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What do I need to provide to find the status of my order?

When making an inquiry to VWR University Service Team (3-8479) regarding the status of the order, please reference the Purchase Order number. The number is located in the upper right hand corner of the order acknowledgement. Also, the VWR reference number (also called the VWR sales order #) is located in the upper right hand corner and this will also enable VWR to immediately provide you with the latest information regarding your order.

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How will I receive a credit?

Credits for returned goods are issued upon receipt of the returned merchandise at VWR. Credit for returned goods will be issued no later than the following month in the form of a Credit Invoice to be used against the Original Invoice. If this does not occur, call the VWR University Team at 3-8479 for assistance.

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How do I return merchandise?

Contact the VWR University Team at 3-8479 and they will arrange for pick-up of the product.

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Who do I contact for special orders or furniture?

Contact Account Manager, Elizabeth Gass at 312-503-0263, or Sales Rep. Dan Romain at 312-503-0263.

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How will I be notified of a backorder?

The nice thing about the web site is you'll know the availability even before you place the order. If you are setup with Alternative Warehouse Sourcing (AWS) then you will see the availability from three warehouses, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. If the item is not available in three warehouses the item will display as Not in Stock. If it's not available, a date will be present to provide the department with an estimated shipping date. Typically if this response is displayed it will require a call to customer service to find out the status of the product and because of the variety of warehouse and stocked product, it's likely that the item in question is on backorder from the manufacturer and customer service will have to call to get a ship date. The other option that has been working well in the field is copying the Sales Representative on the Purchase Order Acknowledgement (POA) and the Advance Ship Notice (ASN). If the customer recognizes that an Item is on backorder, they could have stored the sales reps e-mail address in their profile and copy the sales rep on the POA and ASN who can then expedite the backorder. If it's not a rush the ASN will let the customer know that the order has been shipped.

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Can I search for a chemical by CAS Number?

Certainly.This number has a unique identifier that is used to distinguish a chemical. Select the Chemical link located in the center of the screen or select the More Options link located in the blue strip towards the top of the screen. Select the Chemical tab and enter the CAS No. (Chemical Abstracts Service Registry number) into the appropriate header.

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I'm not able to order chemicals on the internet?

Chemicals are considered restricted products. In order to lift the restriction it is necessary to supply the CS&C group with the customer business licenses and the D&B numbers. This is because it is VWR policy to sell chemicals and other such products to verified business entities only. When CS&C removes the chemical restrictions in ESS (Internal Sales Order System), they are also lifted for web customers.

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How do I cross a Fisher number over to a VWR number?

Click the button called: More Options. Click the tab called Competitor Cross Reference. Scroll to find Fisher, Sigma, etc and then enter their part number. If the cross is loaded, we will display the item. If not, contact your sales representative, who has a cross for just about everything. You can also type that part number in any search fields and it will yield the matching results.

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What does it mean when I'm placing an order on the internet and receive an error message "Order exceeds credit limit or invalid card"?

The web site does online approvals for all credit card purchases and validates that the funds for the transaction are available. If you receive an error from using your credit card it is likely that you have exceeded your transaction or monthly limit and should contact your procurement card administrator.

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What is the arrow with the DFS (Direct Factory Ship) through the center?

The symbol with the arrow and the DFS through the center represents an item that ships directly from the manufacturer. Since the item is not housed in a VWR distribution center it becomes important to acknowledge those types of products. Typically it is 3-5 days for delivery if the product is in stock. If this item is something you cannot wait for, you will need to call customer service who will then contact the manufacturer on your behalf to expedite the order. Products that have short shelve lives require complicated storage.

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What is the Black Truck Icon?

The symbol with the Black Truck represents an item that ships directly from the manufacturer, except these suppliers have provided VWR Inventory Captures from the night before. Since the item is not housed in a VWR distribution center it becomes important to acknowledge those types of products. Typically it is 3-5 days for delivery if the product is in stock. If this item is something you cannot wait for, you will need to call customer service who will then contact the manufacturer on your behalf to expedite the order. Same as previous question, except for certain relationships with manufacturers.

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I'm not able to order syringes or needles. What should I do?

The ability to order syringes and needles for the most part is the same as chemicals. Contact the CS&C group with the departments business licenses and the D&B numbers and they will remove the restriction. However, there is an exception for the following states: CA,CT, DE, IL, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA , RI and Puerto Rico. If you happen to be looking to lift the restriction on the before mentioned states then, VWR needs two things, a business license and a Medical license such as a Doctors, Dentists,Veterinarian, Pharmacy, Needle license (A DEA license is not sufficient). Fill out request form (CUSTOMER ACCOUNT CHANGES) and send both licenses to Sandy Miller (fax 610-431-3813). She will get CS&C to unblock restriction.

If no license (doc, vet, etc) is available: Send the request form (CUSTOMER ACCOUNT CHANGES) to Sandy Miller with the business license and Sandy will determine if the customer can use a waiver form (Drug and Needle Cert.doc) for the product. Following this, Sandy will get CS & C to take off the restrict sales flag.

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Why can't I see contract price, availability, order chemicals, or licensed products like syringes?

If you have created a profile on vwr.com and are experiencing list prices or a limited selection of products, it is possible you have not logged-in. VWR.Com will allow any visitor to the site to place an order with a credit card but the items and pricing are limited. As a customer with an account your options are expanded through the web site In order to Login to the web site, you must type your e-mail address and password in the top left corner of the VWR International page. Upon entering this information, it should say, " Welcome and your name" and your e-mail address will be displayed in the top right corner.

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When I'm placing an order and it exceeds $2,000, why does my Place Order button disappear?

When a profile is created the default for all customers is $2,000 and if necessary to be changed you will need to call 888-320-4357 or Stephanie Olson (800-947-4270 ext 3378) or Joe Foust (800-947-4270 ext 3478) to correct the problem.

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What is the best or recommended way to search for an item?

When searching for products on the internet a part number is the fastest way to place an order and find a specific product. If you are forced to search for a product you could always browse the catalog or search for the products based on it's attributes. The easiest way to do a product search is to start with the noun and qualify the noun with adjectives about the item you're looking for. I.e. if you're looking for a beaker(noun). Maybe you know some additional criteria about the product, 4000ml(adjective) and glass(adjective). This will refine the search from a larger return of items to a more manageable number.

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How do I change my password?

After logging into the web site, Click My Account/Personal Info/Change and confirm your password and then hit submit. Unlike many of the Windows or Network Log-ins of today, vwr.com site doe not require you to change your password at any time. It is recommended that you change it once in a while to discourage the misuse of your account by another individual.

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How do I load my default information (credit card no., attention lines, etc.) so I don't have to type it at checkout every time?

After logging into the web site, Click My Account. Listed under this section you will find Personal Info, Shipping Info, Billing Info and Order Options, this is where you would store information you would typically use repetitively. For example, you could load your P-Card or Credit Card number under the Billing Info tab or Attention Lines under the Shipping Info tab. Storing information into My Account allows you to CLICK your way through check out every time!

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Is it mandatory that I change my password?

No, it's not required. Unlike many of the Windows or Network Log-ins of today, vwr.com site doe not require you to change your password at any time. However, It is recommended that you change it once in a while to discourage the misuse of your account by another individual.

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My information disappears when I return to vwr.com and place my next order, why?

Anytime you make a change to your profile, you must hit submit to save changes and update VWR's databases.

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Can I select my own carrier or use my own shipping account number?

The answer today is no. This functionality doesn’t exist but is listed as an enhancement. There is a possibility however, that a customer can be coded to have all packages deliver with a specific carrier but this requires all packages to be delivered with that carrier and can be costly. Not the best recommended practice.

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How do I create a shopping list?

Creating a shopping list is quite simple. As you browse catalogs, search for products, cross reference competitor or simply are typing a VWR part number into the Order Entry tab, your selections are being added to a shopping basket. Once you've assembled a shopping basket that you would like to order frequently, scroll down to the bottom and select Save as shopping list you will now be able to save the list name and add a more extensive description as to what the list contains. Shopping list are profile specific but can be shared with others by adding the list to the shopping basket and clicking share shopping basket at the bottom of the shopping basket. Back to Top

How do I remove and add items to my shopping list?

In the Shopping Basket, a user may store their frequently used items in a Shopping List. User may have as many lists as they like. To create a Shopping List: Take items to the Shopping Basket - Click on "Save as a Shopping List" - Name the List. To access Saved Shopping List: Click on "My Accounts" - Click on "Shopping Lists". All lists can be viewed. Select "Manage List" and upload a shopping list from your favorite Excel spreadsheet.

Add Items to a Saved Shopping List

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