Shipping with UPS
It is our experience that UPS offers a very good and reliable service with guaranteed transit time, accurate tracking information, and a guaranteed delivery date. If you parcel is being delivered to the same address to which your order is being billed, a signature is not generally required at the time of delivery. UPS services are available for the 48 contiguous United States. It is not available for delivery to APO and FPO addresses, or to Post Office Boxes.
All UPS parcels have a tracking number that will be emailed to you at the time of shipment. The following delivery services are offered by UPS (please note that transit times are given in business days):
Next Day Air guarantees delivery by a specific time during the day, usually noon, on the next business day. For instance, packages shipped on Monday will be delivered Tuesday, and packages shipped Friday will be delivered Monday.
Next Day Air Saver guarantees delivery by the end of the next business day. This could be anytime, even late in the evening, but it will be the next business day.
Second Day Air guarantees delivery in two business days, by the end of the day. For instance a package shipped Wednesday will be scheduled to be delivered on Friday. Note that a package shipped on Thursday will be scheduled for delivery on Monday.
Three Day Select guarantees delivery in three business days.
UPS Ground also has guaranteed delivery, but may take anywhere from 1-5 business days depending on your location. See the map and information below.
Saturday delivery by UPS is available in select areas, mostly urban. We do not show Saturday delivery options on our shopping cart shipping options. If you are interested in Saturday delivery, call for availability. UPS charges an additional surcharge of approximately $20.00 for this service.
UPS SurePost - introduced fall 2011 --
This is a newer service available from UPS in conjunction with the Post Office. UPS transports the package by UPS Ground to your Post Office in a guaranteed number of days (equal time to Ground delivery), then your local Post Office delivers the package the day after that. When you choose this option it will show the transit time from the date of shipment in parentheses after the option. For instance UPS Surepost CA (8 days) -- This option will be seen by customers shipping to California. This means that the package should be delivered 8 days after shipment. Keep in mind that UPS will only ship out Monday to Friday. One of the nice things about this service is that it is usually a reasonable price. Another benefit is that the Post Office, unlike UPS, does at the current time, routinely deliver mail on Saturdays. The down side of this service is that the Post Office has been known to drop the ball and not deliver the package the day after it was received at the customer's local Post Office.
UPS Ground will guarantee delivery (with tracking) the next business dayif you are in Alabama, Mississippi, NW Florida, most of Louisiana, and a small part of western Georgia.
UPS Ground will guarantee delivery (with tracking) in two business days if you are in most of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, eastern Missouri, southern Illinois, Indiana, south west Ohio, southern Virginia, and southern West Virginia.
UPS Ground will guarantee delivery (with tracking) in three business days in Arizona (except north-west corner), New Mexico, most of Colorado, south-west Wyoming, Kansas, eastern Nebraska, parts of eastern South Dakota, most of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, northern Illinois, western Missouri, Michigan, northern Ohio, northern West Virginia,Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, and northern Virginia.
Other areas (see map above) may take longer than three days.
Shipping with the U.S. Post Office
The shopping cart will offer you the following choices of US Post Office options, depending on the weight of your parcel. Delivery to APO and FPO addresses is available, but it takes longer than the times listed below.
US Post Office First Class Mail is available for orders weighing 0.1 to 13 ounces. This is the same service as regular letter mail, and therefore does not include tracking, guaranteed delivery, or insurance. First Class Mail does include Delivery Confirmation, so packages are scanned at the time of mailing and at the time of delivery, but the Post Office has no obligation to scan or track the package in transit.
Our First Class Mail charges range from $2.50 to about $6.00 depending on the weight of the package. Since most of the items we sell are very light weight, many of our orders can be sent by First Class Mail and the shipping charges are low. First Class Mail is delivered to most location in three business days, but the Post Office does not provide any guarantees on transit time. If your package is going to weigh more than 13 ounces the shopping cart will not offer this option. Items such as cooling elements, transformers, and nursing stools are too heavy to send by First Class Mail, and must be sent by Priority Mail or UPS.
US Post Office Priority Mail is generally a faster service than First Class Mail. Any package ordered from Babytalk Store can be sent by United States Post Office Priority Mail. The Post Office says that Priority Mail should be delivered to U.S. addresses in one to three days, but again this is not guaranteed. Shipping charges are calculated by weight and zip code.
US Post Office Priority Mail reaches most destinations in the 48 contiguous states in two business days. Transit time to Alaska and Hawaii does take a little longer. However, this transit time is not guaranteed. Priority packages do have Delivery Confirmation from the Post Office so they are scanned at the time of mailing and at the time of delivery, but the Post Office has no obligation to scan or track the package in transit. Breast pumps are insured and therefore will require a signature at the time of delivery.
US Post Office Express Mail is delivered to MOST locations the next day. This is the only service for which the Post Office offers a guaranteed delivery time and date (still not available for APO and FPO addresses). For addresses in more remote areas, the guaranteed delivery may be on the second business day, but that information is available when the package is shipped. The Post Office also asks for a signature at the time of delivery. We do request that the Post Office waive that requirement on small orders but the ultimate decision is up to the mail carrier delivering the package. If you want to know the guaranteed transit time for a package to your shipping address please contact us at 1-866-998-2229 or by e-mail.
Shipping to Canada (excluding the Yukon and Northwest Territories)
When shipping to Canada, we recommend using the U.S. Postal Service. Although UPS has guaranteed delivery times, they use independent agents for delivery. These agents often add additional delivery charges plus taxes and customs duties, which can add up quickly. We have had several customers who were not able to receive their packages without paying significant charges to the delivery agent.
When you check out you will see a page that shows your various choices for USPS shipping plus their individual costs. You choose the shipping option that best suits your needs. The total shipping charge is based on the actual United States Post Office shipping charge, plus a small shipping and handling fee.
Before placing your order, please consider the following --
- You are importing products from abroad. Your purchase may be subject to customs fees or taxes according to your country's laws. Some of these charges can be very high. Please check with the appropriate authorities if you believe this could cause you a problem. If you do not pay the fees, your parcel will likely be held by the Customs Department, and you will not be able to get a refund from us.
- Medela does not allow vendors to ship electric breast pumps overseas. We can ship in any address in the United States and APO/FPO addresses. If you are taking an electric breast pump overseas, remember that it is designed to work on a system of 110V AC electricity. If your country does not use this voltage, you will need to purchase a power transformer from an electronics or hardware store in order to use the pump.
- In order to determine that your credit card number is valid, we must obtain an authorization code from the appropriate company. If we are unable to obtain this information (it is not provided for every country), we will ask you to send/fax us further documentation so we will be able to determine the validity of your credit card number.
- When you check out you will be given a choice of several different shipping options to choose from and their costs. The total shipping charge is based on the actual United States Post Office shipping charge, plus a small handling fee.
International Shipping Options
Post Office First Class Mail International is the most economical but also the slowest. It is just like regular mail, and has no insurance or guaranteed delivery time, but transit time usually one or two weeks, but can take a month to reach its destination. Maximum parcel weight is four pounds. The Post Office does provide a shipping confirmation number, which will be emailed to you, and it is possible (but not required) that it will be scanned while in the U.S.A. However, once the parcel leaves the U.S.A., there is no way to track the parcel. This is generally a reliable service, but please keep these risks in mind. No refunds are available on packages that may be lost or damaged in transit.
Priority International does provide some insurance or tracking, but it is our experience that once packages leave the United States they are unlikely to be scanned. Insurance is only valid within the U.S.A. Priority does not have a guaranteed delivery date.
UPS does provide tracking information on their overseas service, and a guaranteed delivery date.
If you purchase $149.00 worth of goods, your shipping will be free. Depending on your location, we will mail your package via free UPS Ground Shipping, or free US Post Office Priority Mail. The Babytalk Store will choose the most expedient option based on the shipping rates to your location.
When will my order be shipped?
Orders received by 3:30 PM CST, Monday to Friday, are usually shipped the same day as the order is received. However, our guarantee is that we will ship your order within 2 business days.
If there is a delay in shipping, you will be notified by e-mail, to give you the opportunity to cancel your order if you wish to do so.
Can I use FedEx?
At this time, we do not offer shipping via Federal Express. You have the option of shipping your package through either U.S. Post Office or UPS (United Parcel Service).
Can I ship to an APO/FPO address?
Packages can be shipped to APO and FPO address via the U.S. Postal Service.Delivery times to APO and FPO addresses generally take longer than delivery to normal addresses. UPS service is not available for delivery to APO and FPO addresses, unless you provide a base street address (not a Post Office Box number).
Will I need to sign for my package?
We do not generally require a signature. However, if you use U.S. Post Office Express Mail, they may require a signature unless you instruct us to waive it. Express Mail comes with a guaranteed delivery time and date. However, if the signature is waived you also waive guaranteed delivery time, because there is no way to confirm the actual time of delivery. The post office can override our request for a waiver, and may still require your signature.
When using UPS, we do not generally require a signature upon delivery unless the product is a high value item. However, the ultimate decision is that of the UPS delivery person. UPS recommends that their carriers require a signature for all deliveries, and it is up to the individual carrier whether he or she will leave a package without a signature.
When delivering to apartment complexes, neither UPS nor U.S. Post Office Express packages will be left without a signature.
Will my package be insured?
UPS provides $100 of insurance on all shipments. The U.S. Post Office offers up to $100 of insurance on Express Mail provided the package is signed for. The U.S. Post Office provides no insurance on Priority or First Class Mail. Choose these options at your own risk.
What if my package is damaged?
Sometimes the outside of a package will appear slightly damaged upon arrival simply because the packages get thrown around in transit. However, we do package orders well so as to avoid damage. We request that customers always check the contents of their package as soon as it is delivered. If your products are damaged and you wish us to file a claim with UPS, we will be glad to do so. Please do not dispose of the items while your claim is being filed.
Likewise, if your package is delivered via U.S. Post Office Express Mail, we will be glad to file a claim with the U.S. Post Office. There is no insurance coverage on U.S. Post Office Priority or First Class mail.
Can I track my package?
It depends on the service you have chosen. When you place an order and choose UPS shipping, an email will be sent to you by UPS containing your tracking number and a link, so that you may track your package at every stage of its journey. If you do not receive this email within one business day of placing your order, please check your spam folder. The email is computer-generated and will sometimes be marked as spam. If you still do not see the email, you may call us at (205)-333-1594 or 1-866-998-BABY. We will provide you with a tracking number, which you may track at www.ups.com.
If you are shipping through U.S. Post Office Express, an email will be sent to you from www.stamps.com containing your tracking number an a link, so that you may track your package at every stage of its journey. If you are shipping through Priority or First Class Mail, your package has Delivery Confirmation. This means you will receive an email from www.stamps.com containing your tracking number. The post office is then required to scan your package when it is delivered. Usually, Priority packages are also scanned while in transit, but the Post Office is not required to do this. If you do not receive an email from www.stamps.com within one business day of placing your order, please check your spam folder. The email is computer-generated and will sometimes be marked as spam. If you still do not see the email, you may call us at (205)-333-1594 or 1-866-998-BABY. We will provide you with a tracking number, which you may track at www.usps.com.
How do I check the status of my package?
Please refer to the tracking information above. If you are not sure whether your package has been shipped, call us at (205)-333-1594 or 1-866-998-BABY.
How long will it take my package to arrive?
It depends on the method you selected to have it shipped. Please see the information on Shipping with UPS and Shipping with U.S. Post Office to see the delivery estimates for our different shipping options. If you package has already been shipped, you can also look at the tracking information to estimate how far it has traveled.
What if I do not receive my package?
Check the email you received when your order was submitted to ensure that it was shipped to the correct address.Next, check the tracking information to see if your package is still in transit. If the tracking says that your package has been delivered, then it must have been brought to your location. If your order is very small (particularly items such as Medela tubes or white membranes) and was shipped via U.S. Post Office, it was likely packed in a plain brown bubble envelope and put in your regular mailbox with your other mail. For larger packages, we recommend that you check around the house, on the porch, etc. If the weather is bad, check protected areas such as under the porch, because delivery people often avoid leaving packages out in the rain. When customers cannot locate a package, it is often the case that another individual has already brought the package inside. Packages are also sometimes left with neighbors or the office of an apartment complex.
If you still cannot find your package, the best person to ask is your mail carrier or UPS route driver. He or she may be able to show you where the package was left. You can always call your local postmaster. Have your tracking number ready if you do this.
This may seem like a lot of leg work for a customer, but unfortunately it is not possible for us to do any of these things for you. When contacting a mail carrier, they will often ask questions about your house and location that we cannot answer.
We have filled over 100,000 orders and only two have remained unlocated after delivery.
If you never received any tracking or shipping information for your order, call us at 205-333-1594 or 1-866-998-BABY.
The tracking information says that my package has been delivered, but I do not have it. What should I do?
Refer to information under "What if I do not receive my package?"
I plan to ship my package overseas. Can you mark it as a gift or at a value lower than what I paid?
No. We will mark your package at its actual value.
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