Shipping policy

Table of Contents

When it comes to shipping handcrafted fine furniture, we are the experts. After many years of delivering high quality, handmade heirlooms to homes all across America, we have learned a few things which we share below. In order to have a pleasant, stress free delivery experience it is essential to read through this page thoroughly with special emphasis on Furniture Delivery and Inspection. Give us a call if you have any questions or concerns. Getting your furniture to you safely and in pristine condition is our priority and we are always seeking ways to expedite that process. 

 

White Glove Shipping is Standard

White glove shipping with in-home delivery is the method we use to transport fine furniture from us to you. Here's how it works. When a furniture maker finishes crafting your order, the pieces are carefully wrapped, placed on a truck and transported to your home by our shipping partners who specialize in handcrafted furniture delivery. We love this delivery method and you will too. Here's why:

  • You get a high level of personal service
  • Your furniture is shipped and delivered by experienced, professionally trained furniture shippers
  • Our shippers will bring your furniture into your home and set it up for you. You don't need to worry about assembly
  • We rarely see any damage to furniture shipped by our white glove shippers
  • If we're shipping a small item separately, like an occasional table, a mirror, a night stand or a bench, we may select FedEx, UPS or common carrier to deliver that item
  • White glove shipping does not apply to POLYWOOD outdoor furniture

 

White Glove Shipping Charges

  • White Glove Shipping is FREE with Orders over $5,000 in Zones 1 & 2
  • White Glove Shipping is FREE with Orders over $7,500 in Zone 3

Orders less than $5,000 incur the following basic white glove shipping charges. Please note, shipping and handling charges are non-refundable and subject to change.

 

Order Total

Zone 1 (3-5 Weeks Transit)

Zone 2 (4-8 Weeks Transit)

Zone 3 (4-8 Weeks Transit)

$0 - $999

$199

$299

$399

$1,000 - $1,999

$249

$399

$499

$2,000 - $4,999

$299

$499

$599

$5,000 - $7,499

FREE

FREE

$699

$7,500 and above

FREE

FREE

FREE

 

Shipping Zones

Zone 1

Connecticut
Delaware
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Virginia
Vermont
West Virginia

Zone 2

Alabama 
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Kentucky
Michigan
Mississippi
North Carolina
Ohio
South Carolina
Tennessee

Zone 3

Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Idaho
Illinois
Iowa

Zone 3 (continued)

Kansas
Louisiana
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
North Dakota

Zone 3 (continued)

Oklahoma
Oregon
South Dakota
Texas
Utah
Washington
Wisconsin
Wyoming

 

Premium White Glove Shipping Services

A variety of premium white glove shipping services are available upon request.  Please let us know if you require this type of specialty service upon order placement and we will quote the additional charge at that time. With proper planning we can negotiate reasonable white glove shipping premiums for you. Last minute negotiation can be difficult and expensive so we'd like to help you avoid this. Here are examples of premium white glove delivery services:

  • Delivery to islands (for example Martha's Vineyard, Whidbey Island) and other remote locations where access is difficult 
  • Delivery to locations that are not accessible with an 18 wheel truck 
  • Navigation of spiral staircases or other logistical challenges in your home
  • Requests for special scheduling after hours, on weekends, holidays or during a specific time period
  • White glove delivery for POLYWOOD is rarely necessary but we can quote it if you like (free standard delivery for our POLYWOOD outdoor furniture is via express carriers, rather than white glove delivery)
  • Scheduling of multiple deliveries for a single order
  • Address changes made after orders have been shipped from Vermont Woods Studios are subject to additional shipping charges
  • Scheduling of delivery outside of the date our delivery service is in your area
  • Rescheduling of delivery. Customers who do not show up for scheduled deliveries will be charged additional fees to reschedule delivery

 

Storage Fees

We are happy to store your furniture at no cost for up to 30 days after it's completion. After 30 days, customers unable to accept delivery will be charged standard industry fees for storage:

  • 30 days or less - FREE
  • 31-90 days storage - A fee of 1% of order total per 30 days up to 90 days
  • 90 days or more - A fee of 5% of order total per 30 days up to a maximum of 180 days (6 months)
  • Please contact us ASAP to arrange for storage as early as possible

 

Small Item Shipping

If we're shipping a small item (like an occasional table, mirror, night stand or a bench) we may select FedEx, UPS or a common carrier as the best option for you. In this case, you will be supplied with all necessary hardware and assembly instructions (typically this means attaching the legs to a table).

Small Item Shipping Charges

Small items, if shipped separately, may incur the following shipping charges.

Order Total

Shipping Charge

$0 - $999

$199

$1,000 - $1,999

$249

$2,000 - $5,000

$299

Small item shipping is rarely used on orders over $5000, although occasionally it is necessary to ship a small item separate from the rest of the order. In that case there is no charge.

Small Item Shipping Procedure

  • When feasible, the shipper will work with you to schedule a 4 hour delivery window, and the delivery crew will deliver your furniture to your doorstep
  • Transit typically takes 2-10 days depending on your location
  • Standard shipping does not include white glove delivery
  • On arrival, you will need to bring the furniture into your house, unpack it and carefully inspect each piece to be sure that no damage has occurred during shipping. In the rare case that damage occurs, customers must note it on the shipper's waybill and contact Vermont Woods Studios as soon as possible
  • There will be LOTS of packaging foam and cardboard to dispose of. Can you reuse it to ship holiday gifts, or store items? If not, is there a packaging store nearby that you could donate it to? Please help us reduce our carbon footprint

 

Lead Time

Each piece will have a crafting lead time listed on the product page. This indicates how long it takes to craft your furniture, it does not include shipping time. Lead times per product are accurate at the time of printing but are subject to change. We will make every effort to inform you of any change in lead time while your order is in process. Shipping time varies per state and can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks for New England, 3-5 weeks for the East Coast and 4-8 weeks for the Midwest, Western and Southern States.

 

Furniture Delivery & Inspection

Delivery

  • As your delivery date draws near, you will receive email notifications regarding the scheduling of your furniture delivery
  • Once a delivery time is established it's important to follow through, as the delivery team will coordinate other customer deliveries around your schedule. Rescheduling delivery often necessitates an additional charge
  • Please clear the passageway (including wall decor) to where you furniture will be placed
  • Our delivery team will place the furniture in your room of choice. Delivery teams are not permitted to move your existing furniture or electronics and cannot set up lamps, hang mirrors or make electrical connections
  • Delivery teams do not remove your existing furniture however, there are many nonprofits that will happily come to your home and remove the furniture at no charge

Inspection

You are responsible for properly describing any and all damages on the shipper's waybill. Damage is rare, because we go to great lengths to avoid it, but it is a possibility that we are prepared to resolve if necessary. Please follow these steps to inspect your furniture while the shipper is present:

  • If your furniture has been boxed, check the outside of the cartons for obvious damage. If the boxes show any evidence of damage, note this on all copies of the shipper’s waybill
  • If a delivery crew refuses to wait while you inspect the furniture, note on the waybill that the “driver refused to wait for inspection of contents. Final determination of possible damage to contents will be made when packages are opened after delivery.”
  • Document any issues or damage (no matter how minor) in detail on the shipper’s waybill and have the delivery crew co-sign the waybill
  • Contact us immediately if there is any damage (call 888-390-5571) and we will assist you. You will need to email us  photos of any damage or issues so that we can best determine how to resolve the situation for you
  • If damage is substantial, refuse the item and have the shipper return it to the sender for repair or replacement
  • In the event of minor damages, such as scratches, nicks, some cracks or damage to a door or drawer, VWS will pursue repair over replacement if the item can be restored to new condition
  • If your shipment is missing any pieces call us immediately at 888-390-5571 and document the shortage on the waybill. Advise us of any shortage and we will trace the shipment. If the shortage cannot be located within a reasonable time, the missing items will need to be re-ordered
  • If your shipment is missing any hardware call us immediately and document the shortage on the waybill. Hardware can be sent and installed by a furniture medic
  • If you do not inspect your furniture on arrival we cannot help you with repair or replacement, should there be damage
  • When you sign the delivery slip without any written comments you are indicating that your order arrived in perfect condition, and therefore you are releasing Vermont Woods Studios and their shipping partners for any and all damage that may have occurred during shipping
  • If you are receiving furniture with an oil finish, please follow the directions provided for proper initial care & oiling

Please Note: In the rare occasion of damage, you must note any damage on the shipper's waybill and follow the steps above so we can assist you and file an insurance claim.

 

Outdoor POLYWOOD Furniture - Free Shipping

Your POLYWOOD outdoor furniture will be shipped to you free of charge within the contiguous U.S. Typically, POLYWOOD furniture is shipped via FedEx unless an item is too big to meet the FedEx size and weight criteria. Large, oversized items are shipped via a common carrier with curbside delivery.

Standard FedEx delivery includes bringing the POLYWOOD furniture to the threshold of your home.  It does not include bringing the furniture inside. White Glove shipping does not apply to POLYWOOD outdoor furniture.

Free POLYWOOD shipping is offered for most locations in the lower 48 states, with a few exceptions, for example islands and other remote locations where access is particularly difficult. If access to your home or office is difficult, please be sure to let us know at the time of order so we can advise you at that time if additional charges apply.

 

POLYWOOD Furniture Delivery Times

Many POLYWOOD outdoor furniture products are items that are stocked and they will ship within 1-5 business days of order processing. All other orders will typically ship within two weeks of order placement with the following notations:

  • Our most popular cushion fabric colors are stocked and cushions in those fabrics are made to order immediately upon order processing, and shipped within 2 weeks of order placement. See chair product pages for fabric color options.
  • Specialty and custom cushion fabric colors are also made to order and take 3 weeks to craft and ship
  • During peak seasons some items may require additional time to ship. This will be reflected in the lead time listed on each individual product page.

POLYWOOD Furniture Delivery and Inspection

VWS does not assume any responsibility or liability where site conditions prevent the delivery of the furniture. It is the responsibility of the customer to determine that the size of the completed furniture can clear doorways and obstacles.

Customers are required to thoroughly inspect their furniture upon delivery and prior to signing the shipper's waybill. Your furniture is insured during transit through the shipper. In the case of damage however, we are only able to assist and file an insurance claim if the customer annotates the damage on the shipper’s waybill.

Inspect Each Piece of Polywood for Damage

You are responsible for properly describing any and all damages on the shipper's waybill. Please check the outside of the cartons your furniture is packed in:

  • If the boxes show any evidence of rough handling, note this on all copies of the shippers waybill
  • If a delivery crew refuses to wait while you inspect the furniture, note on the waybill that the “driver refused to wait for inspection of contents. Final determination of possible damage to contents will be made when packages are opened after delivery”
  • Document any issues or damage (no matter how minor) in detail on the shipper’s waybill and have the delivery crew co-sign the waybill
  • Contact us immediately if there is any damage (call 888-390-5571) and we will assist you. You will need to email us  photos of any damage or issues so that we can best determine how to resolve the situation for you
  • If damage is substantial, refuse the item and have the shipper return it to the sender for repair or replacement. Document the damage on the waybill
  • If your shipment is missing any pieces, have the driver note the shortage on the waybill. Advise us of any shortage and we will trace the shipment. If the shortage cannot be located within a reasonable time, the missing items will be replaced

 

Overseas Shipping (International, Alaska, Hawaii and Island deliveries )

We do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii or internationally, due to increased risk of damage on a ship or a plane. In some cases, we'll make an exception for large orders (see below) however, customers must make arrangements with us prior to placing their orders.

Exceptions for large orders

When shipping outside of the lower 48 US states or to an Island, we want to be sure customers understand there are additional risks and costs. Additional charges for shipping, such as extra boxing, crating and other fees must be added when your order is placed.

Customers are responsible for finding their overseas shipper. We will ship to any residence, business, port or transportation hub within the continental US. Shipping beyond that point is the responsibility of the customer. We are happy to supply any weights or measurements your shipper may need.

After the furniture has been handed off from our shipper to the shipper of your choice, Vermont Woods Studios cannot be responsible for any damage or issues. It is highly recommended that customers have their receiving agent inspect their order thoroughly before signing for it.

Due to the logistics of servicing furniture outside of the lower 48 US States and islands, we are unable to extend our lifetime guarantee to furniture shipped by boat or plane.

Local Island Deliveries

Customers living on US islands (such as Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard) must contact VWS prior to their purchase, regarding additional charges for island delivery. Typically, we ship furniture to the nearest mainland port and from there, customers make arrangements with a local delivery company. Contact us for details.

 

Approximate Shipping Times are Not Guaranteed

While most orders arrive in a timely manner, shipping times cannot be guaranteed. Please note that circumstances do arise that are beyond our control, i.e. - extreme weather conditions, lost or misdirected packages due to carrier errors, and unexpected logistical challenges. In these rare situations, the delivery time can be delayed and expected shipping times are not guaranteed. 

POLYWOOD orders are shipped via FedEx or common carriers. We are unable to guarantee a specific date or time of delivery at the time of order. Customers will, however receive a tracking number for their shipments, which can be used for online monitoring.

 

Order Pick Ups

If you would like to pick up your order at Stonehurst, please contact our Sales consultants to make arrangements in advance. A $49 fee is charged on all showroom pick ups. Please note: our lifetime guarantee cannot cover furniture that requires professional in-home assembly (for example beds and dining tables) if the order is picked up.