No one can ever anticipate all the questions with all the answers, but we try to answer the most common and obvious.  So here we go, (in alphabetical order by key phrase), with each having a "short" and a "long" answers.  These answers constitute our Official Terms and Conditions of Sale via the Internet.

Can I get an open account instead of using a credit card?
Short: No.
Long: No.  In some cases where credit card payment is not practical for government agencies, we may consider open accounts with institutional purchase orders and excellent credit references.  Even though the credit card fee we pay takes a big bite, all things considered our interests and yours are best served by you using a credit card for web purchases.  Credit checks and appropriate protective measures at our end are costly and risky for distant customers and with the state of health care, we aren't looking to assume new credit risks.

What kind of acknowledgements will I receive on my order?
Short: Via e-mail, 1) acknowledgement of order, 2) confirmation of items to ship, 3) UPS shipment tracking information.
Long: First, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt of the order, indicating the items we show as ordered and the price.  Upon our confirmation of that order with stock availability, you will receive a confirmation of the order, indicating items that will be shipped and/or backordered.  Backordered items can be cancelled within 48 hours if you don't want to wait.  This confirmation should generally be received within 3-4 working hours after acknowledgement.  Finally, after shipment is made, by UPS unless otherwise requested, usually the following morning, you will receive package tracking information.

Why doesn't Grogan's take American Express for payment?
Short:  They charge more than VISA, Mastercard, and Discover.
Long: At our card volume, which is substantial but not close to that of large mass merchandisers, AMEX just won't get their rate close to those the other guys charge.

What is the availability of products?
Short: As advertised on our web site.
Long: With the wide range of products offered, there are various restrictions that may make it impossible to make all of our products available to you.  In addition to certain items that require dispensing by a licensed pharmacist or that require a doctor's order, some states impose additional restrictions on sales into their states and there may be other regulatory requirements that affect our ability to sell and deliver to you.  So, the offering of any product on this web site does not amount to a guarantee of availability.  Any orders for such restricted items will be held, pending verification as required by law before shipment.  Availability of any product is subject to change without notice so that we may assure compliance with all applicable laws.   See also "Drugs", "Prescriptions", and "Restricted Items" for additional information.

How does Grogan's handle backorders?
See answer under "stock item".

Can you ship to Canada?
Short: Yes.
Long: Yes we will ship to Canada via UPS.  A phone number is required for customs.

What is subject to change?
Well, pretty much anything, as long as we advise you of the change and give you a chance to cancel your order, though it rarely happens.  We try to ensure pricing accuracy at all times, but there are some factors beyond our complete control (like product shortages and various errors).  If we can honor advertised prices without losing too much money, we do, but there are times when we may have to advise an inability to honor a price.  There are also times when shipping charges may seem unusually high (very heavy items, plastic medication cups, soaps, liquids, etc.) and our attempts to estimate them may be inadequate.  In those cases, any final shipping charges will be consistent with the weight, zone charts and level of service as published by UPS.

Does Grogan's take checks for payment?
Short: Yes, if received and cleared in advance of our shipment.
Long: Sure, if you don't mind waiting a lot longer for the product that just may change your life.

Can Grogan's ship out orders COD?
Short: Yes, via UPS.
Long: UPS is our only method to send an order out COD and they only accept cashier's checks or money orders for payment. We cannot ship COD to anywhere outside the continental United States.

Can customers rely on Grogan's maintaining confidentiality and discretion?
Short: Yes.
Long: At times, serious medical products that address personal health conditions may sound unusual.  The personal nature of many normal bodily functions, and the related nature of technological approaches to supplementing loss of that normal function may seem embarrassing on occasion.  Our staff is accustomed to discreetly working with these items and answering any questions you may have about how they work and how they may or may not be able to help you.  Also, in addition to being subject to emerging privacy standards for all medical information of our customers, we view our relationship as to other professionals.  That is, your purchase history is between you and Grogan's only.

Does Grogan's take Credit Cards for payment?
Short: Yes.
Long:  Yes, if the shipping address matches up with your card's billing address.  There as many crooked buyers of Internet goods than sellers, it seems, and we have been burned before and are trying to avoid it in the future.

How do you get directions to the Grogan's location?
Short: Check out the directions from north, south, east, west on our web site.
Long: Drive in to Lexington, and ask somebody - we have been around for forty years and most from this area know where we are, or at least where Broadway at Virginia is.

Does Grogan's sell drugs?
Short:  Yes, but only non-controlled items (injectables primarily) to licensed professional buyers, not to the general public.
Long: We are not a pharmacy, but do sell some items to authorized buyers in some states (not all states) with proper documentation (pharmacy or medical license for example).  We also sell items to consumers that are not legend drugs, but may require a "doctor's order".  See answers also under "Restricted Items" and "Prescriptions".

Who is or was Grogan?
Short: The name of the founders in 1960, and still the name of the current President.
Long: Irish surname of Lynn, Senior and Lynn, Junior, the father/son team that started the company in 1960.  Sorry, not related to famous New England quarterback, Steve Grogan, at least far as anyone here knows.  Also not related to the Manson family member who was a Grogan. 

What about Medicare or Insurance?
Short: All Internet orders are considered to be private-pay, non-covered orders, so no processing of insurance forms will be done.  Customers may take their order documentation and pursue reimbursement as they choose.  Medicare supplier standards do not apply to Internet orders.
Long: Subject to many restrictions and limits, some "walk-in" transactions may be subject to coverage from Medicare or insurance companies.  Our preference is to handle transactions as private-pay sales and assist the customer where practical in gaining reimbursement.

Does Grogan's sell internationally?
Short: Yes and no.  We do in certain, limited situations, but not actively.
Long: The international healthcare supply business is quite different from domestic. Many of our manufacturer/suppliers have licensed, franchised, or exclusive selling channels and prohibit us from selling their products internationally.  International wholesale or "institutional" pricing can vary greatly from our domestic pricing structures, not unlike those found in the pharmaceutical business (yes, items are often sold at lower prices offshore than in the good ole US of A).  Shipping, taxation, customs, and tariff situations are all somewhat unique outside the US.  If the products you are interested in are not subject to restrictions (from the manufacturer or other regulation), and if you know and accept what it will cost for shipping the product and find the pricing acceptable, then by all means, order and we will ship it.  Any items that cannot be sold internationally will be noted on order documentation. 

If you think you have an "in" with some country's medical procurement system, chances are you are dreaming.  We will not price your supply list, and we will not do product research and quotations on speculation.  We have been down that road and it is a waste of everyone's time.  On the other hand, we are healthcare product specialists in the United States and are very experienced in comparing brands, analyzing product needs, understanding prevailing pricing structures, and finding the best manufacturing sources.  We will entertain consulting relationships where we are paid by the hour for that product expertise.  Depending upon the personnel that is required, we charge between $70 and $100 per hour for these services.  Billing and payment for 10-hour blocks of time would be required prior to work commencing.  Many or even all of these charges may be refundable in connection with actual orders placed should it be determined that Grogan's Healthcare Supply is a competitive source of supply.  Should you have interest in contracting for these services, detail your interests and we can prepare a consulting proposal.  We have found that having to put down money up front tends to spell "reality check" for those that think they are tight with the Minister of Health in some foreign country.

Can I invest in Grogan's because they seem to be such a cool company?
Short: No.  Grogan's is a privately held corporation.
Long: No. But, if you think we should go public and you want to fund such a process, we will talk.

Does Grogan's have any job openings?
Short: We always are looking to complement our existing staff with people having valuable and closely related experience in healthcare distribution.  Resumes are encouraged and will be reviewed - we promise.
Long: Many of our most valuable staff members were not hired as a result of a "job opening" but because, at the time, their particular talents seemed to suggest they could pay their own way.  There are not that many people across the US that have direct experience in medical distribution, though there are many more with drug company, hospital, or vaguely related healthcare backgrounds.  As a smaller company, there are obstacles in hiring with relocation necessary, so where you wish to live may be an obstacle to full consideration of your talents.  Timing and relevance is everything in our hiring decisions.

What about Medicare or Insurance?
See answer under "insurance".

Is there a minimum order that I must place?
Short: Yes, $15
Long:  Yes, $15.  You will have the option when checking out to continue shopping to add additional merchandise, cancel the order, or authorize Grogan's to charge you the difference between what you ordered and $15. 

Will Grogan's negotiate the price?
Short:  Won't just about everyone?
Long: Yes, with a big "BUT".  Our "but" relates to the potential to reduce our normal expenses in processing your order.  As a seller to both individuals with healthcare problems and large contracted institutional healthcare providers, we already have pricing structures that are very complex and may vary considerably on some items.  Our prices are already "discounted", so no arbitrary discounts are available (no seniors or non-profit discounts, since a majority of our customers are either seniors, non-profit organizations, or others needing discounts). Prices can get lower under some predictable circumstances:  large individual orders, large long-term commitments to buy, reduction in our selling or processing costs.  We are happy to address your specific products needs on a very competitive basis, if you can detail those needs (item identification, quantity, timeframe, etc.).  At the same time, even for the routine items in small quantity, we pride ourselves on being competitively priced.  We conduct a lot of pricing research among our bricks/mortar as well as Internet competitors in order to verify our competitiveness.  As long as we are comparing the proverbial "apples" to "apples", we want to know when or if we aren't competitive.  In some cases, we may be able to point out the variance in what the competitor is offering compared to what we offer.  In other cases, we may adjust some of our prices.  In other cases, we may just scratch our heads because we don't want to compete with companies that are in the process or going out of business, but just haven't figured that out yet.

How is my order confirmed?
See answer under "Acknowledgement".

Will you ship to a P.O. Box?
Short: No. UPS is unable to ship to a P.O. Box.
Long: Yes, only if the shipment has been prearranged with one of our customer service staff. There are only a few situations where we will do this and we charge an upcharge of 40% over the US Mail rate to ship this method.

What payment methods does Grogan's accept?
Short: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Check, Money Order, and Cashier's Check
Long: Credit cards are preferred and are the easiest to process, please see additional information under Credit Cards.  Checks are accepted if received and cleared in advance of shipment. Money orders and cashier's checks are fine if received in advance of shipment, and are the only accepted payment method on UPS COD orders.

What are Grogan's Policies & Terms of Sale?
Short: Everything you see on this page.
Long: Everything you see on this page.

Do I need a prescription?
Short:  Technically, no, because we aren't a pharmacy and can't fill a prescription.
Long: However, for some items that specify sale "by or on order of a physician", we must have evidence of such an order.  Also, if you seek reimbursement from Medicare or other insurance, you may need an order to demonstrate medical necessity, but not necessarily to order the items from Grogan's.  If you order an item that is restricted in some way, we will contact you requesting the additional information.  Also see the answer under "drugs" and "availability".

Will Grogan's negotiate the price?
See answer under "negotiate".

What is Grogan's privacy policy?
Short: We value our own privacy and have extreme distaste for those that sell personal information to other businesses without express approval.  Your information is not shared with any other entity and we cannot imagine circumstances that would cause us to even request the rights to share your information with others.
Long: Ditto.

What if I have received my order and there's a problem with it?
Short: Let us know immediately if something is wrong with your order.
Long: Call our customer service department at 1-800-365-1020, or email the situation to our webmaster at customerservice@grogans.com

How do I get Grogan's to buy stuff from me to resell?
Short: Go to our "Vendor Information" pages, review all the philosophical and procedural information to see if there is common ground and then send us some information.  We tend to look closely at unsolicited product information.
Long: While we do spend a lot of time evaluating product lines for their potential, anything must "fit" in many ways: product and customer fit (related product that is needed by current customer types), philosophical fit (no network marketed junk, no items that are on the shelf at Bulk-Mart), financial fit (are our resources likely to make the product successful, is the return on our investment to sell a good return on our effort?), and the reality check test (we have learned from experience that we aren't any better than the next guy at making a silk purse out of a sow's ear - we aren't going to break down any significant clinical barriers or sell a product that is priced beyond its value).  Go back and read again our guidelines and approaches for deciding about new product lines in "Vendor Information".

Does Grogan's sell "restricted items"?
Short: Yes, subject to federal and state rules.
Long: We have items that are technically "legend drugs" that we can only sell to pharmacies, hospitals, licensed drug wholesalers, and licensed practitioners (physicians primarily) in some states.  Because we are not a pharmacy, we cannot sell these items to end-users even when they have a prescription.  These items include injectable medications (vaccines, etc.) IV fluids, IV administration sets and irrigation fluids (oddly, sterile water is a legend drug).  Some other items we have are not "legend drugs" but may require a "doctor's order", and we are able to provide such items in some states upon verification of your doctor's order (support hose, urological catheters, etc.)

Can I return what I buy?
Short:  Maybe, but it will cost you.
Long: Under-utilized product resources across the "supply chain" are a tremendous drain. Grogan's attempts to re-allocate these resources for the benefit of all parties.  Except for obvious product defects or Grogan's errors, accepted returns will cost you the shipping both ways plus a reasonable restocking charge.  Returns will not be accepted for special order merchandise, custom or personalized items, expired or old merchandise, opened boxes, items without original packaging, obsolete or otherwise unsellable merchandise.  With that rigid policy stated, we will also say our goal is not to make money on returns - just not to lose money.  Bulk-Mart and similar organizations have taught a whole generation of consumers that it is OK to buy three sizes and bring two back rather than take the time to try them on in the store.  That may get customer satisfaction, but it is very wasteful and costly.  For items customers wish to return, we will make every effort to be of assistance in moving the product to where it is of value, rather than leaving it to rot in your garage or warehouse.  Provided you are willing to accept less than 100% reimbursement, we will work with you to minimize the losses for all parties - you, us, and our manufacturer suppliers.

Does Grogan's charge sales tax?
Short: We charge 6% sales tax on taxable items to Kentucky taxable customers and 5% to all Indiana residents.
Long: Are you sure you want to get us started on sales tax?

Kentucky, like many other states, exempts certain prescribed medical products like wheelchairs and crutches, diabetic, and ostomy supplies from the 6% sales and usage tax.  These exempt items are a poorly defined lot, since the Kentucky Revenue Cabinets thinks perpetuating confusion is somehow to their benefit. 

Across the U.S., state revenue departments are desperately trying to figure out how to stop the bleeding from Internet sales.  For many suppliers, the costs of collecting and paying every state's sales tax would make it prohibitive to conduct business - should they ever be required to do so.  For the time being, laws of "nexus" prevent Oregon (for example) from demanding that Grogan's collects sales tax from our Oregon customers and pay it into the Oregonian coffers.  The end of the Internet tax moratorium is here, though, and there are multi-state coalitions of tax collectors promising to "simplify" the tax codes to make it more practical to require Internet and other remote sellers.  We tend to be skeptical of governments' abilities to simplify anything and are concerned about the shape of our sales tax future.  For that reason, we have come up with what we believe is the best possible balancing of the interests and rights of all parties.  We call it the "1099-Sales Tax" that would require vendors to supply lists to each state annually showing name, address, and amounts purchased, leaving it to the state and their citizenry to fight it out from there.  For a more detailed discussion of our proposal (which honestly hasn't exactly "caught fire" yet), go to our soapbox section.

Does Grogan's charge shipping charges?
Short:  Sure, and we call it shipping and don't just crank it into the price. And, we don't pad shipping charges with exorbitant "handling" charges that in reality is the profit we need to stay in business.
Long: Anybody who thinks shipping is ever "free", please stand up. As long as it costs us to ship your order, you are going to pay it one way or another.  We prefer to price our products and services on an "ala carte" basis, not like a modified smorgasbord.  We want our customers to pay for what they get, but not pay for more than they get.  We think the best way to do that is with honesty in pricing obtained by pricing the product fairly, then charging the actual amount of shipping charges we incur.  If you make a change of address with FedEx directly after the shipment has left our warehouse - you will be charged a fee for that change ($5 ground - $10 air packages).  You may visit the FedEx website to get an idea of what shipping rates might be.  Use 40504 as the starting zip for rate calculation.

How does Grogan's ship orders?
Short: Almost all Internet orders will be shipped via FedEx, unless some other method is reqested for very specific reasons.
Long: Locally, we use our own trucks for most routine Kentucky orders, with FedEx used for non-routine and outside KY orders.

How does Grogan's Internet price compare to the "showroom" price if you walk in?
Short: On some items the Internet price will be somewhat, but not dramatically, lower than the price you would pay if you walk in our showroom and buy the same item.
Long: Some Internet prices may be lower for two primary reasons: 1) there are lower selling costs when you "serve yourself" via the Internet compared to having someone consult with you about your needs, show you various possible solutions, answer questions about insurance, perhaps fit or adjust the item and show you how to use it, and 2) Internet sales are considered private-pay, cash sales and avoid the tremendous additional burden of insurance and Medicare considerations.  Sadly, Medicare and insurance rules tend to penalize those that discount products and those rules provide incentives to keep prices at or above the Medicare allowable.  While many Medicare allowables are too low, some are very high and result in a downward spiral of product development at ever-lower costs in order to maximize profits for suppliers.  But the problems of Medicare are legend and beyond the scope of this answer for the moment.   The point is that by avoiding the red tape associated with Medicare and insurance requirements, we can actually sell for less. For additional information, see also the answer under "Insurance".

What does stock item mean?
Short: It means that under normal circumstances, we try to keep that particular item in stock at all times.
Long: Just because the item is flagged as "stock" does not necessarily mean that the item is ready to ship at all times. If a customer bought all the existing inventory the hour before you ordered, we will not have any in stock to ship to you. It does mean that either product is already on order and on it's way to Grogan's to replenish our stock, or will be ordered very soon. Many items, because of the actual level of sales, may have only a few units stocked.  This is espeically true with ostomy, mastectomy, and other specialized items.  If you provide us with a email address we will inform you of any backorders at the time and let you decide whether keep the item on order, substitute with another like product, or cancel the item off. If the product you ordered is not a "stock item", we do not have that product in our inventory ready to ship. Grogan's will in turn place an order with the manufacturer for that item. These orders are usually billed in advance and will be shipped out whenever they arrive. We will notify you via email on the estimated date of arrival for the order.

Does Grogan's subscribe to any Internet business standards?
Short: No, not presently.
Long: So far, all that we have seen in the standards area are for-profit programs to attach somebody's "Seal of Approval" to a web site to get around the threat of getting scammed and make Internet consumers sleep better.  We have tried to convey our credibility with information about our business and not arbitrary standards that may or may not really protect you.  On many web sites, you can't find a real address, a real face, or a real name.  We have each of those plastered all over our site, along with real testimonials from real customers.  Have we made every customer we have ever had completely satisfied?  No way.  Is the customer always right?  No way, not in the very difficult areas we deal in that relate to personal medical conditions and third party payments.  Have we tried to make every reasonable accommodation of our customers requests when they were less than fully satisfied?  Absolutely.  Is this a provable claim?  Probably not in advance of your buying from us. Is there some objective form of demonstrating reliability?  If there is, we would love to hear about it.

Can I get the tracking number to my order?
Short: Yes.
Long: Yes, if you supply us with an valid email address on the order, we will send the tracking information on the morning following the day the order was shipped.  Or you can call in to our customer service department and they can track the package for you or supply you with the tracking number.

What are the product warranties?
Short: Whatever the individual manufacturer provides.
Long: In dealing with over 600 different manufacturers of items ranging from cottonballs to hematology analyzers, it is difficult to generalize.  Most products have implied warranties of fitness and freedom from defects.  Most products also have specific warranty intervals ranging from 6 months to 3 years.  Most warranties cover parts but not the repair labor to replace those parts.  Grogan's does select our vendors in large part based upon the serviceability and reliability of the product and the vendor's prompt attention to unforeseen quality or performance problems. Grogan's does have an in-house service department that performs many levels of maintenance and repair.  We are able to successfully advocate our customer's position with most of our manufacturers.  We will gladly attempt to address warranty questions on specific items or categories as you proceed with your buying decisions.

Grogan's sure sells some weird stuff - is this on the up-and-up?
Short:  Yes. 
Long: All items we sell have been designed for specific health conditions.  While there may be items that at times do not represent absolute consensus about clinical effectiveness, we tend to stay away from the more mystical (yet occasionally effective) remedies available through some alternative healthcare suppliers.  Many items require prescriptions that their less healthcare-mainstream "equivalents" may not require, as a result of ensuring optimum insurance coverage and insulation from legal liability when products may be used improperly.  If you have any questions about clinical issues, please let us know and we will make every attempt to obtain answers.