FAQ

Find quick answers to your questions below...

Order Status

  • Has my order shipped?

    Please note that shipping within the United States via the United States Postal Service (USPS) can take 3-5 days. Shipping within the United States with FedEx Express is generally 2 days. All international shipping via APC Postal Logistics, including Canada, can take 4-6 weeks.

  • My order never arrived.

    Click the "person" icon at the top right on desktop or bottom right on mobile. Click on Orders in the menu on the right hand side. If your package is stated as having been delivered, please contact the Delivery Carrier for more information. If you order has not arrived or shipping has not updated and it has been 30 days for domestic delivery or 6 weeks for international delivery, please contact hello@potomacbeads.com.

  • An item is missing from my shipment or damaged.

    If there appear to be any missing items from your order, please review the invoice sent with your order for any notes on items that may be out of stock. We will always notify you through email if an item is out of stock and a credit has been issued. If an item is missing from your package please email hello@potomacbeads.com with the Order Number, Missing Item, and a picture of your invoice. .

    If you receive any items that are damaged, please send an email to hello@potomacbeads.com with your Order Number and a photo of the damaged product. We will review any damage claims submitted within 30 days of the order date.

My Account

  • How do I create an account?

    Your information is NEVER sold to any other company and is kept completely private. Please view our Privacy Policy for more information.

  • How do I edit my account information?

    Click the person icon in the top right-hand side of our website. You can update your Account information by clicking on "My Profile" on the right hand side and then "Edit" under your email.

    *Please note that if you are updating your Subscription information you will need to select the Subscriptions section on the right hand side under Orders.

  • How do I update my payment method?

     Click the person icon in the top right-hand side of our website and select “My Profile”. You can update your payment information by clicking “Add New” next to "Credit Cards".

    * Please note that if you are updating your Subscription payment information, you will need to select the Subscriptions section on the right hand side when clicking on your profile.

  • How much is my shipping?

    Shipping is automatically calculated prior to submitting your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the Checkout page where you will be offered Shipping Method choices and their prices.

  • I forgot my password.

    1) On the account page, click the "Click Here to Reset Password" link.

    2) Enter your email address and click the "Continue" button.

    3) Check your email for a temporary password. You will have received a temp password that will allow you to access your account and update to a password of your choosing.

  • How do I return my product?

    Items can be returned for Loyalty Points credited to your account within 30 days as long as the item is in its original condition. Send returns to:

    PotomacBeads - Returns Department
    240 N. Prospect Street
    Hagerstown, MD 21740
    Be sure to include your name, order number, and contact information in the return package.
    For exchanges, email hello@potomacbeads.com.

    The customer is responsible for return shipping.

  • I received the wrong product.

    If you feel that you have received the wrong product, please contact Customer Care via email at hello@potomacbeads.com within 72 hours of receiving the product Please included a picture of your Shipping Invoice and the incorrect product.

  • What is your return policy?

    Items can be returned for Loyalty Points credited to your account within 30 days as long as the item is in its original condition.

  • When will my order ship?

    Generally your order will ship within 24 hours, Monday through Friday, of it being received by PotomacBeads. Orders received on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays will be fulfilled and shipped generally on the next business day.

International Shipping

  • Do you ship to my country?

    Please create an account by clicking the "person" icon at the top right on desktop or bottom right on mobile.  If you are a new user, scroll down to the "Sign Up" link. During signup we'll ask for your shipping address details including country. If your country is not in the dropdown menu of available countries, unfortunately we cannot ship to your country at this time.

  • What are my payment choices?

    During the checkout process you may choose any of our current payment options and continue to place your order. Please note that we will not ship your order until we receive payment from you.

  • What is your return policy?

    Items can be returned for Loyalty Points credited to your account within 30 days as long as the item is in its original condition.

  • When will my order ship and what are my shipping charges?

    Generally your order will ship within 24 hours, Monday through Friday, of it being received by PotomacBeads. Orders received on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays will be fulfilled and shipped generally on the next business day.

    Shipping is automatically calculated prior to submitting your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the Checkout page where you will be offered Shipping Method choices and their prices. We will ship your order shortly after we receive payment from you.

Guarantees

  • Low Price Guarantee

    It is our commitment to provide you with the best value, at the best price. We value your business and strive to keep our prices low, and SAVE you money!

  • Privacy Policy

    We value your privacy. Please view our Privacy Policy for complete details on how we use the information we collect.

  • Security

    This website is protected with SSL (secure socket layer) encryption which is the highest standard in Internet security.

Pricing and Billing

  • How do I update my payment method?

    Click the "My Account" drop arrow at the top right-hand side of our website and select “My Account”. You can update your payment information by clicking “Manage Payment Methods” on the right hand side.

    * Please note that if you are updating your Subscription payment information, you will need to select the Subscription section on the left hand side under My Account.

  • Do I have to pay sales tax?

    You are currently only required to pay sales tax if you are located in the same state as our fulfillment center (Maryland, USA).

  • I have a question on my charges.

    Click the "My Account" link at the top right hand side of our site to review your orders. You may compare your order history on our website with your financial records. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact Customer Care at hello@potomacbeads.com for further assistance.

  • I need a copy of my receipt/invoice.

    Click the "My Account" link at the top right hand side of our site to print invoices.

  • When will my credit appear on my account?

    Credits usually take 7-10 business days from the time we receive your item(s) and from when the credit was issued to your account.

  • When will my credit card be charged?

    Your credit card will be charged as soon as you confirm your order and click "Pay Now."

    *It may take a few moments to process your payment through our secure servers, so please do not hit the back button or attempt to resubmit a payment after you have clicked the "Pay Now" button. If you click on the back button or attempt to resubmit a payment, this may result in duplicate charges to your account and you may be responsible for any fees associated with these duplicate charges and refunds.

  • Can I use coupons or promotions on multiple orders?

    Current promotions for discounts on individual products or collections of products can be used an unlimited number of times.

    Promotions for $ off or "free with purchase" may only be used once. Even if you are able to get the promotion to work on repeated orders, the giveaway or free dollars will only be applied to the first order placed within that promotion period.

Buyer's Guide

  • How do I buy/redeem a gift certificate?

    We are currently working on the ability to offer gift certificates in multiple currencies. Please check back soon for instructions on how to purchase gift certificates!

  • How do I find my product?

    To find the product(s) you're looking for, you may use the navigation menus on the top of our website. You may also type a keyword into the SEARCH box. If you have any trouble locating a product, feel free to contact Customer Care at hello@potomacbeads.com or via website chat for assistance.

  • How do I navigate the site?

    To navigate this website, simply click on a category you might be interested in. Categories are located on the top of our website. QUICK TIP: Place your mouse cursor over anything you think could be a clickable link. You'll notice that anytime you scroll over something that is a link, your mouse cursor will become a "hand". Whereas scrolling over anything that is NOT a link will leave your cursor as an "arrow". You may also type a keyword into the SEARCH box to quickly find a specific product. If you have any trouble locating a product, feel free to contact customer service for assistance.

  • How do I use a coupon?

    Computer User - Once you have added your items to your cart, click the “View Cart” link at the top of this site. You will then click “View Cart” again when the box appears to proceed to checkout. Continue to the “Confirm Order” page of check out where you will see the “Click here to enter your Coupon Code” on the right-hand side in the Order Review Box. Once clicked, a box will appear allowing you to enter your coupon code.

    Mobile Device User
    - Once you have added your items to your cart, click the “View Cart” link at the bottom of this site. You will then click “View Cart” again when the box appears to proceed to checkout. Continue to the “Confirm Order” page of check out where you will see a drop down arrow next to your order total. Scroll down to find “Click here to enter your Coupon Code”. Once clicked, a box will appear allowing you to enter your coupon code.

    Order Notes" is not where you enter coupon codes. This is a special field supplied as a courtesy to you where you can make note of what project for which you are purchasing supplies, notes to staff, etc. Coupon codes entered in the "Order Notes" will not be honored.

    **Coupon codes cannot be retroactively added to your order once payment has been processed and credits nor refunds will be issued for coupon codes not entered prior to clicking "Pay Now." **

  • When will my credit card be charged?

    Your credit card will be charged as soon as you confirm your order and click "Pay Now."

    *It may take a few moments to process your payment through our secure servers, so please do not hit the back button or attempt to resubmit a payment after you have clicked the "Pay Now" button. If you click on the back button or attempt to resubmit a payment, this may result in duplicate charges to your account and you may be responsible for any fees associated with these duplicate charges and refunds.

  • What is a bead "collection?"

    Collections are assortments or bundles of products that have been curated by the designers on the PotomacBeads team. Collections may have a variety of products, a variety of colors of the same product. Sometimes, bead or jewelry-making supply collections may also be accompanied with patterns that teach you new techniques for your creation.

  • Why is there variability in packaging/bags/tube quantities?

    Because beads are so small, coatings can significantly change the weights of each product. 10 grams of color A may be 500 pieces, where as 10 grams of color B may be 480 pieces -- color C may be 520. High tech machines count and weigh packages -- others are manually packed by hand. We try to be as accurate as possible in both weights and quantities, but you should plan on slight variable weights and counts given the complications of counting hundreds or thousands of products in each package.

    Packaging can vary from product to product depending upon how and where they were packaged -- whether at the factory or in our fulfillment center. Sometimes you may receive a tube in place of a bag, or a bag in place of a tube. Regardless of the exterior packaging, the contents will always be the same

  • Why is there sometimes variability in bead sizes?

    There can variability in a variety of sizes of different bead products. Bead manufacturing is a very sensitive operation where time, machinery, and hand labor can create variability in exact sizing. Variability can also come from the manufacturing or tumbling process. It is very normal for a large variety of beads to be anywhere from .1mm to .5mm different from the specified size. For example, a 6mm gemstone bead from one factory may be 6.2mm in the first shipment, and 5.8mm in the second shipment. Generally we will round to the nearest 1mm. Fortunately, slight variations seldom cause significant issues in beading or jewelry-making.

  • Why does my laser cut Potomac design look different from the images?

    Rest assured, the difference you're noticing is likely due to the protective coating applied to preserve the pristine quality of your Potomac design during transit. This coating ensures that your piece arrives in perfect condition, ready to be revealed in all its natural beauty. Removing the protective coating is a breeze! Simply take a fine needle and gently lift a corner of the coating. Once you've lifted it, you can easily peel it away to unveil the gorgeous wood, acrylic, or leather material underneath. It's a satisfying process that allows you to enjoy the authentic texture and appearance of your Potomac design.

Still have questions? Contact the Customer Care Team here