Frequently Asked Questions

Shopping & Checkout

  • Can I schedule a rental for a future date or guarantee arrival on a certain date?

    In order to keep our costs low, we operate only on a first come first serve basis.  If the lens you want is not in stock, please sign up for an in-stock email notification.  Demand is currently high and some lenses are re-rented within hours or even minutes of coming back in stock, but we are constantly increasing our stock to offer you better service.

  • When does my rental period begin?  When does it end?

We use the electronic delivery confirmation date provided from USPS to mark the start of your rental period.  The rental period ends one, two, or three full weeks later when you give the return package to your postman or local post office.  The time in transit both to and from Rentglass.com does not count as part of your rental period.

  • Do I need to leave a deposit?

Not at this time, however we reserve the right to change this policy in the future. We feel that electronic-only deposits do not offer a sufficient level of security to justify the customer inconvenience and processing costs.  Our strict policies regarding shipping addresses and identity verification procedures serve as an adequate substitute.  To limit our risk, a maximum of three lenses (or one body and one lens) may be rented or in transit per household.

  • What condition are your lenses in?

Our lenses may show signs of regular use, having small marks or paint chips.  We guarantee that there will be no major flaws such as fungus or significant scratches that objectively affect picture quality. 

  • Do you rent camera bodies?

Yes, we now carry Canon and Nikon camera bodies and flashes.  Our body rentals are shipped to you in a padded Pelican case and include a battery, charger, memory card and USB transfer cable.  While we normally allow up to three lenses being rented or in transit per household, when renting a body the limit is reduced to one lens.

  • Do you ever sell your used lenses?

Yes, we periodically offer our retired stock for sale in our used lens store.

  • What accessories come with the lens?

All lenses come with front and rear caps.  A tripod ring will come with the lens if it is pictured in the stock photograph.  Soft lens cases and hoods are available on most lenses upon request at no extra charge but are subject to availability.  You may use the order comments field during checkout to make a request or contact customer service before your order ships.  We include a UV filter when possible on lenses with a street price above $1000. 

  • Do you plan to carry the very long fast lenses such as the Canon 400mm f/2.8L?

Size, weight, and shipping insurance challenges prevent us from being able to offer such lenses at the level of value we like to offer. 

  • How can I be notified when a lens comes back in stock?

When an item is out of stock, select the item and use the link "Sign up for email notification when this item comes back in stock" found above the add to cart buttons.  You may sign up for a one time notification, or a notification every time the item comes back in stock for 7, 14, or 30 days.

  • Do you offer a damage waiver?

Both the inbound and outbound shipments are automatically insured for loss and damage, and we offer an optional damage waiver program that limits your liability for damage while the lens or body is in your possession.

Shipping

  • When will my order ship?

In most cases, orders placed before noon Eastern time will ship the same day but we advise you to plan for one extra day in case of delays.  Orders where the billing address and shipping address do not match may take longer to process as we need to perform additional validation.

  • What shipper do you use?

Rentglass.com exclusively uses the United States Postal Service (USPS) for its shipping.  All of our shipments require a signature on delivery but if you miss the delivery attempt you can reschedule delivery on a day of your choice or pick it up at your local post office. 

  • Why choose USPS over another carrier?

USPS offers the lowest cost 2-3 day shipping option nationwide for our average package weight.  In addition, they are the only shipper to offer free next day carrier pickup and a six day per week operation.

  • How can I determine if Express mail will take one or two days for delivery?

You can use the service commitment calculator from USPS using 34747 as the origin ZIP code and your shipping ZIP as the destination.  You may need to use the next business day as the shipping date if no results are returned.  Orders placed before noon Eastern are typically shipped the same day.

  • Do you ship to Alaska or Hawaii?  What about Canada?

We now ship to all 50 states and have removed our requirement for USPS Express shipments for Alaska and Hawaii renters.  There are no current plans to ship to Canada or any other country at this time.

  • Can I pick up or return my order in person?

Update August '08: In-person pickups are available by appointment only at our office in Kissimmee (Central Florida just south of Orlando) on most weekdays between 2-6 pm.  You may also drop off your return at our office during the same hours, but a mandatory $5.00 fee provides a prepaid return shipping label to mail your rental back to us.  The in-person pickup is available as part of the standard checkout process where you can select an appointment time for pickup within 2 business days.

Returns

  • How do returns work?

It's easy!  Save the box or boxes that your order came in.  Inside your box you will find a prepaid return shipping label and a new outer bag.  Place your order into the new bag, attach the shipping label and drop it off at your local Post Office or give it to your regular postal carrier.

  • What type of packaging will I need?

Everything you need to return your order is provided in our shipment to you, including detailed return instructions.  Remember to save the box and packing materials that your order comes in as you'll need it for your return.

  • What do I do if I am late in returning my order?

You must contact Customer Service for an extension if your return will be more than 3 days late.  Late fees are assessed in one week increments and the discounted rates for longer rentals will apply, but there is no further discount beyond the three week rate.  NEW! You may extend your rental online for as long as you need it using your order status page.

  • Will I need to clean the lens prior to shipment?

No.  In fact we prefer that you leave the cleaning to us, since improper cleaning can lead to damage.

  • Is my return shipment insured?

Your return shipment is automatically insured provided you use our prepaid return label.

  • Why do I need to prepay the return shipping cost?

Prepaying allows us to generate the return shipping label for you with the proper class of service, address, weight, and postage.  This saves you time and reduces the chance of a mistake being made during the shipment process, and saves you money by using our insurance policy.

Other

  • What do you consider signs of normal use that I will not be liable for repairing?

Signs of normal use include scuffs or scratches on the body of the lens that do not objectively affect picture quality or mechanical operation.  Only very light front element marks fall into normal use, large marks on the front and any mark on the rear element are likely to affect picture quality.

  • Where can I view the rental agreement?

Your rental agreement is displayed just prior to confirming your order at checkout.  A text version is also available here. 

  • What if my question is not answered here?

Customer Service will be happy to answer your question.  Responses typically come in well under 24 hours on business days.

 

 
All rights reserved. (c) Rentglass, LLC. 2005-2008