FAQs
Teachers
I have sent my trial request; how long before my trial will be set up?
Your trial request will be sent by email to the product supplier. They will contact you within 2 working days to make the necessary arrangements to set up your trial.
I requested a trial more than 2 days ago and I haven’t heard anything yet. What do I do?
If you haven’t heard after 2 working days then please email [email protected] with the details of the product you requested and the date of the request. We will then contact the supplier on your behalf.
How do I leave a review?
When your trial period is over we will contact you by email to ask for your feedback. The email will contain a link to the review form. Simply answer the five questions and leave a short statement to post your review.
I can’t remember whether I’ve trialled this product before – can I check?
If you log in to your account you will be able to see a list of all the trials you have requested on your teacher dashboard.
I’m not a teacher; can I request a trial?
Trials can only be taken by teachers and support staff working in education establishments such as schools, PRUs, multi-academy trusts or prisons. If you are an educator who doesn’t fit within one of those categories then please email us, or use the contact form, with your request.
I’m based at MAT head office; can I request a trial?
Yes. Use the ‘request a trial button’ and create an account. If you can’t find your organisation listed then click ‘add your school manually’ and enter your head office details. Once the supplier has verified the address they will contact you in the normal way.
I’m trying to create an account and I can’t find my school listed.
If you can’t find your school listed then click ‘add your school manually’ and enter your head office details. Once the supplier has verified your school details, they will contact you in the normal way.
Who are BESA?
BESA, the British Educational Suppliers Association, is the trade association covering the entirety of the UK educational suppliers sector. It operates on a not-for-profit basis, and is accountable to an Executive Council that is elected by member companies.
It has an 85-year heritage serving the UK education sector, and represents over 300 educational suppliers in the UK, including manufacturers and distributors of equipment, materials, books, consumables, furniture, technology, ICT hardware and EdTech to the education market.
Combined, BESA’s members constitute around 80% of the market in terms of the amount spent by UK schools on products and services.
For more information about BESA please see our website.
How much does it cost?
There is no cost to use LendED. LendED is a not-for-profit enterprise backed by BESA and the Department for Education and is completely free to use.
Do I have to provide a credit card or bank details to request a trial?
No. All you need to do is create an account on LendED in order to request a trial. The supplier will then contact you direct to make the necessary arrangements. Each supplier has different criteria for setting up a trial and at that point you may be asked for payment details. However, you are under no obligation to continue with the trial or to make a purchase.
Why do I need to set up an account?
You need an account in order to request a trial. Once you have an account, requesting a trial becomes even quicker as all you need to do is log in with your username and password and then click the ‘request a free trial’ button. The account enables you to keep track of all your trial requests over time. It also enables you to leave a review of the products you have trialled.
What happens to my data?
By requesting a trial you are consenting for your contact details to be sent to the product supplier so that they might contact you to make arrangements.
Your details are also stored by LendED and used to send you notifications such as the request for feedback at the end of the trial process.
You will also receive occasional emails giving you updates on developments on the site such as new products added or upgrades to the service.
Your details will never be passed to anyone other than LendED and the supplier whose product you requested to trial.
Suppliers
How can I get my products listed on LendED?
Only products produced by BESA members can be featured on the LendED site. That way, teachers know that products featured here are supplied by reputable companies who have signed up to our Code of Practice. For information on how to become a BESA member please see our website. If you are already a member and would like your product to be listed, then please contact [email protected]
How much does it cost to be featured on LendED?
LendED is a not-for-profit enterprise. There is no cost to be featured on the site, but you do need to be a BESA member to take part.
I missed the 2 working days deadline for responding to a trial request; what happens?
If you fail to respond to a trial request within 2 working days, the teacher will contact LendED. We will then contact you to find out what has happened. The 2 day turnaround is a condition of being part of the site. Suppliers who consistently fail to meet the 2 working days response time will be removed from LendED.
Can I respond to reviews left by teachers?
Yes. You will receive an email notification when a review is posted. You are then able to post a response using your supplier login and dashboard.
How can I see how many trial requests I’ve received?
You will receive an email notification of every new trial request. You can also keep track of all requests via your supplier login and dashboard.
