Shipping Policy

Shipping & Delivery Policy

Effective Date: May 1, 2025

This policy governs all shipping and delivery practices for orders placed through the Artificial Objects LLC website. By completing a purchase, you agree to the terms set forth herein.

3.1 Order Processing Time

Orders are processed on business days (Monday through Friday, excluding U.S. federal holidays). Orders received before 12:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) on a business day will generally begin processing the same day. Orders received after this cutoff, or on weekends or holidays, will begin processing the next business day. Standard processing time prior to shipment is one (1) to three (3) business days, subject to product availability, payment verification, and order volume. During peak periods (e.g., major retail holidays), processing times may extend to five (5) business days; we will notify you of any material delay.

3.2 Authorized Carriers

We ship via the following carriers, selected at our discretion based on destination, package specifications, and available service levels:

  • United States Postal Service (USPS) — domestic and international.
  • United Parcel Service (UPS) — domestic and international.
  • FedEx — domestic and international.
  • DHL Express — international shipments, particularly for non-North American destinations.

We reserve the right to select the carrier and service level that best meets delivery requirements. Carrier-specific preferences may be requested but cannot be guaranteed and may be subject to additional charges.

3.3 Shipping Rates — Carrier-Calculated

Shipping rates are calculated in real time at checkout using live carrier rate APIs, based on the destination address, package weight, package dimensions, and selected service level. The exact cost is displayed during checkout before you submit payment. No additional shipping charges will be applied after order confirmation without your express written consent. Quoted shipping charges are estimates and, in rare circumstances, may be subject to carrier-imposed adjustments for dimensional weight discrepancies; we will notify you of any such adjustment before processing payment.

3.4 Domestic Shipping — United States

  • Standard Ground: estimated five (5) to eight (8) business days after shipment.
  • Expedited (2-Day): estimated two (2) business days after shipment.
  • Overnight Priority: estimated one (1) business day after shipment, where available.

Delivery estimates are provided by the carrier and are not guaranteed. We are not liable for carrier delays caused by weather, natural disasters, labor disruptions, carrier capacity constraints, or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control. Shipping to P.O. boxes may be restricted to USPS-compatible service levels.

3.5 International Shipping

We ship to select international destinations. International delivery timelines vary by country, carrier, and service level, and generally range from seven (7) to twenty-one (21) business days after shipment. International customers acknowledge and accept sole responsibility for:

  • All applicable customs duties, import taxes, value-added taxes (VAT), goods and services taxes (GST), and brokerage fees imposed by the destination country.
  • Compliance with all applicable import regulations and restrictions of the destination country, including any product-specific restrictions on textiles or apparel.
  • Any delays resulting from customs clearance procedures, inspection, or holds by customs authorities.
  • Any additional documentation required by the destination country's customs authority.

We are not responsible for packages held, confiscated, or destroyed by customs authorities, and no refund will be issued for such packages. Orders refused at customs or returned for non-payment of duties will be subject to our Returns Policy; original outbound and return shipping charges are non-refundable. Important — 2025 Import Rules: Changes to U.S. de minimis thresholds and increased customs scrutiny on direct-to-consumer shipments may result in additional processing time and duties for international orders. We strongly encourage international customers to research the applicable import requirements in their country before placing an order.

3.6 Shipment Tracking

A shipment confirmation email containing carrier tracking information will be sent to the email address on file when your order is tendered to the carrier. Tracking updates are provided by the carrier and may take up to twenty-four (24) hours after pickup to appear in the carrier's tracking system. We are not responsible for tracking inaccuracies resulting from carrier system errors or delays.

3.7 Lost or Damaged Shipments

If your order is lost in transit or arrives damaged, you must notify us within the following windows:

  • Lost in transit: contact us within seven (7) calendar days of the estimated delivery date shown in the carrier tracking system.
  • Damaged upon delivery: contact us within forty-eight (48) hours of confirmed delivery, with photographic evidence of the outer packaging and damaged item(s).

Claims submitted outside these windows may not be honored. We will initiate a carrier claim on your behalf. Upon determination of loss or damage by the carrier, we will, at our sole discretion, issue a replacement of the same or equivalent product or a store credit. Carrier claims may take up to thirty (30) business days to resolve; we will keep you informed of the status.

3.8 Address Accuracy & Undeliverable Packages

The Customer is solely responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address at checkout. We are not liable for non-delivery, delays, or losses resulting from incorrect, incomplete, or undeliverable addresses provided by the Customer. If a package is returned to us as undeliverable due to an address error or failure to collect, we will contact you to arrange re-shipment at your expense. If re-shipment is declined or we are unable to reach you within fourteen (14) days, we reserve the right to treat the order as a return and refund the product purchase price less original shipping costs.

3.9 Force Majeure

We are not liable for any failure or delay in fulfilling an order caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, pandemics, governmental actions or regulations (including trade restrictions, tariffs, or import/export bans), carrier disruptions, port congestion, natural disasters, civil unrest, or telecommunications failures. In such circumstances, we will make commercially reasonable efforts to notify you and to fulfill your order as soon as practicable.