Hicks Sticks, Shipping informationTemplate

Fees, Shipping schedule, Domestic Shipping, International shipping, Insurance claims

Shipping Fees: Buyers pay actual shipping and insurance charges plus a packaging fee for didgeridoos and other large items. Costs vary tremendously depending on the size and weight of the package, and shipping destination. Shipping is automatically calculated when checking out throuh the shopping cart system. For phone orders, please contact me for a shipping quote prior to purchase.

Packaging fees: There is a $6.00 fee for packing materials for average sized/shaped instruments, $10 for packages that require extra materials and/or custom box modification, (longer instrument, bigger bell, curvy shape etc.), and up to $25 for huge instruments or multiple instrument shipments that require building extra large heavy duty custom boxes.

Shipping schedule: I ship using the US Postal service once or twice weekly. Please note that even if you select express mail shipping, your order may not ship immediately. Also, during winter months, UPS and Fedex pickups can be delayed for long periods due to snow and poor road conditions.

Domestic shipping: US priority mail is recommended for all US Shipping of non-oversized packages. All US orders are shipped via the US postal service, UPS, or Fedex express based on customer preference and availablity of service depending on package size and weight. No other services including Fedex ground are available.

International Shipping: When possible, the best rates are via the US postal service. However, the US postal service does have many size restrictions for various countries.

The best international shipping rate options for didgeridoos based on package size and destination:

Canada: US Postal service international priority (Up to 108" combined length plus girth) or UPS standard/ground service

Allowable package sizes for US international priority to other countries:

- Packages up to combined 108" length plus girth: Canada, Hong Kong.

- Packages up to 60" length with combined ength plus girth up to 108": Andorra, Macao, Austria, Malta, Azerbaijan, Marshall Islands, Belgium, Micronesia, Denmark, Netherlands, Finland, New Zealand, France, Norway, Germany, Poland, Gibraltar, Portugal, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, San Marino, Greece, Slovak Republic (Slovakia), Ireland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Japan, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Vatican City, Luxembourg.

-To other countries, there is a 42" length limit for US postal service packages. This leaves Fedex, and UPS as the only options for didgeridoo shipments. Fedex international "economy" saves a few dollars compared to the other services, but these services are VERY expensive.

Export customs declarations, import duties and taxes: US federal law requires shippers to provide an accurate description and delclare full value of exported merchandise. All shipments are declared and insured for full value and invoices are included with shipping documentation on each package. All import duties, taxes etc. are the responsibility of the buyer.

Items damaged in shipping and insurance claims: I am careful to package all instruments well, insure packages for the full value of the instrument and keep shipping documentation in case of any problems. Insurance claims are rare, but do occasionaly occur.

Customer responsibility with insurance claims: It is the customer's responsibility to fully document shipping damage. Shippers will not pay claims without thorough documentation. To file damage claims, you must document the damage to both the box and contents. The better the documentation and communication, the better chance that insurance will actually be paid.

If you receive a damaged package:

     -Before opening it: Take good quality photos of the damage to the box. The more
      quality photos clearly showing mishandling of the package, the better.

    -Take photos of the bubble wrapped instrument(s) and extra packing/padding material
     in the box.

    -Take photos of the damage to the instrument.

    -Write a detailed description of the damage to package and contents before reporting.

    -Contact me as soon as possible with all the information. I will do everything possible to help support you, guide you in documenting the damage, and do my best to handle the claim as long as you have provided full documentation of the damage.