Q. How much does shipping cost?
A. Shipping prices are based on our actual discounted rates, which depend on the package weights and the distance they must travel. Our website is capable of providing shipping rates for orders up to 1,500 lbs. Just add the items to your cart and use our shipping estimator tool. No personal information is required, just your zip code.
Q. The shipping seems expensive, why is that?
A. Beads are heavy! Our shipping prices are based on UPS & FedEx rates, which are based on weight and distance. We do not use the shipping and handling charges to increase profits, unlike some other Internet businesses. In fact, we pass on our discounted shipping rates to the customer. However, for those customers who live thousands of miles away, (California, for instance) shipping a 30 or 40 pound box can be quite expensive. Fortunately, you're saving a bundle with our hugely discounted merchandise prices!
Tips for reducing your shipping cost: Use ground services when ever possible -- they reach most of the country within 3 business days! Coupled with our lightening fast order processing, our ground service is as fast as many companies express service! Ground transit times
Also, orders over 150 lbs get special "hundredweight" prices which make the per-box prices much more reasonable, so order as much as possible at once to save the most money.
Finally, shipping to a commercial (business) address is always cheaper than shipping to a home (UPS and FedEx both charge "residential delivery fees"). Ship to a business whenever possible. Delivery will be more reliable and less expensive.
Q. If a product is "temporarily out of stock," when will you have more?
A. This really depends on the time of year and the item. We try to keep most items in stock year-round, but because we must order in very large quantities from our manufacturers in China, we are sometimes unable to restock immediately. If you are interested in a particular item feel free to e-mail us for an estimated back-in-stock date. Also, you can sign up to be notified by e-mail when the product comes back in stock from the product detail page.