Where's My Stuff? December 20 2020

The deadline for receiving orders from me in time for Christmas has come and gone, but I am still shipping every day, and will continue to do so up to and including December 24th. You keep ordering, I'll keep shipping - hopefully your giftees will be so in love with the goods you send them, they won't even glance at the calendar!

I am starting to get some questions about arrival on orders placed before the deadlines, though, and thought I'd post some explanation here. I'm just one guy, so every sale means a lot to me, and I take it personally when you are disappointed or let down when it arrives slower than both of us would like.

When I Ship

For my part, I try to ship things quickly - often the same day they are ordered - and I personally drive them to the post office and hand them to the carrier. Those are the things I can control.

How Long Will it Take?

I generally tell people it can take anywhere from 7-10 days for first class packages to American destinations to arrive at your door once they leave my studio, but it's generally on the shorter end of that spectrum. Priority Mail is generally 2-3 business days. International packages are anywhere from 2-6 weeks.  Covid + Christmas, of course, have made everything a bit crazy this year.

But it's Not Moving!

I honestly think things are moving along, and I don't know what to do other than take carriers at their word - they say they plan on delivering all the packages they received before their posted deadlines ... on time. In my experience, when things are moving quickly, they don't always get scanned at every way point. They'll go from sitting in a processing center in Portland, seeming not to move, and the next day, show up on your doorstep in Wichita. It's disconcerting, I know - to me and you!

Is it Gone?

Things do go missing, but that's very, very rare, thankfully - perhaps 1 in 1,000. 

It Says it Was Delivered, but I don't Have It!

Usually one of two things is going on when something shows as delivered, but isn't in your hands:

• The delivery person hits the "delivered" button prematurely and it'll turn up the next delivery day or so, or ... 
• A neighbor or roommate grabbed the package, and it'll similarly find its way to you within a day or two.

The first option is pretty unpredictable, and you'll know better how likely the latter will be. I'd just ask you please give it a day or two before panicking.

If you have other ideas or feedback, please let me know - we're in unprecedented territory here and I know that everyone is doing the best they can - me, the carriers, and of course ... you!