Help

Working with Your Online Profile

Can I delete my online profile?

To help us keep track of customers who have placed past orders, your online profile cannot be deleted. However, if for any reason you need your profile disabled to prevent it from being used to place an order, please email salesandservice@wearesparkhouse.org for assistance.

Can I have more than one online profile?

Yes. Your Online Profile is defined by your email address (and associated password). Each email address may be associated with any number of Sparkhouse/Augsburg Fortress credit accounts.

Do I have to create an online profile to place an order?

An Online Profile is created as a natural part of the order process. You can click on the “Save this Information for This Order” button—information on this screen will be applied to this order ONLY and will NOT be used to create a new Online Profile or used to update your existing Online Profile.

How do I create an Online Profile?

Click the “Account” link on the top right margin of Online Store pages. You will be taken to the “sign-in” page, which includes a link to create a new Profile.

How do I update my credit card information?

Click the “Account” link on the top right margin of online store pages. Log in. Choose the account for which you wish to update the credit card information. Then click on the Payment Methods link on the right. Click “Edit” next to any card to change that card’s information. Once you’re finished, click “Save” to save your changes. If you wish to add a new credit card, just click "Add New Card" on the Payment Methods screen.

What if I forget my password?

Click on the “Forget your password?” link on the sign in page, and you can enter your email address for your account. A link to reset your password will be sent to you at that email address. If you cannot access your email you will have to place your order over the phone.

What is an online profile and how is it used?

Your Online Profile, including your name, email address, and password, is used to keep track of your orders, and allows you to save information (addresses, credit card data) that will make it easier and quicker to check out in future. It also allows us to notify you when an order is shipped and allows you to track the progress of your order, in the Account area of the store. Each time you visit you must log into your Online Profile to complete an order or view account information.

Where do I edit my online profile?

Click the “Account” link on the top right margin of Online Store pages. Log in. Look under My Preferences.

The Check Out Process

How do I know my order was received?

When you click Place Order at the bottom of the checkout page, you will see a confirmation Web page displayed in your browser. You will also receive an email confirmation message. This means that your order has successfully been entered in our order system.

You may review orders in your Account. All online orders will be processed by the end of the following business day, unless otherwise noted.

What are my payment options?

Customers may place orders using either a major credit card or an Augsburg Fortress credit account. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover/NOVUS, and American Express. Churches and other institutions may apply for an Augsburg Fortress credit account by downloading the application form here. Any changes to existing Sparkhouse/Augsburg Fortress credit account billing information must be made by contacting us directly. To update your information, please email salesandservice@wearesparkhouse.org or call (877) 702-5551.

Is my credit card information safe?

Our 128-bit Transport Layer Security (TLS) technology provides adequate encryption for all transactions and account information. It is the standard for encryption on the Internet. We are confident in providing this service that your information will be safe.

Order Processing & Returns

How do I return or exchange merchandise? (Return Policy)

With proof of purchase, product in saleable condition may be returned for credit, within one year of the date of purchase, provided that it is:

Not a digital (downloadable) product; these are clearly labeled on the product page as “digital download,” and not returnable
Not a “print on demand” product; these books or disks are clearly labeled on the product page as “shipped separately,” and non-returnable
- Not a dated product
- Still in print.
Postage will be reimbursed if items arrive damaged, are defective, or were shipped in error. Specific return restrictions apply to some product lines. Please see your invoice for this information or contact us at salesandservice@wearesparkhouse.org, or (877) 702-5551 for assistance.

Send U.S. order returns by a secure, prepaid, traceable method to:
Attn. Returns Dept.
Augsburg Fortress Publishers Distribution Center
22880 Quicksilver Dr
Dulles, VA 20166

Changes to This Privacy Policy

Sparkhouse may edit this policy from time to time. If we make any substantial changes we will notify you by posting a prominent announcement on our pages.

Who do I contact if there are problems with my order?

If you have any problems with your order, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Email: salesandservice@wearesparkhouse.org
Telephone: (877) 702-5551

Tax and Shipping Information

Item Availability

The amount of stock in our web store is updated a few times every hour. Nevertheless, it is possible to order an item that, while labeled “In stock”, may have gone out of stock between updates. You will be notified by mail, email, and/or phone if this occurs, depending on the nature of the product and the requested shipping method.

Shipment Damages

Problems can occur during shipment. If your order arrives damaged, immediately (within 5 business days) contact the carrier who delivered your product to report the damage. Save the packing slip and packaging materials for evidence. Then call our toll-free number (877) 702-5551 to report the problem. We will work with you to settle your claim.

Shipping Charges and Backordered Items

Backordered items will be shipped according to the shipping option selected at the time of original order. You will be charged for shipping your complete order (including backordered items) with the initial shipment, but no additional charges will be incurred when the backordered items are shipped.

Sales Tax Information

We are required to collect sales tax in certain states. To qualify for tax-exempt status email a copy of your state tax exempt certificate to credit@augsburgfortress.org. Once this is on file with us your purchases on that account will not include sales tax.

How long will it take to receive my order?

Once you provide a shipping address during checkout, we display to you an estimated delivery date. This is based on the shipping method you’ve selected. We offer several shipping options to help you receive your order in a timely fashion.

Standard shipping is by FedEx Ground. Shipments to a U. S. Post Office Box must be shipped by Value Shipping or USPS Priority Mail. Shipments to an APO address must be shipped by USPS.
Most items ship from our warehouse within 2 business days.
U.S. Web orders shipped via “Value Shipping” will take 7 to 12 days, depending on where you live. Therefore, total delivery time would be 9 to 14 days.
U.S. Web orders shipped via “Ground Shipping” will take 2 or more days, depending on where you live. Therefore, total delivery time would be 4 or more days.

Shipping rates may be reduced by a special promotion. Shipping promotions do not apply to expedited shipping (2nd-day or next-day), and do not include applicable tax(es). Shipping promotions also exclude:

all items Drop-Shipped directly from manufacturers (“…ships separately…” is displayed on the product page)
Print-on-Demand products (“…ships separately…” is displayed on the product page)
Standing Order products
Digital Download products (this is displayed on the product page)
select Backordered items (noted under Availability on the product page)

Digital Download Products

About Digital Downloads

Digital Download products are products that you purchase online and then download over the Internet. Nothing is shipped to you.
Downloading is immediately available after purchase.
Downloading is easy. After completing your purchase, just visit the Digital
Downloads link available in the Account area and then click on the Download button next to the item you want. You may download the resource as many times as you wish.
Digital Download products don’t expire, unless the digital product is deemed defective or is retired after a newer version is created. Return whenever you wish to download the resource.

How do I get to the Digital Downloads area?

Once you have purchased a downloadable product you can access it in one of three ways:

Click the “Digital Downloads” link on the Order Confirmation screen following your purchase; or,
Click the “Account” link located on the upper right-hand corner of any page of our online store. Look for “Digital Downloads” under the Orders area of the screen; or,
Click the “download” link from the Order Confirmation email sent to you following your purchase.

What do I do if I have problems viewing or printing an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file?

There are many causes for viewing issues; upgrading to the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat and your web browser can cure most of these. To upgrade to the latest version of the FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader, click Acrobat Reader. If you are experiencing problems printing an Adobe Acrobat document, you may need to update your printer driver. Contact the manufacturer of your printer for information on updating your printer driver. Additional help is available at Adobe Acrobat Support.

What if I’m having a download problem not listed or I need additional help?

If you require additional assistance you can contact Customer Service at (877) 702-5551 or salesandservice@wearesparkhouse.org.

Augsburg Fortress Credit Account Billing FAQ

Why can’t I see the payment I made last month?

Unlike a credit card statement, the Sparkhouse/Augsburg Fortress statement is only a listing of any unpaid invoices on your account. Once an invoice is paid, it will no longer appear on your statement. Contact Sales & Service to request a summary of account activity at any time.

Why are there payments on my account that are not applied to the invoices?

When making a payment, we ask you include the invoice coupon for all the items you are paying. If the amount of your check does not equal the invoice coupons included with it, we will do our best to match what you intended to pay with your open invoices. Most often, unapplied payments are duplicate payments that have been made on the same invoice. If we have applied a credit to an invoice prior to your payment posting, it will leave the overpayment on your account as an unapplied cash item.

How long does it take for a payment to post to my account?

A good rule of thumb is 7-10 business days from the date you mailed the payment.

I am the church treasurer. Can I have the statement sent directly to me instead of to the church?

Call Sales & Service (877) 702-5551 to request a summary of account activity at any time.

I wrote a note on my invoice but never received an answer. Why?

We use an automated banking process called “Lockbox” to process your payments. Notes written on payment coupons are not always read, as a machine posts the payments to the account. For questions or concerns about your statements or invoices, please contact our Sales & Service department at salesandservice@wearesparkhouse.org, or (877) 702-5551.

Copyright and Permissions

For questions regarding how to make copies of material owned by, or administered by, Augsburg Fortress Publishers please first review our Frequently Asked Questions About Sparkhouse Curriculum and Copyright. This includes guidelines for reproducing content, as well as streaming and posting content digitally.

If you do not find an answer to your question please send an email to copyright@augsburgfortress.org. Our Copyright Specialist will get back to you as soon as possible. Please include a phone number when submitting your question or request.