FAQs

On this page you will find answers to the most frequent queries we receive. To allow us to answer your questions, use the quick links below:

No. You can proceed through the checkout on our website as a guest. The only details you need to enter in the 'Guest Checkout' are your email address, name and delivery address. After placing your order you will have the option of registering with us.

All orders weighing under 1kg or less than £60 in value are sent via 1st class post and do not require a signature. Parcels above 1kg in weight and £60 in value are sent by our preferred carrier and require a signature before delivery. In the event that no one is available to sign, a card will be left and the customer will be asked to collect the parcel from the carrier's local depot or arrange a more convenient time for delivery. If you would like to give us special delivery instructions, such as leaving parcels with neighbours, you can do so over the phone at the time you place the order.

If you are having trouble placing an order, finding the part you want or when the information you need is not immediately available online, click on the 'contact our advisors' link in the grey bar at the top of any page on the site.

This facility allows you to contact a sales or technical advisor, who will seek to solve your problem as soon as possible via a real-time web chat.

This facility is available from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

You can apply for a credit account online here. Alternatively, print out an application form here and return it to Rapid by post, fax or email.

For security reasons you should regularly change your password. You can do this from the 'Update Personal Details' link in the 'My Account' dropdown box or from the 'Personal Details' link in 'My Account'.

Simply click the 'Register' part of the 'Sign In/Register' link as above, and enter your details in the 'Register for an Online Account' section. Here you will need to create your log-in details and enter your contact information and billing address details. You also have the chance to sign up to our newsletter. Click the 'Register' button to confirm your registration.

From any page, just click on the Rapid logo at the top left corner of the screen to be taken back to the homepage.

Invoices for orders placed on your account in the last two years are available to registered customers. This applies to all orders - online and offline.

To access your invoices, simply sign in to your account and click 'My Account' at the top of the screen. Click the 'View and Print Invoices' option.

All available invoices will be listed for your account. Either use the search facility to search for the invoice number or click the 'View' option for each invoice. This will open the invoice as a PDF, and you will be able to print, save or email the invoice.

Only registered online customers will be able to view their invoices on our website. To register, or to activate your offline account, follow the instructions here.

Please note that for accounts with new registrations, activations or additional users, you will be able to view your invoices four hours after the change in status.

All UK mainland orders over £20 (excluding VAT) qualify for Free P&P. UK mainland orders below £20 (excluding VAT) are subject to a £3.30 + VAT P&P charge.

Orders to other countries are determined by the size and weight of the items making up your order. The estimated delivery cost will be shown during the checkout. If there is any variation in this, you will be advised before your order is despatched.

We deliver to addresses around the world. Customers from territories which are both outside the UK and outside the EU do not pay VAT. If you are a non-EU customer and VAT is included in your order, please contact our Export department, who will set up your account correctly or refund to you any amount already paid.

If you have an existing offline Rapid account, or want to add yourself to your company’s online account, you can do this by clicking the 'Register' part of the 'Sign In/Register' link at the top right of your screen. Click 'Continue' in the section 'Does your company have an existing account?'. This will take you through to a screen where you can enter your Rapid account number and billing address postcode. You will be able to register an email address, telephone number and check your address details.

When you create an account or place an order, an automated email will be sent to you.

If you do not receive these emails, this could be due to an error with the email address you provided when you registered with www.rapidonline.com. You may have omitted a letter, number or other character, so that any messages we try to send will not reach you. If this happens we will receive a notification and contact you if possible and amend your email address on our records.

Sometimes our emails are blocked by email filtering software, particularly if it is the first message we have sent you. It is worth checking your Spam folder and adding sales@rapidonline.com to your safe senders list.

If you do not receive an email that you expect from Rapid, please contact us.

Customers who do not have credit facilities can change their invoice address in the 'Personal details' section of 'My Account'. Credit account customers should contact us by emailing accounts@rapidonline.com to enquire about updating their invoice address details. It is also possible to have separate addresses registered to your account for deliveries and invoices. However, for security reasons, this is not available for your first order placed on the desktop and mobile versions of the website, and for the first 30 days after your first order.

Your payment card will be debited in UK pounds sterling, and based on the current exchange rate converted to the equivalent amount in your own currency. Prices on the website are displayed in UK pounds sterling. There is the option to view prices in US dollars or Euros, for guidance purposes only. You can set these currency preferences in your 'My Account' area.

If you forget your password, enter your email address on the 'Sign In' page and click the 'Recover Password' link. You will be sent an email with a temporary link to a page on which you can reset your password. Please note: this link is only valid for use once. Alternatively, if you are still having difficulty, or if you do not receive the email, contact us and we will manually reset your password for you.

If you are ordering from the UK mainland using our standard delivery option, and your goods do not arrive within 7 working days of despatch, we recommend that you contact our customer services team on customer.services@rapidonline.com, who will investigate the matter for you.

If you have selected a UK mainland timed delivery service and your order has not arrived by the expected time, please contact us.

Please contact our customer services team on customer.services@rapidonline.com, who will investigate why your card has been declined. This could be due to insufficient funds in your account, the entering of incorrect details relating to your card and billing address (such as your postcode) or your bank's anti-fraud controls. We will respond promptly and suggest an appropriate course of action.

If, upon receipt of your order, you find shortages or damaged items, please inform us within 30 days of delivery by using the Online Returns service or email customer.services@rapidonline.com and we will arrange replacement goods as necessary. Items found to be faulty within 12 months of purchase may be returned for repair or replacement where applicable - please contact us to arrange.

If you wish to return items for any other reason, you must contact us within 30 days of receiving the goods, you then have a further 14 days to actually send the goods back. Goods should be returned first class with proof of posting and the Customer is responsible for payment of all postage costs. The goods must be returned undamaged and in their original packaging - please contact Rapid to arrange an RMA note. In some instances a handling charge will apply, please see our Delivery & Returns page and Terms and Conditions for full details

Goods are normally despatched on the day the order is received, if the order is received by 5pm Monday - Friday. We shall despatch goods by First Class post (for orders below £60 and under 1kg) or our preferred Carrier (for orders over £60 or over 1kg in weight) to UK-based customers.

Data sheets are available on product pages which display the Data Sheets tab. Simply click on the red Adobe icon to open a PDF document, containing technical, health and safety or approval information about the product. If a data sheet for a particular product is not available on our website, please contact feedback@rapidonline.com. If a datasheet can be sourced it will be emailed to you and made available on the website.

If you have an invoice account with Rapid, you can find details of your credit limit when you are logged in to the website. Simply click the 'Personal details' or 'Update personal details' link in the 'My Account' area of the website. Your credit limit will be displayed under 'Credit Status' on the right of the page. You can apply for an increase in your credit limit by contacting our Accounts department.

You can enter your reference or Purchase Order number in the Delivery Details section of the checkout page.