Shipping policy

Shipping Policy

Last updated: October 1, 2026

1. How your order ships

  • We don't keep a warehouse. Products ship directly from the manufacturer (or its distributor) to the address on your order.
  • Large and heavy items (cabinets, lockers, workbenches, carts, lift equipment) ship by LTL freight on a pallet or in a crate. Smaller items may ship by parcel carrier.
  • An order with products from more than one manufacturer arrives in separate shipments, on different days, possibly with different carriers.
  • We ship to business, organization, and residential addresses in the contiguous 48 United States (residential delivery fees apply). Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, APO/FPO, and international deliveries are by special quote only, and we may decline them .

2. Lead times, delays, and your right to cancel

  • Lead times vary by manufacturer and product, and many items are built or configured to order. We state the expected ship time on the product page, your quote, or your order confirmation, based on the manufacturer's current lead time . Before we accept your order, we confirm the current ship date with the manufacturer. If it's later than shown when you ordered, we'll tell you before we accept, and you can accept the new date or cancel for a full refund. If no ship time is stated, we will ship within 30 days of receiving your complete order (50 days if you apply to us for credit terms with the order).
  • How we set delivery windows (we'd rather be early than late). Before we accept your order, we confirm the manufacturer's ship date in writing. Every delivery window we show or quote is: manufacturer lead time + carrier transit time + a buffer for weather and carrier delays. Our buffer is +3 business days for parcel shipments and +5 business days for LTL freight, and +2 more business days for winter deliveries (December through February) or remote, rural, or limited-access addresses.
  • Custom items and long or uncertain lead times go through Request a Quote. Custom, configured, modified, or built-to-order items, and any item whose manufacturer lead time is long or uncertain, are sold through Request a Quote, not instant checkout. We get the manufacturer's price and ship date in writing first, send you a written quote, and charge you only after the manufacturer has confirmed the ship date in writing and you've accepted the quote.
  • Ship date vs. delivery date. The ship date is the date the manufacturer hands your order to the carrier. Transit time after that is set by the freight carrier and is outside our control. Delivery dates and windows are estimates, not guarantees, and time is not of the essence unless we agree in writing on a firm delivery date.
  • If we can't ship on time, we'll tell you promptly by email, give you a revised ship date (or tell you if we can't estimate one), and offer you the choice to agree to the delay or cancel for a full refund of anything paid for the unshipped items.
    • If the revised date is no more than 30 days later than the original, and you don't cancel before we ship, we'll treat that as agreeing to the delay.
    • If the revised date is more than 30 days later, or we can't give one, your order is cancelled and refunded unless you tell us you agree to the delay (or we ship within 30 days of the original date).
    • You can cancel a delayed order at any time before it ships.
  • Refunds for cancelled, unshipped orders are made within 7 working days (card payments are credited back within one billing cycle). This is separate from the manufacturer cancellation fees in our Returns and Refunds Policy, which don't apply when you cancel because of a delay.
  • Tracking: we send your tracking number and the carrier's PRO number (for LTL freight) as soon as your order ships, the same business day the manufacturer gives them to us .

3. Freight charges

  • Freight is quoted for each order and shown on your written quote or at checkout before you pay .
  • Returns: if you return an item because you changed your mind, ordered the wrong item, or no longer need it, the original shipping and freight charges aren't refunded and you pay the return freight and any other return costs, plus the restocking fee (28.5%, or the manufacturer's fee if higher, accepted by you in writing before anything ships back). Items marked "Non-returnable (manufacturer policy)" can't be returned for those reasons. If the error is ours or the manufacturer's (wrong item, defective, not as quoted, or damage noted on delivery), you pay none of these costs. See our Returns and Refunds Policy.
  • Standard LTL delivery is curbside or to your dock. The driver isn't required to carry the product inside, unpack it, or set it up.
  • These delivery services cost extra and must be requested when you order: liftgate (no loading dock), residential or limited-access delivery (schools, military bases, construction sites, churches, storage units, and similar), inside delivery, and delivery appointment or call-ahead. These charges are quoted per order at the carrier's rates and shown on your quote before you pay .
  • If the carrier adds charges because the delivery needed a service that wasn't on the order (for example, a liftgate or limited-access fee), those charges are billed to you .

4. Getting ready for delivery

  • Give us a correct address, a contact name, and a phone number the carrier can call to schedule delivery.
  • Have people and equipment (pallet jack or forklift) to move the shipment. Many units weigh several hundred pounds or more.
  • Tell us about delivery limits ahead of time: dock hours, security gates, base access rules, narrow streets, or no truck access.
  • Missed appointments, redelivery, and storage at the carrier's terminal cost extra and are billed to you at the carrier's rates .

5. Inspect on delivery: freight damage and shortages

  • Inspect before you sign. Count the pieces and check every crate, pallet, and carton while the driver is there. Write any damage or shortage on the delivery receipt / bill of lading (BOL) before you sign, and take photos. You may refuse a clearly damaged shipment; write "refused, damaged" on the BOL.
  • Tell us fast. Report damage or shortage noted on the BOL within 2 business days of delivery. Report hidden damage found after unpacking within 5 calendar days of delivery. Shorter windows for some products: where the product page or quote states a shorter window, that shorter window applies. For example, for Vestil products you must report visible damage within 24 hours of delivery and give us written notice within 48 hours (email with photos to sales@a-zws.com), because that's the manufacturer's claim deadline. We show any shorter window on the product page and quote before you buy. Send the signed BOL, photos, and your order number. Keep all packaging, because the carrier may inspect it.
  • What we do. When damage is noted on the BOL (or hidden damage is reported on time), we file and manage the claim with the manufacturer and the carrier for you. As soon as the manufacturer or carrier approves it, we arrange a repair, replacement part, replacement unit, or refund. We'll ask the manufacturer to replace sooner where it agrees, and we'll keep you updated. Carrier claims can take weeks or months.
  • If damage isn't noted or reported on time, the carrier and manufacturer usually deny the claim. For business orders, we then can't offer a free repair, replacement, or refund. Signing "clear" tells the carrier the shipment arrived in good condition.
  • Household (consumer) orders: we bear the risk of loss until delivery. Please still follow the steps above so we can recover from the carrier.

6. Title and risk of loss

For business, school, and government orders, title and risk of loss pass to you when the manufacturer hands the products to the carrier (F.O.B. shipping point). For household (consumer) orders, risk of loss passes to you on delivery. Either way, we handle damage claims as described in section 5.

7. Business, government, and PO orders

  • If your receiving dock needs a PO number, department name, or delivery hours on the paperwork, include them with your order.
  • Tax-exempt and resale buyers: please send a valid exemption or resale certificate before the order ships. See our Terms of Service.

8. Contact

Questions about a shipment? Please include your order number.

A-Z Warehouse Solutions (A-Z CREATIONS + CONSULTING LLC)
Contact us at sales@a-zws.com or (269) 442-4892
Email: sales@a-zws.com