Almost all the questions we get everyday can be found here. If you still cannot find the answer you need, please feel free to call or email us so that we can further assist you.
Answers to Your Ordering FAQs:
Can I order by phone?
Yes, or course. Call us toll free at 888-53-PATENT. Our operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you would like to fax us your order, print this order form and fax it to: 530-274-1288.
Can I order by mail?
Yes. First, print this order form. Next, fill it out and enclose payment by personal check or money order. Last mail it to us at:
IPT Co.
15850 McCourtney Road
Grass Valley, CA 95949
Mail orders are generally shipped the same day they are received.
Do I need to register?
It is not necessary to register with our site to place an order. However, if you are an authorized SBDC Affiliate or PIC Inventor Organization Affiliate, you will need to register in advance in order to sign-in and receive your discounts.
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When do you charge my credit card?
Your credit card is charged when your order ships. Our payment systems automatically authorize your credit card when your order is submitted. While this is not a charge, your financial institution may reserve these funds from your account or up to 5 business days.
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How long does it take to process my order?
We make every effort to ship your order the same day it is received providing it arrives before 2:00PM Pacific Coast Time. If you choose Next Day Air, a 2:00PM arrival is essential. Once the order has shipped, your estimated time of arrival will be determined by the shipping method you selected.
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Do you match competitors prices?
We doubt our competitors, including amazon.com can match our prices. Our lowest everyday prices are on the web.
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Do you offer reseller or volume discounts?
We have reseller programs for SBDC Affiliates and Inventor Organization Affiliates based on their buying power. We also offer discounts on purchases for qualified Government, Academic or volume Corporate customers, or for individuals who wish to purchase in quantity on a particular item. Please email us or contact us at (888) 53-PATENT (537-2836) for prices.
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Do you charge sales tax?
We collect sales tax for orders that ship in California only. If applicable, California sales tax is automatically calculated during Checkout.
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How can I cancel or change my order after it has been placed?
We process orders fast, so it may be difficult to cancel or change an order once it has been placed. If this is the case, please call us immediately at (888) 53-PATENT (537-2836).
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How will I know if an item is out of stock?
We maintain substantial inventories of products and do not foresee any shortages in the near future. However, in the rare case that we cannot fill your order, you'll be immediately notified by email with the estimated time of arrival.
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How do I check the status of my order?
You will receive email notification immediately after your order is placed. If you do not receive this e-mail it is because the address you provided was incorrect, your e-mail filters are blocking our e-mail, or your order was not received by us. Since our orders are promptly shipped and received, you'll not normally need to follow-up. To inquire on the status of your order, you may email us or call us at (888) 53-PATENT (537-2836).
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Will you sell my information or give it to other companies?
Never. At IPT Co. we take your privacy seriously. To ensure your privacy we use the most up-to-date encryption technology. Your billing, credit card, and account information is encrypted; none of this can be read as it travels to our system.
Nor do we sell, trade, or otherwise share your personal information, such as name, email address, physical address, phone numbers, buying history, and so on. You do not have to worry about receiving unsolicited email from other companies or individuals as a result of shopping at our web site. We may, on rare occasion, send out an email announcement to inform our customers when we add a major new feature to our website or for special promotions. If you do not want to receive an email announcement, please let us know, or call in your order.
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Answers to Your Product FAQs:
Do you offer technical support on your software?
The software we carry, PatentWizard, PatentHunter and Trademark Wizard, includes technical support from the publisher on their toll free number. On the software we publish, the Resource Guide, we provide technical support on our toll free number at at (888) 53-PATENT (537-2836).
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Will you advise me on the compatibility of the software I order?
On our product pages, we list the compatibility of our software. Generally speaking the Resource Guide is compatible with all PC and Microsoft Windows users and MACs. However, PatentWizard, PatentHunter and TrademarkHunter are only compatible with PC and all Windows applications from Windows 95 and newer, but not with MACs.
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Can I physically look at or inspect an item I want to buy?
Yes! We guarantee every product we sell. Should you wish to return an item you've purchased within 90 days, send it back to us and we'll refund your purchase price.
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Do you sell brand new products?
IPT Co. purchases directly from our New York book publishers, our software publishers and printers who produce our Patents in Commerce and From Patent to Profit publications. We sell only brand new products.
Other outlets may sell "grey-market goods" - similar versions that were not intended for distribution in the United States. In many cases, grey-market goods have no guaranties or are outdated copies. Some may also be in violation of U.S. copyright and trademark laws. We DO NOT SELL grey-market goods.
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Do you have a paper catalog?
Our catalogs are on our web sites (www.patentsincommerce.com and www.frompatenttoprofit.com). However, for SBDC Affiliates and Inventor Organization Affiliates we do have a catalog and User's Guide available on request.
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Shipping FAQ
How do you ship in the United States?
Shipping in the US is either by US Postal Service or by UPS. We highly recommend Priority Mail with its 2-3 day delivery. It is also inexpensive for such fast service.
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How do you ship international?
Global Priorty Mail is used almost exclusively. Delivery to most countries is 5-7 days, with Canada usually being no more than 5 days and some parts of Asia and Africa being 7 days. Global Priority Mail is surprisingly inexpensive. There are a few rare occasions where Airmail is preferred.
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How do I check shipping charges?
To check shipping charges, put the desired item in the basket by pressing the “Add to Cart” button then press the “Check Out” button. Enter your shipping address and choose a shipping method. Information on this page is not saved until submit your order. Shipping costs will be shown on the next page before your order is submitted and before you enter any payment information. Use the Back button on your browser to return to your shopping basket.
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What are my shipping choices?
Our customers want to receive their good fast. In order to do this in a cost-effective manner, we use Priority Mail, UPS 2nd Day Air and UPS Next Day Air for U.S. Shipments. Overseas we use Global Priority Mail and on rare occasion, Airmail.
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I received a partial order, why is this?
On certain rare shipments, usually overseas, your order will be split into two shipments. We do this to keep shipping costs down.
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Can you ship to a different address than my billing?
Yes, IPT Co. can ship products to addresses other than the billing address. You only need to state the alternate shipping address on your order form.
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Return FAQ
Must I have a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) to return a product?
No. Just ship it back to us with a note telling us why you are returning it. We are so confident that you'll find your purchase valuable to your invention and idea development, that we can offer this exceptional straight-forward return policy.
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What address do I send returns to?
Returns should be sent directly to us. Our address is IPT Co., 15850 McCourtney Rd., Grass Valley, CA 95949.
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How long will it take to get my credit?
Please allow at 2-3 business days after we receive the item to issue credit. Replacements will be sent within 24 hours after we receive the returned item.
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What are your restocking fees?
There is no restocking fee on return merchandise.
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Payment FAQ
What method of payments do you accept?
We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. We can also accept Money Orders and personal checks. Mail orders are shipped within 24 hours of receipt. To mail an order print out your order form in your shopping cart after you've enter it and mail it to us.
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Why is my credit card being declined?
If your credit card is declined, please make sure the billing address you entered matches the information on file with your financial institution. Your card may also be declined if you are over your available credit limit. Our system automatically attempts to authorize your credit card each time you submit an order. Your financial institution may hold these funds in reserve for up to 10 days.
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Can I pay by Money Order or Check?
Yes, print out your order on the shopping cart at the payment screen. This will have your shipping costs calculated. Mail us your check or Money Order with this order information. You merchandise will ship within 24 hours of receipt of your check.
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Will you accept an International credit card?
Yes, just follow the same instructions on the shopping cart screen.
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How do I know my credit card information is secure?
All transaction data is secured via our commerce servers. Geotrust is issued by over 70,000 companies in 140 countries. When you see the security icon (SSL) in your browser data is submitted via secure encryption methods to our servers. Never send private information via a web browser if this icon is not enabled.
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