Honest answers to real questions.

No. Guest checkout works for any order. Creating an account just lets you reorder faster, see order history, and (optionally) save shipping addresses. There's no minimum, no membership fee, and no trade-account paperwork required.

Yes. If you run a body shop, paint shop, dealer reconditioning operation, or do this professionally, apply for a trade account. Approved trade buyers get tiered pricing based on volume, dedicated rep contact, and net-30 terms after the first few orders.

That said — our public catalogue is already priced honestly. You don't need a trade account to get a fair price. The trade discount kicks in at scale.

Absolutely. For orders above ~$1,000 or any custom configuration (case quantities, mixed pallets, dropshipping to a different address), send us the SKUs and quantities and we'll quote you within one business day, usually faster.

Net-30 terms are available to approved trade accounts after a brief credit check and the first one or two orders paid up front. POs are accepted for trade accounts on terms — email the PO to autofxmart@gmail.com and we'll process it like a normal order.

Yes — but fast. Most orders that come in before 3pm PT ship the same day, so the window is short. Text or call us as soon as you can with your order number. Once a label has printed, we can't pull it back from the carrier without intercept fees.

Orders placed before 3pm PT, Monday–Friday, ship the same day. Orders placed after 3pm or on weekends ship the next business day. You'll get a tracking number by email the moment the label prints — not a vague "will ship soon" placeholder.

Transit time after that depends on your destination and the carrier. Most US ground orders arrive in 2–5 business days. We're shipping from South San Francisco, CA, so the West Coast is fastest.

Anywhere in the lower 48 US states, including HI, AK, and PR for non-hazmat items. Hazmat-classified products (most paint, primer, solvents, aerosols) can only ship ground within the contiguous 48. Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and military APO/FPO addresses can't receive hazmat — sorry, that's a federal carrier rule, not ours.

Yes — we ship hazmat every single day. Hazmat shipments require ground service (no air, no expedited), special packaging, and DOT-compliant labeling. We absorb the certification overhead so you don't see a surprise hazmat surcharge buried in checkout.

Hazmat orders ship from a carrier-approved hub via UPS or FedEx Ground only. Transit times match standard ground service for your zone.

Shipping is calculated live at checkout based on weight, destination, and (for hazmat) carrier surcharges. We don't pad the price — what you see is what the carrier charges us, with no hidden handling fee.

Free shipping kicks in on orders over a posted threshold (varies by season — check the cart page for the current bar). Trade accounts get blended freight rates.

Yes for non-hazmat items. Choose UPS or FedEx Next-Day or 2-Day at checkout. Hazmat is ground-only by federal regulation — even if you pay for air service, the carrier won't move it that way. If you have a job that needs paint by Tuesday, call us first and we'll work backwards from your deadline.

Yes — local pickup is available at our South San Francisco warehouse during business hours (Mon–Fri, 8a–6p PT). Choose "Local Pickup" at checkout and you'll get an email when the order is ready. Usually within 1–2 hours of order placement during business hours.

You'll get a confirmation email immediately after placing the order, then a second email with the tracking number the moment we print the shipping label. The tracking link goes straight to the carrier's site — no walled garden, no "powered by" affiliate redirects.

Lost the email? Log into your account and check Order History, or text us your order number and we'll resend.

30 days from delivery, on unopened, unused product in resalable condition. Hazmat items (paint, solvent, aerosols, anything liquid) can only be returned if unopened and the original seal is intact — that's a carrier rule, not ours. Once the seal is broken, those items can't legally be re-shipped.

Email autofxmart@gmail.com with your order number to start a return. We'll send you the RMA and instructions.

No — once the seal is broken on any liquid product, federal hazmat regulations prevent us (or anyone) from re-shipping it. This is the one place we genuinely can't bend the rules. If the product is defective or you got the wrong item, that's different — see below.

If we made the mistake (sent the wrong product, packing damage, defective item), we cover return shipping with a prepaid label and refund the original shipping too.

If you ordered the wrong thing or changed your mind, return shipping is on you. We'll refund the product cost minus a small restocking fee on bulkier items (we'll tell you the exact amount when we issue the RMA).

Email us within 7 days of delivery with photos of the damage and the box. We'll ship a replacement at our cost or refund you in full — your call. We document carrier damage with the manufacturer so you don't get caught between us and them.

If it's still sealed and within the 30-day window, we'll take it back per the policy above. If it's been opened, we can't resell it but we can sometimes help you make it work — talk to us. We'd rather help you finish the job than leave you with $200 of paint you can't use.

Yes. Every brand you see on the site — 3M, U-POL, SEM, House of Kolor, Pro-Spray, SATA, Mirka, and the rest — is sourced direct from the manufacturer or their authorized US distribution channel. No grey market, no parallel imports, no "close-out" lots from a defunct competitor's clearance pile.

What that means for you: full manufacturer warranty support, fresh date codes, and the right product for the application — not a discontinued formula in a current label.

Most paint and clear we ship is within 3–6 months of manufacture date. We don't sit on stock — fast-moving SKUs cycle weekly. If you have a date-code-sensitive application (e.g. show-car clear, factory-spec OEM resprays), email us and we'll check the date code on the specific lot before pulling it.

Yes — every component sold separately at the size you need. We don't force you to buy a 1-gallon kit when you only want a quart of basecoat. Mixing ratios are listed on the product page and on the can. If you're unsure which hardener or reducer goes with a specific basecoat or clear, ask us — we'll point you at the right tech sheet.

Yes. Send us the OEM color code (usually a 3-character alphanumeric on the door jamb sticker), the year/make/model, and which basecoat system you want it in. We mix to spec or refer you to a local jobber if your code requires variant matching against a physical sample. Custom mixes are non-returnable once mixed — we confirm everything in writing before we open a can.

Out-of-stock items show an honest "Out of stock" badge — no "add to cart" trick that lets you order something we can't ship. Most items refill within 5–10 business days. Email us the SKU and we'll tell you the realistic ETA, or suggest a comparable in-stock alternative.

Every product page links to its current TDS and SDS where available. The full library is also browsable at /pages/technical-library. SDS are required for compliance and we keep them current — if you spot a stale one, tell us and we'll refresh it within 24 hours.

All major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay, and PayPal at checkout. Trade accounts on net terms can pay by ACH or check — invoice instructions come with the order.

We collect sales tax in states where Shopify and our nexus require it. If you have a valid resale certificate, send a copy to autofxmart@gmail.com with your account email and we'll flag your account tax-exempt for future orders. Past orders can be refunded the tax once the certificate is on file.

Yes — built into the pricing for trade accounts at scale, and available case-by-case for guest buyers placing larger orders. Send us your list and we'll quote you. We'd rather give you a real number than dance around it.

That's literally the whole reason we built this. Text or call us and tell us what you're working on — we'll point you at the right product for your application, your budget, and your skill level. We'd rather sell you the $40 quart that solves your problem than the $200 system that's overkill.

Start at /pages/projects. We grouped the most common jobs (dent repair, paint a panel, bumper rebuild, rust treatment, classic restoration, weekend detail) into project paths that tell you exactly what supplies you need — no guessing, no upselling.

If you're brand new and feeling lost, just call us. Tell us what car, what damage, and what your skill level is. We'll talk you through it.

Welcome to refinishing — it happens to everyone, including us. Tell us what went wrong and we'll help you figure out whether you can rescue it (sand it back, recoat with a different reducer, isolate with a sealer) or whether you need to start over. We won't lecture you. Most fixes are cheaper than re-paint.