Shipping & Handling
Shipping Information
Shipping is free within the United States on every piece. The number on the listing is the number you pay. There is no weight surcharge, no oversize fee and nothing added at checkout.
We price it that way on purpose. What a box costs depends on how big it has to be and how far it is going, not on what the piece weighs — these builds are light for their size, so carriers bill them on the box. The same diorama can cost twice as much to send across the country as across a few states, and quoting that at checkout only ever arrives as an unpleasant surprise. It is built into the price instead.
Large and extra-large pieces are packed in custom crates with foam bracing, because a lit diorama with a scratch-built roof does not survive a thrown parcel. That care is part of what you are paying for.
Shipping outside the US is possible but is quoted per piece. Email us with the build and your address and we will price it before you commit.
The rare exception
Free shipping covers every piece on this site, and in almost every case that is the end of it. Occasionally a build needs a crate far larger than its band allows for, or it is going somewhere that costs well beyond the usual — Alaska, Hawaii, a remote address, or a piece whose dimensions push it into an oversize freight bracket.
If that happens we will contact you with the real figure before anything is packed or charged. You can pay the difference or cancel for a full refund. What we will not do is quietly add a fee after you have committed, or ship a heavy piece in a box too small for it to survive.
Payment & Checkout
Press Buy on any piece and you go to Stripe, which is where the card details are entered and where they stay — we never see them, and nothing is stored on this site. Stripe passes us your name, your address and your email so the parcel can be packed and the confirmation sent. Every catalogue piece ships free inside the US, and the price on the page is the whole of it. Custom builds are agreed first: Alan writes a proposal with the price, the shipping and the timeline, and nothing is charged until you accept it.
Processing Time
A finished piece that is ready to go ships within 3-5 business days of payment. A custom build is different: it has to be built first, and that takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on the scale of the scene and how much detail is in it. We will give you a realistic window before you commit, and tell you if it changes. Either way you get a tracking number by email once the piece is on its way.
Packaging
Each diorama and collectible is carefully wrapped and packaged to ensure it arrives in perfect condition. We use protective materials and sturdy boxes to protect your items during transit.
Insured, Every Package
Every package we send is insured for the full price you paid, at no extra cost to you, and tracked from our door to yours. It protects the piece and it protects you.
If something arrives damaged, the cover works like this:
- Photograph the box and the damage before unpacking any further, and send the photos within 48 hours of delivery
- Keep the piece and all the packaging, since the carrier may inspect them or ask for them back
- We file the claim with the carrier ourselves, and the outcome follows the carrier's inspection
Once the claim is confirmed you choose a full refund or a rebuild. Full details are on our returns page.
International Shipping
International shipping is available. Shipping costs and delivery times vary by destination. Please contact us at [email protected] for international shipping quotes.
Questions?
If you have any questions about shipping, handling, or delivery times, please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. We're here to help!