When ordering products on-line you may come across common carrier shipping. You may stop and wonder, what does common carrier shipping mean? It is important to know exactly how your product will arrive at your home, whether it be a piece of garden statuary or a large fountain, you will want to be prepared for your garden accessory delivery.
When an item ships by common carrier, this will mean that it will be arriving to your shipping location on an 18 wheeler truck. These are the large trucks that are typically seen on the highway carrying deliveries from location to location. The truck will be loaded at the manufacturer with your product. The product will most likely be placed on top of a pallet. Once it is placed on top of the pallet, if you have ordered multiple items from the same manufacturer, they will be wrapped in packing material to ensure their safe arrival to your shipping location. Once they are packed, they are then typically shrink wrapped to the pallet. This keeps the items within the packaging safe from moving around in the truck.
Each order from Garden-Fountains.com will specify that it is a residential address and will require a pallet jack. This means that once your palletized product reaches the terminal closest to the shipping location, the telephone number listed on the order will be called to set up an appointment time for delivery. Much like a cable company, the trucking companies will give you a time frame they will arrive. Once they arrive to your home, they will take your palletized product off of the truck and will place it onto your property. The trucking companies are only required to remove the pallet from the truck and place it on the closest point of your property. If you live in the city, this would mean the side walk in front of your home, or your driveway if there is one they can utilize.
It is important to note that when your product arrives it must be inspected by you to make sure there is no damage from shipping. You will want to walk around your palletized fountain or planters and see if you can visually see any damage to the shipment. If you are unable to see any visual damage, but are unable to unpack the pallet right then and there, then it is very important when you are signing to say you are accepting the pallet that you write, unable to inspect for hidden damage. This will ensure that in the event something is broken or damage in the very bottom of the pallet that the a claim can be made in order to process a replacement.
Once the pallet is placed on your property it is time for set up! Removing the items from the pallet may require you call a very friends over to help place the items where you desire. Setting up a fountain will require instructions which should be included with your shipment or can be obtained by calling our customer service department.
Receiving a palletized shipment is not nearly as scary as some may think. It is all very easy to receive and allows you to order you favorite fountain in whichever color you desire!
