Shipping and Handling Costs
and Preferences
Item prices prices DO NOT
include shipping
and handling fees. These fees typically include the cost that
the
shipping company charges to ship your package, plus reasonable
charges
to cover packaging materials (boxes, labels, etc.), insurance, and
any
international fees (if applicable.)
When we determine shipping and handling costs for an order, we
consider
several factors, including customer preference and the urgency of
the
request, package weight/size, total value and the fragile nature of
the
items, and destination. Because we do not use an average cost
or
weight
to determine shipping/handling fees, we are unable to
post specific shipping costs on the Website yet.
However,
simply Contact Us for a reasonable estimate
of
shipping/handling charges.
If you choose "BEST WAY" we will choose the option that best suits
the
package based on the factors listed above. Note that the best
way
is not always the cheapest way. However, we
strive to do
the best for you, our customers!
We will ship
according to your preference, unless we have specific concerns about
the option you chose (for example, a timing issue.)
If you confirm your order by phone or through the online form, we
will
proceed with processing and shipping your order
without waiting for further verification from you, unless there are
questions. (There is an option on the online form to indicate
your
preference to receive confirmation of the total before
proceeding.)
Unless special arrangements have been made (for example, a wholesale
order), full payment for your order is required before we ship.
Express and Urgent Requests
The fastest way to make an urgent order request is
to Contact Us by telephone in order
to
determine if we can help you. If you make the request on the
online
form, USE COMMENTS with details. We
will do everything possible to ship your order when we promise.
Kindly
note that once the order
leaves our office and is in the "hands" of the shipping company, we
are
at their mercy, and cannot be responsible, nor can we control their
delays or
problems. Further, we cannot be responsible for incidental
problems arising from these types of circumstances (for examples, a
mis-directed or lost package, or for inclement weather
delays.)
However, we will try our best to work towards a resolution of any
problems, and to keep you advised of the situation.
Shipping
Companies
We typically ship either by US Postal Service or UPS (within the USA
only), due to their
overall reliability, value, convenient options, and their proximity
to
our office. We put a tracking number on all domestic (USA)
packages.
Within the USA, options include First Class, Priority Mail, Media
Mail
(for books and CDs only), Parcel Post, and Express*. Priority
Mail
is our standard due to its reliability, tracking, and typical fast
delivery**, and they provide
standard shipping boxes (which keeps our handling costs down.)
First Class is not offered if the
package weighs more than a certain weight. Therefore, if you
request First Class for a package that is too heavy, we will most
likely ship it via Priority Mail, unless Parcel Post or Media Mail
is
more
ecomonical.
*USPS Express is the only one of their guaranteed services (within
USA.)
Depending on location, delivery may be guaranteed in 1-2 business
days.
**Standard delivery for USPS Priority Mail within the continental
United States is ususally 2-3
business days (currently including Saturdays.) Although very
reliable, this is NOT guaranteed.
USA only: UPS offers Ground service as well as some Express
services and options
which
move more quickly, such as 2nd day Air. We use their Ground
service due to its more precise tracking system, and sometimes it is
a
better option to certain locations. It tends to be a better
value
for larger and more fragile items, or for non-urgent shipments that
need to be
delivered by a certain date. Sorry, we cannot ship outside the
USA via UPS.
Packaging
We take great care to package all items carefully, especially
fragile
items,
and have many years of experience doing this. Most of our
packaging materials are recycled materials, which helps us save
money
and be good to Mother Earth in the process. Lower costs for us
means lower handling costs for you, the customer! (If you know
of
a small business in your area that handles a lot of shipping, please
consider donating these materials to help them too!)
Insurance & Shipping Problems
For shipments within the USA, we insure all orders
valued
at $25 USD or more. If the value is less than $25 USD, we
offer
the option of declining this insurance. However, if you do
decline it, ATU cannot assume any responsibility for lost or
damaged packages. Insurance does NOT cover incidental
damages as a result of circumstances over which we have no
control, for
example, delays due to inclement weather. Neither does it
cover
shipping/handling on a separate package (order) which is sent as a
replacement at your request. You must notify us
within 30 days of the purchase (shipping) date if
there is a problem with delivery or loss/damage of your
package/merchandise. We cannot process a return,
exchange, or claim for loss/damage if you have not notified us
within this 30 days from the purchase (shipping) date.Click
HERE to read more information about our Return/Exchange/Loss
Policy.
International Orders
For international orders, the only shipping options available are
via
US Postal Service, and include First Class (no tracking or
insurance),
Priority Mail, and Express*. We will
insure all international orders
valued at $100 USD or more.
If the value is less than $100 USD, we
offer
the option of declining this insurance. However, if you do
decline it, ATU cannot assume any responsibility for lost or
damaged packages. If you choose to insure the
parcel,
and
it was damaged or lost, you may choose whether or not to receive a
refund
or to receive replacement items. However a refund will NOT be
processed until the claim is resolved by
the
shipping company, which could take several weeks. If you would
like to have a replacement item(s) shipped immediately, then we will
process (at your request) a separate order with full
shipping/handling
charges, and process the refund as previously mentioned.
*International Express (outside USA) is offered to many but not all
locations. Typical delivery to Canada and Australia is
around 5-6 business days (about a week), and varies for other
locations. This service does NOT provide a guaranteed delivery
date. It is best to Contact Us by
telephone
for
Express
options, and to inform us of any of your country's Holiday closings.
