This post covers commonly asked questions regarding shipping/delivery and explains how we package our orders.
How is my order shipped?
All orders currently go by Royal Mail. For UK customers, Royal Mail will deliver your package. For other locations, your national mail carrier will usually take over the delivery.
Our free shipping option doesn't offer tracking but we do have paid options that let you track your order. Orders sent to UK customers will go by 2nd class post. For the rest of the world, your order will go by airmail.
Most orders are sent in a C4-sized mailer box. We use this size for a couple of reasons: it fits through most letter boxes and it's significantly cheaper to send this size.
Here's a picture of the box we use:
Most patch bay labels will need to be folded over to fit in the box, but we don't put a hard crease on your label and it will flatten out without any visible creasing once the label is applied to your patch bay.
Here's a label that's been inside the closed box box, loosely folded as in the picture above:
My label looks a bit creased
If you do find your label is a bit creased — maybe the box was damaged in transit — you can flatten out most creases by leaving a heavy book on top of your label for a few hours. Once your label is stuck on to your patch bay there should be no visible creasing.
Why don't you use a bigger box?
To keep costs down, and allow us to offer free worldwide shipping, we use the smallest possible box. The pricing structure for Royal Mail means that using a bigger box can more than double the postage costs to some locations. You can pay a surcharge if you'd like us to use a bigger box. Just choose "bigger box" as your shipping option. Your order will be sent with the same method as our free shipping option, but in a larger sized box that means your label is coiled instead of foiled over (see below).
Can I have a bigger box?
Sure. Please make sure you select the corresponding shipping option at checkout.
Here's a picture of what you get if you choose the "bigger box" shipping option, and how it looks with a patch bay label inside:
Why is there no tracking?
Unfortunately, we're unable to offer tracking on our free shipping options, but we do offer paid shipping options that provide tracking information. We'll update your order with your tracking code if you choose this option.
Do you have an option with tracking?
Yes, there's a tracked option available to all locations. Please select "tracked" as a shipping option when checking out. We'll email your tracking code when your order has been dispatched.
How long is it going to take?
Delivery times vary by location and time of year (there are often delays around Christmas and local holidays).
- UK orders usually arrive within a few days.
- European orders typically take around 7-10 days, but occasionally it might take up to 20 working days.
- USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the rest of the world can expect to wait around 10-14 days for delivery, but again, it may occasionally take up to 20 days (excluding weekends and holidays) for your order to reach you, especially if you live somewhere remote.
Do I have to pay taxes?
The short answer is maybe. We're based in Northern Ireland, so customers within the EU and customers in Great Britain should not usually have to pay any import taxes, however, you may wish to double check this information with your local Customs Office. There may be import taxes due for orders to other locations so please check with your local authorities about any import taxes or duties that may be due. The tariff code for our products is 3919908028.
I'm in the EU and I got an Import Tax Charge. What should I do?
We attach all necessary paperwork and provide digital customs information through our mail carrier. However, sometimes Customs assume that packages passing through the UK postal service originate from Great Britain. Shipments from Northern Ireland fall under the Northern Ireland Protocol, which keeps it within the EU Single Market for Goods. Orders to EU customers should not usually attract import taxes, so if you receive a customs charge here's what to do:
- Dispute the charge - check that your local Customs authorities know about the Northern Ireland Protocol. Get them to check the digitally submitted customs data. Point out that the EORI number begins with the letters XI (this is unique to Northern Irish exporters)
- If they won't remove the charge, decline the delivery and get in touch with us. We'll re-send your order. In most cases, they don't make the same mistake twice.
We make every possible effort to ensure a smooth delivery, but unfortunately these mistakes occur from time to time.