Current turnaround time: 1-2 business days
New! $5 flat rate shipping for US orders under $50; still free over $50!
Packaging and Shipping:
In
order to keep my prices low, my packaging is simple. I don't wrap slings in tissue
paper, include hang-tags, ribbons, boxes, or any of the other little details
that, while they have initial visual appeal, are quickly tossed in the trash,
and only add to the cost of the sling. It's definitely not fancy, but it means
I can ship to you at cost, instead of adding $2-4 for extra packaging that will
only end up in the recycling anyway.
I ship via the United States Postal Service Priority Mail. You can get a shipping estimate when you add items to your cart and enter your ZIP code; rates have just gone up again, and unfortunately there's nothing I can do about that. Shipping is now included in the price of in-stock slings, but because the charges vary so much with WCRS (due to the range of weights and destinations), I can't fairly include shipping in that cost without overcharging some people and undercharging others. Actual shipping is quoted by the cart if you have selected the correct options; overages will be refunded.
Insurance is included within the US for what the Post Office actually charges. If you select the carrier value on a WCRS, that will include insurance and you need not select insurance at checkout (doing so will simply raise the shipping price at checkout). You can read more about insurance rates here. (Insurance means that the USPS will cover the cost of the sling if it is not delivered; the insurance process begins 21 days after the package has been mailed and is not delivered.
Please take a minute to be sure the address you fill in on the order form is correct, as it is difficult for me to find the correct address if you have not typed it right! I use USPS.com's "Click n Ship", and if the USPS does not have your address on file, I will make my best attempts to contact you to get a correct address. I will not ship your package until I either have confirmation of the address, or an alternate address I can ship to. If I am unable to contact you within 7 days, I will send the package to the address associated with your PayPal payment, but if it is not on file with USPS and is returned to me, you will be responsible for any additional shipping charges that accrue.
Shipping notes for wrap conversions:
If you are sending a wrap to me to be split with another person and the finished slings will be sent to two different addresses, please place two separate orders (usually, each person places her own order) -- shipping is calculated based on the weight, so if two are included in the same order, there's not enough shipping paid to ship to two addresses, and I have to invoice for the additional costs. If both pieces are being sent back to you, a single order is all that's necessary (but do make sure you add two conversions to your cart or I'll have to invoice for the second).
For insurance, please select your value for the total package value in the options on the ordering page. Because the cost of having the conversion done is less than the actual value of the wrap, I need to know how much you feel it is worth in order to add the appropriate amount of insurance coverage, and the pull-down option adds the correct insurance cost to the order total. If you are having multiple slings returned to you, please add the total insured value to only one of the slings -- otherwise, the additional charge may be higher than would actually be necessary to cover the package for the stated value.
International Shipping:
If you don't see your country on the list when you order, please send me an email and I'll add it for you :) NB: Because the labeling laws in Canada differ from the US (labels and other printed materials must be bilingual) and Canada requires flammability testing for all textiles (whereas the weights I use for slings is exempt from testing in the US), I will no longer be shipping to Canada. There are lots and lots of terrific seamstresses in Canada, and you will likely find it less expensive to buy in-country anyway -- though I am sorry for the change.
Shipping rates and international methods are Priority Mail International (PMI), First Class Mail International (FCI), and Express Mail International. If you live outside the US, please email me before placing your order if you have any doubts about shipping. The shopping cart will query USPS.com to get actual shipping rates for each method, so you will be able to see the actual shipping cost at checkout. Although PMI is usually at least twice the cost of FCI, it may be worth selecting PMI if you live in Asia, Australia and other Pacific nations, and South America. I haven't had problems shipping to European countries, but South America seems spotty at best, according to other vendors.
Depending on your location, you may also need to pay a customs fee when you receive the package. Those fees are not included in regular shipping costs, as they are paid to your country's postal service, not to mine. I do not have any personal experience paying customs, so I don't know exactly how it works. The USPS is not responsible for shipping delays once the package has left the USA; after it leaves the US, it's up to your nation's post office to deliver the package. The USPS does not offer tracking or insurance on First Class International packages OR Priority Mail International Flat Rate envelopes. Please do not select the "insured" option if you live outside the US! This will simply add money to your shipping costs, and will not actually get you any insurance.
I'm sorry if the customs fees in your country are high, and I understand that you might prefer to have your package marked as a gift to avoid them. I'm sure everyone would prefer not to pay fees if they don't have to :) However, as a businesswoman, I would face serious consequences if I were to fraudulently mark a package as a gift -- these can be seen here. It's serious business! Apart from the legal considerations, vendors who mark packages as a gift and send them to foreign countries are also undermining that country's own vendors who have to deal with those taxes and whatnot on a daily basis. This is particularly true of Scandinavian countries, which tend to have high VATs. I don't want to break the law or undermine other babywearing vendors (with most of whom I'm on a friendly basis through www.thebabywearer.com), so no, I won't mark your package as a gift.
