How Our Deposit & Reservation Process Works

We use a deposit-and-reserve model rather than an instant checkout, so every order gets a human confirmation step before delivery is arranged. Industrial equipment — containers, tanks, gensets — usually involves site-specific delivery logistics that are worth confirming with a real person before anything ships, which an instant-checkout flow can't do well.

A refundable deposit of up to $1,000 (or the item's full price if it's lower) holds your unit and locks the quoted price for 48–72 hours while we confirm availability and arrange delivery. If your order doesn't move forward, the deposit is fully refunded — there's no risk in locking in a price while you finalize details on your end.

Our team verifies the unit is available and preps it for transport. This is also when any grade- or condition-specific questions (see our container grades guide) get sorted out before delivery is scheduled.

Freight is scheduled to your site, coordinated around your timeline. Delivery cost isn't included in the listed unit price — it's quoted separately based on your location and the unit's size, since freight rates vary too much by distance and equipment type to list a single flat number honestly.

This is the point to have your site ready. Access width, straight-line clearance for the unload, overhead lines, and the condition of the ground all determine whether a delivery can be completed — our guide to preparing your site for container delivery covers what to check, and flagging any constraints to us in advance is far cheaper than a return trip.

Your unit arrives ready to use. Balance is due before delivery, not at reservation, so the deposit you paid in Step 1 is the only payment required to lock in your price and hold the unit.

Delivery is quoted separately because rates vary too much by distance and equipment type to publish a single honest figure. A few details from you make that quote faster and more accurate.

The delivery address, obviously — but specifically the address where the container will actually be set down, which isn't always the billing address or the main entrance of a site.

How the truck will reach the spot. Access width along the whole approach, whether there's a long enough straight run for a tilt-bed unload, any tight turns, gradients, soft ground, or overhead lines. Our guide to preparing your site for container delivery covers what to look for, and telling us about a constraint in advance is far cheaper than a driver discovering it.

Any site restrictions on timing — delivery windows, gate hours, whether someone needs to be present, or whether equipment is needed at your end.

Constraints identified before dispatch can usually be worked around by sending the right equipment. The same constraints found at your gate become a failed delivery and a return charge, which is the outcome this step exists to avoid.

Orders covering several units, or a mix of equipment types, work the same way but with a few practical differences worth knowing.

Freight is quoted for the whole order rather than per item, and combining units into a single shipment is often more economical than separate deliveries — though it depends on what's being moved, since a container, a tank and a genset don't necessarily travel on the same equipment.

Availability is confirmed per unit. If part of an order is available immediately and part needs longer, we'll tell you rather than holding the whole thing, so you can decide whether to split the delivery or wait.

Invoicing itemises each unit separately with its own description and price, which matters if the purchase is going to support a Section 179 claim — your accountant will generally find a per-unit breakdown more useful than a single total.

The deposit window is there to give you time, but a few things are better resolved before it starts.

For any container, whether the grade suits the job — container grades explained covers what the terminology means. For a refrigerated unit, whether your site can actually power it, which is the single most common cause of post-delivery problems; reefer container electrical requirements covers what to check. For anything going offshore, whether the certification matches what your operator requires, covered in DNV 2.7-1 explained.

None of these prevent you reserving — the deposit is refundable and the window exists precisely so these can be confirmed. But sorting them early turns the reservation window into a formality rather than a scramble.

Can I cancel after reserving? Yes — if your order doesn't move forward, the deposit is fully refunded.

What if I change my mind after delivery? Returns are accepted within 7 days of delivery. Return shipping and any related costs are the customer's responsibility.

Can this purchase support a Section 179 write-off? Businesses may qualify to deduct the full purchase price in the year it's placed in service under Section 179, rather than depreciating it over several years — see our Section 179 guide for the details, and talk to your accountant about your specific situation.