So you want to coordinate your own shipping...
Here are some things you'll need to know!

WE STRONGLY ADVISE GETTING A SHIPPING QUOTE AHEAD OF TIME. HERE'S WHY:

1. once your order is complete and ready to ship, it will need to be moved out very quickly! (more on that later)
2. navigating the transportation world can be tricky, and getting an initial quote will give you an idea of what you'll need to know when it's go time! (ie: what kind of truck do you need? do you have to provide customs documents? what does the carrier need to know about your receiving location? do you need any extra services like a tailgate or appointment?)
3. you will have your own cost estimate that you can compare to the estimate we've provided on your contract/agreement (you'll be able to see right away how they compare and if it's worth your time to explore this as an option - much better than scrambling when your order is ready!)
4. you may decide/realize from the get-go that it is better for you to have us arrange your shipping - we get great rates because we do quite a lot of shipping volume, and it is extremely rare that our clients are able to find a better rate on their own. if you can know this bit ahead of time, it may save you a lot of stress when your order is complete!

 

WHEN YOUR ORDER IS READY TO SHIP, HERE'S HOW IT WORKS!

1. we receive final production details from the factory
2. we send you the invoice (including an amount for shipping - this is our LIVE shipping rate which we provide so you can compare with your own rate)
3. we send you the shipping details (# of pallets, weights, dimensions) so you can get your own live quote
4. *within 24 hours maximum of receiving your order ready notification* - confirm if you will be arranging your own shipping, or if you would like Georgette to ship to you. we will leave your invoice as is, or remove the cost of shipping depending on your confirmation
5. *within 48 hours maximum of receiving your order ready notification* - we receive your payment in full
6. we send you the full pick up details for your shipment - complete pick up address, pick-up reference number
7. *within 48 hours maximum of receiving your order ready notification* - you forward us all shipping documentation from your licensed carrier (Bill of Lading, and Commercial Invoice if there is a border crossing), and advise the date your driver will arrive to pick up from the factory
8. we forward the shipping documents to the factory and advise them of the pick up date - this will allow them to release the shipment to your driver - they will not release the product to any driver without approval to do so.

WHAT IS ALL THE RUSH/URGENCY ABOUT?

It is important that you understand the need to move quickly on this, as the factory is only committed to storing your order on their floor for 48 hours once they have let us know it is ready to ship. After that, as detailed in every sales contract we send out, they may send completed orders into storage and charge applicable fees.
Because of this, we need to get everything organized and shipped out in order to avoid extra fees for you - and because there are extra steps/layers involved when clients organize their own shipping, this timeline is even more tight than usual.
What we are trying to say here is....
1) be prepared for us to push you regarding this timeline
2) please understand it is only in an attempt to protect you from factory storage fees.
3) NOTE: after 48 hours time (2 business days), per your signed contract, if your order has not been picked up from the factory, storage fees will be charged at a rate of $75 per pallet, per day until the pallets are moved out.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON FINDING YOUR OWN CARRIER

1. You MUST book a licensed carrier for insurance purposes - the factory will NOT release any product to anyone other than a licensed carrier - for example, you could not rent a truck yourself and pick up product from the factory as they would not release your product.
2. Any carrier picking up from a factory should have a truck designed to back up evenly to a loading dock - a tailgate/liftgate would be required if pallets must be loaded from ground level.
3. The carrier must include the pick-up reference number provided by Georgette on the Bill of Lading provided to us - the factory will use this number to reference the order and release the shipment to the driver.
4. By arranging your own shipping, you and/or your carrier will be assuming all responsibility for the shipment once it leaves the factory dock (all associated costs, tracking, damage liability, etc).

• By accepting/loading the shipment, your carrier is verifying that the cases/pallets are in good order on pick up (ie: the cases/product are not crushed or damaged).
• We do not have transportation/carrier insurance on shipments not arranged by Georgette, and cannot be held liable for any costs related to shipping or damages to product occurring during transit.

We hope this is helpful information for you - it is a LOT! - but it is all very important for you to know from the start. It is perfectly fine for clients to arrange their own shipping, but it does add additional steps, and some extra back-and-forth that make the invoicing/payment/shipping timeline extremely tight - so best to be prepared!