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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS / TERMS & CONDITIONS

PLEASE NOTE: Advertised prices are subject to change without notice due to fluctuations in manufacturing and freight costs. After you place your order and the prices change drastically we will notify you and give you options. Prices are in US Dollars

WHY SHOULD I BUY AT DIRECT BOATS?

At DirectBoats.com, we ship your items directly from the factory to your home. This avoids expensive warehousing costs and delayed delivery time. Both the time and the savings are passed on to you. Unlike our box store competitors, we give you service during and after the sale. What good is it to get a boat or trailer and not be able to use it because no one knows how to help you with registering your boat for use in public waterways or getting a tag for your trailer? We also ship so many boats, that our freight is cheaper. See the drop down boxes. Not only are there great prices, we have boat sale specialists standing by to offer expert assistance to make sure you get the boat that is right for you. Getting the right small boat is so important. Small differences in the boats make huge differences on the water. Periodically, we offer factory-discounted boats providing you with even greater savings. These discounts reflect mark-downs from regular prices on select items for a limited-time.

In total, we think you'll find shopping at DirectBoats.com a convenient, time-saving, fun way to shop...and a great way to save money too!

DOES DIRECTBOATS.COM OFFER ADVICE ON HOW TO SETUP A RENTAL OR COMMERCIAL OPERATION?

Yes. The wholesale department offers advice in setting up your new business. However, we do not set up franchises. We do offer advice on which boats may be the best choice for the business. Just make sure you ask for a wholesale representative.

DO YOU OFFER A WARRANTY FOR COMMERCIAL USE BUYERS?

Commercial buyers and retail buyers should be aware that we, at 1st Direct Products, do not offer a warranty for products we sell. Usually, the factories for whom we sell will not offer a warranty for commercial use. However, sometimes structural warranties will apply. When you receive your boat, you should get a copy of your specific warranty from the specific manufacturer. If you intend to use our products for rentals, resort activities or in any kind of commercial setting, it is your company’s responsibility to seek and obtain complete liability insurance. If you follow this link, Compare Insurance Quotes and Save!, then click on the “Business” tab, you can apply online to get a reasonably priced rate quote.

WHERE IS MY REFUND?

If 1st Direct Products has agreed to refund your money, your refund will show up within 1-2 weeks. For instance, if you purchase an item from us and it arrives damaged and you note the damage to the item on the driver’s delivery receipt, you may cancel your order with us if you choose to and we will refund your purchase amount. If you paid with a credit card, your refund will show up on your credit card 7 to 10 business days after you cancel your order. If you paid for your order with a check or money order, we must refund you with a check. This process can take a little longer. We must write the check and mail it to you. Once you receive the refund check and cash it, it can take an additional 2 to 3 days for the bank to process it.

WHAT IF I PURCHASED A BOAT, MOTOR & TRAILER PACKAGE?

If you buy a BMT (BOAT, MOTOR & TRAILER & ACCESSORIES) package from us, these items may be purchased at once, but some orders are treated individually after purchase. These collective items may ship from three or more different locations by different methods (common carrier, UPS. parcel, etc.) unless otherwise stated. An example of boat factories that typically ship completely assembled and ready to run is Laker Pontoons. If one product is defective on a virtual BMT package, you are not entitled to a full refund for the other products that arrived safely. For instance, if you purchase a boat, motor, and trailer package from us and your boat arrived in perfect condition and the motor arrived in perfect condition, but your trailer requires assembly and you are unable to assemble it, you can return all products. However, you will be responsible for any fees and return shipping charges. Even if you don't receive one of your products for one reason or another (example, motor lost in transit) the trailer and boat manufacturers and other shipping carriers had nothing to do with the motor problem, so their fees still apply.

HOW CAN I PAY FOR MY ORDER?

We currently accept shipping-address verified, American-bank issued Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Bank transfers or counter deposits are free with Wells Fargo. Bank-to-bank wire transfers only cost what your bank charges you. All US, state and local Government purchase orders are accepted. Personal checks and money orders have a 7-14 day clear time. Cashier's Checks clear faster. If you prefer to give us your credit card information on the phone and it is after hours, please choose that method online and call us with your information M-F, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. EST at 229- 924-8155. Please mail checks to 1st Direct Products, LLC, P.O. Box 6406, Americus, GA, 31709.

CAN I CANCEL MY ORDER?

If your order was not a custom built item, you may cancel your order. You will be charged a $35 cancellation fee if your order has not shipped out. If your order has shipped and you still wish to cancel your order, you will be charged for the actual shipping costs to you, the shipping costs back to the factory and a 25-50% restocking fee for the item. Some orders may not be canceled after they are shipped, such as outboard motors and inflatable boats. Even if you bought it with a boat, motor and trailer package, the engine factories do not accept cancellations. Cancellation requests are not accepted by phone.

To cancel your order, please email our Customer Service Department at directboatsservice@gmail.com.

If you place your order online for a product that is marked "Call 229-924-8155 For Shipping Information," we will contact you with your shipping cost by phone and by email. Your order will be on hold until we hear from you to OK the additional charge. As these are over-sized products, shipping rates can vary widely.

If it has been over 24 hours since you placed your order and you have not responded by phone or email and you wish to cancel your order, you may do so but you will incur a $35 cancellation fee. The $35 cancellation fee after 24 hours will not apply if the product is discontinued or not available. If the product is back ordered for a short period of time and you wish to cancel your order, you still may be charged a $35 cancellation fee. This fee is necessary because of our costs concerning your order, even if we are unaware of the back order status at the time your order is placed. We cannot guarantee timely delivery or meet your delivery expectations.

WHY HAS MY CREDIT CARD BEEN CHARGED AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED MY ORDER?

1st Direct Products, LLC, charges your credit card and places your order with the appropriate factory. The advance charge is done to help prevent credit card fraud. Additionally, the factories require this because these items are generally built to order and there are fees for canceling. See above.

WHAT IF I CHANGE MY MIND AFTER I ORDER?

If you cancel your order, you will incur a $35 cancellation fee and possibly a factory restocking fee. Before placing your order, please review it and make sure that you are comfortable with it. We do not credit incurred freight charges or packaging charges. See "Can I Cancel My Order?" above.

WHAT ABOUT BOAT AND LIABILITY INSURANCE?

We fully insure the product up until you sign for it. We cannot insure it after that point. So it is extremely important that you contact your homeowner's insurance policy holder to inform them of your purchase before it arrives. This should cover you if you miss seeing damage on the boat when you sign for it. It should also cover you if something happens on the water, such as running into a stump below the water. The costs are minimal at around $20 annually per $1000 for the boat and $12 annually for the liability. We found this to be the most affordable insurance method. However, there are companies that exclusively sell boater's insurance that you may want to look into.

WHAT ABOUT DELIVERY?

*Delivery Time: LTL Transit time is 3-7 business days, depending on the distance from the respective factory. If you need an estimated delivery time when you order your merchandise, please call. While we try to meet or beat these times, such estimates are always subject to manufacturers' production and scheduling changes. If you require after-business-hours delivery, extra delivery charges may apply and are probably not available with the LTL carriers. 1st Direct Products, LLC, cannot be responsible for manufacturers' freight carrier delays. If you would like an update on the status of your order, call 229-924-8155.

*Delivery Costs: Delivery charges are usually not included in the price of the products. However, you can find them in the 'Shipping' Drop Down Menu located next to the order button for each item. Sometimes we will promote free shipping, but it will say so in the drop down box. If there is no box or it states call for shipping price, you may call us at 229-924-8155 or email us at directboatsservice@gmail.com for a shipping quote. If you decide to order online without calling for freight, it will be calculated and added to your order later. Please specify any special delivery arrangements being requested. Additional charges may apply to that request or may not be available. Please note that ordering multiple items from the same manufacturer can decrease your shipping cost. Call for quantity discounts. We can accept orders from military personnel only with a specific address within the Continental US. We are unable to arrange delivery to APO addresses outside of the continental US. However, if the purchase is being made by the US Military, it can be delivered to an APO at additional shipping expense and paperwork.

*Arranging Delivery: All goods that can ship UPS, will ship via UPS Ground, unless changed over the phone. On items that cannot be shipped via UPS, an LTL freight company will contact you when your product is ready to leave your local terminal. If it is delivered on a factory truck, the information below does not apply. The normal LTL service is curb-side delivery. The LTL freight trucking company is not responsible for unloading the item(s) from the truck or carrying the item(s) into a building. Your item is likely to be heavy and large. Therefore, we recommend that you have someone with you to help you unload the item and bring it inside. If a truck cannot get to your house, then you are responsible for picking the item up from the nearest terminal or the nearest location to your house that the truck can access. Customers located in remote areas, or areas a semi-truck cannot reach, may have longer transit times. Because it is a larger, heavier item, it can only be sent via ground freight. Therefore, we cannot offer expedited shipping.

At the time of delivery, make sure you properly inspect the boat before signing for it. Should the delivery driver refuse to allow you to inspect it, you may write "Subject To Later Inspection" on the delivery receipt. You must then inspect it right away. See “What If My Item Is Damaged” if product is damaged. We recommend you contact your homeowner's insurance policy holder prior to delivery to add the boat and the liability. The costs are minimal at around $20 annually per $1000 for the boat and $12 annually for the liability. For example, this should cover you if someone hurts themselves helping you unload it.

I WANT MY BOAT PUT IN THE WATER. IS THAT AN OPTION? AND WHAT DOES FACTORY DELIVERY MEAN?

If we offer "factory delivery" on a boat, that means that the boat will be delivered by a factory representative. In that case, LTL or UPS delivery instructions are not in effect. For example in the case of a mini pontoon boat that you want to put on your pond or lake in the back yard, you don't have to order a trailer, and YES, the factory delivery truck and driver can and will put the boat in the lake for you. However we are not responsible for sprinkler heads, grass or anything else in the yard that the smaller pickup truck may mess up while dropping the boat in the lake. So please instruct him to avoid those things in your yard when he is there. If it is raining or the shore edge is extra muddy, marshy, etc., the truck driver in his smaller truck may not be able to back near the lake in those conditions without getting stuck. He will pay, or we will reimburse, for a tow truck if he makes a bad decision and gets stuck. However, just because he can't drive next to the water, don't give up. If you know there is no boat ramp or hard, sandy, flat area around the lake to put the boat in, some boats allow us to push them onto the grass, then push across the marsh or mud to the water. If that is your situation, please know the truck driver will need help pushing the boat into the water. We will not be responsible for the extra fees if additional hired help is needed to push boat into the water. Maybe grab some neighbors or friends and offer a free fishing trip instead.

If all available options are exhausted within a reasonable amount of time, the truck driver may be forced to leave the boat on the ground leaving you, the customer, responsible for getting it into the water.

WHAT IF I WANT TO TAKE A VACATION OR BECOME UNAVAILABLE TO BE CONTACTED AFTER MY ORDER IS PLACED?

If you are unavailable for delivery, you will be held responsible for paying storage fees and/or any fees that would apply. If the freight carrier cannot reach you within 3 days of the arrival of your order at the nearest freight terminal, your order will be shipped back to the factory and you will be responsible for paying cancellation charges which include shipping charges to you and back to the factory as well as a restocking fee. We advise that if you o plan to take a vacation, please let a sales person know so that we can avoid this issue. If you do go on vacation, please have a back up plan. Speak with a neighbor or friend who is willing to accept delivery for you. Please provide us with the name and telephone number of the person you elect to sign for your order so that they may be contacted when your order is ready to deliver. Please advise this person that they must inspect the order before accepting delivery.

WHAT IS "GUARANTEED SHIPPING?"

Guaranteed shipping is a factory common-carrier shipping program that is not subject to change. Shipping costs on non-UPS items on our site that are not listed as "Guaranteed Shipping" may vary depending on your location. If you live in a non-direct point, such as on an island, mountain top or a limited access area, the shipping cost for your purchase may vary from what is posted on the product page. A sales representative will call you before finalizing your order if you are subject to these unusual circumstances.

For more information please refer to our disclaimer.

WHY DID I RECEIVE A SEPARATE SHIPPING BILL?

You will receive a separate shipping bill if you purchase a product online that is marked "Call 229-924-8155 For Shipping Prices!" and you do not call us for a shipping quote. Normally, we will receive your order, work out a shipping quote and then call or email you with the shipping cost before we process your order. If we do not receive your approval via phone or email, your order will be on permanent hold until we do. It is very important we can quickly communicate with you because our freight carriers also must have a response and assign a delivery time before they can deliver your product.

WHAT IF MY ITEM IS DAMAGED WHEN IT ARRIVES?

We do not guarantee that you will receive a scratch-free boat. As a matter of fact, all boats are scratched by their very nature. We are looking for damage that causes the boat to be unusable or have structural damage. If you want a scratch-free or gouge-free boat, please pick one out at a local store. You probably won't find one. Along with scratches, aluminum boats may have small indentations, or small dents or dings in them from something while being scratched. That is their nature. We offer touch up paint, repair kits, etc. Many times your order could be scratched as it is unloaded from the truck. For certain, it will be scratched the first time you use the boat and/or beach it. Many boats get black rubber dust on them, it is common... it's the rubbed-off forklift tires that cause this at the freight terminals. It does not harm the boat, only requires cleaning. Fiberglass boats sometimes have white wax left on them after production. It goes away with time and there is nothing wrong with the boat. Inspect the item thoroughly upon delivery. Write on the bill of lading before the freight company driver leaves, the nature of the damage and/or if any components are missing. Please take pictures, and attach them in an email so we can have a complete damage report on file. If you fail to note freight damage on the bill of lading upon delivery, the freight carrier will not compensate you for your loss!!! If there is extensive damage, such as a fork lift hole in the side of the item, reject it and a replacement order will automatically be processed. If you think the packaging was too poor, we could put the product in a solid wood crate but it wouldn't stop a forklift (we have tried). If you reject a boat for cosmetic reasons, be aware that you may be held liable for freight charges, restocking fees etc... Remember all boats will have scratches. We can and will file claims for you against the freight carrier to cover the cost of the repair, but you need to work with us. Those claims normally take two months to get resolved. If you reject your boat because you're not sure about some damage, we will get an email with a picture from the freight carrier when it gets back to the local terminal. Management at DirectBoats.com will look at the pictures and determine if the damage is cosmetic or structural. If cosmetic, we will highly advise you to accept the boat back from the local terminal in order to avoid paying very high fees (the difference between the repair bill and shipping there and back and restocking fees). If management determines the damage is structural, a new boat will manufactured and shipped out to you as soon as possible. If you notate damage on the driver's delivery receipt and accept the product, then decide that you do not wish to keep the product please do not use it. Leave the item right where it is and inform us and keep the packaging. We will file a claim with the carrier who delivered your order and they will have to arrange pickup for the item. They will not pickup a damaged product that has been used or does not have packaging. If it can easily be repaired locally, we will file a claim for you for the repair bill cost.

WHAT IF MY BOAT IS DAMAGED AND I FAIL TO NOTE THE DAMAGE ON THE DELIVERY RECEIPT?

1. Call the freight carrier immediately! You must convince the carrier they damaged the product. That means the sooner you call, the better. You will have the freight carriers name and number on the packing slip. The freight carrier will make notes in their records that the boat was damaged and what type of damage there was. They should send out a claims adjuster to inspect the product and packaging. Make sure to leave the containers and packing materials as they were when you first discovered the damage. The product was fully insured during shipment, not necessarily after. We cannot insure the products after you sign for it as good. However you can call your homeowners insurance policy holder and add the boat and liability on the boat for around an average of $20 per $1000 dollars worth of product per year. We recommend you do this the day you receive your boat to cover any problems you may have.
2. Contact DirectBoats.com at 229-924-8155 or e-mail us at directboatsservice@gmail.com. We will need the name that your order was placed in or the order number. We will make notes in our systems here. We will also need to know what kind of damage was done to the boat. Always remember all of our shipments are fully insured.
3. Take pictures of the boat and the packing materials. Then send the pictures to directboatsservice@gmail.com. We will look at the pictures to see if the boat can be repaired or needs to be replaced and if the factory will warranty the product or not. This info is to be used in your claim.
4. We will then provide you with the information that you will need to file a claim for the damaged boat. Once you have this information, you will need to call the freight carrier and start the process of a claim. There will be a claim form that you will fill out. The claim form should be completed and sent to the carrier along with the Bill of Lading, delivery receipt and product invoice. Any supplemental documentation that is obtained, like pictures of the damages or inspection forms, should be included as well. Once the freight carrier has received all of the information they need, they will start the claim. You will need to keep in contact with the freight carrier to be updated on the status of your claim.

*If you win the claim, the freight carrier will reimburse you directly for the damaged freight and will pick it up at that time. It usually takes four-to-six weeks for the claim process to finish.

*If you do not win the claim, that means the carrier thought you damaged the product after you signed for it as good, or there was not enough evidence that they damaged it. Many times customers, on the first days of use, damage the boat unknowingly by hitting sharp objects on the ground in unfamiliar waters. This is the very nature of boats. However, we want to get you back on the water. Just because you lose the claim you are not without a boat. There are many methods of repair available. Please ask us or the manufacturer for advice on the lowest cost and safest way to repair your boat. If your boat is not cost effectively repairable, you may want to contact your home owner’s insurance policy holder to file a claim with them.

WHAT IF MY ORDER IS DEFECTIVE?

If you believe that the product you purchased from us is defective in any way and you wish to return it, please contact us immediately. We will ask for photos of the product and a description of the malfunction. For example, if you receive an item and you believe that has been improperly manufactured, we will ask that you take photos of the item from every angle and photos of the defective area. We will also ask for a written description detailing in what way you believe the product is defective. We will ask for a copy and also ask that you forward it on to the manufacturer of the product. If the manufacturer finds reason to pick up the product and have it returned for inspection, they will coordinate that with you directly. Some warranties are such that customers are responsible to bring the product back to the factory for repair. However, we, nor the factory, will send out a replacement before the manufacturer’s final decision about the defect. If the manufacturer finds that the product is not defective, you will be held liable for all charges associated with its return to the manufacturer, including shipping back to you. If the manufacturer finds that the product is in fact defective, they will offer a repair or replacement according to their warranty and as soon as the manufacturer can have one ready to ship. 1st Direct Products, LLC (DirectBoats.com) is not responsible for product defects as we are not the manufacturers of any product, even if we are the exclusive seller of the product.

WHAT IF MY BOAT COMES LOOSE FROM MY TRAILER OR CAR AND KILLS SOMEONE?

We, of course, hope this would never happen and we don't know of an instance where it has. However, it is possible given the nature of boats strapped to cars and trailers. Even if we sell you the boat, motor, trailer and even the straps, it is still your responsibility to secure your boat properly with enough safety margin to keep this from happening. Make sure the straps you get are pulling down on the boat and they are of adequate weight capacity. Do not rely on the front boat winch to hold your boat. It is designed for pulling the boat up on the trailer from the water only. We usually will not sell the straps because we don't know what kind of extra weight or locations of gear you will add to your boat. (example coolers, camping gear etc...) Check your weight capacity rating on your front boat winch to make sure it is adequate to pull your loaded boat out of the water onto your trailer. If a strap or winch breaks, make sure there are enough backup straps to keep the boat from moving out of place. 1st Direct Products, LLC, is not responsible for how you strap your product to your vehicle.

WHAT IF MY TRAILER LOSES A PART WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD?

Some of our trailers come unassembled and you, the customer, will be responsible for assembling the trailer. Others come assembled. It is your responsibility to make sure all bolts and parts are properly tightened/secured to the trailer before driving it. Trailer bolts stretch over time so you will need to check them often. 1st Direct Products, LLC, is not held liable for trailer maintenance negligence.

WHAT IF PART OF MY ORDER IS MISSING UPON DELIVERY?

When your order arrives, please inspect it for damage and/or missing parts. For example, you ordered a pedal boat and a boat cover. If the boat cover is missing from the order upon delivery, please notate the missing part on the driver's delivery receipt. If you do not notate a missing part, the freight carrier will not compensate you for your loss. After signing the delivery receipt and notating the missing part of your order, please call 229-924-8155 and inform us that part of your order was missing.

HOW DO I REGISTER MY BOAT?

Follow this link to view generalized instructions Boat Registration Instructions


IS THIS PICTURE REAL? IT LOOKS FAKE.

We assure you that the images you encounter on DirectBoats.com accurately depict our products. While some images might have enhanced backgrounds or water settings, the boats themselves remain unaltered.

However, it's important to note that these enhancements could occasionally impact specific details, like the draft – the depth of the boat in the water – that is shown in the image. If you're interested in the true draft of a boat, we recommend contacting our sales team for precise information.

WHY ISN'T MY ITEM THE SAME COLOR SHOWN ON YOUR SITE?

We want to provide you with accurate expectations when it comes to color representation on our website. While we make every effort to showcase our products as realistically as possible, there are instances where the actual colors may differ slightly from what you see on our site. This variance can occur due to factors such as your computer's graphics card or monitor settings.

Moreover, it's worth noting that in some cases, images may be altered in Photoshop to display different color variations. As a result, the colors you see might not precisely match the exact shade that appears. We want you to be aware of this possibility while browsing our products.

For more information please refer to our disclaimer.

WHAT IF I JUST DON'T LIKE IT?

1st Direct Products wants you to be satisfied with your purchase. Most manufacturers offer a 7 day period in which you can decide if you are happy with your purchase. Some items are not returnable. Items such as customizable boats, inflatable boats and outboard motors are not returnable for any reason. Give your salesman a call if you have any questions concerning this. If you are unhappy with your purchase, and the product is undamaged, for a 15%-50% restocking fee and freight costs, you can return the product. Rewrap it in the original packaging and call for return instructions.

WHAT ABOUT MISPRINTS?

Misprints sometimes happen, especially during the Fall when model year changes effect every product in the site. Misprints are unintentional and subject to change. If you suspect something is not correct on the site, be it price or description, please let us know.

For more information please refer to our disclaimer.

WHAT IF I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH 1ST DIRECT PRODUCTS, LLC, AND WANT TO TAKE MY PROBLEMS TO COURT?

All legal matters must be brought to Sumter County, Georgia, United States of America.

For more information please refer to our disclaimer.

WILL MY CALL TO YOU BE MONITORED?

Please know that your calls may be monitored and/or recorded for training purposes.

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU:

At 1st Direct Products we understand that problems occasionally occur with orders and deliveries. Our commitment is to provide the best, hassle-free resolution if such problems occur. Your experience with 1st Direct Products should always prove just how much we value your business and your time.

ENFORCEMENT OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS

BY ACCESSING AND USING THE 1ST DIRECT PRODUCTS, LLC, WEBSITES, YOU AGREE THAT YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THIS WEBSITE IS SUBJECT TO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, AS WELL AS ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, AS GOVERNED AND INTERPRETED PURSUANT TO THE LAWS OF SUMTER COUNTY IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Directboats@yahoo.com

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