McClain's ships using UPS or the US Postal Service. We charge what the carrier charges us, which is based on weight and dimensions, plus a packing fee based on the weight of each package in the order.
We will not know the exact cost of shipping until the order is packed and weighed. Nothing is charged to your credit card until the order ships out. If you need to know the amount of shipping before your order goes out, please ask us to send you that information in the box marked "Special Instructions" on the second page of the shopping cart. We will send you your shipping choices and wait for your OK before going ahead.
Least Expensive Shipping Option
On the website, our default setting for shipping is "Standard (Least Expensive): arrives 2-7 days after being shipped." If you are unsure which shipping method to choose, this is a safe bet. Keep in mind that no estimate will be shown, but you will be charged for shipping. Selecting this option means you trust the expert packers in our warehouse to use their best judgement to pack the materials in a way that will get them to their destination safely, for as little cost as possible. They are pros at packing and they are on your side. You can also choose between “Fast (Expensive): arrives 2-3 days after being shipped” or “Express (Very Expensive): arrives 1-2 days after being shipped.” If you choose one of these options, we will use them regardless of cost.
Preferred Shipping Carrier
If you have a preferred shipping carrier (UPS instead of USPS for example), or if one of these carriers does not deliver to your address, let us know in the box marked “Special Instructions” on the second page of the shopping cart and we will use this selection regardless of cost.
Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico: We ship by Priority Mail because the rates are significantly lower than those of UPS and the orders arrive quickly.
Schools, Colleges and Universities: Orders to schools are shipped by UPS because someone signs for the package, making it easy to locate.
For more complete details about McClain’s Shipping Policy click here.