FAQs
How do I get set up as a Commercial customer?
Fill out the online Commercial Account Request form – we will review your application as soon as possible to determine whether your business fits the Dairy Connection definition of Commercial. For details about our criteria, please read the top of the online application form. We aim to contact you as soon as possible regarding your request, but if you haven’t heard from us regarding the status of your application in more than a few business days, please feel free to call us.
Why do you need a sales tax exemption form?
Due to recent changes in the law, we now request that a completed sales tax exemption form is on file before fulfillment of your order. Learn more about this policy and how to comply here.
Your website says you are temporarily out of stock of something that I need -- how long before I can get it?
We work hard to gauge our inventory so that this doesn’t happen, but periodically events beyond our control will affect our stock levels. It could be just a day or two, or it may be weeks before we can get something in. If you need a specific date, please feel free to call us and we will make our best estimate on that particular product. In addition, there may be an acceptable substitute for the product you are trying to order – if so, we will let you know.
Do you offer volume discounts?
Yes we do! We encourage you to take advantage of our volume discount program. See below for our discount levels (totals are pre-tax if applicable and before shipping and handling cost). If you are paying by credit card, this discount is immediately applied. If you are a Net 30 client, volume discounts apply if payment is made within 30 days of invoice date.
Volume discounts (effective 3/14/22) available to our customers are:
Orders greater than $300 = 5% off
Orders greater than $1000 = 10% off
Orders greater than $1750 = 15% off
Orders greater than $2500 = 20% off
Do you have a minimum order?
We do not have a minimum order amount on any of our stock items. Products that are considered Special Order may have a minimum quantity purchase (these items are labeled as Special Order on our website).
How do I get set up with a Net 30 terms account?
Just give us a call or email; we have a credit application available.
When will my order be shipped?
We ship as soon as possible, but we do only ship on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to avoid having your highly perishable product float over the weekend while in transit. If you place an order on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday before 1:30 p.m. Central Time, your order will likely ship the same day, when stock is available. Orders placed after 1:30 p.m. CT Wednesday through Sunday will be shipped the following Monday or Tuesday. If you have special circumstances, require expedited shipment, or would like more specific information about your shipment, please call or email us.
Which shipping method should I choose?
Consult our Shipping Method Guidelines page for more information on this topic. Please note that we primarily ship Mon-Wed, and we do our best to time shipments so that they do not travel over weekends or holidays (especially in the warmer months).
It's been a long time and my order hasn't arrived. What should I do?
Please call or email us! There may have been a delay in your shipment, either here or in transit, and we can find out what’s going on for you. Please note that we make every effort to contact you immediately if there is a problem. Please be sure your shipping and contact information is accurate. If you don't see the shipper tracking information that we send at the time of shipment, please check your junk email folder in case it was filtered out.
I live 1000 or more miles from your location in Madison, Wisconsin. Why won't you ship my perishable product via UPS Ground or FedEx Ground service in the summer?
Most of the perishable products we sell are sensitive to high temperatures, though we have established via tests that our products will travel well in ambient temperatures (up to approx. 90°F) for three to four days, depending on the product being shipped. After that point, we become concerned that temperature abuse could affect the functionality (but not food safety) of your product, particularly if it's very hot outside. If you live in one of the following states, it will generally take three to four days to reach you via ground service: AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, HI, ID, MA, ME, MT, NM, NV, OR, RI, TX, UT, VT, WA, WY.
Why don't you ship my order with ice packs?
Ice packs melt quickly, are expensive and add a lot of weight to your package, thus making shipping & handling more expensive. After 20+ years of shipping cultures, rennet and lipase all over the country, we have learned that it’s generally more cost-efficient for our customers to have their items in transit for less time than it is to use ice packs. We have established via tests that our products will travel well in ambient temperatures (up to approx. 90°F) for three to four days, depending on the product being shipped.
Do you ship internationally?
We do not ship outside of the United States at this time.
Why can't I order FRO (deep-frozen) products from the website?
These cultures, which are different from freeze-dried cultures, must be kept at -50ºC or colder at all times. These items are shipped to you carefully packed on large amounts of dry ice. The amount of dry ice used to ensure a safe arrival varies substantially per many factors, including local weather and days in transit. Therefore, it is impossible for our system to accurately predict shipping costs on these products. We also like to be sure that the products will be received on a day that someone will be able to properly store these highly temperature-sensitive products. For your satisfaction and our peace of mind, we request that these products be ordered by phone.