SHIPPING

All packages are shipped USPS Priority Mail, USPS Parcel Post or USPS 1st Class (domestic/international), whichever is most economical, unless otherwise requested.

During normal volumes, most orders are shipped within 1-4 days after payment is received and/or clears, with the exception of custom and “special request” items.

International orders only: customs forms are filled out with the sale price for declared value and are marked “other.” The buyer is responsible for ALL customs fees, duties and taxes. International shipments generally take 1-3 weeks to arrive after being shipped, sometimes up to 6 weeks, but can take longer due to customs, bad weather and other circumstances. Orders are sent as First-Class Mail International or in some cases, flat rate international priority mail. Gertie Gear™ does not assume ANY responsibility for loss of packages outside of the US

REFUNDS/EXCHANGES will be accepted ONLY under the following terms:

• OPENED TUBE PACKAGES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR RETURN NOR EXCHANGE*: an opened inflatable package cannot be resold. Please unfold canvas cover to determine if the correct size has been purchased. If you wish to return/exchange a product, a fee will be charged for each opened tube.
Estimated fees are**: 

SIZE 30” tube = $  4.00

SIZE 36” tube = $  5.00

SIZE 46” tube = $ 15.00

*If an inflatable is defective (has a hole/won’t hold air), it will be apparent almost immediately when the weight of an animal is applied. To receive a replacement tube at the expense of Gertie Gear, you must contact us within 10 days from date of purchase/delivery (as confirmed by shipping company tracking number). After this period, replacement tubes must be purchased at a special “customers only” price.
PLEASE NOTE: The force of a human (and/or some heavier animals) falling or jumping on an airbed may compromise the seams of the inflatable. This is considered misuse of the product and does NOT constitute a defective inflatable.

**Shipping is not included in these prices and is determined based on weight. Replacement tube prices are similar to or less than other retailers that specialize in inflatables. Gertie Gear is not a retailer of pool accessories and therefore only sells tubes at these special prices to customers as replacements for use as an airbed component.
MORE ABOUT TUBES BELOW...

• Items must be returned in original, unused condition within 15 business days of the date of purchase/delivery. Email [CONTACT US] for return address.
 Original, unused condition means absence of hair, dirt or other soil/stains/fluids/odors, or other damage, including but not limited to saliva, oil marks, bleaching, noticeable fading, tobacco smoke, rips, tears, snags, holes, etc. If product is returned in "used" condition or with any damage, additional fees will be deducted from the refund at the full discretion of Gertie Gear. We are not a laundry service! You wouldn't want something that looks used when you bought it NEW, would you?
• Buyer assumes full responsibility for shipping and charges to return item(s), original S&H charges of initial order, as well as additional charges to ship new/replacement items.

• Refunds will be made promptly for the purchase price of the item(s), minus shipping and/or opened tube package fees, once the items are received in acceptable condition. Differences in the cost of exchanged item(s) will be applied appropriately.
 Refunds are made by check to reduce the need for further return charges resulting from credit card processing fees which would otherwise be encurred.
• Items acquired through fund-raising events have NO CASH/CREDIT VALUE. Please contact the organization who provided it. “Defective” tubes will be replaced according to terms stated above.

TIPS FOR AVOIDING EXCESS CHARGES/FEES:
• 30”, 36” and 46” are the outer perimeter dimensions of the tubes when deflated. Compensate for decrease in perimeter and width of tube when inflated to determine center nesting area of airbed.

• If you are concerned whether or not your pet will like the airbed, DO NOT USE the outer slipcover. Assemble just the tube with canvas inner cover and place a sheet or towel over the bed (preferably something washed but not new, so it carries scents that are familiar and calming to your pet). Once your pet is comfortable with his/her new bed, replace the sheet/towel with the decorative slipcover.

INFLATABLE TUBES: WARRANTY/RETURN/EXCHANGE/REPLACEMENT
Opened tubes, as with any item which MAY contact bodily fluids, cannot be resold as new; this is why opened tubes are not exchangeable or returnable. As per the tube insert shipped inside each tube package, all 46” tubes are now TESTED before they are shipped, to verify they are NOT defective.

46” tubes have been tested with as much as 90 lbs or more for several consecutive days, and they have held air without issue. We have even taken them to all-day concert venues and used them as an alternative to blankets for the “lawn” seats (of course this is NOT recommended, or considered “proper use”).

Very few customers have needed to order replacement tubes, but generally do so after more than a year of regular use, or after misuse or improper care. Improper use/care includes but is not limited to: falling/jumping on the air beds; excessive weight (use by more than a single pet at one time — pet must fit comfortably on the air bed, without more than it’s head hanging over when in curled/nesting position); applying weight/pressure when the inflatable is not encase completely inside the fully zipped-closed canvas cover; scratching, snagging, or other damage incurred when tube is not being protected inside canvas cover; improperly closed/sealed nozzles (see FAQs for tips on leaking beds); over inflation (instructions state that the tubes should be slightly under inflated — soft/squishy), etc.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to know what occurs which could damage the inflatable when the beds (and pets) are out of sight. This is why we TEST ALL 46” tubes — to verify that with regular use, exclusively as a bed, the tubes function properly. If a seam/nozzle/vinyl wall is defective or has a hole/puncture prior to testing, it will be apparent during the test, and will deflate.

Gertie Gear has no contribution or influence in the manufacturing of the inflatable tubes. Tubes are offered through GertieGear.com as a convenience, and potential savings on s/h for our customers. Gertie Gear DOES NOT warranty the 46” (TESTED) tubes, and only offers (TESTED) replacements for defective 30” and/or 36” tubes. We have found that some resellers/distributors of tubes refer customers directly to the manufacturer for refund/replacements as well. Gertie Gear incurs little or no profit from the resale of the inflatable tubes and encourages customers to acquire them from other sources which may offer more liberal return/exchange policies, including s/h reimbursement.

Tubes may only be returned/exchanged if their plastic packaging is UNOPENED.
PLEASE NOTE: 46” tubes are approximately 3 lbs each and may cost more to return ship than the fees/cost of keeping the tube and using it for it’s originally intended purpose (river raft, pool float, etc).

A FEW ALTERNATE ONLINE TUBE SOURCES:
http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.toysplash.com/, http://www.poolcenter.com/, http://www.hydropool.com/, http://www.americansale.com/default.aspx,
GOGGLE SEARCH “inflatable tubes": https://www.google.com/search?q=inflatable+tubes&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
NOTE: retailers/manufactures describe the tubes used for the 46” pet air beds as 47” or 48”, but they measure closer to 46” when inflated.
During warmer seasons, tubes can be found at many major retail stores, including TARGET, K-mart, Wallgreens, etc.

PLEASE NOTE: Gertie Gear consciously chooses to offer pet air beds in sizes 30”, 36” and 46”; these are standard size tubes which can be economically replaced and easily found online or at a local store. Gertie Gear has only the best intentions in creating products that offer durability/quality, while minimize our eco-footprint. We designed our pet air beds with interchangeable components so that customers would not have to purchase a completely new air bed set and dispose of still functional components which would then end up in landfills.

Additional Policies & Important Info

— BUYER AGREEMENT (LEGAL) —
Each consumer/buyer is responsible for determining the suitability of these products for their individual situation, their pet(s) and any other intended use. By purchasing from Gertie Gear™, you, the buyer, accept all/full responsibility for the use of any of these products. 
Our sincere goal is to provide products to pet owners that offer solutions to issues we have faced with our own pets. However, not all pets are the same — please use common sense in making selections.
Our experience is that because of the natural nesting area, our dogs do not scratch at the covers, making more delicate fabrics (even embroidered/embellished) feasible.
The same buyer responsibility applies for washing and product care. If you have concerns about color fastness, damage to embroidery/embellishments, or snags created by other items in the laundry, etc., turn covers inside-out, wash separately in cold, on most delicate cycle, maybe in a protective laundry bag, using special care detergent. Then tumble dry separately on low/no heat or air dry.

WARNING: Airbeds are NOT intended for teething puppies, nor highly destructive “chewers”!!! Though inflatable is protected by an industrial, claw/nail proof canvas, NOTHING is completely chew proof.

Airbeds are NOT toys and are NOT for human children. The force of a human falling or jumping on an airbed may compromise the seams of the inflatable and/or may result in serious injury!

— COPYWRITES, TRADEMARKS & OTHER MISC. LEGAL MUMBO JUMBO —
The Gertie Gear marks appearing on this Web site including, but not limited to GERTIE GEAR™, GERTIE’S NOSE KNOWS GREAT GEAR™, WWW.GERTIEGEAR.COM, FASHIONABLE AIR BEDS & OTHER COOL STUFF FOR SMART PEOPLE WITH SMART-ER PETS.™, 100% “GERTIE” APPROVED™, SNAZZTASIC PET AIR BEDS™, and the respective logos, emblems, photos, likenesses, slogans and designs are trademarks and/or service marks of Gertie Gear. Reproduction of any and all content, in its entirety or in part, of the Gertie Gear website without written permission from Gertie Gear is prohibited.

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