- Free Shipping?
- How quickly and with which shipping company can you ship?
- Do I pay shipping on each item?
- Order Confirmation
- How do I track my order?
- How do I calculate time in transit?
- Can I use a PO box?
- How do I calculate shipping costs?
- Will you protect my privacy?
Important: We do not ship to destinations outside of the U.S.
Ok, so what about Free Shipping? (you will always pay more at “Free Shipping” outlets)
We recognize that many online retailers play the “Free Shipping” game with their customers. Most folks understand that there’s no such thing. Companies simply build their shipping and handling costs into the product cost, charge you more and call shipping “Free”. We try to avoid this type of bait and switch tactic with our customers.
We also realize that you really just want to know what your final cost for your order will be. The internet provides an excellent opportunity for consumers to price shop and get the best bang for their hard-earned buck. We shop our competitor’s prices daily to ensure that we meet or beat anyone’s out-the-door pricing.
Shade USA charges neither handling fees nor sales tax, ever ( we are based in AZ and do have to add AZ sales tax to in-state orders). Our shopping cart interacts with UPS Real-Time shipping rates software and adds only actual shipping costs to the order. In our mind this is the only fair and reasonable method.
For example, when you shop a “Free Shipping” online retailer, you will pay a built-in shipping cost based on that product’s average shipping cost. That may work to your advantage if you reside in a state far from the shipping warehouse. However, if you are taking delivery in a state near the shipping point then you are paying a higher cost in order to subsidize the retailer’s other customers.
But here’s the real rub on “Free Shipping”: If you are purchasing more than one item (most of our customers do) then you’re taking a bath on shipping charges overall at “Free Shipping” outlets. You will end up paying twice as much for shipping because shipping costs are built into each individual product you buy when offered “Free Shipping”. Shade USA only charges a single aggregate shipping. Learn more here.
Bottom line: Shade USA guarantees that your final cost will be lower than any of our competitors’ advertised pricing on identical products. We want you to shop with confidence, so we extend this guarantee for 30 days beyond your purchase date.
Some of our drop shippers do include shipping costs into their product costs and we pass the same along under a “Shipping Included” clause. However, these built-in shipping costs pertain only to the 48 states.
Do I have to pay shipping on each item I purchase?
Nope. Our shopping cart offers a break in shipping costs when you place more than one item in your cart. So, let’s say you order a 5-pound beach umbrella and a 9-beach chair. Shade USA will cover the shipping costs for two individual cartons, but you will only pay for a single aggregated 14-pound shipment.
How fast can you ship my order?
We ship via United Parcel Service, FedEx, and USPS. Shade USA, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to switch shipping providers without a refund, return, or upcharge due to a discrepancy between what the order states and the actual shipper selected by Shade USA.
We ship everyday M-F (holidays excluded). Unless otherwise noted, your order will ship within two business days of receipt of your order and credit card approval. Orders requesting priority shipping must be received by 12:00 PM E.S.T. to ensure same-day shipping. Orders requesting expedited shipping that are received after 12:00 PM E.S.T. will ship the next business day.
Product pages and/or our shopping cart may provide an estimated delivery date. This is only an estimation, not a guarantee. Note that when calculating time in transit, the day of your pickup is not counted as a transit day. For example. A 5-day transit time for a package picked up on a Monday provides a delivery on the following Monday. Drop-ship items with an extended shipping timeframe will add the declared timeframe to the estimated delivery date provided by the on-page calculator.
Important: We promise to ship your order as explained above. However, mistakes in shipping beyond our control occasionally occur. In the event of a damaged, delayed, or lost shipment, we will send out a replacement or issue a full refund immediately. Replacement orders will be shipped using the shipping method originally selected for the order. For example, if you order and request ground shipping, the replacement order will also be sent ground. Therefore, we ask that you place your order in plenty of time to accommodate such eventualities.
UPS has exclusions to their money-back guarantees over expedited shipping options such as Next Day Air, Second Day Air, and 3-Day Select. Their money-back guarantee voids under incidents like acts of nature, accidents, or cartons deemed by UPS to be irregular and/or oversized, such as any umbrella of a declared size above 7′ (example: a 9′ patio umbrella or an 8′ beach umbrella). These incidents are infrequent, our control, and not covered by UPS or Shade USA’s shipping guarantees.
Order confirmation
Please be sure to enter a valid email address when ordering. Our shopping cart will email you an order confirmation immediately upon completion of your order. If you do not receive such confirmation, please contact us.
Tracking
Our UPS shipping software will email you with information regarding your order’s ship date, arrival date and tracking #. This notification will email within 24 hours of shipping. You may track your order by clicking here.
Special note: Saturday and Sunday are not regular UPS delivery days and should not be considered as such when calculating time in transit. For example, a Next Day Air order made on a Friday will arrive the following Monday, not on Saturday. This applies to holidays as well.
When will my order arrive?
Each product page has a delivery date calculator. Be sure to note any additional shipping time frames listed on each product page, such as those from our drop-ship fulfillment centers. For example, if a drop ship item takes 1-2 weeks to ship, this time must be added to the delivery date shown on the delivery calculator displayed on the product page.
Can I use a P.O.box for a shipping address?
Please use “UPS-able” physical addresses only unless you have requested a USPS delivery method.
How can I calculate shipping costs for the items I wish to order?
Most product pages include a shipping cost calculator.
Why can’t I select a shipping method in the shopping cart?
The shopping cart is integrated with a UPS rate table, which only goes to 150 lbs. If your order exceeds 150 lbs, please place two separate orders. If this doesn’t permit a shipping selection, then please contact us.
Privacy
We do not sell any customer information under any circumstances. See our privacy statement for details.
Notice: Shade USA reserves the right to make a selection on the customer’s behalf to expedite the shipping process if a particular color or design of a product is not included with the customer’s order.
