Holiday Shipping & Other Pandemic Woes
This holiday season, we're trying to avoid some of the headaches from last year's shipping debacle. Here's what we learned last year and suggestions to avoid disappointments.
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) really does give priority to Priority Mail. Priority Mail must be used for packages weighing one pound or more, which is four skeins of 100 gram yarn (with labels and packaging). So, whenever possible, try to combine your purchases so you have at least four skeins so that they will be sent out Priority Mail. As available, we will use the USPS provided shipping boxes and envelopes so that your package is highly visible as Priority Mail (but won't be as cute as our holiday packaging, sorry). Priority Mail also includes $100 of insurance. Not a single priority mail package experienced extended delays last year, although there were some delays.
Orders less than four skeins are sent out First Class Package Service. To send them out Priority Mail, or United Parcel Service, is approximately 40-50% more so we can't upgrade all our packages to Priority Mail while we only charge $3 flat rate shipping. Even though not a single Amanda Hope Yarn package shipped out First Class Package failed to reach its destination last year, there were extreme delays of several weeks for some customers. Some packages shipped early December didn't reach their destinations until January. If you would like your smaller package shipped out Priority Mail, just email us after your order and we will get back to you with the additional cost to you. We will only charge you the difference that we pay, which may be an amount you would be more than willing to be charged to get the upgraded shipping.
You may also notice that some of your packages are shipped United Parcel Service. Due to the increases from USPS for the holiday season, the shipping charges for UPS are sometimes more favorable, and include a small amount of insurance on the package. However, orders under one pound are cost prohibitive to send UPS, so only orders of one pound or more will be sent UPS. The exception for this is shipping to Canada. Customers who are in Canada who pay the international shipping rate will get their packages shipped UPS because it is usually projected by UPS to arrive in a week or less, whereas the post office lists 7-21 days for the package to arrive. However, we have to pay to have UPS pick up the packages or drive even further than the local post office, so that is always a factor. If you see that your package didn't ship the day you expected, it may be that we are shipping it UPS and are planning a trip to town or have scheduled a pickup.
As far as "other pandemic woes," you may notice that some of our colorways are not offered or remain out of stock for a while. Thank the pandemic as some dyes that are used in these colorways are difficult, or impossible, to obtain now due to pandemic related manufacturing supply chain issues.
That's all for now. Sorry about the bad news on shipping and dyes, but we want to make this holiday season as stress free as possible for you so we want you to be aware of these issues.
Wendy