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All information below and shipping costs shown throughout our site are for continental or lower 48 United States. If you need quotes for Hawaii, Alaska or other countries, please e-mail us. We ship overseas all the time, and can gladly give you lots of options via ocean or air, door to door or door to port.
USPS or FED EX - Daily Shipping
When you order color, tools, books and other accessories, most of the time, they will ship via USPS or FedEx. Costs to ship is based on weight of shipment and your zip code. If you want us to figure the USPS or FedEx shipping costs on your order, simply e-mail us with order and your full address - name and address. FedEx will not deliver to PO boxes. If the address you give us is your home, FedEx will charge a residential fee, as well. This is usually only a couple of dollars more than if to a business address. Gallons of slip, whether earthenware, stoneware or porcelain, and gallons of glaze or dipping glaze do not ship well using USPS or FedEx. Most of the time, these will need to ship via freight or a truck. When an order HAS to be delivered quickly, USPS Priority Express can be an option. Just let us know if you need us to figure your freight this way. We may send Signature Required when shipping to your home especially during the holidays.
Freight
Most equipment - large kilns, some potter's wheels, slab rollers, pug mills, large orders of colors or molds and dipping glazes will usually ship via freight. Here are some issues you should be aware of when we quote you freight. As with above modes of shipping, we need your name and full address to figure the freight for you.
When a shipment leaves our warehouses, we track the shipment for you. We will call, fax or e-mail you with a tracking number, approximately when you can expect the shipment and a way to call your local terminal to find out exactly what day it will come to your business or home. Business to business freight will not call in advance of delivery. Residential freight will call for appointment.
1) The least expensive way to ship freight is business to business. The equipment or order leaves here on a pallet - wrapped, strapped, labeled and with signs saying DO NOT STACK, FRAGILE, DO NOT FREEZE (if color, glaze or slip). Our forklift drivers load the pallet(s) onto the back of a freight truck. It is assumed by the freight company that the destination has some way of taking the shipment off the back of the truck. Sometimes these trucks are the smaller variety, however sometimes they are the large eighteen wheelers. Sometimes, if you get a nice driver that has had a pretty good day, they will be nice enough to bring the shipment into your business, however they are not required to do this service. The freight company does not call first before they deliver to a business address. If you request a call prior to delivery from the freight company, they will charge an additional fee of $25.00
2) If you do not have a way to take the equipment off the back of the truck, you can request a liftgate truck. This is a freight truck with a hydraulic lift that can lower the shipment down off the back of the truck. Usually with this service, the freight company will ONLY take it off the truck and set it `curbside'. There are some rural parts of the country where this would be considered an up-charge of anywhere between $35.00 and $75.00. And liftgate services for overseas shipments will be quoted individually.
3) If you have a shipment delivered to your home, even if your business is in your home, there is an additional charge. It is called Residential Delivery. This service can be as low as $25.00 and as high as $56.00. Again, as with the liftgate fee, it is based on where you live.
4) WHITE GLOVE SERVICE - This service is not available at this time.
If you would like Inside Delivery of your shipment, the freight company also charges extra for this service. They will usually only bring it into the first floor, like a garage or large door opening. You need to be aware that if you are ordering a large kiln or other very heavy piece of equipment, asking them to bring it into the garage is your best bet on this service. Freight drivers are not familiar with kilns and other such ceramic equipment. You don't want them to take your kiln apart to get it through a door. You should be prepared and have help on your end to help you do this.
When you request a freight quote from us, please let us know:
If business to business
If you need a liftgate truck
If you need residential delivery. This service USUALLY requires appointment for delivery, as well.
We can quote all for you as options, and then you can decide what you need/want.
If you have other questions, please let us know.
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