for any reason. These “restocking fees” can be as high as 50% of your purchase price. Many also have order cancellation fees, charging you as much as 30% of the purchase price if you cancel your order before shipment. Unfortunately, most internet retailers do not go out of their way to let you in on this little secret, so you will have to do a little research.

Robert Meier is the President of Baby Supermall LLC, an online retailer of Crib Bedding and Nursery Decor.

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