Photo by Yannik Mika on Unsplash
(Updated with LOWER rates to some countries on October 5, 2021)
2021 has been quite the year for small companies like ours shipping to customers in countries all over the world: continued supply shortages due to Covid-19 and other issues, constantly-changing lists of countries that will or will not accept mail from the United States, and shipping regulations and rates for all of our carriers that seem to change weekly.
As we head into the holiday season, I wanted to post an update about shipping in general. Every year, it seems our shipping carriers set their deadlines for holiday shipping earlier and earlier. 2021 is no different, so if you are planning to order a holiday gift from us, please make sure to get your order in by November 30.
Plan Ahead
As we have done in prior years, we will not be scheduling any batches for our Premium Kits in December, so the last chance to get a kit for your Ecto-1, Millennium Falcon, Disney Castle, Hogwarts Castle, Ferris Wheel, or Super Star Destroyer will be the November batch (which will close on or around November 15).
Covid Shipping Restrictions
There are many countries that have imposed import restrictions for packages because of Covid-19. At the time of writing, the US Postal Service has published a list of more than 100 countries that are on the restricted list, and the list changes regularly. Note that this does not mean we are unable to ship your package! We are working hard to find alternate shipping carriers that will be able to deliver your package. You should always feel comfortable placing an order with us-- if you are able to complete check-out, then we will be able to ship to where you live. As usual, if there are any "remote delivery" fees imposed on your order based on your location, we will communicate with you directly after your order has been received so you are able to pay these before shipping.
Because of the Covid restrictions, we have had to change shipping carriers for some countries. For example, at present the only way for us to ship to Australia is via Express (UPS or DHL), so for now, those will be the only options available to select when placing an order for Australia. We are continuing to monitor the situation and will adjust our shipping rates and rules as conditions change.
Shipping Rate Changes
We've seen more changes in shipping rates in 2021 than at any other time in our 10-year history, and the changes are almost always in the direction of a rate increase. As just the latest example, on the day of this writing (October 1, 2021), the US Postal Service (USPS) has just raised its rates again for the third time since January. This represents the same rate of increases dating back to 2017, so it truly is unprecedented. At the same time rates are going up, delivery times as increasing as well for some items. Customers living in the U.S. can read more about these changes here. For customers living outside the U.S., we have found several alternate options for shipping that do not require using an Express service, so international customers are less likely to be impacted by the new USPS changes.
We last updated our shipping rates at the beginning of 2021, based on 2020 rates, so we will be changing some rates today and others will be adjusted over time as our costs change. We're always working to find the most cost-effective shipping solutions for you, and if you ever have a question about a shipping rate, address, or anticipated customs or duty you will have to pay to receive your package, please send us an e-mail and we'll be happy to help.
As of October 5, 2021, we're happy to be able to say we've LOWERED rates for non-express shipping to most places in the world. As an example, non-express shipping to Canada decreased from $21.50 to $14, and non-express shipping to the rest of the world (except for Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and China) decreased from $32.45 to $24!
Thank you as always for being a Brickstuff customer, and I want to extend a special note of thanks for continuing to support our efforts during these stressful times.
Sincerely,
Rob Klingberg
Brickstuff Chief Enthusiast
2021 has been quite the year for small companies like ours shipping to customers in countries all over the world: continued supply shortages due to Covid-19 and other issues, constantly-changing lists of countries that will or will not accept mail from the United States, and shipping regulations and rates for all of our carriers that seem to change weekly.
As we head into the holiday season, I wanted to post an update about shipping in general. Every year, it seems our shipping carriers set their deadlines for holiday shipping earlier and earlier. 2021 is no different, so if you are planning to order a holiday gift from us, please make sure to get your order in by November 30.
Plan Ahead
As we have done in prior years, we will not be scheduling any batches for our Premium Kits in December, so the last chance to get a kit for your Ecto-1, Millennium Falcon, Disney Castle, Hogwarts Castle, Ferris Wheel, or Super Star Destroyer will be the November batch (which will close on or around November 15).
Covid Shipping Restrictions
There are many countries that have imposed import restrictions for packages because of Covid-19. At the time of writing, the US Postal Service has published a list of more than 100 countries that are on the restricted list, and the list changes regularly. Note that this does not mean we are unable to ship your package! We are working hard to find alternate shipping carriers that will be able to deliver your package. You should always feel comfortable placing an order with us-- if you are able to complete check-out, then we will be able to ship to where you live. As usual, if there are any "remote delivery" fees imposed on your order based on your location, we will communicate with you directly after your order has been received so you are able to pay these before shipping.
Because of the Covid restrictions, we have had to change shipping carriers for some countries. For example, at present the only way for us to ship to Australia is via Express (UPS or DHL), so for now, those will be the only options available to select when placing an order for Australia. We are continuing to monitor the situation and will adjust our shipping rates and rules as conditions change.
Shipping Rate Changes
We've seen more changes in shipping rates in 2021 than at any other time in our 10-year history, and the changes are almost always in the direction of a rate increase. As just the latest example, on the day of this writing (October 1, 2021), the US Postal Service (USPS) has just raised its rates again for the third time since January. This represents the same rate of increases dating back to 2017, so it truly is unprecedented. At the same time rates are going up, delivery times as increasing as well for some items. Customers living in the U.S. can read more about these changes here. For customers living outside the U.S., we have found several alternate options for shipping that do not require using an Express service, so international customers are less likely to be impacted by the new USPS changes.
We last updated our shipping rates at the beginning of 2021, based on 2020 rates, so we will be changing some rates today and others will be adjusted over time as our costs change. We're always working to find the most cost-effective shipping solutions for you, and if you ever have a question about a shipping rate, address, or anticipated customs or duty you will have to pay to receive your package, please send us an e-mail and we'll be happy to help.
As of October 5, 2021, we're happy to be able to say we've LOWERED rates for non-express shipping to most places in the world. As an example, non-express shipping to Canada decreased from $21.50 to $14, and non-express shipping to the rest of the world (except for Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and China) decreased from $32.45 to $24!
Thank you as always for being a Brickstuff customer, and I want to extend a special note of thanks for continuing to support our efforts during these stressful times.
Sincerely,
Rob Klingberg
Brickstuff Chief Enthusiast
