Shipping policy
Last updated: October 23, 2026
How Shipping Works on BuyAmerican.com
BuyAmerican.com is a marketplace. Every product sold here is made and shipped by an independent American workshop, not from a warehouse we operate. Shipping is arranged and charged by the maker who made your item.
This has one consequence worth knowing before you order: if your order contains items from more than one maker, it will arrive in more than one parcel, on more than one day, and each maker charges separately for shipping its own parcel. Nothing has gone wrong when this happens. It is how the marketplace works.
Shipping Rates
We do not offer free shipping and we do not charge a flat rate. Each maker sets its own shipping rates based on the size and weight of your items and the distance they travel. Rates are calculated and shown at checkout once you enter a delivery address, so you will always see the exact cost before you pay.
Because shipping is charged per workshop, an order of several items from one maker usually costs less to ship than one item each from several makers. The maker is named on every product page.
Processing and Delivery Times
Two separate periods apply to every order:
- Processing time is how long the maker takes to prepare and dispatch your item. This is set by each maker and shown on the product page. Made-to-order, personalized, and engraved items take longer. [CONFIRM: state your typical processing range, for example "most items dispatch within 1–3 business days."]
- Transit time is how long the carrier takes once the parcel has left the workshop. [CONFIRM: state your typical transit range and the carriers used, for example "typically 2–7 business days via USPS, UPS, or FedEx."]
Delivery estimates shown at checkout reflect transit time only and do not include processing time. Business days exclude weekends and public holidays. All estimates are estimates, not guarantees, and carrier delays are outside our control.
Where an order contains items from several makers, the parcel that arrives last determines when your order is complete. If you are ordering for a specific date, allow additional time and check the processing time on each product page.
Holiday Ordering
[CONFIRM: add your holiday cut-off dates here, for example "Order by December 12 for delivery by December 24." Carrier volume and maker capacity both rise through November and December, so order earlier than usual, particularly for made-to-order items. Remove this section if you are not publishing cut-off dates.]
Where We Ship
Shipping destinations are determined by each individual maker, not by us.
- The contiguous 48 states. Our makers ship throughout the lower 48. [CONFIRM: verify that every maker ships to all 48 before publishing this as an absolute.]
- Alaska and Hawaii. Availability varies by maker. Where available, rates are higher and transit times longer.
- Outside the United States. International shipping depends on the individual maker and is rarely available. [CONFIRM: place a test order to a non-U.S. address and replace this with a definite answer.]
- PO boxes and APO/FPO addresses. [CONFIRM: state whether these are accepted.]
The checkout is the final word on where an item can go. If an item cannot be shipped to your address, it will not return a shipping rate at checkout. You will see this before you pay, not after. Remove the item to continue, or contact us and we will check whether that maker can make an exception.
Food and Perishable Items
A significant portion of our catalog is food. Chocolate, cheese, fudge, baked goods, and other perishable or heat-sensitive items travel under their own conditions:
- Insulated packaging and cold packs are used where the maker offers them. They are not added automatically to every food order.
- Some makers dispatch perishable orders only on certain days so that parcels do not sit in a depot over a weekend.
- Please arrange to bring perishable deliveries indoors promptly. We cannot replace food left outdoors in hot or freezing conditions.
Tracking Your Order
You will receive an order confirmation email immediately after purchase, and then a separate shipping confirmation with tracking for each parcel as each maker dispatches it. Receiving several tracking emails for a single order is normal.
If you have not received tracking, the item is most likely still being made. If tracking has not updated, allow a few business days for the carrier to scan the parcel. If you believe something is wrong, check your spam folder and then contact us with your order number.
Damaged, Lost, or Incorrect Deliveries
Please inspect your order on arrival and contact us promptly if anything is damaged, missing, or incorrect. Keep the original packaging.
- Damaged items. Photograph the item and the outer box before unpacking further and send the photographs to us.
- Marked delivered but not received. Check with neighbors and around your property, then contact us.
- Wrong item received. Do not open or use the item. We will arrange collection.
Please do not return anything before contacting us. The maker may need photographs or other information first, and items sent back without instructions may not be able to be processed.
Address Accuracy
Please check your delivery address before completing checkout. Once a maker has dispatched your parcel, the address cannot be changed and delivery is in the carrier's hands. We are not responsible for orders delivered to an incorrect address supplied at checkout. If you notice a mistake, contact us immediately and we will try to reach the maker before dispatch.
Returns
Shipping and returns are handled separately. Please see our Refund Policy for return eligibility, timeframes, and exclusions. Perishable food, personalized items, and personal care goods have specific restrictions.
More Information and Contact
Full shipping details, including answers to common questions, are available on our Shipping page.
For any question about an order, delivery, or this policy, contact us at hello@buyamerican.com.
BuyAmerican.com LLC
8978 United Lane, Suite 100
Athens, Ohio 45701
United States
