Shipping Policy

GENERAL SHIPPING INFORMATION

In general we fill your orders in the order they come in. However, sometimes we do ship things out of order based on where in the country the packages are going (for more information on this, please see SHIPPING SCHEDULE below). We know you're excited to receive your chocolates! We are too! But please be patient. We will notify you via email when your order ships.

  • Our in-house processing time is 1-3 business days. "In-house processing time" is the duration of time from when you place your order to when it leaves our facility. This processing time is subject to high traffic seasons (Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving), and may extend beyond 3 days at these times. Please make sure that you have given us a correct email address so that you receive shipping updates from us.   
  • We offer two different services to ship our chocolates: USPS and UPS. In most cases, our shipping expert (Steve) chooses the best option for your particular package. However, starting March of 2022, customers will have the option of choosing either USPS or FedEx/UPS for shipments to New England addresses (VT. CT. MA. NH.).  When Choosing USPS please use a PO Box if possible.  Also, please note that shipping via USPS may take longer and tracking information is not as robust as UPS. 
  • When shipping to all other states the service we use depends on 1) where the package is going, and 2) the weather at the destination address. Delivery time (defined as the duration of time from when your package leaves our facility to when it arrives at its destination) is generally 1-2 days. BUT this can also vary and is subject to sudden changes due to weather and seasonal shipping volume.  Once the package leaves our facility and is in the hands of the carrier, we simply can not be responsible for delayed delivery. 

SHIPPING SCHEDULE 

This is a guideline and is subject to change due to weather and logistics. For destinations that require a delivery time of more than one day, we will not ship over the weekend. 

  • Maine: USPS, Monday - Friday
  • VT, NH, CT, MA, and RI: UPS Ground, Monday - Friday
  • NY, PA, NJ, VA, MD, OH, DC, IN, TN, DE, NC, IL, KY, WV, MI and SC: UPS Ground, Monday - Thursday
  • All other states (except AK and HI): UPS 2-Day Air, Monday - Wednesday
  • For orders to AK and HI (or anywhere else in the world), please call (207) 887-9763 and ask for Steve to make special arrangements. 

SHIPPING FEES

In an effort to relieve you of sticker shock at check-out, we offer a flat-rate shipping price on most deliveries. Often, the actual cost of shipping your chocolates is greater than the price we charge you. (If you'd like to know more about how big companies are able to offer free shipping, please read this very informative and eye-opening article.)

Cool Weather vs. Warm Weather Rates: For most areas in the US for most of the year, we are able to offer "cool weather" rates to ship your chocolates. In late spring/summer/early fall we switch to our "warm weather" rates. We go to great lengths to ensure your chocolates arrive in perfect condition. When shipping to destinations with temperatures above 70 degrees, we send products with a frozen gel pack and insulated packaging in order to preserve freshness and prevent melting during transit.

To further ease flawless delivery of your chocolates during warm weather, we recommend that you ship to an address where someone is available to receive the package in a timely manner and that the address is complete, with Apartment or Suite number.

When the temperatures get into the high 80’s and above, we will only ship packages that are guaranteed next day delivery. We reserve the right to hold shipments until the weather cools down enough to ship your chocolate safely.

Cool Weather Rates:

  • Maine: $5.95
  • New England: MA, VT, CT, NH: UPS- $12.95
  • RI, NY, PA, NJ, VA, MD, OH, DC, IN, TN, DE, NC, IL, KY, WV, MI, SC: $12.95 
  • CA, CO, WA, OR, MN, WI, IA, NE, MT, MO, OK, UT, NV, AL, NM, LA, KS, ID, WY, AR, MS, GA: $15.95 
  • FL, TX, AZ: These states always carry a $20.95 warm-weather shipping charge. During cooler months, we will assess insulation needs on a case-by-case basis, and refund insulation fees if possible.

Warm Weather Rates:

  • Maine: $9.95 
  • New England: MA, VT, CT, NH:  UPS- $20.95 or USPS $14.95.
  • RI, NY, PA, NJ, VA, MD, OH, DC, IN, TN, DE, NC, IL, KY, WV, MI, SC: $20.95 
  • CA, FL, CO, WA, OR, TX, MN, WI, AZ, IA, NE, MT, MO, OK, UT, NV, AL, NM, LA, KS, ID, WY, AR, MS, GA: $20.95 

 AFTER YOUR ORDER SHIPS

  • When your order ships, we will send you an email that contains your tracking number. This is a handy tool! Use it!
  • We do not require a signature for deliveries.

SOME TIPS ON RELIEVING "ORDER ANXIETY"

  • Order early 
  • Double and triple-check your shipping address (include apartment and/or suite numbers!), email address, and phone #. We rely on your correctly-entered info to ease timely delivery and to reach you with important information
  • Add us to your address book. This will keep our notification emails from going to spam. Customers often call about not receiving a shipment notification. I can personally tell you that about 95% of the time this is because our email has gone to their spam box. The other 4.9% of the time is because they have entered an incorrect email address (see above). 

And...we're the first to admit that sometimes we screw up. If you believe that is the case, we WANT TO MAKE IT RIGHT! Please see our Return Policy. 

Chocolate Tips: Our gourmet chocolates are best enjoyed within 3 weeks of receipt. If you would like to store them longer by refrigeration, first wrap the box tightly in plastic or place in a zippered bag with an airtight seal. When you are ready to enjoy them, let the gourmet chocolates come to room temperature before you unwrap them.