Time from Ordering to Shipping
Most orders will ship the same day or the day after we receive the order, but we do not ship on Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday. Our staff splits their time between the storefront and the shipping department, and because the storefront is open on the weekends we keep Wednesday as a day for everyone to have some time off.
Time In Transit
This means that an order placed on Tuesday afternoon will ship on Thursday, and orders placed Friday afternoon will ship on Monday. Shipping methods refer to time in transit, so a 2-day order will take 2-days of travel to arrive, after it ships out. You can call or email if there is any question about the shipping estimate. We are shipping from Maine.
Delays and Special Requests
Orders can be delayed an extra day when there is a holiday, a large shipment from Miyuki, or a question about the order. If you need an order to arrive on a particular day, please confirm with us that the arrival time is possible.
Carriers
We offer a variety of shipping options to domestic and international addresses sent through UPS, FEDEX and USPS. All our shipping options can be tracked and are insured. You know best which delivery service is reliable in your area.
USPS is usually the least expensive method for small orders. You can select Ground Advantage ( formerly First Class Mail ) or Priority Mail flat rate.
Fedex flat rate options are generally the best combination of speed and low price. Larger orders will not fit in their flat rate boxes. Choose between Saver which takes an extra day or two, and Priority.
UPS is still the most reliable shipping method for large orders. If you are in New England it may also be a cheaper option for medium sized orders.
Recycled Packaging
All of our paper bags and envelopes are made from partially recycled paper, and the majority of our boxes are recycled cardboard or re-used boxes from our incoming shipments. If you get a box with a number on the outside that doesn't match your order, never fear. Inside you'll find your items, we just re-used the box to give it a second life. We encourage you to pass along these boxes to your customers, or use them for storage.
International orders
Caravan Beads is not responsible for resolving difficulties with duty and customs for international customers. We will include paperwork as requested, but communication with customs offices and payment of duty or import tax is the responsibility of the customer. Please provide us with any VAT # or other import identification codes you wish us to use on your order.