Congratulations! 
You have a shipment on the way!

AND THAT MEANS. . .
→ YOU SHOULD REALLY, REALLY READ THIS! ← 

HONEST.LY.
A quick read-through of this document will prevent you from getting stuck in a sticky situation if anything unexpected happens along the way. 
→ if anything funky happens and you act based on this information, we’ll be able to help you!
→ if something happens and you haven’t read this….we’ll still try to help you, yes-of-course! 

BUT! 

The info below ensures you have all of the tools you need to enable us to help you if you need help. and we love helping you!

PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT BIT TO KNOW:

As the receiver, YOU (or your receiving team/staff/department/ministry/dude → aka whoever gets paid to accept your delivery) are responsible for verifying that your shipment has arrived as expected → signed shipping documents indicate that you have received the correct number of pallets, the correct number of total pieces, and you have received them all safe and sound, with no damages.

 
HERE’S HOW TO DO THAT:

BEFORE YOU SIGN ANY SHIPPING DOCUMENTS, please confirm that the number of cases or pallets matches what is on the paperwork, and that the product is correct. To the carrier, the signing of the shipping documents is confirmation that what you have received is complete and correct and in good condition (a signature on the paperwork is "The Holy Grail" as far as the carrier is concerned - if you are questioning anything at all, please make notes right on those papers!) It is ok to have the driver wait for you to verify product and quantity, or to indicate on your paperwork "subject to count" to avoid any issues. Documentation is what gives us the leverage if things are not delivered as expected - without it, it is just our word vs the carriers, and if they have those signed papers it is a hard fight to fight!

If your shipment arrives damaged, please take photos right away---this is critical. You are not obliged to sign for damaged goods. If you are in need of your items and you know that some are going to be salvageable, you can sign for the shipment as damaged (write that right on the document - that is important!) and then please contact us right away and we can help you with this and file a claim with the carrier on your behalf.

 
OTHER THING TO KNOW THAT MAY MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER:

+ If your shipment arrives at the wrong location from what is confirmed with us please feel free to send the carrier away or direct them to the proper location (it is not your job to accept it because they want to unload it there/now).

+ If you have an appointment with your delivery (confirmed by us) and the carrier just shows up without contacting you first, please feel free to send them away and ask that they contact you for a delivery window. (unfortunately carriers often ‘try their luck’ and attempt to deliver without arranging an appointment, even if one is requested)

+ If you have set an appointment/delivery time and they are not delivering within that window and you are too busy to take the shipment, please feel free to send them away and ask them to return in your pre-arranged delivery window.

+ If you run into anything that you feel is just not right, please contact us.

 
SOME COMMON SHIPPING FAQ

+ What should I expect when I'm receiving a large packaging order?
Expect the good, the bad, and the ugly. Make sure you have a team of friends/staff/mules mobilized and ready to help you receive your packaging when it does land. Unfortunately, trucking companies aren't like couriers - unless you’ve requested an appointment delivery (an extra service that comes with an extra fee), they give us a rough idea of the day they expect your shipment to land, and then our logistics department follows up with them repeatedly until we know your packaging has landed. 

97.6% of truck drivers will not help to bring your packaging into your storage unit. They won't carry it up to your attic. They won't call you to let you know they're half an hour away. They will show up in a flurry, probably without warning, and start unloading (time is money). 

If your shipping form indicates that you don’t have a loading dock or a forklift, the driver should have a tailgate, which they will use to lower your packaging off the truck... period. 

We recommend thinking of the whole experience as a mix between Crossfit, emergency coast guard duty, and a workshop on building patience.

+ What's the difference between a residential and a commercial address?Residential addresses are designated as living space, and commercial addresses are for business / commerce. Residential shipments are possible, but typically the cost is higher as a specialized truck has to be used instead of a larger freight truck. We strongly suggest that shipments be sent to a commercial address to help keep your costs down.

+ How is everything shipped?
We ship most things on 40x48" wooden pallets secured with plastic shipping wrap (unless it's small enough to go by courier). The number of pallets that we use to ship your packaging depends on the items and quantities that you’ve ordered. Our operations team will be in touch with you prior to your shipment release to let you know how many pallets to expect. We (generally) offer outside delivery only, which means that you’ll need to manage it once it comes off the truck. Make sure you have some friends (preferably strong ones) to help get everything from the truck into your shop or warehouse on delivery day!

+ Will there be any additional delivery fees?
There shouldn’t be! We ask you to provide all the nitty gritty details about your shipping location(s) well ahead of time so that we can organize your delivery with no surprises. (because birthday surprises are good, and shipping surprises are generally….no fun at all *sad birthday horn noise*). The shipping information you provide allows us to arrange your shipping with everything taken into consideration, so that your delivery goes smoothly, with no pesky surprises from the carrier. As long as the information on your shipping form is correct - there should be no additional fees. It’s worth noting that any granted requests made of the driver onsite (ie: if you ask for help unloading, if you ask for your pallets to be brought inside, if you ask for a last minute address change, etc), will most likely result in an extra charge - so be careful of that! (we certainly don’t want you to be charged for extras, and they don’t always explain that your request will result in a fee - that’s why we’re here!)