Frequently Asked Questions

Our Store

What are your store hours?

Gallup, NM Store hours:

               Fall/Winter Store Hours
               Begins Monday, November 4, 2024 through Saturday, March 8, 2025:
               Mon. – Sat. 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (MST)

               Regular Store Hours
               Begin Monday, March 10, 2025 through Saturday, November 1, 2025:
               Mon. – Sat. 8:30 am – 6:00 pm (MST)

 

Mail Order hours:
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (MST)

 

Albuquerque, NM Store hours:

               Fall/Winter Store Hours

               Begins Monday, November 4, 2024 through Saturday, March 8, 2025:
               Mon. – Fri. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (MST)
               Sat. 10:00am - 5:00pm (MST)

               Regular Store Hours
               Begin Monday, March 10, 2025 through Saturday, November 1, 2025:
               Mon. – Fri. 9:00 am – 6:00 pm (MST)
               Sat. 10:00 am - 5:00 pm (MST)

 

Flagstaff, AZ store hours:

Fall/Winter Store Hours
Begins Monday, November 4, 2024 through Saturday, March 8, 2025:
Mon. – Sat. 9:00am – 5:00pm (MTN)

Regular Store Hours
Begin Monday, March 10, 2025 through Saturday, November 1, 2025:
Mon. – Sat. 9:00am – 6:00pm (MTN)

 

What is your fax number?

Gallup, NM – (505) 722-6736

Albuquerque, NM – (505) 884-6936

Flagstaff, AZ – (928) 526-6368

 

Ordering

What are my shipping options?

We do not expedite shipping to new customers.

Shipping options are offered by two carriers:

UPS, Ground, 3 Day, 2 Day, Next Day, and International.

UPSP, First Class, Parcel Post, Priority, Priority Express, Express Mail, and International

 

What are your shipping and handling costs?

Shipping cost is determined by weight, dimension, and destination, we charge the rates published by our carriers. A handling fee is added to every order, $3.00 for domestic and $7.50 for International orders.

 

How long after I place my order will it ship?

Our mail order service is available Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (MST) for order placement and processing. We are closed on weekends and major holidays.

Orders placed after 10:30 a.m. (MST) on Fridays or the day before a holiday will ship within 2-3 business days.

We make every effort to ship orders within 1-2 business days of receiving them. Please note: Next Day and 2-Day service orders must be received before 10:30 a.m. (MST) to be processed the same day.

Shipping Times & Methods

Please note that we cannot guarantee shipping times during holidays or unforeseen weather disruptions. All estimated delivery times are based on business days and do not include the day the order is shipped. Below are our estimated delivery times:

Domestic (U.S. excluding Alaska and Hawaii):
- Standard Postal: 3-14 business days
- Priority Mail: 2-7 business days
- UPS Ground: 1-7 business days
- UPS 3 Day: 3 business days
- UPS 2 Day: 2 business days
- UPS Next Day: 1 business day

 

Must I meet a minimum order?

No minimum.

 

What is your return policy?

If you wish to return an item, please notify us within 30 days of receiving your order. A 15% restocking fee may apply.

To process your return, please send the item to our Gallup location along with a copy of your invoice. Be sure to include the credit card you would like credited for the return.

 

Do I need a tax ID # to place an order?

Outside of New Mexico or Arizona - No

Inside New Mexico or Arizona - Yes, only if you intend to avoid sales tax.

 

Do I need a reseller’s license to place an order?

No

 

What methods of payment do you accept?

We accept Visa, Master Card, and Discover.

 

May I still place (or pay for) my order by phone?

Yes

 

Do you accept company or private checks?

Not at this time. 

 

Is it possible to be billed later for my order?

You are welcome to fill out a Credit application for a net 30-day open account. With a credit card payment, you will be billed at the time your order is packaged and ready to ship, not at the time you place your order. An open account application can be found on the eForm link.

 

Can I order a catalog or merchandise internationally?

Our catalog is currently out of print. We ship to Countries listed below:

Australia	Israel
Austria	Italy
Bahamas	Japan
Belgium	Liechtenstein
Bermuda	Luxembourg
Canada	Malta
Chile	New Caledonia
Croatia	New Zealand
Cyprus	Norway
Czech Republic	Singapore
Denmark	South Africa
Finland	Spain
France	Sweden
Germany	Switzerland
Greece	Taiwan
Hong Kong	Thailand
Iceland	Trinidad and Tobago
Ireland	United Kingdom (Great Britain)

 

Does thunderbird sell gift certificates?

Yes, we offer gift certificates in $10, $25 and $50 increments. Please contact Mail order to redeem your Gift Certificate at 1-800-545-7968 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (MDT). 

Is it possible to cancel a web order?

We are happy to cancel a web order if you simply contact our mail order staff. However, a 15% restocking fee may apply if the order has been pulled, boxed and ready for shipping, for the total of your merchandise.

 

Catalog Inquires

Is catalog merchandise priced for wholesale?

Yes. Our pricing is based on the quantity ordered. The more you order, the better the "each/unit" price will be.

 

Has my catalog been sent?

The most current catalog, 2010 is no longer available for purchase. Please feel free to check out our website for current pricing and stock on hand.

 

What is your backorder policy?

Thunderbird Supply will not backorder any items that are short or out of stock. Please re-order the merchandise that is out of stock once back in the store.

 

Will I be notified of an item being discontinued?

Items marked with an asterisk (*) at the end of a description on your invoice are being discontinued, but otherwise, no notification will be sent out.

 

How do I figure out the price of silver/gold?

The daily spot prices for gold and Silver markets are listed above menu bar, to the right of our website. We hand-cut most market-related items to your specifications. The final price of any market-related item is based on the actual weight of the piece cut, according to the spot price at the time you place your order. Be aware that the actual weight and the estimated weight may vary slightly. Our silver add-on list is located at the bottom of the home page listed in eForms "Silver price add-on".

 

What is the difference between "half hard" and "dead soft"?

"Half hard" is silver intended for wire wrapping, while "Dead soft" is used in heavier jewelry projects, both are considered Sterling silver, 925.

 

Will you / can you cut my metal for me?

We allow for 5 free cuts/coil per order. Thereafter, we charge a cutting fee of $20.00 per hour in increments of 15 minutes.

 

Websites Inquiries

Are all your products shown on your website?

No. A vast majority of our inventory appears on the website. Most exceptions are items that would be impossible to ship or are discontinued.

 

What do the abbreviations mean on your website?

14kt - 14kt Gold - Solid 58.3% Pure Gold

A/C - Antique Copper Plated - Pewter, Which contains NO lead, Copper Plated and finished to look antique

A/G - Antique Gold Plated - Pewter, Which contains NO lead, Gold Plated and finished to look antique

A/S - Antique Silver Plated - Pewter, Which contains NO lead, Silver Plated and finished to look antique

ACP - Antique Copper Plated Pewter - Pewter, Which contains NO lead, Copper Plated and finished to look antique

ASP - Antique Silver Plated Pewter - Pewter, Which contains NO lead, Silver Plated with trace amounts of Sterling silver

ATB - Anti Tarnish Brass - A Brass alloy that is Tarnish resistant and had the look of 14kt gold

C/P - Copper Plated - Usually brass which is copper plated

COP - Copper - Solid Copper

Copper - Copper - Solid Copper

G/F - Gold Filled - Contains 1/20th 14kt Gold, base metal is red brass, also shown as 14/20

G/F WHT - White Gold Filled - Contains 1/20th 14kt White Gold, base metal is red brass, also shown as 14/20

G/P - Gold Plated - Contains no or trace amounts of Gold, base metal is usually brass or steel

IRP - Imitation Rhodium Plated - Base Metal usually Brass or Steel plated to give the appearance of Rhodium (darker than silver)

N/S - Nickel Silver - Solid Nickel Silver

NKP - Nickel Plated - Base Metal usually steel plated with nickel to give more of a white finish

S/F - Silver Filled - Contains 10% Sterling Silver, base metal is nickel

S/P - Silver Plated - Contains no or trace amounts of Sterling Silver, base metal is usually brass or steel

S/S - Sterling Silver - Solid 92.5% Fine SilverS/T - Silver Tone - Contains no Sterling Silver, Color may vary

S/T  Silver Tone - Contains no Sterling Silver,  Color may vary

SPP - Silver Plated Pewter - Contains trace amounts of Sterling Silver, base metal is pewter

White - White Metal - A base metal usually a type of pot metal

oz - ounce

pk - package

un - unit

sp - spool

ft - foot/feet

ea - each

gr - gram

hk - hank

sr - strand

toz/ozt - troy ounce

lb - pound

ct - carat

mm - millimeter

in - inch

dwt - pennyweight (1/20 of a troy ounce)

SL - Silver Line

CL - Clear Line

PL - PermaLux

NP - Non-Permanent

Bd - Bead

SB - Seed Bead

un - Unit

st - Set

SBC - Serrated Bezel Cups

Rd - Round

sz - Size

HK - Hank

pr - Pair