To assist you in reading our Shipping Policy, we have provided answers to the following frequently-asked questions:
- Who do you use for shipping?
- How long does it take to ship?
- Can I track my order?
- My FedEx / UPS tracking number is not working. What should I do?
- Why has my order been shipped in multiple packages when it could have fit in one box?
- Shipping common carriers to a residence vs. business?
- How do I know when they will deliver my boat lift to my residence?
- What is freight?
- When and How Will I receive an item that requires Freight Shipping?
- Does someone need to be home when the boat lift or dock is delivered?
- How is a boat lift or dock shipped?
- What if my shipment is damaged upon arrival?
- Why has the freight carrier added extra fees to my shipment?
- Do you ship to Canada?
- Do you ship internationaly?
- Do I need a broker?
- Do I need a broker for Canada?
- Will this Shipping Policy change?
Smaller Items - UPS (mostly), Sometimes FedEx, SpeeDee, or USPS. (Items less than 8' in length and/or under 70 lbs per package)
Most products found on our website provide a "specs" tab of which provides further details on expected shipment time frames. Please review the "specs" tab on each product page listing of interest.
BoatLiftandDock.com uses various carrier services with the intent to provide the most practical shipping option available based on the products ordered and the location of which they are shipping to. Small sized items which qualify for parcel shipment are most commonly shipped via UPS ground services. Depending on the size of your order, order fulfillment may require multi package shipments. In some cases with particular product lines that require direct distribution shipment may require shipment from such carriers as: FedEx, SpeeDee, USPS parcel service.
Larger Items - LTL Freight (items that exceed 108" or in most cases 120 lbs in weight)
Larger Products are normally quoted with LTL transportation rates. Shipping rates are highly dependent on the shipment location and overall shipment dimensions. This type of shipment will normally require a semi truck/trailer delivery. Off-loading assistance and signature by an approved customer is required upon delivery. Please review our freight transportation section for further details.
HOW LONG DO PRODUCTS TAKE TO SHIP?
Depending on the time of year and the item in question this answer may vary. The manufacturing and supply industry for many of the products we offer are produced in limited batches and are highly niche driven. Larger consumer products, international orders, custom-made products, oversized products and products that require custom freight pallet or crate packaging may take from 7 - 30 days to ship out during peak season periods ( March-July ). For more information on freight shipments please see freight shipping described below.
Payment complications can also cause shipping delays and include: different shipping and billing addresses, billing information inconsistent with what's on the credit card record, and orders that can't be verified by phone. Orders placed during non-business hours such as evenings, weekends, and holidays are normally processed and shipped on the next business day.
Once you have placed an order with BoatLiftandDock.com you will receive an email with a copy of your order receipt. When the product has been processed and has been issued a shipment label(s) a brief email will be sent to notify you. You may also login to your account to review any order notes/updates pertaining to your order. Following order processing and packaging you will receive another email stating that your order has shipped, included with this email will be tracking information. If your order has shipped and you have not received an email, please contact us. Please note, with multi-item shipments it can be common for orders to ship from more than one location. This may cause staggered delivery times for order completion.
MY FEDEX / UPS TRACKING NUMBER IS NOT WORKING?
FedEx/UPS numbers may go unused if we discover that several items can be packaged together safely. Also, packages are sometimes separated from the rest of their orders and are not scanned by FedEx/UPS right away. In either case, please wait a day or two for all items in your order to arrive. If they don't arrive, give us a call and we'll be happy to help you initiate the lost package process with FedEx/UPS.
How do I contact FedEx?
Phone: 1-800-GO-FEDEX (1-800-463-3339)
Website: www.fedex.com
How do I contact UPS
Phone: 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877)
Website: www.ups.com
WHY HAS MY ORDER SHIPPED IN MULTIPLE PACKAGES?
Some products sold by BoatLiftandDock.com are shipped directly from the manufacturer which requires us to ship items separately. Also so items may ship from different warehousing locations and cannot be boxed together.
WHAT IS FREIGHT?
Larger Items - LTL Freight (items that exceed 98" or in most cases 120 lbs in weight)
Larger Products are normally quoted with LTL transportation rates. Shipping rates are highly dependent on the shipment location and overall shipment dimensions. This type of shipment will normally require a semi truck/trailer delivery. Off-loading assistance and signature by an approved customer is required upon delivery. Please review our freight transportation section for further details.
Freight is a shipping method that is used on items/orders that are very heavy and/or very large. Freight orders usually come on large trucks and deliver to commercial locations or for an additional fee they also deliver to residential locations. Freight companies will only try to deliver once. If you miss the first delivery attempt you will be charged for a second delivery attempt, therefore you must make sure that someone is there to inspect and sign for every freight shipped order.
Most freight companies will only bring your product purchase to the end of the truck; you will be responsible for moving all of your items from the truck . Please note that most items shipped via freight carrier are very heavy, and/or large and you must be careful when moving them. We, nor the freight company, assume any responsibility to injuries or product damage that may occur when you are moving your items.
WHEN AND HOW WILL I RECEIVE AN ITEM THAT REQUIRES FREIGHT SHIPPING?
Once we have received your order for a freight item,typically the order will require 5-15 business days to process the order and prepare for the shipment. It sometimes may take longer depending on manufacturer’s production times. Please be patient with this process, as we need to register your shipment with the freight company and our warehouse needs to pack your items properly to protect them during the transit. After the order is picked up by the freight company, we will email you tracking information (PRO number) so you may follow your shipment by entering your tracking number on the freight carrier’s website.
When the shipment has arrived at its final destination terminal, (closest terminal to your delivery location) the freight company will call you to set up a delivery appointment. It is important that you provide us with the best day-time phone number to reach you to avoid storage charges (refer to Other Extra Charges for details). As the freight company delivers multiple orders on each day, they are only able to decide on a specific date but are not able to narrow down the time window.
Typical transit times of shipments in the 48 states can vary between 2-10 business days depending on location. Transit times for Canadian orders can vary between 3-15 business days. All other transit times (International, Alaska, Hawaii) can vary from 6-60 business days.
DOES SOMEONE NEED TO BE HOME WHEN THE BOAT LIFT OR DOCK IS DELIVER?
Yes, normal delivery hours for Freight Item Shipping are from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. someone must be available to unload and sign for the lift. Delivery personnel will NOT unpack or set up the item for you.
**Please read the topic: What if my freight shipment is damaged upon arrival.
HOW IS A BOAT LIFT OR DOCK SHIPPED?
Boat lifts ship common carriers and are delivered banded to a heat treated wooden pallet with steel banding. Snips or shears are needed to cut the banding of the pallet (scissors or knife will not work). Most lifts and dock systems can be unloaded by 2 people fairly easily off the back of a trailer. Other bands that hold bundles together can also be cut to lighten the lift even further.
**Depending on delivery location and product order some products that require freight shipping may include packaging fees due to the need of a protected crate for transit. Packaging fees for crated items can range from $50 to $300. Most international freight shipments require protected crate packaging.
WHAT IF MY FREIGHT SHIPMENT IS DAMAGED WHEN IT ARRIVES?
The following are the steps required for damage recovery to be successful.
Please inspect your item upon delivery in presence of the delivery team, at least in general. Freight drivers are professionals; however, they have a lot of stops to make and sometimes appear to be in a hurry. The driver is not required to wait for you to unpack everything for a full inspection, unless there is noticeable damage on the outside packaging. If you have any problems with a driver, notify us immediately. You will find his employee identification number at the bottom of your delivery receipt.
In the event your shipment is damaged in transit, we advise you to note damages on the freight bill (bill of lading) and if possible take photos of the damage on delivery. If the damages are unacceptable to you may after noting the damages refuse delivery. It is imperative that the equipment is inspected at the time of delivery and noted on the freight bill. Whenever signing for freight, always write “SUBJECT TO INSPECTION”. You then can be covered, even if damages are later (within 3 days) found inside the boxes.
- Note on the freight bill any obvious damage at the time of delivery (i.e. box corners crushed, tears, rips, slices, marks etc.), be specific.
- As the recipient, you may spend as much time necessary to uncrate or remove packaging, to ensure the product is in an acceptable condition. If you suspect internal damage, open immediately.
- If there is a possibility of minor repairs or “cosmetic” damages, Customer Service can assist with ordering replacement parts and initiating your freight claim.
- Even if no damage is suspected, open the carton(s) within 24 hours and make a thorough inspection. After noting any freight damage on the bill of lading, call BoatLiftandDock.com customer service to notify us of a damaged shipment. We will ask you to fax us a copy of the bill of lading that notes the freight damage and any photos you may have.
- Please keep your original packaging for 30 days, and the item will need to be wrapped and packaged properly in case of replacements. All damage claims sent to our returns and replacement departments must be accompanied by a picture of the damage in case the freight carrier would like to inspect the damaged merchandise after delivery.
Bear in mind that you are signing a legal document when you are signing the freight delivery receipt under the statement "received in good condition except as noted." BoatLiftandDock.com accepts no financial burden caused by failure to follow these guidelines. We will gladly assist in replacing damaged goods in a timely manner. By following these guidelines, we hope to keep our shipping problems to a minimum and can continue to offer you consistent, quality service.
SHIPPING COMMON CARRIER TO RESIDENCE VS. BUSINESS?
Products that are shipped by freight carrier to a home or residential address are charged an additional fee. Residential delivery fees range from $60.00-$100.00. NOTE: The residential delivery fee only covers the shipping to a residential address. During your checkout process you are able to select whether your shipment is going to a commercial or residential address and this fee will automatically be included if necessary. This fee does not include inside delivery or any other special shipping request. Freight carriers will charge extra for all requests other than having the product in the truck at the address the customer has specified. Please note when placing an order; if your location is falsely stated as a "Commercial" location, but in fact is deemed a "Residential" location by the carrier, BoatLiftandDock.com reserves the right to invoice and charge the customer for the location adjustment fees assessed by the carrier.
WHY HAS THE FREIGHT CARRIER ADDED EXTRA FEES TO MY SHIPMENT?
To avoid a residential delivery charge, you can choose to have your order shipped to a commercial address when the order is placed. A commercial address must be a commercially zoned business location. The location must have either a fork truck or loading dock for off-loading purposes. Trucking terminal pickups are also possible; please contact us with any questions in regards to freight shipments.
Storage Fee - If the freight company is not able to reach the recipient within 72 hours after their first phone call, or if the freight company has to hold the item, the recipient will be subject to storage fee. The charge may be different area by area, in most cases the fee is $15-$50 per day.
Redelivery Charge - Re-delivery charge applies when no one is on site to receive the product for the first appointed delivery attempt. If the freight company needs to make another delivery attempt, there will be a redelivery charge that is usually within the range of the freight carrier attempting delivery and is unable to deliver for reasons that are within your control, redelivery fees may apply. If the carrier attempts delivery with no acknowledgment from the recipient, the goods will be resigned to a new address or returned to the manufacturer. A second return shipping charge will be added to your bill. Please contact Customer Service in the event of redelivery or reassignment.
Special Delivery Charge - For some rural routes that are hardly reachable by trucks, extra charge applies for delivery. Exact amount of the charge varies and our customer service will contact you as soon as requested by the carrier.
Accessorial Charge - Accessorial charge applies to remote and special areas, varying from $100 - $300. Please contact us prior to the purchase for details. Our customer service will also contact you for the accessorial charges once requested by the carrier.
Canceled Orders - Orders cannot be canceled if they have already been shipped. Our standard return policy applies to all refused items. If you decide to cancel any part of your order after it has been shipped, please note that you will be responsible for the full amount of round trip shipping and handling charges, plus any applicable restocking and repair fees. The only exception is for damaged equipment refused at the time of delivery. Any custom order may be canceled only before it enters the production period at the manufacturer.
DO YOU SHIP TO CANADA?
Yes, we love Canada! Canadian orders typically are shipped by either UPS standard, USPS, or via LTL Freight Carrier. Larger products and over-sized products like boat lifts and docks ship common carriers. Please note, when orders shipping to Canada are shipped via UPS, USPS or FedEx, only shipping charges are collected at the time of order. BoatLiftandDock.com does not collect brokerage, duties and taxes for UPS, USPS or FedEx shipments. These fees are calculated by the carrier and collected by the carrier upon delivery. These fees can vary depending on the item value and location to which the item is being delivered to.
Yes, we are able to ship most products to just about anywhere in the world. Please contact us so that we may be able to determine whether we are able to offer products to your location. We can set up a customized quote for any products that we offer to your location. Items that require freight shipping can take from between 2-8 business days for BoatLiftandDock.com to provide a shipping quote.
International orders are subject to import taxes, duties, and customs taxes, of which are applied once your shipment reaches the country of destination. BoatLiftandDock.com cannot quote or predict what your particular charges of countries outside of the U.S. Please contact your local customs office for more information regarding your country’s custom policies.
UPS / FedEx local country affiliates will charge the recipient all applicable duty taxes, and/or brokerage fees C.O.D. in the local currency at the time of delivery. Recipient of the package is responsible for all taxes, duties and customs fees.
In the event that a recipient refuses or returns shipments in which BoatLiftandDock.com incurs additional shipping fees the fees will be assessed on customers' return credit. BoatLiftandDock.com will not falsify invoices or suppress tariff codes on country-of origin information.
In the event that the recipient refuses to pay the total of all applicable import taxes, customs taxes, and duties upon delivery and any future attempts to collect fees in an unsatisfactory manner, BoatLiftandDock.com reserves the right to charge customers 100% of any fees thereafter imposed.
Do I Need A Broker? (Canadian Orders)
For all Canadian shipments, BoatLiftandDock.com can provide broker service. Broker fees for Canadian shipments range in price depending on product value.
We reserve the right to change this shipping policy at any time. Any changes will be posted here and will be effective immediately upon posting.
This policy was last updated on 11/15/2023.
