Menu
Cart

What to Expect after Ordering a Tanning Bed or Booth

If you've just purchased a tanning bed or booth some congratulations are in order! You're about ready to join a select club of smart tanners who've stopped paying high fees at their local tanning salon and will now be tanning in the convenience and comfort of their own homes.

To provide full transparency we wanted to offer this guide so customers would know exactly what occurs after they submit an order. Of course the timeframes we provide are best estimates based on decades of experience in the industry and they can vary at times but the estimates are normally very accurate.

Please use this timeline as a guide and feel free to reach out to us if you need additional information. 

Placing Your Order 

When you submit your order you will immediately receive an order confirmation email detailing your purchase. If you do not receive this email please check your spam file or contact us for a duplicate. The manufacturer will also load your order into their in-house order fulfillment system and a custom "build sheet" detailing your selection (model, selected bulbs, add ons etc.) will be added to the factory queue for processing.

Manufacturing & Shipping Preparations 

After order placement the factory will begin the process of gathering necessary parts from the warehouse and combining components to custom build your tanning bed or booth to the exact specification detailed in your order. Under normal conditions, this manufacturing process is normally completed within about 10 business days (Monday through Friday) but due to the massive demand generated after the Covid-19 pandemic the preparation and shipping times are now extended. Please see this link for the lead time for each manufacturer (Click Here)

From February 15th to June 30th each year order levels also surge significantly at times and manufacturing times may be extended and you will normally need to place an order before a defined cut off date, that varies each year, for delivery by December 25th. The tanning bed manufacturers are also closed on December 25th and the 1st week of each New Year. Regardless of when you place your order, it will be processed on a first come first serve basis by the factory and you will always receive your order as quickly as possible. 

Freight Shipping Day 1 (Pick Up at Factory) 

When your bed or booth is completed it will be prepared for shipping, boxed and loaded on a shipping pallet. A tanning canopy will be shipped on a single pallet in one box, a tanning bed will ship in 2 boxes and a tanning booth 3 boxes. When the pallet is ready the manufacturer's selected LTL Freight Carrier will be scheduled to pick up the shipment at the factory and your order will be loaded on the freight shipping truck. 

Once your order is handed off to the shipping carrier you will receive an automated email (from the computer system) notifying you that the shipping process has begun along with a tracking number and link for the carrier. We will also send you a more detailed in depth secondary email later that day that provides you the name and contact information for the LTL shipping company along with the tracking number (called a PRO Number) and the online link for monitoring the progress of your order.

You can use the contact information on the email to speak with the shipping company or to help schedule a delivery window once the shipment is close to your delivery address. The secondary shipment email will also include very important shipment inspection delivery instructions. This is a very important part of the communication as failure to follow these inspection instructions may void the shipping insurance and prevent a claim if there was damage during shipment so please follow these instructions we send carefully. In addition, one of our in house shipping associates will call you by phone to notify you of the shipment and review your specific delivery inspection instructions.

Shipment in Transit (1 - 9 Days) 

Actual shipping transit times will vary based on variables such as the location of the manufacturer's factory or weather conditions etc. but normal transit times have historically been: 2-3 business days to the Heartland and Mid Atlantic regions, 3-5 business days to the Mid West, 6-7 business days to the West Coast and 8-9 Days to the Pacific Northwest.   

The Shipment Delivery Window

The shipping carrier will normally call you approximately 24 hours before the delivery truck is expected to arrive in your area to schedule a 3 to 4 hour delivery window. If you see the shipment is in your area on the online tracking page, and you have not head from the carrier, you can always reach out to them proactively using the contact information we have provided. Most carriers will not schedule the delivery window until the truck is within 24 hours of the delivery address so you will normally need to wait until the shipment is relatively close to schedule the delivery window. If you ordered a commercial bed and it is being shipped to a commercial address there is a possibility the freight company may not call ahead of time. In those cases you can call them with the Pro Number we have provided to speak with their dispatch group to determine their delivery window. 

Please recall that your tanning bed, booth or canopy will be delivered curbside to your home or business so please be aware of the following:

  • Delivery addresses will need to be accessible to a full size 18 wheel semi-trailer delivery truck of up to 53 feet in length (much larger than a UPS or Fedex truck). 
  • Products shipped freight are delivered curbside to your home or business. "Curbside" delivery means the freight truck will get as close to your home as possible on the main street and will not go into driveways or smaller access roads they may not be able to turn around in.
  • The majority of the time the truck delivering your shipment will have a hydraulic lift on the back to lower your shipment to the ground but it is not guaranteed by the freight companies unless their lift gate fee is paid. If you did not pay for their freight companies guaranteed lift gate service you will need to plan ahead and have a friend or assistant be prepared to help you unload the boxes from the back of the truck and bring them inside (the truck driver will normally not help in moving the shipment). If you did pay for lift gate service the truck dispatched by the delivery company will have a hydraulic lift gate. Th driver will lower the shipping pallet to the ground curbside for you but will not take the boxes into your home.
  • If a confirmed delivery appointment is canceled by the customer on the day of delivery, or if the customer is not home to receive the delivery, a $100 fee is charged by the shipping carrier to reschedule and re-deliver. This rescheduling fee will need to be paid for by the customer to make the follow up delivery.
  • Also note that if you are unable to schedule the delivery in a timely matter (2-3 days after the truck has arrived in your area) you will also be responsible for any storage or return shipping charges the freight company may charge. Storage charges for LTL freight is very expensive and can be as high as $100 per day so please plan accordingly.

Step 6 - Inspecting your Shipment (VERY IMPORTANT) 

It is critical that you follow the delivery inspection instructions carefully to maintain damage insurance eligibility and avoid issues. You will receive the inspection instructions via email when your bed ships so please review those carefully. 

The inspection process must be completed before the delivery driver departs and you will need to note the delivery receipt or driver's handheld PDA device if ANY shipping damage has occurred. Failure to follow the instructions and note the visible damage may void eligibility of your shipping insurance and prevent a claim. 

Please follow the instructions we will provide and do not let the driver rush the process or convince you it is not necessary. We will provide you full instructions on how to handle this inspection process in the email instructions we will send to you when your bed or booth ships. In the event you have any questions you can always contact one of our associates via email, chat or on the phone for additional information or direction on how to handle the process. 

Post Sales Support & Warranty 

Once your tanning bed or booth has arrived you can begin the set up process. Please follow the user manual (included with your order or at the manual link on the product page) to assemble and begin operating your new tanning bed or booth.

Our sales support staff at the Sun Tanning Store are always available to share our experience and offer general support. Each manufacturer will maintain a detailed record of your order and will be able to assist you with expert advice on set up, trouble shooting, technical support, warranty assistance and spare parts.

To contact the manufacturer directly, for warranty or service support, you may call the phone number listed in the user manual. You may also find the serial number of your bed or booth and the manufacturer's warranty and service phone number posted on the back near the electrical cord.