Terms of Service

In order to register on any of our websites, customers must accept our Terms of Service. Therefore…

If you have an account, you have accepted our Terms of Service.

We further require customers who are placing an order to check a box indicating that they accept the Terms of Service during each transaction. Customers who do not check this box are unable to complete their orders. Therefore …

If you have made a purchase, you have accepted our Terms of Service.

On every order, customers must also check a box agreeing to the following statement:

I understand and agree that all communications regarding this order must be in writing by email to orders@racquetnetwork.com. Telephone support is not available for online orders.


The Terms of Service for Racquet Network Inc. apply to all websites under our control including but not limited to:

  • racquetnetwork.com
  • okpickleball.ca

Racquet Network reserves the right to change or delete any information published on our websites as necessary.

Racquet Network strives for accuracy in publishing information viewable by the public. Racquet Network accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions published on this site nor for any loss or damage which advertisers or readers may suffer by relying thereon.


Shipping to Store for Local Pickup

Place your order online. We will ship to the store and notify you when it arrives in the pro shop and is ready for pickup.

We strongly encourage local customers to use this service for core items because it saves them time and money.

This service allows customers to order exactly what they want and to be notified when it is ready for pickup. So it is a perfect fit for customers who want one specific thing in a specific size or colour and don’t want to make multiple trips to the store.

If the item they order is no longer available in their size or colour, we will be able to issue a full refund.

This service is especially useful for customers who want a specific item in a specific size, colour or model. It is especially useful for customers who want specific bags, shoes and apparel items that cannot normally be returned or can normally only be returned for a store credit.

If the core item they order is available, customers will be able to come into the store to examine it or try it on with no risk. If it does not fit or is not what they want, they will be able to return it unused on the spot and the Orders Desk will be able to issue a full refund (as opposed to a store credit).

Please note that special order items, customized items and clearance items cannot be returned under any circumstances. The benefits of Ship to Store for Local Pickup apply only to core items which are in season and are normally in stock but may be temporarily out of stock in a particular size or colour.

This service is provided as a courtesy for the convenience of customers who live in the Calgary area.

Please note that some items cannot be shipped to store for local pickup. If the item you are trying to order is not giving you the SHIP TO STORE FOR LOCAL PICKUP shipping option, then the item cannot be shipped to the store for local pickup.


Return Policies

All online sales are final. We do not accept returns or exchanges on items shipped to anywhere other than our southwest Calgary store.


Communicating with the Online Orders Desk

Telephone service is not available.

Customers communicating with the Orders Desk must send email to orders@racquetnetwork.com.

All responses to customer inquiries are posted to the customer’s account on racquetnetwork.com. Customers must login to their account to read these responses.


Shipping Policies

Racquet Network does not offer rush shipping of any kind nor do we make any guarantees regarding shipping dates or delivery dates.

Once an order has been received, it is marked PROCESSING. It remains marked as PROCESSING until it arrives at its destination.

If there are any problems or issues to be addressed, a note will be posted in the customer’s account. If there are no notes, then there are no problems.

We do not respond to customers asking when their order will ship or if their order has shipped — because this issue is clearly and repeatedly addressed in the Terms of Service.


Back Orders

It is impossible for us to have all sizes, all colours and all variations of all things in stock at all times. Due to seasonal demands, backorders can and do occur.

We have shipments arriving from core distributors every week, but in rare cases, it can take up to 14 business days to ship back-ordered items.

If we expect a back-order to take more than 14 business days to clear, we cancel the order and issue a full refund.

In all other circumstances, the Order Desk notifies customers of back-orders through their accounts.

IMPORTANT – Many items on this website are currently labeled as backorder for “several weeks”. This is due to disruptions to the international supply chain. There is nothing we can do about this situation. All we can tell you for these items is that they are backordered “several weeks”. We cannot give you a date. We cannot not provide an estimated a date. Even our suppliers cannot provide an estimated date.

If you order one of these products, be prepared to BE PATIENT. Your order will be filled when the product arrives. Customers who order a product that is backordered for “several weeks” and then begin harassing our staff for an estimated date will be refunded. Their orders will be canceled and they will be removed from the waiting list. If you are not prepared to wait “several weeks”, don’t order something that is backordered several weeks.


Special Order Items

Customers who are in a hurry should not order special order items.

Our website and warehouse allow us to offer our customers many additional colours, sizes, lines and models that we cannot stock in our pro shop. These are special order items. Examples of special order items are

  • racquets in specific grip sizes
  • certain colours or gauges of string
  • shoes and apparel in specific sizes or colours
  • racquet bags in specific sizes or colours
  • seasonal items being ordered out of season
  • specialized items that are offered only online
  • brands and models that are offered only online

Most special order items are identified as such on the product page as SPECIAL. However, some are not. For example, a particular shoe may be available in size 13 but is not stocked in-store or in the warehouse. Another example would be a tennis string that we stock in 16 gauge, but offer only as a special order for 17 and 18 gauge. Another example might be apparel which we stock in S, M and L but only special order in XS, XL or XXL.

When special order items are ordered, a note acknowledging this is posted in the customer’s account. If the customer wishes to cancel the order, they must do so by email to orders@racquetnetwork.com within 24 hours of time-stamp on this note. Special orders not cancelled within 24 hours will proceed.

Special order items usually ship in 10 to 14 business days.

For obvious reasons, once the order process has started, special order items cannot be cancelled, returned or exchanged.


Customized & Engraved Items

Customers who are in a hurry should not order customized or engraved items. Customized/engraved items take time to prepare — typically three to six weeks. Therefore we do not provide estimated shipping/delivery dates beyond the general timelines specified in the Terms of Service.

Customized/engraved orders may contain several components and may include components that are back-ordered or may include components that are special order items. When this happens, expect delays.

Customers who fail to read the Terms of Service and repeatedly nag our staff for updates on custom orders slow things down for everybody. For this reason we do not hesitate to cancel orders when it is clear to us that a customer is not respecting the Terms of Service for customized and engraved items.

Customized/engraved orders cannot be returned or exchanged.


Tracking Numbers

When the shipping method chosen by the customer offers a tracking number, that information will be emailed by the shipper directly to the email address associated with the order. Customers may check their email (including their spam folders) for tracking information sent by the shipper.

We do not respond to requests for tracking numbers. For information on where to find tracking numbers, please read the previous paragraph.


Free Shipping

Free shipping, subject to minimum orders, is offered on racquetnetwork.com on most regularly priced items. Minimum orders for free shipping on racquetnetwork.com are as follows:

  • Canada – CAD $150.00
  • USA – USD $200.00
  • International – Not available

Some items are excluded from free shipping, including (but not limited to) cases of tennis balls, some court equipment, luggage, some sale items and all clearance items. If an order includes items that are eligible for free shipping and items that are not, shipping will be charged only for the items that are not eligible. To determine which items are/are not eligible for free shipping, please add them to your cart.


International Shipment Considerations

International shipments, including shipments to the USA can experience customs delays of up to several days. Therefore delivery times/dates cannot be guaranteed.

Racquet Network is not responsible for orders that are lost, damaged or misdirected by the shipping agency and cannot provide any assistance whatsoever once an order is handed off to Canada Post.

A common occurrence with international orders is that the parcel carrier (UPS, Fedex, DHL, etc.) is unable to deliver to the address provided due to on-site security systems. Items are also frequently shipped back when the carrier is unable to contact anybody at the shipping address to accept the order. Racquet Network is in no way responsible for this and will not issue refunds or store credits in these circumstances.

Customers who provide incorrect or partial addresses by phone, email, website or other methods of communication are responsible for all associated additional shipping costs and restocking fees.

Canceled international orders (orders that are canceled by email within 24 hours of purchase) will receive the full value of their order in the form of a store credit which can be converted into a website coupon. Orders cannot be canceled once they have shipped. Once an order ships, it becomes a RETURN issue.

Due to the persistence of fraud, international orders are ineligible for cash refunds. Refunds for cancelled international orders are for store credit only.


Warranties

Racquet Network is an authorized dealer for all products sold on this website and in our store.

Racquet Network does not provide warranty coverage of any kind beyond that offered by the manufacturer. In no circumstances does Racquet Network provide over-the-counter warranty returns/exchanges.

Racquet Network does not provide warranty service for Yonex badminton frames strung by other parties.

The full manufacturer’s warranty, if any is offered, applies on all purchases to Canadian customers. However, not all products are covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. Typically, manufacturers do not offer warranties on their low-priced products.

Racquet Network is not responsible for making customers aware of warranty conditions prior to purchase. Customers who want warranty information must request it from manufacturers.

Racquet Network does not offer warranty coverage on products shipped outside of Canada.

Customers are advised to understand that just because a product breaks or deforms does not mean it is defective. In order to be considered defective, the break or deformity must occur during normal and intended usage and must be caused by deficiencies in materials or design. Warranties do not apply to products that break due to inappropriate, erroneous, abusive or unintended usage nor do they apply to normal wear and tear. In other words, warranty coverage applies only to factory defects.

Any customer who wishes to make a warranty claim must provide clear evidence of a factory defect. In virtually all cases, this means shipping the allegedly defective product to the manufacturer’s warranty department for examination by experts. Customers who cannot provide clear evidence of a factory defect must accept the judgement of the manufacturer’s experts regarding whether or not the product has failed due to a factory defect.

Allegedly defective products must be returned to the manufacturer’s warranty department, postage prepaid, for inspection. In many cases, defective products will have to be examined by the manufacturer’s warranty department before a replacement can be authorized. Approved warranty claims will either be replaced with the same or a similar product or given a Racquet Network credit. This decision will be made at the sole discretion of the manufacturer’s warranty department.

Items not covered by warranty of any kind include: strings, grommets, bumper guards, badminton frames, squash frames and pickleball paddle edge guards.

Stringing a racquet above the maximum recommended tension immediately voids all warranty coverage. Therefore Racquet Network does not string racquets above maximum recommended tension.

Warranty fraud is not tolerated by Racquet Network. Every year, our retail staff encounter several instances of warranty fraud whereby customers attempt to deceive us regarding damage caused by inappropriate, erroneous, abusive or unintended usage of retail products in order to derive warranty benefits. Customers who attempt to engage in warranty fraud will be banned from doing business with us online and in person.


Images

Items may not be exactly as pictured. We do not accept returns just because an item may not look exactly like it does in a image on the website.


Online Currency Converter

Our website offers customers the option of viewing prices in several currencies. This simple and convenient currency converter tool provides estimates based on currency exchange rates that are updated once per day. These estimates are for information only. All transactions occur in Canadian dollars. We do not offer refunds to customers who place orders and use the currency converter as an excuse for being confused about prices. It is the customer’s responsibility to operate the currency converter properly.


Racquet Repair Services

Stringing services are covered by a two week warranty on the labour only. There is no warranty on the string.

In order to make a valid warranty claim, the racquet with the broken string must be brought into the store for physical inspection by a stringer within 14 days of the date on the receipt. Notification of a warranty claim by email, phone, text, social media, etc. will not be accepted.

Damage to grommets or frames after string installation can cause strings to break. Therefore the warranty is void if grommets or frame are broken.

Tubing is intended to be a temporary patch that extends the life of a racquet for a short while. Tubing is not a permanent repair for broken grommets and does not protect the string as well as grommets. Therefore racquets with temporary tubing are not covered by a warranty.

Sometimes, customers try to hide self-inflicted damage by removing some or all of the the strings. Therefore, the warranty is void if string has been removed from the frame prior to inspection for warranty purposes.

Customers who wish to make a warranty claim should bring their racquet in as-is the moment the strings break. They should not cut the strings out or do anything else that might create the impression that they are trying to cover something up. Our stringers want to see the racquet as-is so that they can determine exactly why the strings broke when and where they did. In order to do this, they need to see the damage for themselves.

Warranty is valid only on the original purchase. There is no warranty on a racquet repaired under warranty.

Counterfeit racquets are not covered by a warranty of any kind. Should a customer bring a counterfeit racquet in for service and should that racquet break while we are stringing it, we will not replace the racquet, we will not refund the cost of the string or any installed parts and we will not refund the labour.

Some racquets, especially Prince and Ektelon racquets, were designed with soft silicone parts such as grommets, dampeners and/or tubing. Over time, these soft pieces dry out and begin to deteriorate. Eventually, they begin to crumble and disintegrate. Should damage to these parts occur during the stringing process, Racquet Network is not responsible for replacing them or repairing them. Customers are generally not advised to purchase racquets with these feature.


Racquet Stringing Waiver

I understand and accept the risks associated with stringing racquets under high tension. I understand and agree that racquets may incur damage when strung at high tension both during and after the high tensions stringing process.

I ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY LOSS OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, that may be sustained by me, or loss or damage to property owned by me, while doing business with Racquet Network Inc.

I hereby RELEASE, WAIVE, DISCHARGE, AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE, Racquet Network Inc., Staff, or Business Owners from any and all liability, claims, demands, actions and causes of action whatsoever arising out of or related to any loss or damage, that may be sustained by me, or to any property belonging to me, while doing business with Racquet Network Inc. These damages include any and all damage, now and future to racquets, grommets, strings and/or racquet accessories.

In ordering this service, I acknowledge and represent that I HAVE READ THE FORGOING Waiver of Liability, UNDERSTAND IT AND SIGN IT VOLUNTARILY as my own free act and deed; no oral representations, statements or inducements, apart from the foregoing written agreements have been made; and I EXECUTE THIS RELEASE FOR FULL, ADEQUATE AND COMPLETE CONSIDERATION FULLY INTENDING TO BE BOUND BY SAME.


Demo Racquets

Our racquet demo program is offered as a service to valued customers who intend to buy a new racquet from us and who want an opportunity to try a variety of racquets prior to making that purchase.

It is not our intention to “rent” racquets to customers who do not wish to buy one from us. It is not our intention to provide customers with opportunities to try racquets that they later purchase elsewhere.

A $50.00 deposit is required for each racquet. Customers who wish to try one racquet at a time will put down a $50.00 deposit while customers who wish to try two racquets at a time will put down a $100.00 deposit.

The racquet demo deposit is refundable in the form of a store credit only. NO CASH BACK UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. The deposit is entered into our bookkeeping system as a DEMO CREDIT and can be applied to the purchase of a new racquet only. It cannot be applied to anything other than a new racquet. Demo deposits are non-transferable. They cannot be transferred between customers.

Occasionally, customers change their minds in the middle of the demo period and decide that they do not want to purchase a racquet. In these cases, the demo deposit will remain in our system as a demo credit until the customer is ready to make a racquet purchase.

Demos not returned by the due date may be charged to the credit card number on file without notice to the card holder. Such charges may be reversed at the sole discretion of Racquet Network.

Racquets must not be altered by customers — including grip, string or frame.

Damage to racquets may be charged to the credit card number on file without notice to the card holder.

Players may try each racquet for one week. Customers who require an extension may call and ask for one. Extensions may be granted at the sole discretion of Racquet Network.

Due to abuses of our demo program by a small number of users in the past, we have had to define some reasonable time parameters. For example, the maximum length of the demo period is limited to 30 days. Players may try a variety of racquets during a 30 day trial period that begins on the day they put down their deposit.

Also due to past abuses, we have had to define some limits on demo racquet usage. For example, players may not keep a demo for more than 14 days consecutively and may not take a demo out more than twice during the demo period.

Customers taking demos out are required to sign the agreement on the demo cards. However, failure to sign the demo card does not mean the customer is not bound by the Terms and Conditions pertaining to demo racquets.

Only racquets in our demo racquet inventory are available for customers to demo. Not all manufacturers provide demo programs. Moreover, manufacturer demo programs are generally limited to specific feature racquets. So there is no guarantee given or implied that customers will be able to try every racquet we offer for sale in our store or on our website.


Online Reviews

NEGATIVE REVIEWS

From time to time, people publish false and/or defamatory reviews about our business online. Therefore we require all customers to agree that when/if they post or publish reviews about our business that we in our sole discretion deem to be false or misleading, that we are permitted to respond to these claims with factual information about the transaction including:

  • the first and last names of the person who placed the order
  • details of the order including billing addresses, shipping addresses, email addresses and phone numbers
  • details of the order including items, quantities and attributes
  • details of the transaction timeline
  • all written customer/store communications pertaining to the order
  • all audio/video pertaining to the order

Where permitted by the review platform, we will published this information in the business reply section so that the customer will have the option of deleting the review and thereby deleting the reply. Where not permitted by the review platform, we may choose to publish these details on our own websites and link to the review on the review platform.

While Racquet Network has no issues whatsoever with dissatisfied customers who post factual information in online reviews, we do not hesitate to respond aggressively to false, libelous and/or defamatory statements that cannot be corroborated.

POSITIVE REVIEWS

We genuinely appreciate customers who post truthful, positive reviews about our business online. Every month, we create a list of legitimate five-star reviews and then choose one of these reviews by lottery. The person who created that review is then rewarded with a prize.

Some review platforms, such as Yelp and the BBB, do not allow us to give prizes to customers who have given us positive reviews. Therefore in compiling our monthly list of eligible reviews, we automatically exclude reviews from Yelp, the BBB and all other platforms that prohibit such reward programs.

In order to qualify for our monthly prize draw, each five-star review must be verifiable and must meet the following criteria:

  • review must be about an actual transaction either online or in-store that occurred in the past 365 days
  • review must provide some verifiable details of the transaction, including the name of at least one employee who helped the reviewer during their visit
  • review must be in customer’s name, including first and last name
  • reviewer’s first/last name must match a first/last name in our customer files
  • the details of the review must be corroborated by a sales receipt or invoice
  • anonymous reviews, reviews with false usernames and stars-only reviews cannot be counted because they cannot be verified

Racquet Network does not want false reviews, either positive or negative. However, we appreciate and encourage positive reviews from real customers whose reviews can be corroborated through customer files and transaction records. All such customers are eligible for monthly prize draws and for deep discounts for on-the-spot stringing during Customer Appreciation Events.

Notification of prize winners is by email to the email address in the matching customer file. A single notification is sent. Winners have 14 days to respond and to either pick their prize up in the store or make arrangements to have the prize shipped to them at their expense. In order to ensure that notification is not missed, we encourage customers to give us their regular, day-to-day email address and to ensure that email from Racquet Network is not filtered by their spam filters. Prizes that are not picked up within 14 days go back into the prize pool and are given away in future draws.