We use the United States Post Office to ship books, both domestically and internationally.

Where is My Order?

If you visit your home page you’ll see a list of all your orders. For PDF orders you’ll see the time that it was last generated (or not yet if the Gerbils haven’t gotten around to generating yet). For paper book orders, you’ll be able to see the date and time we shipped it. How long it takes to reach you depends on where you are and the shipping options you chose.

Domestic Shipping Options

We ship domestically using either media mail or flat-rate priority mail.

  • Media Mail is the cheapest shipping option, but the low price comes with a downside—it is the slowest shipping method. It can take a week or two for books to arrive (longer to Hawaii and Alaska). We can ship up to 20lbs in an order with Media Mail.
  • Flat-rate Priority Mail is a lot faster than media mail, taking on average 2-4 business days. We ship smaller orders snuggly bundled in flat-rate envelopes; larger orders go in boxes. We can ship up to 9lbs via Priority Mail.

International

Following the USPS changes of May 14, 2007, we now use Priority Mail International for all international shipments. The USPS claims 6–10 business days for delivery. Our experience is that this is generally accurate, but some countries seem to hold incoming packages for customs and security inspection longer than others.

If your order weighs no more than three pounds we’ll ship it in a flat-rate envelope (wrapped securely to prevent damage en route).

For heavier orders, we’ll ship in a flat-rate box.

The maximum weight we ship internationally is 9lbs. However, it’s a flat rate, so you pay the same postage on 2 books as on 4 or 5 books.

What if my order is too big?

If your order weighs more than 9lbs, you might want to split it into multiple orders for shipping.

For large orders, contact us: you may qualify for discounts.

What about taxes and other fees?

Within the United States, we collect the appropriate sales tax if you purchase from either North Carolina or Texas. For international sales, we pay the shipping and include an appropriate customs declaration, but the buyer is responsible for paying any duty, value-added taxes, import fees, or other taxes imposed by your local country.

What about customs and import licenses?

Some countries require import licenses or other paperwork for certain merchandise. We’ll provide duplicate invoices attached to international packages to assist with customs, as well as any paperwork required by the U.S. Post Office (such as Form 2976), but any other paperwork required by your country is your responsibility.

Why is the shipping amount more than the postage on the package I receive?

The shipping amount includes the postage, plus the cost of the materials and services used to ship the goods. We work hard to keep the costs down, so we hope we’re giving you the best deal possible when sending your purchases to you.

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