Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why are some items marked for Ground shipping only?

We carry several items (hairspray, shave cream aerosol, other aerosols, items with antibacterial alcohol content, etc.) that are considered hazardous materials by the U.S. Department of Transportation. We have chosen to limit the shipping of these items to Ground. Thus, they are not available for Hawaii, Alaska, International, or APO/FPO military orders.

Special arrangements can be made to ship these items via air, but there is a $50 surcharge, per box, for the extra special labeling, paperwork, fees, and handling that must be done. Contact our customerservice (@minimus.biz) to make these special arrangements.

Are the shipments insured?

It depends. Our regular shipments that go out via FedEx are insured by FedEx. For USPS shipments (i.e. PO Boxes), we use a third party insurance company, but only for packages valued over $40. The insurance company will not insure APO/FPO (military) shipments due to frequent troop movement and theft issues within the military postal system. Thus, USPS shipments that are valued less than $40 or are going to APO/FPO are shipped at the risk of the customer.

Is the site secure?

Yes. We are certified by Thawte, one of the leading companies that certifies websites as secure. You can see the Thawte logo displayed on our site.

Do you carry everything in stock?

Yes. We are proud to say that we are not simply a drop-ship reseller, but we have our own warehouse and keep it stocked with significant quantities of all our items listed on the site. However, due to volume orders on a particular item from time to time we may be delayed on a particular item, but it will always be back in stock in a short period of time. If an item is backordered and we do not expect to be receiving it into our warehouse shortly, the customer will be notified.

Is everything fresh?

Absolutely. We are careful to monitor the expiration dates of products and if anything does not have a lengthy freshness time once it gets to our customers, we will remove the item from the shelves of our warehouse and obtain fresh product.

What are the shelf lives of the food products?

Each product has its own shelf life, and each shipment we have in our warehouse can have a different shelf life depending on when it was manufactured. General guidelines:

• Salad dressing packets - at least 3 months (un-opened)
  • Exception: Newman's Own may be slightly less as it is an all-natural product
• Condiments - approximately 1 year (un-opened)
• Snacks - generally have the expiration or "best by" dates printed on each package

Various climate and customer's storage conditions can have a significant impact on the shelf life of a product, so we are not able to provide specific expiration dates on products that do not have such dates printed on them by the manufacturer.

Do you provide a warranty?

Minimus is committed to our customers’ satisfaction. We will make every effort to provide quality products. Products found to be defective will be replaced, and shipping costs will be reimbursed promptly.

How long will it take for my order to arrive? Do you offer expedited shipping?

Please check out our shipping page for complete details.

How is my order packaged for shipment?

Minimus is careful as our items tend to be small. We have plastic poly bags to seal up smaller items together, away from bulkier items that may damage them in a box. We also use biodegradable packing peanuts (made from corn starch) to insure quality, and environmentally friendly, packing.

What if I want to order large quantities of a certain item?

Please consult our Wholesale Pricing information page for details.

Can I be an affiliate and make money by putting a link to your site on mine?

Yes. We have a very active affiliate program. Just click on the Affiliate Program link here or on the bottom of the site to sign up.

I distribute/manufacture an item that I think would be great for your site. Whom do I contact?

Email purchasing (@minimus.biz) and we’ll definitely consider adding your product to the site. We’re always looking to increase our breadth of offerings as well as finding interesting items for our customers.

I have a favorite product, and I don’t know how to get it, but wonder if you might carry it in the future?

We’d love to hear from you at NewProducts (@minimus.biz). We are always looking to find products our customers are interested in. Many of our new products came from customer suggestions.

Do you ever run specials or discount your products?

Minimus is very price conscious, and we want to offer our customers the best deals possible on our products. If we get a good deal from a supplier, we’ll pass it along to our customers. We always have items on sale in our sale aisle on the site, and we often post coupons to our site's blog (online journal).

Where do you get everything?

All of our items come from a distributor or from the manufacturer. None of our items are from hotel guests or from restaurant tables.

Does my item need to be refrigerated?

None of our items need to be refrigerated prior to opening.

Do you have a retail location?

Just the internet.

How do you address the various importation duties, taxes and regulations for international shipments?

Since each international purchase is subject to the many varied customs, regulations, and fees specific to that purchase, it is difficult for Minimus to address them and leaves that responsibilty for adherence and payment to the purchaser. For more shipping information, consult our shipping page.

What is your privacy policy?

Please consult our Policies page.

Which of your items are gluten/wheat free?

To determine which of our products may be free of wheat, barley, rye and oats (WBRO), and for more specific information about such products, contact the Celiac Sprue Association at (toll free) 877-CSA-4-CSA (877-272-4272), e-mail to celiacs@csaceliacs.org  or write to CSA /USA, Inc.; PO Box 31700; Omaha, NE  68131-0700.  CSA’s website provides information on Celiac Disease and Dermatitis Herpetiformis and can be accessed at www.csaceliacs.org.

Can you get the large sizes of any of the items?

Sorry, we only carry the small sizes. However, if you are ordering large wholesale quantities from us of the small sizes, and need some items in a larger size, we can usually fulfill this request.

Do you offer free samples or donations of your products?

We receive daily requests from many worthy organizations, however, we do not offer donations of our products, nor do we offer free samples. However, we are able to extend a 5% off coupon to non-profits or, many non-profits choose to order from our discount bulk order pricing guide. In some cases, we can offer special coupons or promotions for an event, so please feel free to inquire. Please direct all non-profit or donation related inquiries to customerservice (@minimus.biz).

Do you ship to prisons?

No. Previously, we have shipped to prisons, but have found that a majority of these shipments were being rejected as the items were not appropriate. Thus, we have discontinued shipping to prisons. If you do choose to ship to a prison, and it is not spotted by our shipping department and stopped, and your package is rejected by the prison, we cannot provide a refund.