Fulfillment Costs, Effective 11/13/22

Although we had a significant cost increases January 2023 and January 2024 as well as seasonal surcharges from the carriers, we have not raised our shipping rates since November 2022.

Small Orders

Our shipping and handling charges were lowered November 2022 to start at $7.95 rather than $9.95.

Medium to Large-ish Orders

Heavier packages are significantly more expensive for us to ship and insure, and all shippers charge by "dimensional weight", a combination of how much room packages displace as well as how much they weigh. We've worked with data from our specific shipments to create a scale based on estimated package weight as noted above.

Although these prices are higher than you're used to seeing on Amazon.com or from other large companies, they still only represent part of the total cost. In many instances American Olive Farmer covers 30% to 50% of the true cost to ship your order because we are not factoring in actual package dimensions or shipping zones, only relying on weight to make a calculation at this time.

Big Orders

We have experienced significant breakage for packages weighing over 26 lbs, so recently established a weight cut off. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience, however, if your cart weighs over 26 lbs we have to start a new transaction to ensure that the pick and pack crew doesn't overload boxes and cause breakage. The best practice is for you to call me so that I can separate the cart, finagle shipping charges, manually override the system to add extra fragile stickers, and otherwise take steps to improve the chances of big orders arriving safely. I'm at 530-727-2004.

I tried working with the fulfillment center to manage things on their end, however, there is no other way for us to indicate to the fulfillment center to start additional boxes for your orders at this time. Thank you for your understanding.

Post Office Boxes

We are currently unable to deliver to APO/FPO or regular PO Boxes.

Destinations Outside the 48 Contiguous US States

If you are shipping to a US destination outside of the 48 states, charges start at $24.95; there is no 2-day option for these zones per my current contract. 

Carriers & Shipping Method

All orders within the 48 contiguous US states ship via ShipBob 2-Day Express, a special arrangement with our fulfillment company, to ensure orders arrive safely and on time. ShipBob contracts with UPS, FedEx, USPS, and other carriers to provide lower rates and faster service than can be achieved if only one carrier was nominated. Essentially, the service ensures that trucks leave the the fulfillment center full; if the UPS truck is full, the parcel will be placed in the FedEx truck, etc., to keep parcels moving, especially during peak season. More than 90% of our packages ship UPS 2 Day Air and the majority of the balance FedEx 2 Day. Only a small fraction of orders are routed outside of these two major parcel services.

Although the service is called "2 Day Express" the carriers will not guarantee a specific delivery date. Most orders arrive in 2 days after pick up, however, some may take up to 5 days. If your package is not moving, please contact me at Liz@AmericanOliveFarmer.com to see if there is anything I can see or do on this end. Please scroll down to read the section called "Order Timing".

Signature Required

Any order with a value of more than $300 is automatically flagged signature required by the carriers, it is not something for which we're given a choice; it is part of their internal programming for insurance purposes.

Why We No Longer Offer Standard Shipping

Standard shipping options throughout Q3 2022 encountered more than 10% breakage and delays of up to 3 weeks, which is not acceptable to you nor financially viable for me. Intact and on time deliveries have improved significantly since we made the change to "2 Day Express", with breakage rates stabilizing at a fraction of 1%, and most orders arriving in 2 to 5 days.

International Shipping

We do not currently have the option to ship overseas. If you reside in Japan, some of our product is available through our authorized agent.

Order Timing

Orders placed Monday through Friday before noon Pacific time are contracted to be packed and shipped the same day, holidays excluded. Expect processing delays of up to two days during holiday periods.

As noted above, American Olive Farmer uses ShipBob as a 3rd party fulfillment company to carefully select, wrap, label, and ship your package using an express service with expectation that 99% of the packages shipped on our behalf arrive to your selected destination in good condition within 2 days of pick up at the warehouse. 

IMPORTANT:  We do not currently have a technical or logistics solution for holding orders or selecting future dates. Expect that any order placed will be fulfilled per the standard process.

Fulfillment Performance

First Quarter 2024 Performance
Average time to pick & pack .5 days; average time in transit 2.9 days.

Winter 2023 Performance
Average time to pick & pack .6 days; average time in transit 2.7 days.

Spring 2023 Performance
Average time to pick & pack .7 days; average time in transit 2.5 days.

Summer 2023 Performance
Average time to pick & pack .6 days; average time in transit 2.9 days. 

Fall 2023 Report

10/01 - 11/23
Average time to pick & pack 1.1 days; average time in transit 2.7 days.

December week 1
Average time to pick & pack 1.2 days; average time in transit 2.4 days

December week 2
Average time to pick & pack 1.9 days; average time in transit 2.7 days

Sustainable Materials

We selected this shipping partner in part because of their ability to better serve our customers outside of California, and in part because they use the same eco-friendly packaging we adopted in 2010. This honeycomb paper, called "Geami", is free of plastics, fully recyclable, does not require tape, and very efficiently creates a cushion due to its unique structure when it is properly pulled around our bottles. Likewise, each item is scanned so that optimal package sizes are selected, reducing materials and the impact on the planet.

 If you experience damage to your order, or if it is late, please contact me immediately via Liz@AmericanOliveFarmer.com so we can address the issue together. I'll use your photos to file a claim, and I will send a replacement to you a no charge. If you believe the warehouse has been either wasteful OR insufficient in packaging, I welcome photos also so we can continuously improve.

Carbon Neutral / Climate Positive Option

Should you wish to make your order carbon neutral we have partnered with EcoCart to do so. All monies collected are passed through to fund a carbon sequestration forestry product in McCloud, California that meets 3 of the UN's climate goals.

A proprietary algorithm is applied to every item you purchase which considers the item's content and delivery destination. For example, a carbon offset for a bottle of Coratina EVOO made in California and shipping locally is $0.48, however, the offset for the same size bottle of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar made in Italy costs $1.01 to offset. Here is the link to learn more about our partnership with EcoCart. Participation is not mandatory, so if you prefer, you can opt out on the shopping cart page. 

We match all carbon offsets during the holiday season which means your package goes from being carbon neutral to achieving climate positive status. We are working toward making every carbon neutral shipment a climate positive one in the future.

Lost, Damaged, or Stolen Packages

AOF Limited Package Protection

American Olive Farmer will replace, refund, or issue store credit for any products which arrive damaged, however, do not have any provision for lost or stolen packages once the carrier indicates that they have been delivered to their destination.

Breakage Follow Up

Should your package suffer breakage in transit it is vital that you take photos of the packaging and broken item(s) so that a claim can be filed. Images should be sent to me via email at Liz@AmericanOliveFarmer.com or via text message at 530-727-2004 with a mention of your order number. 

Helpful images include the condition of the box and shipping label, the packaging material, the breakage. While not definitive, such imagery can help determine if the root cause was insufficient or inappropriate packaging or mis-handling in transport. Either way, your photos will enable and expedite claims processing and may serve to also improve future performance. 

Please advise me of the issue as soon as you're able; the warehouse requires that I file claims within 30 days.