Shipping & Returns
Shipping Costs
All orders over $135 receive free shipping within the continental United States*. We cannot offer free shipping to Alaska and Hawaii, but rates are reduced for orders over $135.
All rates are for standard shipping. For expedited shipping and rates, please call customer service at 774-776-7366. During the warm months, chocolate orders have additional handling fees applied*.
| Continental US | |
|---|---|
| Order Total | Shipping Charge |
| $0 - $134.99 | $9.50 |
| Above $135 | Free* |
| Alaska & Hawaii | |
| Order Total | Shipping Charge |
| $0 - $44.99 | $10 |
| $45 - $89.99 | $20 |
| $90 - $134.99 | $30 |
| Above $135 | Add $5 for every $45 increment above $135 |
*Summer chocolate shipping charges apply from May - September. See details in Chocolate Shipping section below.
Please note: If you are shipping to multiple addresses, each separate shipment will incur its own costs.
Shipping Addresses
Orders will be shipped within the United States only. We do not ship to PO Boxes or APO/FPOs, American Samoa, Guam, Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or Virgin Islands.
If your organization has limited office hours, it may be better to have your order delivered to an alternate address as orders may be returned to Equal Exchange after multiple delivery attempts.
Equal Exchange reserves the right to charge a $12 handling fee for all orders that need to be reshipped or rerouted.
Order Processing & Delivery Time
We recommend that you plan ahead and allow two weeks (10 business days) between the time you order and when you need your shipment. Once you have submitted your online order, we will ship your items within 4 business days. Shipping time will vary depending on your location.
Packages will not be delivered on the following Holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day. Normal delivery will resume on the next business day.
See map below for estimated shipping times from our warehouse in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts when shipped via FedEx.
Chocolate Shipping
Chocolate bars are shipped UPS or FedEx and may melt during shipment. When temperatures in your area may reach 70 degrees, we strongly suggest adding insulated shipping to all chocolate orders. Please contact customer service to learn whether insulated shipping is available and what fees apply.
In the heat, we recommend that you ship your chocolate to an address where someone will be available to accept your shipment immediately. We are not responsible for packages left outside after delivery where chocolate may melt.
Disclaimer: While we will make every attempt to ensure your order arrives without melting, we make no guarantees. If you choose to place an order for chocolate products through our online store or via customer service between May and October or if the temperature in your region is above 70 degrees, you do so at your own risk.
Summer Chocolate Shipping
During the summer months (May through September) Equal Exchange must use special shipping methods for chocolate in order to maintain quality standards. Our products are shipped through UPS or FedEx in non-refrigerated trucks, and as a result chocolate bars can melt during summer shipments. Some products cannot be shipped on ice and are therefore unavailable during this period of time.
For most states, we will be using insulated EPS foam sheets and gel ice packs and shipping UPS ground from MA or one of our regional offices. A $10 handling fee will be added to your order to cover the cost of insulated shipping.
Expedited shipping options are also available - please call 774.776.7366 for more details or to place your expedited order.
We are unfortunately unable to offer chocolate shipping to AK and HI during the summer months.
If you have further questions, you can contact our Customer Service team at 774-776-7366.
Ship dates: Orders with chocolate placed after Tuesday will be held until the following Monday to ensure packages do not sit in UPS warehouses over the weekend.
Shipping address: We recommend that you ship your chocolate to an address where someone will be available to accept your shipment. We are not responsible for packages left outside after delivery where chocolate may melt.
To avoid shipping charges for chocolate from May through October, ask for Equal Exchange fairly traded organic chocolate bars at your local store where they are available year round.
Free Shipping Offers
From time to time we may offer free shipping on the web store. When we offer Free shipping the following limitations apply:
- Free Shipping offers are for the web store only, and may apply only to specified customer groups.
- Offer expires on date specified in the promotion and may not be given retroactively.
- Free Shipping is within the Contiguous United States only and is subject to our standard limitations as stated on the store.
- Free shipping is limited to orders of $25 or more.
- Additional restrictions may apply for specific offers.
- We reserve the right to restrict, change or cancel any offers at any time and for any reason.
Errors & Returns
Please notify us of any errors in your order within ten days of receipt and we will do whatever we can to correct the issue. We do not generally accept returns except in cases of error. Please contact customer service with any errors or questions at 774-776-7366.
–Carol I., Union Avenue Christian Church, St. Louis, MO
