New Customers
If you’re a new customer, please read “How it all Works,” which describes the basics of ordering and returning equipment. Processing new customers’ orders takes extra time, because, as a small shop hoping to develop warm working relationships with customers, and dedicated to keeping you and us secure, we like to know who we’re shipping gear to. Our fraud-prevention process (developed by a friend who works as an FBI computer-crime expert), can take a couple days to complete. If you’re new to us and you need gear overnight, we can talk about possibilities.
How do I reserve gear?
- Find the gear you need and click “Reserve Now”.
- You’ll then need to enter your zip code and click “Continue”. This allows the system to calculate shipping and availability.
- Click on the date you want the gear to arrive, then the date on which you’d like to send it back.
- If needed, click “Reset Calendar” to start over and select new dates.
- When everything looks good, click “Add to Cart”
- Consider the optional Damage Insurance. It can be added on the checkout page by checking the gear you’d like insured, and clicking “Update”.
When will I be charged?
When you checkout an authorization hold in the amount of the order total is placed on your credit card. This doesn’t withdraw funds from your card, it simply holds them. We will actually charge your credit card the day your order ships.
Things work a little differently with debit cards. When you checkout, the funds are actually withdrawn from your account (not something we do) and held until we “capture” them for transfer at the time of shipment.
Is a damage deposit required?
No, typically for most orders a damage deposit not required. That being said, we like to keep prices low, protect our security and that of our customers, so under some situations a deposit may be required. New customers renting high value items, orders shipping to hotels, or orders with identity verification issues may require a deposit or certificate of insurance. If your order requires a deposit or proof of insurance, will will notify you as soon as possible.
When does my rental begin and end?
Simply, your rental period beings when UPS delivers your gear, and ends at 5pm local time on the last day of your rental. Specifically, if UPS delivered your 4 day rental on Friday afternoon, you’ll need to have the gear in the hands of UPS by Tuesday at 5pm local time. If you miss the brown truck on Tuesday (typically 6pm is the cutoff), your rental will be a day late.
This can be confusing for first time renters when they select Monday through Wednesday as a 3 day rental (the minimum rental period). Obviously this is three days, but the system will tell you it’s not. The reason is that your gear will arrive on Monday afternoon, sometimes as late as 5 -6pm. That doesn’t leave you much for a rental day, so we don’t count the day of delivery as a rental day.
Also, time in transit does not count towards your rental days. If you rented for 7 days, you’ll have the gear for a full 7 days.
Can I extend my rental?
Assuming we have sufficient stock to cover other orders, we’d be happy to extend your rental. Just contact us (email is best) before your rental period ends to confirm.
Shipping
Shipping charges include round trip shipping. A UPS return label will be included with your order. Simply place it over the old label and drop it off at a staffed UPS location.
We ship exculsively via UPS. The default method is UPS 3 day select, but if you need something shipped 2nd Day Air or Next Day Air, please give us a call and we’ll do our best to make it happen. If you’re in northern Minnesota or Wisconsin, you’re welcome to pick your gear up in person. Please note, we do not ship outside the continental U.S., to P.O. boxes, or to hotels, and remember All shipments require a signature for delivery.
For multiple items on the same order, please note that the system will overestimate the shipping charges, sometimes but nearly 75%. In these cases, we’ll make the necessary adjustments to your order, and notify you of the changes as soon as possible. We’re working on a smarter shipping calculator, but in the mean time we’ll do it the old fashioned way to keep shipping costs as low as possible.
How do I send the gear back?
When your order arrives, please hang on to the box and packing material. On your last rental day, repack everything in the original box, using the original foam and other materials. Place the pre-paid UPS return shipping label that came with the gear directly over the original label. Drop the package at a staffed UPS location, and just to be safe, make sure to get a receipt. If we don’t get the gear back and UPS has no record of it, it gets complicated. Once the gear returns, we’ll send you a confirmation email.
What if I’m late in shipping it back?
Late items will be charged double for every day past due. We also know that things don’t always go according to plan. If you run into a problem, call or email us before your rental period ends. Odds are we’ll give you an extra day. But here’s the thing: if it’s a week past your rental period and we haven’t heard from you, the Minnesota nice will wear off. You’ll be charged applicable late fees plus the gear’s replacement cost. If your credit card is declined, you’ll get attention from a not-so-nice collections agent. You get the picture, but let’s not go there.
What if I break something?
Any time rental equipment seems damaged, please call or e-mail us ASAP. If the gear is unfamiliar to you, it’s possible nothing is wrong and we’ll probably be able to help you straighten things out. It’s also true that small scratches to lens barrels, camera bodies, and tripod legs are all part of normal wear and tear, and nothing for you or us to worry too much about. Anything affecting the gear’s performance or functionality is damage, including impact and any form of water damage, including condensation (also note that water damage is not covered by the optional damage insurance). Once we get a chance to inspect the gear, we’ll let you know where we stand. If there is repairable damage you’ll be responsible for the full repair costs. If it needs to be replaced, you’ll be charged for replacing the item with a used piece in comparable condition. Assuming you give us a call right away, we won’t worry about charging you for rental while it’s being repaired.
What does the insurance cover?
Optional damage insurance adds about 10% to the overall rental cost. If equipment is damaged, an insured renter is liable for a deductible of 15 percent of equipment-replacement costs or $200, whichever is less. Renters who don’t choose insurance might be covered by their homeowners or travel policies. (Best to check your coverage details ahead of time.)
Optional insurance does not cover water/sand damage, theft, or missing accessories. Other than that, most of what can happen to equipment is basically covered. Sounds like a good deal doesn’t it?
Is the gear in good shape?
No, it’s in great shape! We take special care to make sure our lenses, camera and accessories are in tip top condition before we send them your way. Many items will appear essentially new, others gently used. Either way we’re sure you be delighted with the condition of your rental gear.
I’m in or around Duluth. Can I grab my gear in person?
Absolutely! If you’re in the area you can certainly arrange to pick up gear in person. Just choose the Local Pickup shipping option, and in the checkout Comments box, let us know when you’d like to pick things up. We’ll then be in touch to get you some directions to the shop which is a couple miles north on UMD.
Please bring a photo ID and the credit card you used during online checkout.
