Shipping Policy

Shipping

We are committed to providing you with the best selection of competitively priced shipping options to get your delivery to you quickly!  The time needed to ship merchandise will vary depending on the shipment's location and the particular time of year. All in-stock orders placed before 12:00 PST will be shipped no later than the following business day.  If you have an emergency and need your order shipped on the day the order is placed, please email our support department to confirm your order at support@3rdrockhobbies.com.

Shipping Methods

Merchandise will be shipped using USPS Priority Mail. Which usually delivers within 3 days. In some cases, items may be shipped directly from the manufacturer.

Choice of Carrier   

In most cases the carrier you choose at checkout will be the agent that delivers your order. However, 3rdRockHobbies reserves the right to substitute another carrier that might be able to either (1) deliver your order faster, or (2) better handle an order of the particular size, composition, and weight. The most common examples would be substituting USPS for Federal Express Ground or vice-versa.

Federal Express Upgraded Shipping

In some cases, the Federal Express upgraded shipping cost shown at checkout will not accurately reflect the charge for an order of a particular size and weight. If the cost to ship via Federal Express will be higher than the amount shown at checkout, we will notify you immediately and before we ship the order (The reason for this possible increase is that Federal Express calculates their rates based on two criteria: (1) the actual weight of the shipment; and (2) the dimensional weight of the shipment. For example, a 26 x 14 x 14 carton weighing 10 pounds would cost more that an 18 x 10 x 10 carton weighing the same 10 pounds. As the bigger carton takes up more of the airplane, the cost is higher. Although our system can calculate the exact weight of your order, it cannot determine the exact size carton your order will be placed in. Fortunately, most of the time the upgraded shipping costs provided at checkout are 100% correct.)

Special Note

All Federal Express deliveries and most USPS orders are shipped with delivery signature required unless customer waives this requirement and advises 3rdRockHobbies via email that they will accept liability should the shipment be stolen after delivery.

Parts Orders

Most parts-only orders are shipped via USPS Priority Mail. Some of our competition advertise "express shipping" on parts for under $4.00. What they don't tell you is that your order is being sent via USPS Parcel Post, which can take more than 10 days for delivery. To get USPS Priority Mail service, the cost goes up substantially. You will be happy to know that when 3rdRockHobbies ships via USPS Priority Mail, we do it for less than the other guys so you don't have the big upcharge or the long wait.

Damaged Shipments

Damaged shipments from handling must be claimed with the freight carrier. If any cartons are missing or damaged, be sure to note this on the freight bill. If you notice concealed damage after the driver has left, keep all the packing and call the freight carrier to return and inspect the damage and file a claim. We are not responsible for damage caused by the freight carrier.

Alaska & Hawaii

All shipments to Alaska and Hawaii, unless upgraded to Federal Express, are delivered via USPS Priority Mail.

International Orders

3rdRockHobbies does not ship internationally. We ship within the United States only.