Terms

Terms of Sales

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Storage, Shipping & Re-Stocking Fees, Refunds

Monthly Storage Fees are 5% of the unpaid balance with a minimum charge of $100.00. per incident. No exceptions unless agreed upon in advance on the invoice.

Storage fees apply to Repair Items, Custom Guitars & Specially Ordered Items that are not picked up within a reasonable amount of time.

We are reasonable & lenient and in cases of hardship we will usually grant extended periods for customers to retrieve their belongings.
When it becomes apparent that the customer is unreasonable in any way. We will hold the customer to our terms.
Re-Stocking Charges 25% Plus Credit Card Fees & Any Applicable Shipping !!!!!!!!!!

Most Companies Today Charge Horrendous Re-Stocking Charges, We Rarely Charge Restocking Charges Unless The Product Was Actually Reordered.

If it is possible to still cancel the re-order we will gladly waive the restocking charge.
We only charge you if we have to pay.

Refunds are handled by management, If you have purchased a product that is unsatisfactory we will gladly refund your money. We realize that in the mail-order business you cannot try a guitar before you buy it.

We Will Not Refund your money if you do not call ahead & clear it with management before shipping.
We Will Not Refund your money if the guitar has been modified by you or by us per your instructions !!
We Will Not Refund your money if you have tried the guitar out before you purchased it !
We Will Not Refund your money if you have custom ordered this guitar or we are custom building something to your specifications !!!!

We Will Not Refund your money if you have had the guitar in your possession for more than 3 days.
There can be exceptions when there are holidays or weekends involved !!!

Some companies like Rickenbacker, Rennaissance, Turner, McPherson, Fillmore, Electroline, Gibson, will not ever let us cancel an order. In fact Rickenbacker will cancel your dealership if you place an order then cancel.
We try to work as closely as possible with our customers to make them happy but some of the vendors create difficulty when trying to make returns.

We cannot ever do a refund on a custom instrument due to the fact that we are following the customers specifications and 99% of the time the instrument is un-saleable because it is custom.

Layaways are non refundable & special orders are only cancelable when permitted by our vendor.

On disputed charge backs the customer must bear all costs of collection and legal costs associated with any collection proceeding or lawsuit due to credit card chargeback or non payment of invoice, delinquent accounts etc etc.

Best Ways To Pay

Direct Deposit

By far the best way to do a transaction today.
This way no credit card company or undeserving Individual can profit from the transaction.

We now have an account with Bank Of America which is absolutely everywhere in the USA. We do not normally deal with Bank Of America, We opened the account to make it easier for our customers to make their payments to us.

We prefer that you would use US Bank, Unfortunately US BANK does not have offices in every city. If you do not have a US BANK in your area you can simply go to Bank Of America or wire transfer the amount. US Bank covers about 65% of the USA.

It's too simple, just make a deposit into our bank account in your home city. This avoids our 5% credit card charge.

click here for all pertinent direct deposit information.

click here for all pertinent wire transfer information.

Personal Checks

If you are doing business by mail we still accept personal checks.

I strongly urge you to pay by bank check or money order unless you are putting a deposit on a custom job or special ordering an item. If you put a deposit on something with a personal check it doesn't matter, BUT if you are ordering something from my inventory and want it shipped as soon as possible, I strongly recommend a bank check or money order. Purchases made with personal checks will be held 15 days for clearing of the check.

No sales are canceled or refunded when personal checks are involved, unless the check is used for a deposit to order something, and it has not arrived.

The reason for this is because we have had numerous situations where we have removed the merchandise from inventory and placed it in Limbo. Other customers have tried to purchase the same item. We could not sell the guitar because it is technically on layaway waiting for your check to clear.

If you send in a personal check to order a guitar, say for example a Gibson Doubleneck EDS-1275, which I always try to stock anyway, and you change your mind for any reason, of course you are 100% entitled to a full refund. However, if you order any item from stock or special order a weird model or color or possibly include some weird features, that sale would be considered absolutely non refundable. We will of course try to help you sell off the guitar but there are no guarantees.

The Customer must bear all costs of collection and legal costs associated with any collection proceeding or lawsuit due to credit card chargeback or non payment of invoice, bad checks, theft delinquent accounts etc etc. Charged Back Credit Cards Are Grounds For Legal Suit.

Credit Cards

Currently we still accept old fashioned credit cards like Master Card & Visa . These credit card companies legally have the right to not only charge you for using their card. They also charge us up to 5% for accepting their card. They also charge us monthly fees and rentals on the credit card machines. You will lose the benefit of additional cash discounts when using a credit card. Cash is King, You can make your best deal using cash or checks.

I suggest sending a check to us instead of using the credit card. Using the credit card saves you a stamp and a couple of minutes to address an envelope and drop it in the mail. We will charge you an automatic 5% fee for using a credit card except on lower cost items under $300.00. Just think of all the interest you will save by just avoiding the credit card.

You can also use direct deposit to our account. If you have a US Bank or Bank Of America near you this is the cheapest and easiest way to send money.

Some Credit Card Sales may delay shipment until you fax us a special order form. The special order form must be signed and returned to us before we will ship. There are exceptions to that rule also but it depends on how well we know you and the item itself.

Returns

Returns are a necessary evil in the mail order business. We realize you want to try the guitar before you buy it. Ed Roman has been doing mail order guitar sales for over 40 years (Longer than anyone else in the entire industry). In fact Ed Roman started out as a mail order house and was the first in the entire industry to offer a catalog. Ed Roman was also the first in the industry to have a website 1994. this is why we do not need to pay Google for higher placement in the search engines. Our placement is high simply due to our longevity and to the fact that we have more content on our site than most all other companies.
If you purchase something in the store the return privilege is not applicable unless there is something negotiated in advance. The negotiated terms must be on your invoice.

When Ed Roman started, the original business plan was to be mail order only. So obviously returns are something of major importance. Over the years we have had all different types of liberal return policies that were often used to our disadvantage. For those reasons I have had to spell out our terms in detail.
I cannot and will not accept a guitar back from any customer if he does not return it to me in a timely manner. I believe that one or two days is plenty of time to decide if the guitar is acceptable or not. In the case of weekends and holidays I have taken guitars back after as many as 5 or 6 days but only in cases of weekends or holidays.

Our merchandise is always fresh and new as opposed to the big box stores selling dinged and trashed instruments. because we want to protect our good and repeat customers is the reason we must have returns in a prompt and timely fashion. (Sometimes we sell a dinged item but we always add additional discounts for our valuable customers)

You must get permission to return an item and you must have an RA number or the items will be refused at our shipping dock.

We will not be responsible for any freight costs back to us. All freight & credit card processing costs are always the responsibility of the buyer. These costs are not refundable.

In some cases guitars are shipped for a set price including freight, insurance and handling. In the event of a return the freight costs and or credit card processing costs will be backed out and the customer will be charged.

If any part of these terms sound foreboding be advised that in 35 years our problems have been on average of about 2 a year. Considering we ship between 3000 and 5000 guitars a year those are pretty good odds.

The Customer must bear all costs of collection and legal costs associated with any collection proceeding or lawsuit due to credit card chargeback or non payment of invoice, delinquent accounts etc etc.

If you don't like the guitar you ordered simply call within 48 hours for an RA#.

Collector Guitars or one of a kind guitars are not meant to be played
Therefore they are always non returnable unless agreed upon in writing before purchase

Be sure to pack all the items and put them in their original packaging.

If the Guitar is damaged or modified in any way it is not returnable.

If you take a guitar apart in any way the guitar is not returnable.

All returns must have an "RA number" or it will be refused at our receiving dock. In which case you may have to reship it to us.
There are no refunds on any custom ordered guitars ever !!!!
All returns must be insured for at least the full amount of the purchase price.
We will not accept a return on any guitar purchased without a case. Mail order or local.
No Case, No Return, No Exceptions !!!!!!!!!
We do not accept returns on guitars that have been modified in any way.
Even if we did the modification for you.
We will not accept any returns on any item that was put on layaway.
All items put on layaway are final sales and will be treated as such.
We will not accept returns when there are trades involved.
We will not accept returns on guitars that have had compensated nuts or any aftermarket tuning systems in them. Buzz Feiten, Earvana etc etc.
We will not accept returns when the purchased guitar is a consignment guitar.
We do not accept returns on collector guitars, unplayed limited editions that are not meant to be played.
We will not accept returns when a guitar is sold as a new un- played collector model guitar or if the guitar is sold as an art piece.
We will not accept returns in cases where the customer has tried the guitar in question in the store!
We will not accept returns on Closeout Models, Discontinued Models or Closeout Sale Items,
We will not accept returns on items that are sold on our yearly Spring Scratch & Dent Sale or if the items appear on the blowout sale page in any way.
All warranties on non returnable items will always be fully honored.
Closeout means Final Sale, No Exceptions.

Closeout items can possibly be new or used, if they are new, the manufacturer's warranty will be honored directly by the manufacturer. Sometimes closeout items will have small blemishes, dings or slight scratches. (Strictly Cosmetic). We cannot keep track of every item in the shop, We cannot be expected to remember every minor cosmetic blem. The very fact that the price of these items has been marked down radically should make up for any cosmetic blem or ding. Closeout Means Final Sale, No Exceptions.

The above laundry list of non returnable situations, are usually fairly resolved between both parties. If you are unhappy with your purchase, I will review each situation and give you some options. I will do my best to make sure that you are happy with your guitar. It is to my benefit to go the extra mile to keep a good customer happy.

Ed Roman

Parts Sales & Custom Orders

Like in store sales, Parts Sales & Custom orders are never ever refundable, even if the item does not fit !!!!
even if you are one of our best customers !!! (In Case of Defect Manufacturer Warranty Applies)

It is highly suggested that you take advantage of our liberal no charge matching service.

For example if you want to be sure the item is the right item, We will need the corresponding part to match it up. For example if you want to buy a neck and you are not exactly certain if it will fit, just send us the body. We will match it up for size, scale & neck angle. This will result in a perfect fit and a more stable guitar. My staff or myself will always go the extra mile to make sure you get the right part the first time.

There are absolutely no parts returns or refunds on any custom made instrument ever under any circumstances unless it has been notated on your invoice and signed off on by Ed Roman himself.

The salesperson does not necessarily have the power to accept a return. However management will usually agree with whatever the salesman decides except in rare cases. The management reserves the right to over rule the salesman's decision !!

The customer must bear all costs of collection and legal costs associated with any collection proceeding or lawsuit due to credit card chargeback or non payment of invoice, delinquent accounts etc etc.

Layaway

Layaway sales require a deposit of at least 20% of the total purchase price up front and the balance paid in full within 60 days. These terms are negotiable, but must be in writing on the invoice.

Delinquent layaway sales incur a two percent a month fee (on the unpaid balance) unless fee is waived in writing.

Fee is due on the first day of the month 2 months after the deposit. For example, a layaway that is held for 13 days over is liable for 1 month fee, a layaway that is held for 34 days is liable for a 2 month fee, etc. To keep current on all layaway deals the 2% payment is expected monthly. If the 2% is 15 days late, you forfeit all deposits and all layaway fees, unless agreed upon differently in writing. These rules have to be strict or we cannot offer layaways.

Due to the fact that Ed Roman guitars is holding merchandise for an undetermined amount of time. Negates any returns or refunds. All layaway sales are absolutely non refundable for any reason.

Wire Transfers

Please click here for all pertinent wire transfer information.

Trade-In's (Ed Roman Loves Trade-In's)

Trade-In's are a great way to stretch your dollars, We have taken Guns, Stamp Collections, Motorcycles, Memorabilia, Compound Bows, ATV's, High Quality Knife Collections, Scuba Gear and all kinds of objects of intrinsic value. (Cool Toys)

We allow liberal trade-in value for quality guitars, I am always looking for old Dean's, Bean's Hamer's and Kramer's. I purchase guitars like Mouradian, Steinberger, Bond, Blade, USA BC Rich, Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Jackson, Grosh, Abel Axe, Turner, Early McNaught (before serial # 217), Bolt-on 24-fret PRS Guitars, Alembics, Oasis, Moonstone, , Messenger, Veleno, Zemaitis, and any other oddball high quality guitar.

Naturally we also take in Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, etc...

Trade-In Terms

All sales that involve trades are final. It is simply impossible to do refunds when a trade is involved.

The bill of sale is strictly for shipping and insurance purposes. Sometimes agreed upon replacement values need to be established with insurance companies which we recognize as valid in the case of sentimental or artificially hyped up values.

In cases where a pricing problem arises Ed Roman Guitars will allow payment of 10% higher than the Orion Blue Book of Guitars & Musical Instruments.

Ed Roman Guitars usually does not deal in Vintage guitars, or antique guitars. Ed Roman Guitars does not in itself recognize sentimental or artificially hyped up values.

Ed Roman Guitars will provide you with a bill of sale that reads the full list price if you request it. However, I repeat, do not misconstrue the amount on the invoice as being the actual value of the trade in.

The customary & normal everyday professional discount is 30 to 40% off of the original list price or lower if the item is a second or used. These are the absolute highest values we recognize in a sale whether we are buying an instrument or selling one.

Sales Tax Savings

7. 75 % Nevada residents.

California and other out of state residents can save a large amount of money simply by having us ship their merchandise for them.

Sales to anyone outside of Nevada are not subject to a state sales tax. All transactions must be done by phone and all merchandise must be shipped by Common Carrier (UPS, FedEx, Trucking companies etc...).

Note to international customers:
In the USA the posted price of merchandise does not include sales taxes. Taxes are applied at the time of purchase and increase the total charge by the sales tax rate. Therefore, if something is tax-free in the USA, it is sold at the posted price. It is not discounted by the tax rate.
Rest assured foreign customers will never have to pay our state sales tax.

Custom Guitars Built To Order

There are no refunds on any custom ordered guitars ever !!!!

It is very important that you adhere to 3 rules:

1. Do not discuss your custom guitar in detail with a salesperson until you are ready to go forward. This eliminates the possibility of mistakes based on earlier conversations. For example, I once had a long discussion with a potential customer about building him a left handed bass. We talked about colors and pickups and fingerboard material, etc, etc. He thanked me for my time and left the store. Seven months later he came in and told me he was ready to start the project. I took his deposit, discussed the instrument with him and wrote up the sale. Within a couple of days I had started building the instrument. Several months later I finished the instrument and called him to tell him it was done. He came in to pick up the instrument and to both of our dismay a horrible mistake had been made. He had never bothered to inform me on his second visit that he was left-handed. Consequently I had built a right handed instrument. He actually expected me to remember that he was left-handed based on an idle conversation we had approximately 7 months earlier.

2. Do not write a long list of things you want done and expect us to check your list over and over. Many times a customer will send a 3 or 4 page list of things they want done. Deep in the list somewhere they might mention something we could very easily miss.
For this and other reasons we insist that you go over the entire list of items that you require. If you are concerned about perfection it is a good idea to get a signed copy of the invoice bearing a signature of the salesperson and yourself. We insist that all the items be in writing and signed off by both parties or management will not bear any responsibility for mistakes.

3. All changes made to custom orders must be in writing and you must have a written acknowledgment. I can not remember a job ever that there were no changes made. Changes usually cause mistakes and mistakes cause problems. Always make changes in writing and always get a written acknowledgment. With No written acknowledgment we will not be responsible for your problem.

There are no refunds on any custom ordered guitars ever !!!!

Lifetime Warranty

Click here to read all about Ed Roman's exclusive lifetime warranty.

Miscellaneous Charges

Insurance by UPS:	Underwritten by ERG is $1.75 per Hundred Dollars of value.
Modifications	There will be no refunds permitted if any modifications are performed that entail drilling holes or sanding any finishes. There are no exceptions to this rule, Not even for the tiniest of holes drilled.
Difficult Packing Charge:	(guitar with no case) $35.00 (Bubble pack is very expensive) Guitars with no case are non returnable and non refundable. No exceptions.
APO or POB Charge:	$100.00 flat rate. We have to leave the office to deliver to the post office and sometimes wait in line as long as two hours.
Foreign Returns	It is not our fault that a particular customer may be located in another country. Ed Roman prefers to do business only in the USA and only with people who speak fluent English. If you purchase something and there is a mistake made by you or us the item is absolutely not refundable. We are actively looking for foreign distribution, please contact us if you are interested.
Customs Declarations:	$75.00 Customs Declaration Fee. No Exceptions. Any Time We Ship Out Of The USA....
Overnight Shipping	$150.00 Above Normal Freight Costs (Rock Star Charge) NO EXCEPTIONS ! This is above and beyond all normal freight costs (Your order goes first, even if I personally have to drive it to the terminal)
2 Day Shipping	$100.00 Above Normal Freight Costs (Rock Star Charge) NO EXCEPTIONS This is above & beyond all normal freight costs (Your order goes first and foremost
Crating Charges:	(Call for estimate)
Storage Fees:	5% A month on unpaid balance or minimum of $100.00
Layaway Fees	2% Of the unpaid balance exceeding storage charges of minimum $100.00 a month.
Insurance Appraisal:	$75.00 Per instrument applicable to purchase of like instrument.
Invoice Search & Copy	$75.00 Applicable to purchase of like instrument.
Return Check Fee:	$100.00 (No exceptions, No refunds)
Missed Appointment:	$50.00 Or all future business by phone and mail-order only. unless of course you call and cancel at least 24 hours in advance.
Courtesy Hold:	We no longer offer courtesy hold due to frequent customer abuse.
Custom Colors:	Customer must supply color sample & get signed receipt of such or Ed Roman will not be responsible for satisfaction.
Custom Inlays:	Customer must supply artwork sample or Ed Roman will not be responsible for satisfaction. Customer must have signed receipt for same.
Parts Purchases:	No charge for us to match up your neck to a body. All parts sales are non refundable, non returnable.
Custom Guitars:	1/3 down at sale, 1/3 down at paint, Balance at completion.
Change Of Specs:	Price on request. Minimum of $25.00 for changing paperwork this includes absolutely any change to the original order.
Customers Account #	$25.00 Handling Fee If Using Your Own Shipping No. or Account If you wish to use your own shipping account to to ship your instrument, we must charge a $25.00 fee due to the extra paperwork and time involved with the transaction.
Freight & Processing	All freight and credit card processing costs are always the responsibility of the buyer. These costs are not refundable. In some cases guitars are shipped for a set price including freight, insurance, & handling. In the event of a return the freight costs and or credit card processing costs will be backed out and the customer will be charged.
Shipping Costs	We always try to look for ways to save our customers money on shipping. We will ship by the most reasonable way possible. This most often means UPS Ground. Although, we will ship by Fed-ex if you supply your account number. Freight costs on guitars are usually approximately $40.00 east of the Mississippi River and $25.00 west of the Mississippi.
Super Low Freight Costs on Parts	Freight costs on parts is $10.00 per shipment. If you buy a screw the freight is $10.00 If you buy a neck and a body the freight is still $10.00. If you buy 72 bodies, 37 tremolos, 16 necks and 40 sets of tuners the freight for the entire shipment anywhere within the US is still only $10.00.
Credit Card Returns	There is a nonrefundable handling charge of 5% for any mail-order item paid for by credit card.
Oversize Boxes	Insurance is underwritten by Ed Roman and calculated at $1.50 per $100.00 dollars of value. All packages are shipped insured unless you specify that you don't want insurance. If you decline insurance the item must be fully paid for before we ship and we will not take the guitar back for any reason. Oversize boxes are subject to oversize charges which can be up to $80.00 per box. Most guitars are not oversize but many Basses are.
Disputed Situation Long Term	$12.50 a week with 1 month grace period... This figure represents our actual out of pocket cost to process a non paid invoice.
Customs Declaration Fee	$75.00 Minimum
Credit Card Charge backs	The Customer must bear all costs of collection and legal costs associated with any collection proceeding or lawsuit due to credit card chargeback or non payment of invoice, delinquent accounts etc etc.

TIPS & INFORMATION

Tracking Numbers

Please don't call for a tracking number unless you suspect the item is lost. Please call (702) 597-0147

Never Use a Shopping Center Mailing Service Like Mail Boxes Etc.!!!
Always go right to the UPS terminal or to FEDEX directly !!

Always go directly to UPS or FEDEX.

Mailbox Etc or the UPS store typically charges at least double sometimes triple UPS direct rates. If you ever have a shipping problem, Mailbox etc will be the ones that will have to sue. They will never help you. In fact, they will be a large hindrance to your chances of collecting any UPS Claim. Always go directly to the UPS terminal, it will cost you a lot less! I have found that in most cases mailing services will avoid the issue and try to bury you with red tape. I think that most of the time they don't insure the package because they can make more money by charging you the insurance and simply not buying it. Naturally if there is a problem, they will look for a reason to not have to pay you.

I was involved in several court battles with Mail Boxes Etc. when I was in Connecticut. I won both cases but I really lost when you factor in the time it took.

As far as purchasing packing materials from a Mailing Service such as the one mentioned above, the actual cardboard boxes that I have seen at the local mailing services in Las Vegas are highly overpriced and are very light duty cardboard.

Remember the UPS Store is NOT UPS, They have simply cut a deal with UPS to middleman your packages and therefore charge you a lot more. I have seen instances of customers being charged over $200.00 when the charge should have been $35.00

How to Pack a Guitar

People are always asking, how to pack a guitar? The three biggest mistakes that most people make are:

1. Make sure the Tremolo Bar is securely wrapped up in a small amount of bubble pack or newspaper. If you don't do this the tremolo bar will fall out of the compartment during shipping and scrape up your guitar. Also it's a good idea to make sure there are no tools or itsy bitsy screws anywhere in the case. They will definitely slip out of the compartment and scrape the front or back of the guitar.

2. DO NOT LOOSEN ALL THE STRINGS!!! This is always a major hassle. I get an average of 5 used guitars shipped to me daily. It is a lot easier for me to check the guitar out if I don't have to do a setup first. By loosening the strings as much as people do, they usually blow the setup. Sometimes even bridge saddles fall out and cause damage to the guitar. Vintage dealers & ebay people will usually ship guitars this way to avoid having to set up the guitar before they ship it. Currently we set up each guitar we ship before it leaves.

3. NEVER TRUST LOOSE STYROFOAM SHIPPING PEANUTS. Loose Styrofoam beans are useless for shipping anything delicate. They always settle to the bottom and basically offer very little protection against anything. Bubble pack is the best bet. Even wadded up newspaper is better than beans.

Shipping a guitar is easy - just use common sense and a lot of bubble pack!!

It's good to make sure the guitar cannot move inside the case. Usually a little bubble pack at the headstock area will solve any movement problems.
Make sure the case does not flop around inside the shipping box.
If you are shipping a guitar without a case just MAKE SURE you use a lot of Bubble pack taped securely around the instrument. 3 layers at least and maybe a little cardboard in between the layers on sharp corners or at the headstock.
Usually most music stores have boxes they are throwing out or have to get rid of, so that's a good place to go get a box. I always advise my customers to always keep a couple of good boxes around for when they need to ship something. With all the no personality superstores opening up all over, shipping guitars will become a required way of life for anyone who wants to own any guitar that may be even slightly cool or out of the norm.
Always insure the guitar for more than it's worth in case it gets broken or lost. Be careful because UPS and FedEx won't pay claims when they deem the guitar was packed incorrectly, so make sure you use plenty of bubble pack.

Please Buy a Case

I strongly suggest that a case or a gig bag is purchased with your instrument. Here are several reasons why I believe it to be the prudent thing to do.

The case is usually less expensive if purchased with the guitar.
You can save the additional $35.00 packing fee because I have to use so much extra bubble pack to make sure the guitar is shipped safely.
UPS Insurance will only cover the unit if it is stolen. If the unit gets damaged UPS may elect to give you a hard time about paying the claim.
I never accept returns on guitars that have left the premises without a case!!! (no exceptions).

Beginner Guitars

Click here for a lot of in depth information

Buying Your First Acoustic Guitar

Storage Fees

Regretfully, I will be enforcing all storage charges as of January 2000. In the past I have been very lax and haven't charged very much for this. The situation has turned downright ugly and it is beginning to cost me a small fortune.

Recently I went over my paperwork and discovered that if everyone picked up all their repairs and if everyone picked up the guitars that I was holding for them I would collect more than $88,000.00. That is a serious amount of money. If I went to the bank and borrowed that much it would amount to approximately $1,100.00 a month in interest alone.

Monthly Storage Fees area 5% of the unpaid balance with a minimum charge of $100.00. There will be no exceptions to this unless it is worked out with management previously to the incident.

Overseas Freight & Duty

Overseas Freight Charges are cheapest if we ship freight COD. If you absolutely must prepay the freight, I will guess the rate to change and I always guess high just in case. So it's highly recommended we ship freight COD whenever we ship outside of the USA.

Foreign shipments are sent freight COD. Unless you wish to pay a larger amount for freight it is strongly suggested we ship COD. There are certain countries that have lower duty fees than others.