Shipping Information
HOW LONG UNTIL MY ORDER SHIPS?
We process orders on a first come, first serve basis. Processing time depends on what you order, if the item is in stock or a custom item and our workload at the time you order. If you are working on a certain time schedule, you may want to contact the online office and inquire as to how long processing is taking. It is best to email the office at [email protected]
HOW LONG UNTIL I RECEIVE MY PACKAGE?
Most orders are shipped within 2-5 business days but it depends somewhat on which day of the week you order, what you are ordering and our order back log. We process orders in the order they are received. If there are many customers ahead of you it may take a couple of days to get to your order, occasionally it make take additional days, especially when weekends and holidays are in the mix or we need to bring in an item from a storefront. We ship five to six days a week but if for instance you order late on a Thursday, your order may not process until the following Monday or Tuesday, again depending on how many orders are ahead of you. Contact us by email and we can give you an idea of our work load.
FREE SHIPPING - thekitchenapproach offers free shipping on orders of $100 or more (excluding furniture). Orders with free shipping will go our using First Class mail or on occasion, FedEx or UPS. Exclusions: free shipping is not offered during our annual site wide sale (1/4/23-1/8/23).
NEED FASTER SHIPPING.....
Priority Mail - this service is offered though the post office. It is a 2-3 day service from the time it leaves us, although the post office does not guarantee that time frame. It does come with a tracking number.
Express Mail - this service is guaranteed and also through the post office. It is a 2 day service with a guarantee by the post office. We must receive your Express order by 2pm CST (preferably noon) to get it on current day's shipment. We are not able to guarantee Saturday delivery.
Overnight Mail - this service this also guaranteed and is through FedEx. Yes it is costly as it basically assures your package a place on an airplane. We must receive your Overnight order by 2pm CST (preferably noon) to get it on current day's shipment. We are not able to guarantee Saturday delivery.
If you chose Overnight Delivery, your package will come by FedEx or UPS and Saturday and Sunday are not business days.
WILL I RECEIVE A TRACKING NUMBER?
Yes, our shipping department emails each customer when their package leaves our warehouse. It is very important to make sure you type in the correct email address on your order so that our shipping notice and tracking information reaches you.
WHAT IF MY PACKAGE IS LOST?
Unfortunately this happens. Not very often but it happens.
First, let's break down shipping. We collect shipping on your behalf. That money goes to the shipping company, not in our pocket. Once a package is handed over to the post office, UPS or Fedex, it becomes a contract between you and the shipping company. We just act on your behalf.
With that said, we are here to assist in any way possible from any forms we need to complete or people we need to contact. There's multiple types of lost packages though. There's the type that the shipper actually acknowledges they lost and the claim is fairly simple. Then there's the type where the shipper scanned the package as delivered yet the customer says they didn't get the package. For that type, please read on.
I CHOSE BOUTIQUE PICKUP.....HOW LONG UNTIL MY ORDER IS READY?
All online orders are placed with the online warehouse. The merchandise is not pulled from the boutique but rather the online warehouse. Once the order is placed we put it in line for processing along with all the other online orders, again could be 2-5 days. Once processed we send it to the chosen boutique. When it arrives there, the boutique girls will call you using the number you put on the order and let you know the package is ready for pickup. This can sometimes take 2-5 days depending on order backlog when you place your order.
DO YOU SHIP OUTSIDE THE Finland?
Yes, every day! We are happy to ship to other countries and International Shipping is an option for you when you checkout. Again we use U.S. Post Office Priority Mail for international orders. These packages may take 2-3 weeks to go through customs and arrive at your address. thekitchenapproach assumes nor covers any costs associated with customs fees.
DO YOU SHIP TO APO/FPO addresses?
Yes, gladly and we use the USPS Priority Mail.
HOW IS MY PACKAGE BEING SHIPPED?
We prefer to use the good ‘ole post office on 99.9% of our orders but occasionally we use FedEx on over-sized packages or extremely heavy packages and overnight requests. Please be sure to let us know if you have a different address for FedEx.
DOMESTIC SHIPPING: The post office has flat rate Priority Mail boxes that start at $8.95 that most single item orders will fit into very easily which includes delivery confirmation. Adding additional items usually only adds $1 or so per item. Several apparel items stacked together in a padded envelope can ship for $10-$12. This just gives you an idea of how we charge out shipping. We spend a great deal of time to make sure we get your package shipped the quickest possible way for the least amount of money. We use and pay for delivery confirmation on every package that leaves here. Delivery confirmation is NOT insurance. Insurance will cover your package if it arrives damaged or the post office loses the package. Once the package leaves here and is scanned by the post office, we no longer assume any responsibility. At that point it becomes the responsibility of the post office. The Delivery Confirmation method is very effective however over the years there have been a couple of packages that the post office has misplaced or have arrived looking as though they were ru over by a truck. Insurance is offered on the check out page.
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING: We are happy to ship internationally and you will see that choice upon checkout. Again we use the post office and Priority Mail.
A recap of shipping options:
Priority Mail: Standard post office shipping, usually 2-3 working days from the time we process your order. Please remember it can take up to 4 business days to get to your order, then the Priority Mail is the actual shipping time. We email every customer when their package leaves the warehouse.
Express Mail: A guaranteed 2 day receipt through the US Postal Service; Customers that choose Express Mail move to the front of the line for immediate processing. We must receive these orders by noon to get them out in the very same day. If you order items that must be made, the package will not ship the same day.
Overnight: We use FedEx on Overnight orders; Customers that choose Overnight shipping move to the front of the line for immediate shipping. We must receive these orders by noon to get them out in the very same day. If you order items that must be made, the package will not ship the same day.
Delivery Confirmation: thekitchenapproach pays for and includes Delivery Confirmation on every package that leaves here. It is very effective in keeping the post office accountable for your package. We email you when your package leaves with the Delivery Confirmation number and then you can watch the progress on the usps.com website. This is not insurance! This just ensures that there is a scannable label on your package to track it. It does not insure that the post office gets it to you in perfect condition.
Insurance: You have the option to add on insurance based on the value of your package. Most of the time (99.9%) the delivery confirmation that we buy for each package is sufficient however please understand that once the package leaves our hands and the post office takes possession, we no longer assume any liability for your package. It then is between you and the post office. If your package arrives crushed, opened, wet or is stolen from your box but you have not purchased insurance, you most likely will have no recourse for replacement from the post office. This is not intended to scare you into buying insurance but to educate you on the difference between Delivery Confirmation versus Insurance. Again, most every package arrives safely with the Delivery Confirmation we provide for you.
RETURN PACKAGES:
thekitchenapproach
Vesijärvenkatu 38
15140 Lahti Finland
NOTE: Please insure and use tracking on your return packages to keep the post office accountable. You are responsible for the items until it reaches our warehouse. If they loose it in transit back to us we assume no responsibility for the lost package.
Warehouse/Shipping/Online Questions - please email us at [email protected]
NOTE: Shipping and order inquiries are best answered and in the quickest way by emailing us at [email protected]