Shipping Costs & Free Shipping
We offer free standard shipping on orders of $399 or more; orders below this threshold are charged standard shipping rates at checkout. While we advertise this shipping as "free," it is not free for us to provide — it's a real cost we absorb as part of this offer. If an order that shipped free is later returned, the actual outbound shipping cost we incurred will be deducted from your refund, even though it wasn't charged to you separately at checkout, consistent with our Refund Policy.
Turnaround & Tracking
Orders typically ship within 2 business days of being placed. This turnaround may be extended due to holidays, carrier delays, weather, or other shipping-related disruptions outside our control. We provide a tracking number as soon as one is available from the carrier.
Tariffs & Import Duties
For orders that qualify for free shipping ($399 or more), we cover any tariffs or import duties assessed on that shipment — including special-order, preorder, and supplier-drop-shipped international items, provided the order qualifies. For orders that do not qualify for free shipping, tariffs and import duties assessed on the shipment are the customer's responsibility.
If you are charged and pay a tariff or import duty directly (for example, to the carrier at delivery) on an order that qualified for free shipping, send proof of payment (carrier invoice or customs receipt) to customersuccess@espressosale.com within 30 days of payment, and we will reimburse that amount.
This coverage applies to the outbound shipment only. If a special-order, preorder, or supplier-drop-shipped international item is returned, any customs fees, duties, or storage charges assessed on the return shipment remain the customer's responsibility, consistent with the Special Orders, Preorders & International Shipments section of our Refund Policy.
Shipping Protection
Shipments are covered by shipping protection/insurance carried by our shipping partners and suppliers against loss, damage, or theft in transit. This coverage is automatically part of how your order ships — there is no separate insurance product to add, decline, or opt out of, and no additional charge appears on your order for it.
Reporting Damage, Loss, or Theft — Time-Sensitive
Claims against this coverage are time-sensitive and subject to the shipping carrier's and supplier's own claim deadlines, which are frequently much tighter than typical return windows. To preserve your claim:
- Inspect your shipment immediately upon delivery.
- Report any damage, shortage, or suspected theft to customersuccess@espressosale.com within 24 hours of delivery, with photos or video of the damage, the packaging, and the shipping label.
- Keep all original packaging and packing materials until the claim is resolved — carriers and suppliers may require them for inspection, and a claim can be denied without them.
Reports made outside this window may not be eligible for coverage, since the underlying carrier or supplier claim deadline may have already passed by the time we can file it.
Freight & Signature-Required Shipments — Note Damage Before Accepting
For items shipped by freight carrier or requiring a signature at delivery (typically larger espresso machines like the Sanremo YOU and commercial equipment), you must note any visible damage, shortage, or box/crate damage on whatever delivery document, receipt, or proof of delivery the driver asks you to sign, before accepting the shipment. Carriers refer to this document differently — bill of lading, delivery receipt, proof of delivery (POD), or similar — but the requirement is the same regardless of what it's called: damage noted at the time of signing preserves the claim; a shipment signed for as received in good condition, with no exception noted, is difficult or impossible to later recover through the carrier's claims process, regardless of when the damage is discovered or reported to us.
If you're unsure whether a given carrier requires this at delivery, note visible damage or exceptions on the document anyway before signing — it costs nothing to note an exception that turns out to be unnecessary, but a clean signature on a damaged shipment is very hard to undo.
If you notice damage after signing without an exception noted, contact us immediately — we will do what we can, but our ability to recover the loss through the carrier's insurance is significantly limited once delivery has been accepted without an exception noted, and this may affect whether a repair, replacement, or refund is available at no cost to you.
Making a Claim
Send your report to customersuccess@espressosale.com with your order number, the required photos/documentation, and — for freight shipments — a copy of the signed delivery document showing any noted exceptions. We will submit the claim to the carrier's or supplier's insurance on your behalf and keep you updated on its status. Consistent with our Refund Policy, where an item is damaged but repairable, we generally repair rather than replace it, consistent with standard practice for commercial-grade equipment.