Once you’ve placed your order for new or gently used fixtures, you should be able to calmly await delivery on the designated day. But not all fixtures are delivered equally. If you’re in Washington, DC or Virginia and are ordering fixtures from Maryland, you’ll still get expedited shipping service if you need it. You simply need to communicate your shipping needs to your store fixture professional. MASF delivers to Washington, DC and Virginia more than once a week, and we’re happy to make special arrangements for your delivery.
Here are some questions to ask your fixture retailer before you commit to a shipping method:
- What is the preferred shipping method? If the delivery is local, then local trucking or shipping companies should be used. If the delivery needs to be shipped from Maryland to Washington, DC or Virginia, then reliable shippers, such as major freight carriers that move product frequently in the area, should be used.
- How much does the preferred method cost? Is this the most expedient and economical way to ship the fixtures? If you want estimates for more than one shipment method before making your decision, say so. Any fixture professional should provide the estimates with no problem.
- How far is the carrier required to take the boxes – to the loading dock or all the way into the store? The level of service varies by retailer. Normally, delivery is to the tailgate of the truck at your loading dock and you are responsible for offloading the boxes. This procedure is the same on the loading end, so that the trucking company is not responsible for anything but the fixtures in transit. The trucker won’t drop or damage the fixtures by loading or unloading them from the truck. The next level is having the shipper take the responsibility of taking the boxes off of the truck and putting them on the loading dock. Finally, white glove service unloads and unpacks the fixtures and sets them up on your store floor to your satisfaction.
- When will I be billed for the shipment? Most companies include the shipping costs on the regular invoice.
- Who is the designated shipper? Check to make sure local shipments are done by a local house, and national shipments by a name brand shipper like UPS, FedEx, or RL Carriers.
- Who is ultimately responsible for the shipment once it leaves the warehouse? The shipping company is responsible for any damages during shipping. If a product is damaged in shipping, the recipient must be sure to communicate this on the shipping receipt and sign off on it –otherwise a freight claim will not be processed, nor will the merchandise be replaced.
- Do you provide shipping updates and locators? Being able to track a shipment is a great help, especially when it’s moving across state lines into Washington, DC and Virginia from a Maryland warehouse. Your retailer’s shipping department should be able to give you a tracking number upon request.
