Processing, Shipping & Delivery Information
Summer Shipping Updates
In the Pacific Northwest, summer wildfire season often brings heavy smoke and hazardous air quality. Nationwide, natural events like tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, mudslides, and severe storms can also impact carrier delivery times.
Once your package is handed to USPS or UPS, such events may cause unexpected delays if drivers need to reroute or wait for safer conditions. For the latest updates, please check directly with UPS Delays or USPS Delays
Current Processing and Shipping Information
Order Processing
Orders are typically processed within 3–5 business days (Mon–Fri, excluding holidays and closures). This is an estimate, not a guarantee, and may be longer for:
- Special order items
- Musical instruments
- Bulk Lesson book or supply orders
- Large art paper packs
- Bicycles or bulk orders
- Periods of high order volume, including end of and back to school shopping (May to September)
- Holiday seasons
Processing time is separate from shipping time.
Order Cancellations
To request an order cancellation, email info@alderandalouette.com within two hours of placing your order. Cancellation cannot be guaranteed after this period, as processing may already have begun.
Payments are processed at checkout. When an order is canceled, we stop fulfillment so the order is not packed or shipped, then issue a refund to the original payment method. Refunds are submitted immediately on our end, but the time required for the funds to appear in your account depends on the payment provider and your bank or card issuer. Most refunds can appear anywhere between the same day or up to 5–7 business days later, and we are unable to speed up that processing time.
Shipping Estimates
Shipping rates and delivery estimates shown at checkout or label purchase come directly from USPS or UPS, based on your order’s dimensions, weight, and destination zone.
These are estimates only, provided by the carriers, and do not account for our processing time, rural location, drop-off schedule (twice weekly), or carrier delays.
International Shipping
We are not currently shipping internationally. This may change without notice.
Shipping Insurance and Liability
| Coverage | Route Protection | UPS Ground Saver | UPS Ground | USPS Ground Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage Amount | Full order value | Up to $50* | Up to $100 | Up to $100 |
| Loss/Damage During Transit | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Theft or Damage After Delivery (e.g. porch pirates) | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
*UPS Ground Saver limited liability does not apply once the package is transferred to UPS.
Carrier and Route Claim Timelines
USPS may require a waiting period before a domestic package can be considered lost. Claims for most Priority Mail and Ground Advantage shipments generally cannot be filed until 15 days after mailing.
UPS generally allows a claim once a shipment is at least 24 hours past its expected delivery time, although the investigation and reimbursement process may take additional time.
For Route-protected orders, domestic packages with no tracking movement may generally be reviewed after seven calendar days without an update. Packages marked delivered but not received require a five-day waiting period before a claim can be filed. Eligibility, waiting periods, and filing deadlines are subject to Route’s current policies.
USPS and UPS claims may sometimes be initiated by the recipient, depending on the shipment and carrier requirements. However, claims often require documentation or action from Alder & Alouette as the shipper, and any approved carrier reimbursement may be issued to us. For Route-protected orders, either the customer or Alder & Alouette may file the claim through Route.
More About Route Package Protection
Route claims are filed online. If a claim is approved, Route may reimburse the covered merchandise value or arrange a replacement. Taxes, shipping charges, and the Route protection fee are generally not included in the reimbursement.
Please Note
Route Package Protection is optional. When Route is declined, an order may still qualify for any coverage available through the shipping carrier, subject to the carrier’s terms, documentation requirements, investigation, and approval.
Alder & Alouette will assist with eligible carrier inquiries or claims when appropriate. However, we cannot guarantee that USPS or UPS will approve a claim, particularly when carrier tracking shows that a package was successfully delivered. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, Alder & Alouette may be unable to provide an additional refund or replacement when Route coverage was declined and the carrier denies the claim.
Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address and, when possible, a secure location for delivery.
For more details, see our full Shipping Policy and Returns-Refund-Cancellation Policy, as well as our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Website Disclaimer, also linked in our footer menu.
Warmly,
The Alder & Alouette Team
Contact us: info@alderandalouette.com .
