Ordering Online Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Top Online Ordering Questions
Who can place orders on your site?
Most items on our site are available for purchase by all visitors and not limited to educational institutions or science-related industry.
The exception is restricted items, which generally include chemicals, live animals, bacteria and syringes. Most restricted items are regulated by government agencies, so we are not able to offer these items to individuals and most businesses at the current time. The online purchase of these items is currently restricted to educators and educational institutions.
If you are interested in a restricted item and do not meet these general guidelines, you can contact our customer service department via email at customer_service@wardsci.com or 1-800-962-2660 for more information.
Return to the top
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express and purchase orders. Additional payment options are evaluated and considered based on customer needs.
Return to the top
Can I create a wish list or save items for later?
The site does not have a dedicated ‘wish list’ feature, but you are able to save the contents of your shopping cart for a future visit by using the Save Cart feature. To utilize this functionality, click the Save Cart button on the shopping cart page once you are ready to save your cart. You will be then asked to log in (or create an account, if you don’t have one) to save your current cart. Note: You are also able to save multiple carts to your account.
To view your saved carts later, simply return to the site, click on My Account, then Saved Carts and log in. Once you log in, you can select your cart from the list. The saved cart will give you a few options to select from:
- Make Cart Active: This will make the saved cart active again. Note: it will delete anything currently in your cart.
- Append Cart: This option allows you to add these saved items to your cart in addition to anything else currently in your cart.
- Delete Cart: deletes you cart!
- Email Cart to Someone: This is a great feature if you need approval or want to send the cart to someone else as an FYI. Simply add email addresses and click Send Cart. The recipient(s) will get a link to view your saved cart.
Return to the top
How do I order online using a purchase order?
I already have a purchase order
If you already have a purchase order number from your school or district, you may enter that number in the appropriate payment method section when you check out. Once your order has been submitted online, you’ll need to fax your purchase order to: 1-800-962-2660. Please reference the online order number given to you during the check out process.
I do not have a purchase order yet
If you do not have a purchase order yet, you can add your items to the shopping cart and utilize the Save Cart feature to save your items for a future visit. Once you get a purchase order from your school or disrict, you can return to the site, activate the cart and check out as mentioned in the ‘I already have a purchase order’ section above. See the Save Cart FAQ for more information on saving and re-activating saved carts.
Need to send your order to someone for approval or feedback first?
If you need to send your order to someone first, the Save Cart feature can help. The Save Cart feature also gives you the opportunity to email saved carts to individual email addresses, which makes it easier to gain approval from supervisors, department heads or get feedback from co-workers. See the Save Cart FAQ for more information on saving carts and using the email feature.
Return to the top
How do international customers place orders online?
International customers (customers with shipping and/or billing addresses outside the United States) have a couple options, depending on where you live:
Canada
Canadian customers can place orders on Wardsci.ca. This site provides visitors with Canadian prices, as well as a direct connection to our team in St. Catherines, Ontario. Canadian customer service can be reached via email at wardsltd@wardsci.com or 1-800-387-7822.
Outside the United States or Canada
All other international orders are considered to be a request for quote. Once your request has been placed online, an international customer service representative will be in touch to discuss your needs.
International customers can use an international version of Wardsci.com to submit a quote request online. The international version sends quote requests directly to the international customer service team.
You may also contact the international order department via email at international@wardsci.com or 1-585-321-9104.
Return to the top
How do I print my order? (For submitting orders to your school or for ordering via standard mail or fax.)
To print your order, simply click on the Print Order/Print Cart button in the upper right hand corner of the site. A window will pop up with a text-formatted version of your order, suitable for printing from your browser.
Return to the top
How do I apply a promo code to my order?
In many cases, promo codes are automatically applied to your order when you follow links from advertisements or our email newsletters. However, you are also able to add a promo code to your order on the shopping cart page or the final step of our checkout process. Simply enter the code you received and click the Revise Offer button.
If you feel your promotion code was not applied correctly, please reference the promotion code in the Comments section found on the final page of the checkout.
Please note: There is a limit of one promo code per order. Entering more than one promo code will simply overwrite the previous promo code and apply the latest benefits. To return to the previous discount or offer, simply enter that promo code again.
Return to the top
How can I tell if something is in stock?
Generally, if there is no additional messaging on the product page (in the area where you add the item to your cart), the item is in stock. We do update the inventory status regularly, but please be aware that some low-stock items may go out of stock between web updates due to offline (phone or fax) orders. We do make every effort to refill stock and quickly fill backorders.
Stock messaging currently includes:
- This item is currently out of stock. This means the item is temporarily out of stock. We will continue to carry the item and are currently working to add inventory.
- This item is no longer available. This message means the item will no longer be carried in our catalog. We apologize for any inconvenience!
Return to the top
What do 
and 
mean on product pages?
The lock icon () means the item is restricted to educational institutions or businesses that have the necessary paperwork or licenses. These products are not usually available for purchase by individuals. If you have questions on the requirements, please contact customer service via email at customer_service@wardsci.com or 1-800-962-2660 for more information.
The potted plant icon () means the product is live and that you will need to provide a ship date for that product once you are ready to check out. To add a ship date, simply click on the ship date link under the appropriate product in your shopping cart. A pop-up window will give you the opportunity to add a ship date, as well as some tips on choosing a date.
Return to the top
