FAQ

Are your lights for indoor and outdoor use?
The majority of our products are for both indoor and outdoor use. However, some are specified for strictly indoor or only temporary outdoor use. Please refer to each individual product page on the site for specifications.

Are your lights UL approved?
Most of the pre-packaged lights we sell (C7 String Light Sets and Novelty categories) are UL approved. However, our custom and commercial grade strands are not.

Do your lights plug end-to-end?
Most of our lights plug end-to-end, however a few items are single-end connections. Please refer to the individual product pages to identify the type of plug.

How long are your light strands?
The length of a light strand is always listed in the product detail found on the product page for each strand. Our light strands range greatly in length and we also offer custom length strands in certain styles. The majority of our pre-packaged light strands are between 12-26 feet long.

What color are the light strands?
Most of the light strands are offered in green or white wire. Our commercial grade lighting is offered in black or white wire and some of our Mini Lights have a brown wire option. Each product page will list the color of the cord.

Do you sell the covers by themselves?
No, we are not able to sell covers for lights individually. We receive our lights with covers as pre-packaged sets and do not have them for individual sale.

Do you sell replacement light strands?
We do sell a 10 mini light strand. Many customers purchase this strand to replace a cord they have previously used with decorative covers. Every manufacturer makes their own light strand therefore we cannot guarantee that your covers will fit the 10 mini light strand; however, most people have been able to make it work with their covers. We also sell C9 light strands individually under the C9 Strings + Bulbs section.

Do you sell replacement bulbs?
We sell replacement bulbs for many of our strands but not all. Replacement bulbs for our C7 String Light Sets can be found on the C7 Bulbs only page. We sell many cords separately with your choice of bulbs like our C7 Strings + Bulbs, C9 Strings + Bulbs, and Medium Strings + Bulbs. There are no minimum quantities, so you can buy as many or as few replacements as you’d like at any time!

Do you sell the covers by themselves?
No, we are not able to sell covers for lights individually. We receive our lights with covers as pre-packaged sets and do not have them for individual sale.

We do not have replacement bulbs available for the following categories: Mini Lights or Novelty Lights. One exception to this list is our C7 Red Lanterns, for which we sell Flicker C7 replacement bulbs.

What is the difference between C7 and C9?
C7 and C9 are terms that refer to the socket size on a cord. The sockets on a C7 cord are slightly smaller than on a C9 cord. Each type of cord uses a different base size of light bulb, the C7 cord fits a candelabra base bulb and the C9 cord fits an intermediate base bulb.

What is the difference between G30, G40 and G50 bulbs?
G30, G40 and G50 refer to the sizes of the glass globes. G30 bulbs are the smallest size and are 30 mm (1.25 inches) in diameter. G40 bulbs are the middle size, measuring 40 mm (1.5 inches) in diameter. G50 are the largest of the three sizes and they’re 50 mm (2 inches) in diameter.

What is the difference between different base sizes on light bulbs?
The metal screw base at the bottom of a light bulb comes in a specific size to match the size of the socket it’s going into. We sell bulbs with bases in 3 different sizes:

• Candelabra base (E12) is the narrowest base size and they are used with C7 cords.
• Intermediate base (E17) is the next size up from candelabra. They are used with C9 cords.
• Medium Base (E27) is the largest size. They are same size base as a standard light bulb, and they are used with Medium cords.

How bright are LED lights?
LED lights provide approximately as much light as their traditional counterparts — Mini Lights and C9 Christmas Bulbs. While their light output is similar to that of regular bulbs, they use much less electricity.

How many lanterns do I need to decorate my tent?
How many lanterns to use is a difficult question for us to answer, since each person has their own idea of what is “enough”. Our best advice is to draw your space to scale on graph paper, then place lanterns on the graph in all the places you’d like them to be and add your total.

How many lights will I need to decorate my Christmas tree?
If you are looking to decorate your tree with our Mini Lights or C9 Strings + Bulbs, you can use the following guidelines:

For Mini Lights:

For C9 Strings + Bulbs:

• For a minimally lit tree, use the following number of lights:
  multiply height (ft.) x width (ft.) x 1.5
• For a well-lit tree, use the following number of lights:
  multiply height (ft.) x width (ft.) x 3

How long do your bulbs last?
Our light bulbs have the life expectancy listed on each page. However, bulbs last different times outside based on varying degrees of elements to sun, weather, etc. Colored bulbs will fade over time depending on amount of use and the elements they are exposed too.

I want to mix/alternate your Flamingos lights with the Palm Trees. Are all the light covers interchangeable?
Our lights come from a variety of manufacturers, so not all decorative covers will be interchangeable. If you’d like to alternate decorative covers, contact us with the specific strands you’re interested in, and we’ll be happy to find out if they’re compatible.

Do you sell wholesale?
No. We are a retail site only.

Can I place my order over the phone, by fax or by mail?
Absolutely! You can place your order over the phone by calling us at 866.758.5836. If you wish to place by fax or by mail, there is an option during check out to print your order. Just fill in the appropriate credit card information and fax to 713.861.3402 or mail your order form (will take personal checks) to: PartyLights.com, 6955 Portwest Dr., Ste. 120, Houston, TX 77024. You can also fill out the form on our Order Form page.

Do you accept checks?
Yes! Just include your check with your mail-in order. For orders paid for with a check, we will hold shipment of your order for 10 days to guarantee your check has cleared.

How do I know if a particular item is on back order?
Our shopping cart is equipped with an inventory control system. If you add an item to your cart and we do not have enough in our inventory to fulfill the quantity, you will be alerted to the back order status. At that time, you can decide if you still wish to purchase the item. Note: In the rare cases that we are out and you weren’t alerted, we will notify you via email right away!

If I wish to mail in my order along with a personal check, how do I know if the item will still be in stock once you receive my order?
You can always email us at customerservice@partylights.com to check availability of any item. If you email to let us know you are mailing in an order, let us know which items you are purchasing and we’ll set them aside for 7 business days to allow us to receive your payment.

Can I return the lights if they are not what I expected?
Yes. We have a 30-day money back guarantee. Sorry, shipping charges are non-refundable. For complete details, please see our Return Policy.

What if I want to send lights as a gift?
Please include as much information as possible how you would like us to handle the order under "Special Instructions" upon checkout.

Do you ship internationally?
At this time, we ship only to Canada, United States, APO, Puerto Rico, Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands. Please note, shipments to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, APO and PO Box addresses are shipped USPS Priority Mail. Canada shipments are shipped via UPS and the duties and taxes are included in the shipping cost.

Once I place my order, when can I expect to receive it?
We ship orders Monday through Friday. Orders placed by 1:00 p.m. Central Standard Time Monday-Friday will ship the same day, if all the items are in stock. Orders received after 1:00 p.m. CST Monday-Friday will ship the next business day. If Economy is selected your order will ship within 1-3 business day.

*Please note: UPS only delivers packages on business days (Monday – Friday).

When ordering express delivery, the first 24 hours in transit are day 1 (if you order before 1:00 CST). So if you order an in-stock item via 2nd Day on Wednesday before 1:00 p.m. CST, it will ship the same day and be delivered by end of day on Friday. If you order after 1:00 p.m. CST, it will ship the next day and be delivered by the end of the day on Monday.

If some of my items are “Back Order” or “Special Order” status and some are not, when will I receive my order?
If any part of your order is back ordered or you have ordered a Special Order item, we will hold your entire order until all items are ready to be shipped.

How will you use our personal information (address, email, etc)?
We won’t! We do not provide ANY of your information to outside sources. We will only use your information for order fulfillment. When checking out, you are asked if you wish to receive future emails from us. If you select yes, then you will receive an occasional email from us.

Do you have a catalog that you can send me?
We do not print catalogs. Our product line increases and changes so rapidly that we have found it impossible to keep up with a printed catalog.

Do you gift wrap?
At this time we do not. However, if you would like a special message included we can include it on the sales receipt. Just write your message in the “Special Instructions” box upon checking out. Note: If an order is specified as a gift we will not include the pricing information on the sales receipt.